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I am still having 22+ apnoeas per hour. I have bought, probably wasted my money, an anti snore spray. Do you think it will help, along with my bi-pap auto machine. I am getting really upset with my lack of progress. I wear my mask every night. It fits really well with no leaks, and still no better. I am having terrible thoughts that apnoea will be the end of me. I had a stroke, 23 years ago and my father died from a stroke 4 years ago. I go to sleep clinic on Sept 16th. They already know that my apnoeas are still high. Any help would be great.

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I suppose I was trying to be humorous in my comments. I respect your views but I like my own. I don't reject your views out of hand but have a firm set of beliefs of my own and have managed to survive a difficult life with these as a support. As with diets (I wonder why I end up comparing everything to either food, musical technique or driving) I am sure that any one will work if you stick to the rules.Who's right? Who's wrong?

Can we actually prove that one particular theory is the best or the only one that will work? I do respect alternative views to my own despite some of the provocative stuff I may have said. I do see theories as theories though and not as truths.

My own health has suffered enormously from a life of no sleep. Firstly it was caused by having a child who never slept and had many physical and mental traumas. This; combined with interventions which were inmposed on me by the education authorities and the NHS, all of whom no doubt thought they were helping but the reality was that they were supporting their own theories, research programmes and egos; wrecked my peace of mind over the years. They prevented me from accepting what had happened to me and allowing me to get on with things and move on. Motives may be fine - people may really want to help - but advice is not always good. Secondly it was caused by the OSA and its knock on effects. 

I obviously had undetected OSA for a long, long time and never getting sleep no doubt contributed to my system shutting down and my metabolic rate seizing up. The fact that the first night on cpap coincided with my weight starting to drop proves to me that there is a major link. That link could be that I was better equipped psychologically to diet but it could have also been that my body was better able to behave normally and burn calories more effectively. .  

Whatever the causes of my changed fortunes, I know that I found it hard to reach sensible conclusions when I was shattered, upset, depressed, confused, disorientated or angry! Nothing is ever so simple that you can just say, "let it go" and everything will be put right. We are affected by our mental and physical states and we can only "let go" when we allow ourselves or are allowed to use our brains. 

There are so many things to stop us from being able to use our brains effectively. Exhaustion is a great enemy. Sometimes we can only concentrate on basic survival. This is one example of when we can become depressed and saying "let it go" is just too simplistic; unhelpful.

Whilst we go through these bad times, we need to be treated gently and both forgive ourselves for our failings and be forgiven.

People who profess to be there to help us when we are in difficult places need to be sensitive to such. Not everyone is good at helping. Listening and not not being judgmental is very difficult. We may say that we don't judge or we don't want to judge but we are all inclined to do it. We identify with others. What would WE do? How would WE feel? How could we make the situation better for this person? We don't always have the answers. At best we can control our own behaviours and probably not even those all of the time!

Why am I rambling on about this? I am rambling on because us "ladies" may waste our energy by worrying but someone on the outside doesn't necessarily know what has brought us individually to where we are and what it was or is that makes us feel and behave the way we do. 

So, we talk on a forum such as this to perhaps reassure ourselves and others and perhaps give or receive some advice that could be of use. A forum like this is really great and it offers a service to people in need of support but please be cautious. Most of us ARE cautious.

What we shouldn't use the forum for is to talk down to people or make them feel more inadequate than they may already be feeling. Offer advice yes but don't tell people that they are making all the wrong choices or that you have the perfect solutions.  

Ramble over!

Rosemary  

 

My response has disappeared into cyberspace so I'll take that as a sign from The Universe that the last word should be yours.

Hello am popping out of lurking around .....

 

I did try anti-snoring spray before cpap because I thought it was my throat and mouth drying out with medication (drinking about a litre of water throughout the night in sips) and although it initially moistened my throat it did not stop the snoring (sooooooooooo bad you could hear me downstairs)

I tried all sorts over the years thinking it was just snoring .... like Kath I did try the nose strips and they did help as I have a deviated septum so was always stuffy

- of course I didn't know it was OSA then .... strangely since having my cpap my nose is less stuffy and also I have far less chest infections.

 

What helps me isn't just one thing ... like it was mentioned previously comfort things can help. At first I did not think I was worth spending any money on and then found that I liked a bit of pampering and comfort.

 

Yes I am a worrier, anxiety and depression are in my top ten of ailments, but things like reflexology and bowen treatment helped me tremendously in the comfort zone. Didn't stop the OSA and other things, but I did feel better about myself and it helped me to relax.

I even tried .... arrrgh brain blank - where they stick needles in you? for the snoring ... and the 'doctor' said that it was not a single thing, but a culmanation (sorry about the spelling) of what was going on inside me, my stomach, chest - digestion and other things ... again did not stop the snoring (I only had 3 treatments) but again it made me feel good and more relaxed.

I know it is not cheap, and money is so tight for many, I was lucky enough to get some holistic therapy through where I used to work, but perhaps if anyone asks what you want for birthdays or christmas etc ... you could ask for something like this or a contribution towards ....

at the end of the day these things did not stop my ailments but I felt better able to cope with life  and felt valued to myself (okay that does sound strange but I hope you get it)

I can't really afford any more treatments and some days going out is out of equasion, but it is the people in my life like Kath and you guys that also help make me feel not alone and not insane that keep me going.

Kath's 'accessories' made me feel better about cpap and although I still hate the mask and sleep is not great I have accepted my cpap and find it hard now to imagine sleeping without it .... weird - if you had asked me that 6 months ago ... I would have said never !!!!

Local colleges usually are in the look out for volunteers for students for holistic therapies so do try this as well - even if not a great reflexologist is being born, the actually surroundings and massage is very nice and it is cheap (I did try this as well and found a great student )

 

so please, pamper yourself, no matter how small a thing, no matter what, if it makes you feel better about yourself, you are worth it in every way ! remember that please.

 

love n huge and a humble prayer for everyone

Jacks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Hi Jackie,

Your nice comments are what this blog are all about (or should be about anyway). You are right about valuing ourselves and being prepared to pamper ourselves, whether the treatments are sure to work or not, if we get a nice experience and feel a bit more special, there's the reason for going with it.  

I've also tried all sorts of things, like the brass ring and all sorts of chin straps. Nasal strips that jump out of your nose and land behind the bed where you can't reach them are good too! I've never tried the anti snoring spray but would have done if I hadn't found cpap first!

Thank you again. Rosemary x



Jackie said:

Hello am popping out of lurking around .....

 

I did try anti-snoring spray before cpap because I thought it was my throat and mouth drying out with medication (drinking about a litre of water throughout the night in sips) and although it initially moistened my throat it did not stop the snoring (sooooooooooo bad you could hear me downstairs)

I tried all sorts over the years thinking it was just snoring .... like Kath I did try the nose strips and they did help as I have a deviated septum so was always stuffy

- of course I didn't know it was OSA then .... strangely since having my cpap my nose is less stuffy and also I have far less chest infections.

 

What helps me isn't just one thing ... like it was mentioned previously comfort things can help. At first I did not think I was worth spending any money on and then found that I liked a bit of pampering and comfort.

 

Yes I am a worrier, anxiety and depression are in my top ten of ailments, but things like reflexology and bowen treatment helped me tremendously in the comfort zone. Didn't stop the OSA and other things, but I did feel better about myself and it helped me to relax.

I even tried .... arrrgh brain blank - where they stick needles in you? for the snoring ... and the 'doctor' said that it was not a single thing, but a culmanation (sorry about the spelling) of what was going on inside me, my stomach, chest - digestion and other things ... again did not stop the snoring (I only had 3 treatments) but again it made me feel good and more relaxed.

I know it is not cheap, and money is so tight for many, I was lucky enough to get some holistic therapy through where I used to work, but perhaps if anyone asks what you want for birthdays or christmas etc ... you could ask for something like this or a contribution towards ....

at the end of the day these things did not stop my ailments but I felt better able to cope with life  and felt valued to myself (okay that does sound strange but I hope you get it)

I can't really afford any more treatments and some days going out is out of equasion, but it is the people in my life like Kath and you guys that also help make me feel not alone and not insane that keep me going.

Kath's 'accessories' made me feel better about cpap and although I still hate the mask and sleep is not great I have accepted my cpap and find it hard now to imagine sleeping without it .... weird - if you had asked me that 6 months ago ... I would have said never !!!!

Local colleges usually are in the look out for volunteers for students for holistic therapies so do try this as well - even if not a great reflexologist is being born, the actually surroundings and massage is very nice and it is cheap (I did try this as well and found a great student )

 

so please, pamper yourself, no matter how small a thing, no matter what, if it makes you feel better about yourself, you are worth it in every way ! remember that please.

 

love n huge and a humble prayer for everyone

Jacks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Hello to Carolyn

please keep your chin up (no pun intended honestly) try to take one step at a time, you will get there in time. I always try to remember how bad it was before cpap and the difference having less events has made to me.

We may never win a complete war with cpap, but we sure can lick tons of battles on the way, will be thinking of you and remember you will never be alone in your fears and worries. If you can get to try any therapies for yourself it may just be of help to you.

 

Oh dear Rosemary, Nasal strips like mine lol .... they bung up the little hoover nozzle too !! could not find one one morning despite groping all round the bed until hubby said what is that in your hair???? I looked like an overstuffed poodle with bow on yikes!!

Seriously though I think we all should value ourselves more than we do. How many of us would gladly get something for somone yet begrudge ourselves the same or even less??

thank you for your kind comment Rosemary, I find your positivity so heartening in the face of what you go through - you are amazing, truly !

So anyone else tried any holistic therapies????

oh what does the brass ring supposedly do? is it anything like the putting a nutmeg in the bed for cramp lol???? (that did not work me for hmmmm)

hugs to all, Jacks

 

 

 

 

 

 



Oh no just had a dreadfully funny  picture in my head of a bull sitting up in bed with a huge brass ring in its nose,

 do bulls snore?????

xxxxxx

 

 

 

 

LOL.  I wouldn't know as I've never got so close to a bull!  Glad to have you back on here Jackie.  We've missed your great sense of humour :)

Jackie said:


Oh no just had a dreadfully funny  picture in my head of a bull sitting up in bed with a huge brass ring in its nose,

 do bulls snore?????

xxxxxx

 

 

 

 

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