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turning point.....(this is a long post)
I've been scared to death to make this post; afraid that the changes I've seen will not last; afraid of yet again building up false hopes and afraid of being plunged back into the twilight world in which I've lived for the last 2 years. The changes seem real enough though so here goes. History in a nutshell Sleep lab results in June of 96 showed I had OSA with 107 events/hour and, at no point during the night, did I sleep for more than a minute. CPAP worked beautifully for a period of 2 weeks at which point the results became quite inconsistent. Doctors at the sleep center did not recommend surgery for me and did not recommend a dental device. After 2 months of trying different antihistamines and decongestants to make the CPAP work, the sleep center threw in the towel and said, "We can't help you." From August of 96 up to February of this year I was entirely unsupervised and the quality of my sleep continued to deteriorate. In October of last year, it became so bad that I was no longer capable of running my corporation and have been living off my savings for almost a year now. Results of a second sleep study in Feb of 98 showed 120 events/hour and I was referred to an ENT. The ENT, noting that I have very narrow airways, recommended 2 surgeries: a Submucus Resection of the Inferior Turbinates and a Nasal Valve Augmentation using ear cartilage. My postings on both of these procedures should be available through the search feature here. OK, those of you who have been following my tragic little tale here have heard me repeatedly stating the the air from the CPAP didn't seem to be getting past my nose. I have implored the doctors following this board to respond - only one of which ever did. Oops, getting sidetracked here. Prior to giving the go ahead for the surgeries, I insisted on first ruling out all non-invasive procedures that may have been overlooked. My ENT consented to allow allergy testing to be performed even though no one - not my ENT, my primary care physician or myself - suspected I had any allergies because I showed no symptoms. The test results showed that I exhibited a moderate allergic reaction to all 13 substances I was tested for! My ENT proposed no treatment of the allergies but instead wanted to push forward with the surgeries. Upon hearing this, my primary care physician prescribed Allegra for the allergies. I have had wonderful nights sleep for over 3 weeks now. The CPAP is now doing what it's supposed to do. I no longer feel like I'm breathing through a straw in the daytime, I've been awake and alert for the first time in years and I've been dreaming up a storm. I feel a bit like a Rip Van Winkle waking up to see the wreckage all around me of what was once my life. Everywhere I turn there are things piled up and left undone. I now have the energy to do them though, and have accomplished more in the last 2 weeks than I did in the prior year. I am hopeful and jubilant and yet not taking this for granted. I am driving forward on the medical front for all I'm worth trying to ensure that my OSA will remain controllable yet I'm so, so afraid of backsliding. Though it's based on an entirely different condition, watching the movie Awakenings yesterday rocked me to my core. Though I'm feeling cautiously hopeful, optimistic, relieved and so much more, my anger over the incompetent and negligent manner in which my treatment was handled is rising and is but a half step behind. I intend to fully indulge myself in that anger and blast everyone involved in the mishandling of my case, perhaps I'll even persue stronger measures, but right now I just don't have the time. I'm too busy rebuilding my business and my life. What I lost in income over the last 2 years is considerable. What I lost in terms of friendships and lost opportunities is immeasurable. My reasons for posting all of this are twofold. The first is purely self-serving. Posting this on a public forum is helping me in ways I can't even express. Just as importantly though, perhaps even more importantly, it is for everyone for whom CPAP therapy has not worked or is not working. It is my hope that by relating what happened to me, you will not lose hope, that you will find the determination and the strength you need to see this fight through until the doctors find an answer that allows you to breathe and sleep once again. Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank those who stood by me and continued to believe in me throughout this ordeal. I wish to especially thank my wife without whose love and support I'd never have made it this far. I love you dearly, sweetie.
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