The machine was a Respironics Series M Auto Bipap machine. The technician asked me if I had problems with the continuous pressure of cpap. I certainly did and had to fight the panic. I found it very hard to exhale against the pressure. The Doctor who prescribed my machine saw this in my sleep study and went with the bipap machine.

After the therapist showed me how the machine worked we strapped on the mask and turned it on. Panic still set in briefly but I quickly realized it was easier to exhale with the bipap. There is a cool feature called ramp that lets the machine start at a lower pressure for the 1st half hour. It will be much easier to start out that way and if you do not fall asleep in the 1st half hour you can re-start the ramp again.

My pressure was 18 for inhale and that feels like a hurricane wind to me. Amazing, but I am going to do everything I can to make this work. The more I found out about sleep apnea and the cumulative affects on your body the more determined I am to make this work. I would rather try to get used to this rather than trying to learn how to walk and talk again after a stroke. A man I know had a stroke and he seriously wishes he would have listened to his Doctor and had his sleep study.

I laid down with my machine today for an hour. It was still tough to do, but easier the cpap. I did not fall asleep, but I felt a little better. The machine forces you to breath deep and I got more oxygen into my system.

Well, tonight I have a date with my new machine. The hospital technician said the machine would be my new girlfriend…so trying to come up with a name. Will do that shortly. The Doc gave me some Ambien to help me out…so should have a good nights sleep finally.

Mark Potes

Mark is a blogger and a burgeoning writer. He owns and operates many blogs.
After learning he had Sleep Apnea he sought the
best nutritional products he could find.

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I would be sick for weeks. 2 or 3 trips to the Doctor for one illness period were not uncommon. I would just get over my cold and a few week later I would start all over again. I was not getting anything done at home and was having a rough time at work.

Last November I went to hunting camp with a sinus infection. By the end of the 1st day, I was so sick I could not hunt. I was too sick to even be the camp cook. I held out hoping I would get better so I could hunt. Nothing doing. This was the last straw for me. I vowed I would find out what was making me so sick.

I sufferred through the winter, but had an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist. It was discovered that I had a deviated septum.  Some of the Doctors questions rattled me. I was asked if I had difficulty sleeping. Sure do, but I figured it was because I was sick most of the time.

A sleep study was ordered along with a CT scan of my sinuses. One sinus cavity was completely blocked hense the  answer to my problems. Or so I thought.

Next up was a sleep study. This was not something I wanted to do at all, but I was determined to get healthy, once and for all. I reported to the hospital and was shocked at the amount of wiring that was attached to my head and body. How is a person supposed to sleep with all this attached to him?

I did sleep fitfully, but completed the test. Sleep apnea was confirmed. Not what I wanted to hear. At all.

To be continued….

Mark Potes

Technorati Tags: Appointment, Bronchitis, Camp Cook, Ct Scan, Discovery, Doctors, Ear Nose And Throat, Ear Nose And Throat Specialist, Hunting Camp, Journey, Last November, Last Straw, Rough Time, Septum, Sinus Cavity, Sinus Infection, Sinuses, Sleep, Sleep Apnea, Sleep Study