Answer
So, you have received a sleep apnea diagnosis, and you want to know where to go from here. You have taken the first step towards taking control of your health by getting tested for this potentially life-threatening condition. Congratulations!
As someone who received the same diagnosis in April 2008, I'd like to give you some pointers to help you navigate the sometimes confusing world of sleep apnea treatment.
Partnering with your respiratory therapist and medical team is very important. They will provide you with essential information about your condition. You can supplement this by searching the internet, but please know that your respiratory therapist and team of doctors are your BEST resource (and remember, just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's necessarily true! Your team of doctors know best!).
This means listening to the options your respiratory therapist discusses with you, selecting your treatment, and giving your treatment "the old college try." In my case, I went with a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine, which is a small (smaller than a shoebox) machine that sits on my nightstand. It keeps my airway open by gently blowing air into my nose and mouth via a treatment mask attached by flexible tubing to the CPAP machine. I look a little bit like Darth Vader, but I'm in love with my machine! Thanks to this wonderful invention, I get quality sleep and feel so much better now! Since I suffer from a dry nose anyway, I asked for a CPAP machine with a heated, integrated humidifier, which keeps my nose and mouth comfortable.
I was scared at first when I got my sleep apnea diagnosis, but working with my RT (respiratory therapist), I was able to select a mask that worked well for me. Sleeping with a mask strapped to my face took a little getting used to, but now I have so much more energy, I'm glad I kept at my treatment until it worked. The machine is surprisingly quiet, and CPAP treatment keeps me breathing and fully oxygenated throughout the night--no more daytime drowsiness, or drowsiness while driving! I feel like I have a whole new lease on life.
Mile High Sleeper's blog is an amazing resource! I wish I'd found this when I was first diagnosed. It has not been updated lately, but her blog is chock-full of great ideas on navigating treatment from someone who has been there.
http://smart-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/
If your medical team determines that a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine is the best treatment option for you, you may want to check out CPAP Talk, a discussion board: http://www.cpaptalk.com
It's normal to be angry when you get that sleep apnea diagnosis. CPAP Talk has a whole page about it. I would also recommend learning more about "Radical Acceptance," so you can move past the anger and into productively managing your condition!
http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t22566/Normal-to-be-angry-when-newly-diagnosed.html
How long until I start to feel better? It's different for everyone, but this is a great list of what stages to expect as you progress through CPAP treatment.
http://www.cpaptalk.com/cpaptalk-articles/CPAP-stages-feeling-good.html
Apnea Support, another great resource. Just know that this board is geared for emotional support for those with sleep apnea. Their common-sense mantra is "talk to your sleep professional" if you have any questions about treatment. For example, publicly telling another user on ApneaSupport how to change his/her own treatment pressure on his/her CPAP machine will result in that post being taken down by site administrators. The ApneaSupport stance is that only a qualified respiratory therapist or other trained medical professional should be changing treatment pressures on a CPAP machine. This is a great place to get support from others in the same boat! http://www.apneasupport.org
When I was first diagnosed, I was so tired that I was willing to do anything to get a better night's sleep--even strap a mask to my face! I learned to work with my respiratory therapist and medical team to manage my treatment. I learned as much as I could about my condition, and I also learned way more than I ever wanted to know about CPAP machines and masks. Plus, internet forums like CPAP Talk and ApneaSupport let me connect with others who are also working to include CPAP treatment in their lives. Thanks to successful CPAP treatment, my quality of life (and sleep) has improved so much. Bon courage to you!
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