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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on July 2, 2009 at 11:39am

Brenda,

This is a tough one. I know that PAP therapy can be a difficult one. You have to get through your anxiety. You have to want to get better and take the steps to do so. There is no pill or quick fix that is going to do it for you. The therapy will help you in many ways.

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Permalink Reply by Steven Y. Park, MD on July 2, 2009 at 1:24pm

This is the kind of situation where a temporary tracheotomy should be brought into the discussion. Yes, there are probably many more things that can be done to improve the effectiveness of CPAP, but you could die during the process. Talk to your sleep doctor who'll have to find a surgeon to coordinate the process.

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Permalink Reply by Janic Maioli on July 2, 2009 at 2:45pm

Brenda...Brenda....Brenda...

Use the CPAP machine !!!!!!! It's going to save your life !!!!!!


I too was reluctant, in the beginning to use it myself (several months). What changed me was, without using the CPAP, I started having horrible headaches, waking up gasping for air, and COULDN"T sleep anyways, without. I getting no sleep.

HOWEVER, I have been using it faithfully and religously for about 8 years now. I LOVE it. I look forward to sleeping with it, and NOT being tired and having energy all day long.

The rewards are overwhelming. You are not looking at the REWARDS !!!!

I too was a bit overweight, and had already developed high blood pressure, and was approaching 50 yrs old.

I now have my blood pressure under control, I have enjoyed losing a few pounds, and for the first time joined a gym

which I really only walk on the treadmill....but...I love it. I listen to the TV or my MP3 player.

You will never feel good enough to even begin to attempt anything else in your life until you starting getting rest.

Go Back and keep trying !!!! You have to see the REWARDS !!!!!!!

Janice...whose...rested

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Permalink Reply by Duane McDade on July 3, 2009 at 8:42am

IF YOU FEEL AS IF YOU ARE HAVING ARE HARD TIME EXHALING AND CAN'T TOLERATE CPAP....YOU NEED TO TRY BI-LEVEL!!! IT MAKES THAT FEELING GO AWAY. YOU DONT NEED PILLS YOU NEED TO BREATHE! BI-LEVEL.
BI-LEVEL BI-LEVEL......I SEEN IT HUNDREDS OF TIMES......IN FACT I'M MORTIFIED NO ONE ELSE HAS THOUGHT OF THAT!!!!! BRENDA YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TOLERATE .....BI-LEVEL. PEACE LOVE, DUANE....IM OUT!

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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Rentel on July 4, 2009 at 11:14am

Hire a personal trainer, a good one!

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Permalink Reply by Belinda Haman on July 6, 2009 at 3:08pm

Hello Brenda:

I have experienced several problems since my diagnosis in January of this year.....in the beginning I had to do what Cindy suggested to put on your mask during the day while watching TV, reading etc.....The sleep doc had switched me back and forth from auto-set to straight cpap.....my body got confused and I couldn't use it for a while....then again went back to wearing it my mask a couple of hours during the day...then these funky noises kept me up and I would take off my mask at night....I am being treated for allergies....and now I am trying different masks...this has been going on since January.....I had to go on Long term Disability as this interfered with my ability to do my job....I am thankful that I have a job where I can collect this while getting better.....just reccently I have found a new mask that seems to be working so far it has been five nights and I have slept long....I still feel tired but....I am determined to make this work so I can have my life back.....I know how bad it can get because I watched my mother suffer with this for over 20 years....She weighs more than you....she has diabetes, congested heart failure, high blood pressure, severe arthritis, and a severe skin condition all DUE TO SLEEP APNEA.....she suffers from severe claustophobia so she was non-compliant with her therapy.....she has been upgraded 2x to bipap therapy now....the doc said she has the most severe case of SA he has ever seen!!!! Because she refused to use her machine....she has ended up in and out of the hospital for the last several years.....this past year she nearly died 7 times.....they had to put a tube down her throat to take out all the phlem on her lungs......each time she went into a coma...this last time she was in a coma for 5 days and the doc told her if she ended back in the hospital again she would be leaving in a body bag.....that this was the last time they could tube her.... That was in March this year.....since then my mother has forced herself to use her machine......she has faithfully used it since the doc told her that.....she is back to her old self....she is co-herent she is happy I have my mother back.....I THANK GOD FOR THIS BLESSING..... every time she went into the hospital the doc told her she was in there due to NOT USING HER CPAP......IT WAS KILLING HER THAT WERE HIS EXACT WORDS!!!!!! For years we all watched my mother slowly kill herself now we have her back, it has everything to do with her using her bipap machine......

I thought I would share my mother's story as it is very similar to your story.......after watching my mother struggle, I am determined to get on and stay on my machine.....I have a life I want to live, I have a family that I love....and whenever I get frustrated I pick up the phone to call her.....she always tells me "don't you dare give up.....don't do what I did....keep at it.....your life depends on it" I admit there are times I call her several times a week sometimes per day..

Please Brenda DO NOT GIVE UP......MY MOTHER WAS ON DEATH'S DOOR, BUT LOOK TODAY SHE IS ALIVE AND FEELING BETTER....I HAVE MY MOTHER BACK THANK GOD FOR THIS MIRACLE......IF SHE CAN MAKE IT BACK I KNOW YOU CAN TOO......

PLEASE USE THIS FORUM FOR SUPPORT....EVEN IF IT TAKES YOU VENTING EACH DAY OR LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO E-MAIL ME JUST DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS....YES IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING.....

Take good care of yourself and I hope to hear from you and how you are doing Brenda.

Hugs

Belinda :)

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