I am irritated

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I am irritated so please don't tell me I am wrong or that I am just taking people the wrong way
PLEASE PEOPLE WHO LOVE CPAPS DONT TELL ME HOW GREAT THEY ARE - i AM GETTING ONE, i JUST WANT TO VENT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS IS SO UN ASPY/ANXIETY RIDDEN PERSON UNFRIENDLY

My wife has had trouble sleeping because I snore and she wanted me to take a sleep study.
I am generally skeptical of any popular remedy or cure all, especially if the people treating it are profiting greatly from helping you overcome it.
But I love my wife and want to sleep in the same room as her.
But for some reason it just feels like I am being railroaded into it and giving in, wearing a mask forcing air down my throat just because everyone tells me I need to for my health sake, but I cant really see any physical signs I need to.
I am a little overweight but most people laugh at me when I say that because so many people are way over weight. I never fall asleep unbidden. My blood pressure runs low. I usually feel well rested in the mornings.
I met with the doctor and had some concerns. I waited an hour to meet with him. He met with me for probabky 5 minutes, looked at my weight and pretty much (I felt) dismissed my questions (Who would doubt that this miracle cure will save them from this horrible threat to their life that they previously had no clue about)

Then when I had the sleep study I had to sign this form saying that they could go ahead and start the process of ordering the mask even though I had not had the test yet, let alone the follow up with the doctor.
After the test my chest hurt for days and I had a cough that felt like bronchitus.

Then a few days after the test I get a call - no results, but they want me to commit to buying the mask.

I work for the hospital system that this sleep lab was a part of and I called someone who was involved in the process to complain and at first they encouraged me to see another doctor if I felt uncomfortable with that doctor. My personal doctor office said they had complaints the doctor was rude. Then my friend abruptly changed his tune and encouraged me to just see the original doc.

I was a good boy and I went to see the doctor today. Waite another hour. this time insisted on telling him my concerns about breathing problems, the post test sickness/discomfort, all the complaints that the equipment was hard to maintain (my concerns that sometimes I get distracted or procrastinate or dont completely understand thigns and then am afraid to ask Qs. (I think that is part of my combination of Asperges and anxiety)

he basically said the CPAP will help me (keep me from having apnea which will raise my low blood pressure and kill me) and that if I just follow the simple cleaning instructions (looked complicated to me) then if I get sick it wont be the CPAP s fault and my other doc can help me.

then an hour later the equipment sales people called to see when they could get me in $:) $$$$

I know I will probably get 10 people who think CPAPs are the best thing since sliced bread, but I am just ranting - I really dont want explanations.



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^^^ If you do have sleep apnea, there are more alternatives that are becoming available outside of that forced air mask. I just read a brief article mentioning it, but definitely research before committing to anything. I would see another doctor too, because there's nothing wrong with a second opinion. Doctors aren't infallible, and shouldn't act like it.

None of my patients that need them like them. One of my Aspie friends also has one and he isn't fat either, but he has narcolepsy. I personally don't see how they use those things either. I did have one patient who showed me something that I thought was just wonderful - he had a mouthpiece that fit over his lower teeth and it pulled his jaw forward and he didn't need a cpap then! This might be an alternative choice to look into. He told me that it doesn't work for everyone. They also have a nose piece that fits over the nose only - I don't know which you will have. Also, I'd definitely get the results of the test before doing anything else.

I don't blame you for not liking CPAP's. I wouldn't like them, either.

I get the impression that they are being overused these days--and that people are overmedicated in general.

I would not like one of those machines, either. I am claustrophobic and anything that close to my face freaks me out.

No harm in getting a second opinion. Maybe another doctor can help you look at other alternatives, if indeed you do have sleep apnea.

One thing that made me real uncomfortable when the people called me back to schedule an appointment to come in to get my equipment is that she told me I would have to call my insurance to find out how much it would cost. Let's just make it a little more complicated why dont we. I hate calling the insurance, but my wife said she would do that for me.
The person who told me to call said that they would rent the machine to me for two months and monitor my compliance as far as using it, and if I was still using it after three months they would convert it to a purchase of the machine.
I know that is probably a good thing for people who decide it is not for them, but it is a bit overwhelming for someone like me who can do accounting, but for some reason has problems dealing with the little details of life.

I got my machine yesterday.

The respiratory therapist was very nice and understanding. I took notes as she explained how to use the mask and clean it. I tried on 5 masks, none of them leaked in the office. I settled on one that would be the hardest to come unsealed because I like to sleep on my stomach or on my side.

My wife e-mailed me and asked me to get dinner because she was sick. My daughters boyfriend was coming over (Monday is usually not a date night) and I had to go shopping for distilled water (which is not easy to find) and a few other things. So I got home late, then wolfed down some pizza, took the boyfriend home went to the pharmacy, store and gas station. Got home around 8PM and my wife was in bed since she was sick. I was about ready to say I was not going to use it for the first time last night because I did not want to wake her up to set it up, but she got up about a half hour before bedtime. We watched a TV show and then went to bed. I wanted to talk about the day and the appointment and all the RT told me about using the machine, but did not feel like my wife was up to it.
So I struggled thru it and got it ready and wore it without too much problems for the first 4-5 hours. There were some misc leaks and it was awkward fixing it in the dark. The RT said I would be able to wear my glasses with it, but I cant. The nose mask part is too big and it dislodges my glasses.
I got up to pee about 2AM and the bridge of my nose was sore, which the RT said was a sign the straps were too tight. I tried to adjust it, but I am blind as a bat and not very mechanical or coordinated when it comes to fiddling with things and adjusting them, especially when it is on my head and I cant see it. finally my wife said just sleep without it, which I finally did.
I forgot to set my alarm and my wife woke me up late (thinking she was doing me a favor. I had a therapy appointment that I though was at 8AM, so I asked my wife if she would wash my equipment and she said she would. I rushed to the other side of town for my therapy appointment, only to find I was an hour early. I am very busy at work. I have an employee who is in her probationary period and will probably be fired today or tomorrow. Plus I have to make up ground on all of the work that we are behind on because she is so slow.

I dont know about anyone else, but I get really emotionally weird out when I am overly tired, making no sense. So I am totally on the edge of crying or throwing something today.

My nose hurts, my sinuses are stuffed up, my ABS is bothering me. My head is all woozy and disoriented.

I hate this whole complicated weird world that seems only designed to beat me down.

I guess at least I have a good wife who loves me. I just worry that I am driving her insane.