CPAP Intolerance

That is a hilarious mind picture Bernese! If you had come staggering out of a bar, I would imagine folks may have thought ET had landed. Did the study work out with the tester getting good, usable results? Do you wear a CPAP?

I understand. I have had two sleep studies and they called mine mild sleep apnea. I found that when using the masks, it prevented me from breathing as well as without it. I since found out I had multiple things in my nose blocking breathing, but even with those things fixed, I don't sleep well or long. I have a long list of discomforts that also wake me up including being a light sleeper. It seems like this is probably my life now. It certainly gets old being tired most of the time.

Thanks much for the reply Gary. Yes, initially it was because of loud snoring. The first sleep study itself was not nearly as bad as the second one it seemed, so I think they did get some usable data from it. Again, the term was "severe" to describe the degree of the condition. That first one though was the one that tainted me due to the follow up visits. I tried so hard to tell the female provider that I simply could not sleep with any type of mask about my face or nose. You are right - I did get the feeling of smothering as well with the mask on. After a few weeks for trying it, I was a literal mess. The lack of sleep and associated anxiety (fed on each other, I think) was taking me down. Yet, the provider was harshly telling me that nobody else has this problem and I just had to do some things I didn't like. I tried to tell her that it was not that I didn't like it, I could not use it. She did not buy that one moment. I think on the second study, I was so uptight knowing what had happened before that it was a total failure. When I could not tolerate the machine again, I gave up after about two follow up visits with the different doc on this one. He said either use the machine or lose weight. So, knowing that I would fail at both of those, I gave up. That was about 4 years ago. Today, because I have been so tired, I begain to look at machines online, which sent me into a terrible anxious state complete with sweaty hands, trembling, and fast breathing. I had to stop that quickly. No, nobody has offered any alternative to the CPAP at all. I enquired about other things several times, and the doc would not discuss them. He simply said the CPAP is the gold standard and that I what I needed. So, I remain deeply shamed over not being able to do it as I must be a failure at it due to the provider's harsh lack of trying to understand (mostly that first one).

Thanks much for the reply Gary. Yes, initially it was because of loud snoring. The first sleep study itself was not nearly as bad as the second one it seemed, so I think they did get some usable data from it. Again, the term was "severe" to describe the degree of the condition. That first one though was the one that tainted me due to the follow up visits. I tried so hard to tell the female provider that I simply could not sleep with any type of mask about my face or nose. You are right - I did get the feeling of smothering as well with the mask on. After a few weeks for trying it, I was a literal mess. The lack of sleep and associated anxiety (fed on each other, I think) was taking me down. Yet, the provider was harshly telling me that nobody else has this problem and I just had to do some things I didn't like. I tried to tell her that it was not that I didn't like it, I could not use it. She did not buy that one moment. I think on the second study, I was so uptight knowing what had happened before that it was a total failure. When I could not tolerate the machine again, I gave up after about two follow up visits with the different doc on this one. He said either use the machine or lose weight. So, knowing that I would fail at both of those, I gave up. That was about 4 years ago. Today, because I have been so tired, I begain to look at machines online, which sent me into a terrible anxious state complete with sweaty hands, trembling, and fast breathing. I had to stop that quickly. No, nobody has offered any alternative to the CPAP at all. I enquired about other things several times, and the doc would not discuss them. He simply said the CPAP is the gold standard and that I what I needed. So, I remain deeply shamed over not being able to do it as I must be a failure at it due to the provider's harsh lack of trying to understand (mostly that first one).

Thanks much for the reply Gary. Yes, initially it was because of loud snoring. The first sleep study itself was not nearly as bad as the second one it seemed, so I think they did get some usable data from it. Again, the term was "severe" to describe the degree of the condition. That first one though was the one that tainted me due to the follow up visits. I tried so hard to tell the female provider that I simply could not sleep with any type of mask about my face or nose. You are right - I did get the feeling of smothering as well with the mask on. After a few weeks for trying it, I was a literal mess. The lack of sleep and associated anxiety (fed on each other, I think) was taking me down. Yet, the provider was harshly telling me that nobody else has this problem and I just had to do some things I didn't like. I tried to tell her that it was not that I didn't like it, I could not use it. She did not buy that one moment. I think on the second study, I was so uptight knowing what had happened before that it was a total failure. When I could not tolerate the machine again, I gave up after about two follow up visits with the different doc on this one. He said either use the machine or lose weight. So, knowing that I would fail at both of those, I gave up. That was about 4 years ago. Today, because I have been so tired, I begain to look at machines online, which sent me into a terrible anxious state complete with sweaty hands, trembling, and fast breathing. I had to stop that quickly. No, nobody has offered any alternative to the CPAP at all. I enquired about other things several times, and the doc would not discuss them. He simply said the CPAP is the gold standard and that I what I needed. So, I remain deeply shamed over not being able to do it as I must be a failure at it due to the provider's harsh lack of trying to understand (mostly that first one).

Thanks much for the reply Gary. Yes, initially it was because of loud snoring. The first sleep study itself was not nearly as bad as the second one it seemed, so I think they did get some usable data from it. Again, the term was "severe" to describe the degree of the condition. That first one though was the one that tainted me due to the follow up visits. I tried so hard to tell the female provider that I simply could not sleep with any type of mask about my face or nose. You are right - I did get the feeling of smothering as well with the mask on. After a few weeks for trying it, I was a literal mess. The lack of sleep and associated anxiety (fed on each other, I think) was taking me down. Yet, the provider was harshly telling me that nobody else has this problem and I just had to do some things I didn't like. I tried to tell her that it was not that I didn't like it, I could not use it. She did not buy that one moment. I think on the second study, I was so uptight knowing what had happened before that it was a total failure. When I could not tolerate the machine again, I gave up after about two follow up visits with the different doc on this one. He said either use the machine or lose weight. So, knowing that I would fail at both of those, I gave up. That was about 4 years ago. Today, because I have been so tired, I begain to look at machines online, which sent me into a terrible anxious state complete with sweaty hands, trembling, and fast breathing. I had to stop that quickly. No, nobody has offered any alternative to the CPAP at all. I enquired about other things several times, and the doc would not discuss them. He simply said the CPAP is the gold standard and that I what I needed. So, I remain deeply shamed over not being able to do it as I must be a failure at it due to the provider's harsh lack of trying to understand (mostly that first one).

I don't know if the term "sleep apnea" was used 20 years ago but I know that recent studies show that sleep apnea can lead to serious problems....heart issues...stroke....dementia, etc. I had an episode of Transient Global Amnesia in November 2016..it was horrible. I saw a neurologist at Mayo who suggested a sleep study because I was having some memory issues. I have mild sleep apnea and was given a CPAP machine in May 2017. I hated it....I struggled with the mask....it felt like someone was trying to smother me. I had to figure out a way to deal with my anxiety whenever I put the mask on. I started to wear it a few minutes at a time during the day....just walking around the house. After 6 months, I can wear the mask at night and do sleep better with it. I still struggle at times. I worry though about untreated sleep apnea. @tbaxter33, do you have health issues that could get worse with the apnea? I am so sorry using a CPAP has been impossible for you.

Wishing you the best,

Bernese53