Unfortunately, I have to start using a CPAP machine. If anyone has any that they have used and can provide feedback, it would be greatly appreciated. PM me if you’d prefer. This is a bit of a sad time for me, but at the same time, I’m excited. After almost 10 years of tremendous weight gain, and decreasing energy, a whole bunch of questions were answered after a sleep study the other night. Again, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks Much!
A friend of my has one of these, and says that he is a completly different person since. If I remember right, he opted to have some sort of surgery first, and when that didn’t work is when he went to this type of devise. Said he sleeps like a rock now. I am guessing it would kind of be a pain to get used to at first, but if it works Great 
Good luck, and sleep tight.
I would check if you are a canidate for Bi-PAP. Bi-PAP uses two levels of pressure veruse one with CPAP. It is usually tolerated better. CPAP can be tough to get used to, but once you figure out how to sleep with that blowing in your nose all night, you will be a new person.
No more being tired all day, falling asleep, poor/over appetite, I could go on and on. I want to encourage you to use the machine and STICK WITH IT. It takes a lot of getting used to but it is really a life saver…literally.
Wow, it has been 5 years since I last used my college degree, thanks for asking that question
I know a couple of guys who use one and they both say it’s the best thing they ever did, they sleep like babies now. They both also thought that it would be awkward to sleep with but they both have found that it’s not a problem.
Oh, I forgot to add, Respironics make an excellent machine if I remember right. Bi-PAP may not be the final answer but it is tolerated much better. I used to recommend that people that can not tolerate CPAP start with Bi-PAP and then make the switch to CPAP once they learn to tolerate the mask. Again, the important thing is to not give up on it. There are other options if you can not tolerate the CPAP.
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Unfortunately, I have to start using a CPAP machine. If anyone has any that they have used and can provide feedback, it would be greatly appreciated. PM me if you’d prefer. This is a bit of a sad time for me, but at the same time, I’m excited. After almost 10 years of tremendous weight gain, and decreasing energy, a whole bunch of questions were answered after a sleep study the other night. Again, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks Much!
I USE ONE. I WON’T GO ANYWHERE WITH OUT NOW. BEEN ON IT 1 1/2 YEARS. IN MY SITUATION I CAN’T GET A FULL NIGHTS SLEEP ALOT OF TIMES AS PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AROUND TILL ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT IN MY HOUSE. BUT IT DOES WORK SO KEEP AFTER IT DON’T GIVE UP! THIS THING WILL NOT MAGICALLY FIX YOUR WEIGHT PROBLEM. YOU WILL HAVE TO DIET AND EXCERSIZE ALSO. I HAVE DIABETES AND I AM AT LEAST 100 LBS OVER WEIGHT. MAYBE WE CAN GET TO GATHER SOMETIME. I KNOW BILL CALDWELL HAS LOST SOMETHING LIKE 35 LBS. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FIRE AWAY. OH, WITH ALL THIS YAPPING I FORGOT TO TELL YOU I AM ON THE C-PAP. UNTIL SCOTT POSTED I WASN’T EVEN AWARE OF A BI-PAP MACHINE.
GUNDY
I know of two people that use it and it changed their lives drastically for the better. You’ll get used to it. Being around one on out of town trips actually puts me to sleep fast as opposed to staying awake from the snoring. Good luck.
I certainly appreciate the feedback here and the pm’s. I tolerated the CPAP during the study, and according to the study, achieved some good REM sleep that night. With regards to the weight, I can safely say that I eat more after I go to bed, than when I’m awake. Most of it, I don’t even remember. I have absolutely no energy to exercise and the metabolism is shot. During the 6 hours of the study, before the CPAP was placed, I woke up 67 times, with 13 complete apnea episodes. I couldn’t believe it when they told me.
As a fellow outdoorsman and sleep apnea sufferer, I can understand how you feel! I was diagnosed over 10 years ago with severe apnea. I currently use a Sullivan CPAP and I have logged many, many hours on it, in fact I have had it the entire time! My older brother uses a bipap machine and swears by it too. Sometimes the insurance wont pay for bipap however. What I do like about my Sullivan is that it is light weight and doesnt use a lot of electricity….big deal huh! Well, if you ever want to camp in the rough again it is! I can run mine off of a deep cycle battery using a power inverter. Ive had to make some concessions in life and you will too, but dont ever give up the things you love to do outdoors because of it…adapt, change, conquer! 
Oh…two more quick things! The sooner you get the machine the better off, so push them to get one or a model to use until you get yours! Dont use nasal pillows as they dry out your sinuses really bad! Get a full face mask if they let you! Make really good friends that will go to pharmacy for you because you will use a lot of KY jelly in your nose! And lastly…buy a darth vader outfit to sleep in…your wife(girlfriend) will love it 
Jeff,I have been using C-PAP for the last 3 years or so. I cant sleep without it. Whoever got you to that sleep study probably saved your life. The full mask worked best for me. I tried the nose pillow type and felt like Mike Tyson was beating on my nose when I woke up. The KY jelly didnt help at all for me. A few things that works well for me and the C-PAP
Like Scott mentioned, Respronics makes a good machine, I have a humidifer with mine as was surprise to learn many people dont have the humidifier. Without it, you wake up feeling like you have been sucking cotton balls all night. The humidifier has broken down twice from getting it wet when filling it up with water. Use bottled water and use a funnel. Hard water will stain the water tank fast.
If your use to sleeping with your mouth open, get a fat chin strap. The chin strap also helps keep the mask on which can move around while you sleep and cause air leaks. If you have a hard time breathing through your nose, the breath-rite stips work well for me and it allows the C-PAP air to enter better. When you get a head cold and get stuffed up, the machine can be worthless. The warm humdifier can help.
Get into the habit of cleaning your face everynight and cleaning the face mask. You will get a nice tight fit.
Try to sleep more on your sides and not on your back. Apnea really kicks in when your on your back.
The machine can take a month or longer for some people to get use to. Dont give up on it, Apnea causes everything from depression to stroke. The best cure for most people is weightloss. To me, the machine is a monkey on my back but I’m thankfull to have it and have decided to beat this thing by losing weight. I’m on my fourth week of the south beach diet and have lost 24 pounds and my energy level from cutting out sugar has sky-rocketed.
Also take time to learn more about your disease. Check out this link.
http://www.sleepapnea.org
Anyone else who may think they suffer from sleep apnea, may also want to check it out. Most people that die from sleep apnea are single, they dont have a spouse to tell them they stop breathing in their sleep.
Good luck.
I have been using the REMstar-Plus machine from Respironics for 1 1/2 years now. The humidifier chamber sure makes a difference in the way I can breathe easier and wake up totally refreshed. I also need the chin strap to keep my mouth closed during sleep.
The only drawback is the need for 120vac to operate it. I have to be sure to carry an extension cord when traveling. Not all beds are located close to an outlet , expecially cabins at my favorite Pool 4 resort. 
I do take some ribbing from my friends who see me with the mask in place. Earlier this spring one of the guys referred to it as a “pig snout”. 
Jeff: The overnight sleep study was sure an eye opener for me. I was outfitted for the machine before I was even released to go home. I guess they wanted to be sure I was going to get the help I needed.
Dino
During my internship I spent 2 weeks in the sleep lab doing sleep studies. No matter how bad you think your sleep apnea is, there are some that are much worse. It was a real eye opener for me to do these studies. I feel for all you that suffer from sleep apnea, but the bottom line is there is great help out there for you.
All of the advice given here is very good. Derek brought up some very good points. I would reread his post if you are new to this.
How does one go about getting into a sleep study? Do you go to your DR. and tell him that you think you need it?
You need a referal from your regular doctor who will ask you some general questions and refer you to a sleep study.
I was a bit reluctant to start this thread, because I wondered whether it belonged here or not. I must tell you that I am glad I did, not just because of the feedback I received, but perhaps it will propmpt others to get things checked out. My wife and doctor tried to get me to get a sleep study done a few years ago. I had myself convinced that I didn’t need one. My wife asked me why I suddenly changed my mind. My response was that I had a whole bunch of fishing to do in the next few decades, and want to be as sharp as I can possibly be. Actually, I want to do everything I can to make sure I’m here for my wife and kids for a very long time.
I need to get a fishing report done, The slabs are hitting on Pool 13! I’ve had some dandies in the past week.
If you are overweight, snore at night, are tired a lot, lack energy, wake up at night a lot, frequently have to urinate at night or find yourself not rested in the AM TELL YOUR DOCTOR.
Also, if your spouse tells you that you sound like you are choking at night or quit breathing when you are snoring, TELL YOUR DOCTOR.
Odds are if you have any of these symptoms you have mild sleep apnea (actually there is no such thing as mild but we call it that) But, if you have a combo of the symptoms I mentioned make sure you get in and tell your doctor. You will need a referral from him. Don’t be affraid to ask your doctor about having a sleep study done. They are painless and better to know than not! It will change your life if you are living with sleep apnea
My wife started using one,It’s amazing how much better both of us are sleeping with out her waking up 15 times a night!
I’m sure you will feel better and your wife will too!
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I certainly appreciate the feedback here and the pm’s. I tolerated the CPAP during the study, and according to the study, achieved some good REM sleep that night. With regards to the weight, I can safely say that I eat more after I go to bed, than when I’m awake. Most of it, I don’t even remember. I have absolutely no energy to exercise and the metabolism is shot. During the 6 hours of the study, before the CPAP was placed, I woke up 67 times, with 13 complete apnea episodes. I couldn’t believe it when they told me.
HAVE YOU BEEN CHECKED FOR DIABETES? I HAVE TYPE 2 DIABETES AND WHEN MY SUGARS ARE WAY UP IT IS JUST MOPE AROUND AT BEST. ALSO I DON’T USE MY HUMIDIFER DURING THE SUMMER BUT ABOUT OCTOBER I START WATERING MYSELF. REALLY, REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE WINTER. ALSO I WEAR MY MASK WATCHING TELEVISION. BELIEVE OR NOT IT ACTUALLY SETTLES THE ACHES AND PAINS IN MY LEGS DOWN.
GUNDY
GUNDY
Hey Jeff,
My dad has a place on Apple Canyon Lake, and he has the Sleep Apnea. He uses his machine all the time. I can ask him about his machine or the apnea for you if you like. Heck, if you wanted to meet him if you have questions; I’m sure he would be helpful. He is out at ACL most weekends. I am out there when I can make it. He is out there this weekend, and both of us on Labor Day weekend.
Anyway, I originally found this site and your postings while searching for ACL fishing reports. We are new to the lake and I am trying to get up to speed on the fishing there. I was gonna ask you about fishing. I was surprised to see this posting and glad to see all of the helpful responses. Like so many in the list of responses the breathing device has made a world of difference for my dad. He has used it for 6-8 years now I’m guessing. He does talk to people who want to know about his expirience with apnea and his machine so if you have questions feel free to ask. Good Luck…Mike
Welcome to IDA Mike!!! 
Thanks Steve…still trying to figure this all out…technology beyond the GPS and depthfinder comes slow to me…did time in your neck of the woods @ St. Mary’s in Winona (Pool 5 or 5A???) it was a lifetime ago it seems. Talk to you again…Mike
Thanks Mike, and Welcome to IDA! I hope you visit and post regularly. I have a green Explorer with a Yamaha 75 4-stroke on the back. Please stop and say hi, when you see me.
Hey Jeff,
I talked w/dad last night…his apnea machine is a “Sullivan”…He thinks it’s a good one…If you want to ask him, I can give you his number…Feel free.
My machine is a red over white 16′ Mon-Ark w/ a 40hp Mariner tiller. I go out w/ my uncle on his Lowe 24′ pontoon also (looks alot like the other couple of pontoon boats out there).
I’ll be out at ACL next weekend (w/ the rest of the world). If the lake is crowded I’m thinking of exploring the bays in the east arm of the lake as there is more no-wake zone. I have never fished over there before, so it’ll be new…I’ll see you out there sooner or later I’m sure…It’s a smaller world out there. (I’m gonna ask you about the walleyes and crappies…you may want to have some B.S. on hand so you don’t give away the farm)
Later On…Mike
Well, tonight is the big night!!! Actually, I had the day off today and took a nap using my machine. I napped very well. When I picked up the CPAP, it was actually very painless and I didn’t pay anything . My insurance rents it for me for a certain amount of time, and then they buy it for me.
Mike, I’ll be out there as well this weekend. I’m fishing the big river though. If I decide to clean some crappies, I’ll be at the “shack” late in the day. Did you pick up a tree map? It’s not exactly accurate, but it’s alright. I’ll tell you who to watch if you want learn where the crappies are this time of year.
Roger that Jeff…lots of family and my girlfriend will be out there this weekend. Fishing will most likely be concentrated on keeping the girlfriend and the nieces busy (‘gills and bass I’m guessing). I don’t mind at all, all part of the experience…(maybe the best part). I’ll keep an eye out for you while I’m on and around the water. Later On! Mike
So, how was is Jeff?? I hope it went well.
Thanks for asking Waterfowler.
WOW!!! I’ve taken to that CPAP machine like… A tube jig to a slab’s mouth!!
I feel absolutely GREAT today. I woke once in the night to use the bathroom, but that’s it. My wife said it was strange for her, for a couple of reasons. First, she has not had me sleep next to her for years and years. Additionally, she said it was wierd because I never made a sound or moved. She said it was as though I were dead. I woke up before the alarm went off, which is what I used to do.
Alright, I’m off to Pool 13 for a few days. Someone might want to warn the crappies that I’m on the way and will have the energy to chase them all weekend long!!! 
Great News Good luck fishing, or maybe I should be wishing the fish luck.
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