The thing that blew me away, Ron, was that my memory and concentration improved. Air - who knew?!!!

I'm glad you are going to be taking care of yourself - both for you and for your partner. You both deserve a happy, healthy you.

The sleep study, IMHO, is the worst part of the whole experience. I had the same kind of test I think you are describing: the first part of the night is to evaluate your sleep "issues," i.e. how many times you wake, etc. and the second half is to fine tune what sort of pressures, etc. you need with your machine. I saw my doc about two weeks after the test and told her that I just about had all the "glue" out of my hair. She laughed for 5 minutes. Seriously, that's about the worst of it, other than being hooked up like a Christmas tree (sorry, no lights, if I remember correctly!).

Best to you, Ron, and invite your buddy with the cpap to join us here. This is a great bunch of folks.

On another note, I hear that 1 in 6 people with clinical depression also have sleep apnea.

Hi Ron,

Kudos to you for doing something about your sleep apnea!!!! Knowledge is key and of course, current results from a good sleep study! I also had the type of sleep study you're describing, the first half they let you sleep (or try to at least) to determine your sleep issues and then if they think a CPAP will help, they wake you and bring one in. Now, unlike Darla (sorry babe) I had no problem with the sleep study. The only "problem" I had was trying to wash the "glue" out of my hair once I got home. I indeed got woken up after about 3-4 hours into the study where the tech brought in a CPAP mask and we went through the whole learning and trying process. I then went back to sleep with the mask on and in the morning I asked and they told me that I never stopped breathing at all during that part of the trial and, for the first time in YEARS, actually engaged in REM sleep. WOW! Once I got my own CPAP, set to my doctor's prescribed pressure level, I found improvement, DRASTIC improvement within the first 2 night's use! What do you know? I was actually functional again! I've had my CPAP since June 16, 2006 and it is truly my friend and has given me back a quality of life I never thought I'd see again.

I was totally determined, with a ferocity I didn't even know I had, to make sure I would adapt my life to CPAP therapy. In my heart I knew it was the only way to treat my OSA. My friends on this tribe laughingly call me "The CPAP Poster Child". It worked for me. It'll work for you and you'll get your quality of life back too. And the added bonus, you'll no longer wake your partner because of snoring and you'll both get a good night's sleep!

Love,
Leah

Ron that is the kind of sleep study I had too..

and I WAS SHOCKED>.when they told me how bad my apnea was..and I DIDN'T even know I had it..!

had an adjustment period..trying to get use to the bloody machine and mask and the dryness..

but alas..am making great progress..and sleep most of the night thru with the mask on..

still rip it off now and than.but next time I wake..I usually put it back on

I have fibro ..which complicates my sleep problem..its not just the apnea..so usually its the pain in my body that wakes me up..

stiiiiilllllllll..working on it..and making progress..one babystep at a time..

and we are here to support you..soooooooo...just give us a yodel..!

Hey Ron...
Welcome. And kudos on your road to recovery.

I suspec I had apnea since I was a wee kid. I had my tonsils removed when I was 3 years old (and I remember staying at the hospital) because they thought my respitory problems as a child were due to tonsils. That didn't work and then I had my adenoids removed in the 4th grade for the same reason. That didn't work.

As difficult and sometimes frustrating apnea therapy can be, I would never trade it for anything. I praise the day I became aware of apnea.

Good luck and keep posting. We want to know how you do!
MC

Thanks everyone for your well wishes-
I'll keep you posted on the progress :-)