The agony of a CPAP machine

[Bill Mattocks]

Since I have heart disease, my cardiologist has been after me for awhile now to have a sleep study done. This is because sleep apnea is apparently a contributor to heart disease. I resisted because I didn't think I had sleep apnea. I used to - when I weighed more, my wife told me I snored and stopped breathing. Now that I'm a lot lighter, she says I don't snore and she hasn't noticed me stopping breathing at night.

But I finally gave in and did a home sleep study. Turned out I have moderate sleep apnea. The doctor prescribed a CPAP machine. It arrived yesterday. It has a build in cellular modem that spies on me and sends usage data to my doctor and the insurance company; the insurance will pay for the machine but not if I don't use it enough. Fun.

Anyway. It arrived yesterday and I hooked it up and used it last night.

I slept OK, but it will take awhile to get used to it. It's much quieter than I expected and at first I kept trying to control my breathing because it's forcing air into your lungs. But I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up earlier than normal this morning and I was wide-awake and alert. I felt focused and present if you will. Disgusting. I'm used to banging around the house in the morning barely conscious until I've had my coffee, but I was fully awake from the moment my feet hit the floor.

It did nothing for the indignities of age. My hips hurt, my legs hurt, I still was dizzy and staggering around, but I was fully awake for it. Horrifying.

At work, I normally find myself doing touch-n-goes off my keyboard, fighting to stay awake. Drowsy and semi-conscious for a good part of the day. Not today.

Instead I feel focused and determined and aware. I cranked out two major projects this morning before 10 am. Now I'm wondering what to do with myself.

If I keep this up, they'll start expecting it of me. Awful.

I am also fully aware that the world is a very bad place, that everything is terrible, that my life is a travesty, and the pain of living, not to mention every insult of old age. I am aware that I am merely a robot to make money for other people. This sucks.

I have been told by others that a CPAP machine changed their lives for the better. I get it now, after just one night. This is the worst. Feeling fully awake is really really bad.

 

[Steve]

Since I have heart disease, my cardiologist has been after me for awhile now to have a sleep study done. This is because sleep apnea is apparently a contributor to heart disease. I resisted because I didn't think I had sleep apnea. I used to - when I weighed more, my wife told me I snored and stopped breathing. Now that I'm a lot lighter, she says I don't snore and she hasn't noticed me stopping breathing at night.

But I finally gave in and did a home sleep study. Turned out I have moderate sleep apnea. The doctor prescribed a CPAP machine. It arrived yesterday. It has a build in cellular modem that spies on me and sends usage data to my doctor and the insurance company; the insurance will pay for the machine but not if I don't use it enough. Fun.

Anyway. It arrived yesterday and I hooked it up and used it last night.

I slept OK, but it will take awhile to get used to it. It's much quieter than I expected and at first I kept trying to control my breathing because it's forcing air into your lungs. But I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up earlier than normal this morning and I was wide-awake and alert. I felt focused and present if you will. Disgusting. I'm used to banging around the house in the morning barely conscious until I've had my coffee, but I was fully awake from the moment my feet hit the floor.

It did nothing for the indignities of age. My hips hurt, my legs hurt, I still was dizzy and staggering around, but I was fully awake for it. Horrifying.

At work, I normally find myself doing touch-n-goes off my keyboard, fighting to stay awake. Drowsy and semi-conscious for a good part of the day. Not today.

Instead I feel focused and determined and aware. I cranked out two major projects this morning before 10 am. Now I'm wondering what to do with myself.

If I keep this up, they'll start expecting it of me. Awful.

I am also fully aware that the world is a very bad place, that everything is terrible, that my life is a travesty, and the pain of living, not to mention every insult of old age. I am aware that I am merely a robot to make money for other people. This sucks.

I have been told by others that a CPAP machine changed their lives for the better. I get it now, after just one night. This is the worst. Feeling fully awake is really really bad.

My man. After hearing this I’m simultaneously happy for you and also very sad for you.

 

[Buka]

Since I have heart disease, my cardiologist has been after me for awhile now to have a sleep study done. This is because sleep apnea is apparently a contributor to heart disease. I resisted because I didn't think I had sleep apnea. I used to - when I weighed more, my wife told me I snored and stopped breathing. Now that I'm a lot lighter, she says I don't snore and she hasn't noticed me stopping breathing at night.

But I finally gave in and did a home sleep study. Turned out I have moderate sleep apnea. The doctor prescribed a CPAP machine. It arrived yesterday. It has a build in cellular modem that spies on me and sends usage data to my doctor and the insurance company; the insurance will pay for the machine but not if I don't use it enough. Fun.

Anyway. It arrived yesterday and I hooked it up and used it last night.

I slept OK, but it will take awhile to get used to it. It's much quieter than I expected and at first I kept trying to control my breathing because it's forcing air into your lungs. But I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up earlier than normal this morning and I was wide-awake and alert. I felt focused and present if you will. Disgusting. I'm used to banging around the house in the morning barely conscious until I've had my coffee, but I was fully awake from the moment my feet hit the floor.

It did nothing for the indignities of age. My hips hurt, my legs hurt, I still was dizzy and staggering around, but I was fully awake for it. Horrifying.

At work, I normally find myself doing touch-n-goes off my keyboard, fighting to stay awake. Drowsy and semi-conscious for a good part of the day. Not today.

Instead I feel focused and determined and aware. I cranked out two major projects this morning before 10 am. Now I'm wondering what to do with myself.

If I keep this up, they'll start expecting it of me. Awful.

I am also fully aware that the world is a very bad place, that everything is terrible, that my life is a travesty, and the pain of living, not to mention every insult of old age. I am aware that I am merely a robot to make money for other people. This sucks.

I have been told by others that a CPAP machine changed their lives for the better. I get it now, after just one night. This is the worst. Feeling fully awake is really really bad.

I wish you the best with it, Bill. I just want to mention one thing if you ever travel. CPAP machines were the most frequently misplaced items at the airport. Not a week went by that one wasn’t lost or found. One day a gentleman walked into our office to see if his had been turned it. We showed him three that had been turned in that day. Fortunately, one of them was his.

 

[Gyakuto]

You could always start drinking heavily/taking barbiturates…that’ll take the edge off your wakefulness.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I wish you the best with it, Bill. I just want to mention one thing if you ever travel. CPAP machines were the most frequently misplaced items at the airport. Not a week went by that one wasn’t lost or found. One day a gentleman walked into our office to see if his had been turned it. We showed him three that had been turned in that day. Fortunately, one of them was his.

I can easily believe that. I once traveled for a living, for about seven years. I'm sure bits and pieces of my life are scattered across multiple continents.

However, I haven't been on a plane in over a decade, my passport is expired, and I hope to never set foot in an airport again.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Since I have heart disease, my cardiologist has been after me for awhile now to have a sleep study done. This is because sleep apnea is apparently a contributor to heart disease. I resisted because I didn't think I had sleep apnea. I used to - when I weighed more, my wife told me I snored and stopped breathing. Now that I'm a lot lighter, she says I don't snore and she hasn't noticed me stopping breathing at night.

But I finally gave in and did a home sleep study. Turned out I have moderate sleep apnea. The doctor prescribed a CPAP machine. It arrived yesterday. It has a build in cellular modem that spies on me and sends usage data to my doctor and the insurance company; the insurance will pay for the machine but not if I don't use it enough. Fun.

Anyway. It arrived yesterday and I hooked it up and used it last night.

I slept OK, but it will take awhile to get used to it. It's much quieter than I expected and at first I kept trying to control my breathing because it's forcing air into your lungs. But I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up earlier than normal this morning and I was wide-awake and alert. I felt focused and present if you will. Disgusting. I'm used to banging around the house in the morning barely conscious until I've had my coffee, but I was fully awake from the moment my feet hit the floor.

It did nothing for the indignities of age. My hips hurt, my legs hurt, I still was dizzy and staggering around, but I was fully awake for it. Horrifying.

At work, I normally find myself doing touch-n-goes off my keyboard, fighting to stay awake. Drowsy and semi-conscious for a good part of the day. Not today.

Instead I feel focused and determined and aware. I cranked out two major projects this morning before 10 am. Now I'm wondering what to do with myself.

If I keep this up, they'll start expecting it of me. Awful.

I am also fully aware that the world is a very bad place, that everything is terrible, that my life is a travesty, and the pain of living, not to mention every insult of old age. I am aware that I am merely a robot to make money for other people. This sucks.

I have been told by others that a CPAP machine changed their lives for the better. I get it now, after just one night. This is the worst. Feeling fully awake is really really bad.

Many moons ago, my general practitioner wanted me to get a CPAP, but the sleep study doc said it was only minor so it was up to me. If I sleep on my side I do ok. If on my back I occasionally have an issue. But I read a study from Britian that said playing the didgeridoo helps with apnea. So I got one, and it did help. But I have not played it as much lately, I need to get back to it. Also losing weight help me as well.

Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: randomised controlled trial

Objective To assess the effects of didgeridoo playing on daytime sleepiness and other outcomes related to sleep by reducing collapsibility of the upper airways in patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and snoring.Design Randomised controlled ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Buka]

I can easily believe that. I once traveled for a living, for about seven years. I'm sure bits and pieces of my life are scattered across multiple continents.

However, I haven't been on a plane in over a decade, my passport is expired, and I hope to never set foot in an airport again.

I can hear that, Bill. I’ve only got one flight left
in me, that will be the last time I ever fly. From then on, if I can’t drive to a place, I’m not going.

 

[Dirty Dog]

You've got the right attitude. Give it time to adjust, because it's certainly a big change. If you absolutely CAN'T STAND it, there are other options ranging from different delivery devices through an implanted neural stimulator that pings your throat muscles to keep the airway open when it detects apnea.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

You've got the right attitude. Give it time to adjust, because it's certainly a big change. If you absolutely CAN'T STAND it, there are other options ranging from different delivery devices through an implanted neural stimulator that pings your throat muscles to keep the airway open when it detects apnea.

I can stand it. It's a big change. It drives home the notion that there's not that much left of me.