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Personally, I have learned more on Sleepguide than I did during my 20 minute doctor appointment. I'm guessing many of you feel the same way....so what is it that you have learned here...that you wouldn't have learned otherwise?

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For me...I learned that you have a "choice" of masks....and there is software to monitor your sleep yourself. Since I learned that here...I bought the software/hardware....posted my results here...found out I had a high leakage rate....and I got a new mask that fits so much better. Without Sleepguide....I would have not known I could monitor my sleep myself and I would not have known how important it is to get a good fitting mask. None of this was discussed during my doctor appointment and I'm so thankful I had this forum to learn so much from all of you. Oh yes....one more thing I learned....there are amazing people who are generous with information on this forum!
Hard to know where to start, the list is so long. Here are just a few of the things that I got here that I didn't get from my doctor:

First, and amazingly, I learned that this is a very serious condition that needs to be treated aggressively. I also learned about the effect OSA has on the heart, the digestive system and possibly thyroid.

Next, I learned that I really really REALLY don't have to feel as badly as I have been...from the bone aching tiredness and fogginess/hungover feeling to my grouchy crabby angry at everything self (of late). That there is treatment, and if you stick with it persistently and become your own health advocate, that CPAP works darn near 100% of the time.

On a very specific concrete level-- I learned to only accept a machine that is fully data capable. Mortgage your home, sell your car, threaten your doctor/DME with voo doo and bodily harm, do whatever is necessary, but you must have the data to know whether the therapy is working or not. It is the key to taking charge of your health and becoming fully functional again.

Next, everyone's journey to health and well being using CPAP is going to be different. Some lucky few hit it out of the park immediately and report miraculous results after just a day or two. Others have to work and struggle at getting the right combination of tools humming together...waiting for sleep deficits to burn off etc,..and others, like me, have to be patient with a good day followed by a not so good day...and stick with it till the good days really start multiplying.

And most of all, I have learned that when my patience starts wearing thin because "I want to feel better NOW," that I can come onto SG...moan a little, groan a little, ask a few questions and end up with a bundle of support and all the encouragement I need to get me through to the next hurdle.

There are dozens, probably hundreds of other pieces of information and tips that are helping me along the way. These are just the top few, and most important to me, that come to mind.

Jan
Wow! What has SG taught me. First and for most that being a sleep technologist is more than just a job. I have learned that although it is important to be able to take care of yourself financially it is even more important to connect yourself to something larger, something that matters. Pts are individual people and need to be treated as such. There is no right or wrong way. We are all patients eventually. Sleepguide has shown me that my work does make a difference. You all make a difference to me. Sleepguide is where I get to see the success stories of what I do. Thank you sleepguide.
Without the help of a forum I would have probably been a statistic and my cpap would be history.

My primary care doctor scheduled my sleep study after I requested that she do so. Not one doctor ever suggested that I have a sleep study, although I have had issues caused by sleep apnea that has resulted in doctor's visits such as high blood pressure, obesity, lack of energy, extreme fatigue, chest pains, severe headaches upon waking, etc. I went in for the sleep study without knowing what to expect. I slept for a little over 2 hours the night of my first sleep study. My doctor had told me scheduled me for a "split study" and if I had sleep apnea they would come in and I would be placed on a cpap. After a much restless night and not much sleep, when I finally did get up I was disappointed that "it must be in my head" since I was never hooked up to a machine. I was practically in tears I was so frustrated. The kindly sleep tech, patted me on the back, winked and said she would be seeing me. She couldn't tell me anything else, but at least I knew something was going on. It took about 10 days or so for my primary care doctor to let me know that I had indeed sleep apnea and would have to do a titration study.

I never saw a sleep doctor, nor talked to one. He sent the stuff to my primary care doctor along with the dictated reports and scripts. I didn't realize there was more than one mask availabe and there were different machine.

I picked up my machine the day I received my script. The lady RT assured me I was getting a great machine and top of the line to boot as it had a "smart card". It was the M series Plus. I was ignorant and didn't know any better. I came home and plugged it in and got things set up. That evening I got online for information and signed up with about every sleep apnea forum there was at the time. Boy was I in for a surprise!!

I learned more from the forums than I did from the sleep doctor, my primary care doctor (although she admits at this point I know more than she does and has given me her blessing to tweak my therapy anyway I deem necessary), or the DME.

I learned about rainout, humidifiers, snuggle hose covers, cpaps, apaps, bipaps, vpaps, full face masks, nasal masks, pillow masks, prong masks, hose hangers, heated hoses, AHI, O2 levels, leak rates, and the list goes on and on.

For that information I am eternally greatful. Thank you Sleepguide!!

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