Obstructive Sleep Apnoea - tell me it gets better!!!

[PermanentlySleepyZzz]

I have been completely exhausted for what feels like forever, but is more like 18 months and after a sleep study they have confirmed OSA. This explains why I am so tired and sleeping all the time and I am getting a CPAP machine soon. Has anyone been through this that can give any advice or manage my expectations on whether this will improve things/how long to notice a difference? I’m desperate.

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you!

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you

Amazing thank you!

This is the one he has currently, he says depending on your settings it should do a couple of nights, unless you use a heated tube or a humidifier which both draw more power.

He also says this one would give you up to 4 nights, but it’s a lot more expensive.

And this is probably what he will buy as a replacement when his current power bank needs changing.

This thread has been helpful in getting my head around being referred for cpap machine - thank you all.
I went to gp re tiredness July 22 but after going through many depts (and other stuff found there- sigh) ended up with sleep test which showed 15-17 events/hr so just waiting to go re this machine next.
Actually my tiredness improved in the last 3 years and I felt would be due to my auto immune disorders and my management of same, and I never have fallen asleep randomly just have an added nap once ish a week now, so it was a surprise (though I snored all my life - apparently!)
Sorry to hijack thread but have a question re reporting to DVLA - have you all (your partners) done this? I’m not sure as I don’t seem to have excessive sleepiness - according to lady I spoke to after test at least, but I like to be above board. Otoh to do so would make me cry, as much as thought of machine did tbh. I have never, ever fallen asleep without intention and don’t feel tired when driving either. Not sure if I’m even diagnosed officially yet?
Ive also read treatment not that great for improvement at 15 events per hour - anyone know?
Sorry again to hijack but replies here have boosted my willingness to even get a mask so far - thank you!

@MsJinks You asked about DVLA. DH was asked by the initial consultant if he ever felt tired when driving, had micronaps whilst driving, had to drink coffee or keep the windows down to stay awake- which he didn't. He was never advised to notify the DVLA at all.

I have no idea if he should have done, but your post is actually the first time anyone has mentioned it. 🤔

@JDM625- so I saw it when I (finally) Googled cpap and went to nhs site re sleep apnoea and it had a link through to DVLA advising anyone with moderate or severe sleep apnoea told them and possibly stopped driving until it was under control. Further reading included stuff about when you had excessive sleepiness though, so I’m not totally clear.
15 hits the moderate level so I’m not sure what to do - I am so on it re driving with right insurances etc etc with my kids/anyone that I don’t want to be doing this wrong myself - or anyway invalidate insurance in case it impacts others. Otoh I am wary of referring myself and the dvla not then accepting I’m actually not sleepy - lack of trust in beaurocracy here!
I may just check when I attend and get it confirmed officially.
I was surprised as it had never entered my head to concern myself re driving - and worried/upset

@MsJinksHusband double checked this, as his apnea was in the very severe range, and the advice was that you only needed to notify the DVLA if he was falling asleep randomly, had excessive tiredness behind the wheel etc - which he didn’t have, it was more feeling exhausted all the time rather than ‘sleepy’ - and as long as it was controlled, ie he was using the cpap as directed, there was no need to notify at all.

Ah thank you @triplechoc - this thread has been so helpful - though sorry for hijacking it.

@MsJinks you can get your consultant to confirm with you if you need to advise DVLA. Re: getting a cpap (and unwillingness!), do you know what your oxygen levels drop to when you have a desaturation? We bought a viatom checkme wrist pulse oximeter (approx £130), like the hospital uses for home sleep studies, and we were shocked to see that the worst drops were down to 69%… even though there weren’t that many drops per hour, on average. Apparently if your oxygen levels drop below 80%, that’s when organ damage happens (presumably cardio-vascular mainly, but probably others too..). So don’t delay starting treatment, as it is not just for feeling more refreshed etc. Sorry to be such a voice of doom - it is a complete pain, but a very worthwhile investment of time and energy getting it sorted!

Thank you @Stoufer- no I’ve not looked at O2 drops, though as I’m under respiratory anyway for something else I probably should have been more interested in this.
I’m just being mardy tbh - even not sure what dates will think 🙈though doesn’t even matter as I don’t bother any more 🤣 - guess it makes me feel old and unfit though I appreciate it’s not to do with that. I am a bit bothered if it will stop me going to sleep on my front though, that really annoyed me when pregnant or in hospital - hope I can still manage my starfish!
I have had so many referrals to different depts in last 3 years I got bored of it - sometimes irrelevant referrals and sometimes find something - and actually like I said my tired has been improving so it was also a surprise really.
I was fine with coeliac and other stuff, but very fed up with getting readers in my 40s - strange what hits you - need to get over myself!
Thank you again - I am wondering if it might bring my inflammation markers down - that I’m under rheumatology for as they keep rising with Ltd apparent reason (coeliac and mild RA) so under monitoring in case something else pops up, but be good if this helped - otherwise the seaside helped that once so I might need to move!

No worries at all that’s a great question. I must admit I have struggled on long drives but I limit them at the moment until I get the CPAP machine and start feeling better. That said I did answer yes to the sleepy driving question and they didn’t say anything to me about informing the DVLA.