Sleep Apnea

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I was diagnosed with severe sleep Apnea several years ago and have been using a BiPap machine ever since. Getting a good night's sleep changed my life.

About a week post-op I had to tighten my mask because my face had shrunk.

About a month later I found I couldn't sleep with it as it was blowing too strong.

Today I was finally able to see my sleep doctor and came home with one of the newfangled machines (it's supposed to automatically adjust to the correct settings and looks like a bedside radio).

I feel so fancy. I am really looking forward to seeing it in action. Here is to a good night's sleep and hopefully to not needing the machine much longer.

[wascott 395]

That's great. I tried to get upgraded to a fancy machine but they wouldn't do it unless my machine was broken. I need to reduce my pressure just on my pre-op weight loss. I hope I can get off it altogether some day.

[maxcimax 220]

I am one of the 6% of people who suffer from COPD because of second hand smoke. Before surgery I was using oxygen 24 hrs. a day & a CPAP w/ oxygen at night. So far I've lost about 85 lbs & no longer have to use the CPAP & I've cut down the oxygen I need. I can actually walk short distances w/o my oxygen. I can sit and watch TV and turn my machine off. I'm so excited!! COPD isn't curable but at least the weight loss has made it more livable.