[Sleepnet.com's Homepage] [Sleep Disorders] [Sleep Links] [Search]

How do you handle living with CPAP?

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Apnea Forum134 ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Much Worse Than I Feared on March 25, 2009 at 01:29:20:

I'm slowly coming to terms that I have sleep apnea and that I've had it for my entire life (When I was like 4 or 5 years old my dad used to record me sleeping and I would gasp and pause between loud snoring, but back then we didn't know what it was). I haven't been diagnosed yet but I'll probably drag myself into a sleep clinic sometime soon so they can tell me what I already know.

Anyway, I was wondering how people that have CPAP machines deal with it in their daily lives. To me, it seems like it would interfere in my social and everyday life more than it would help.

First of all, when I try to sleep, I can't stay in one position for more than a few minutes. So I'll start from like facing my table (where i assume the machine would be)and turn away from it. Then I'll move closer to the wall. Then I'll turn and face up. Then I'll face my table again but this time I'm my stomach, etc etc. I can't imagine doing that with the machine strapped to my face with tubes going to my table.

Also, what do you do in situations where you have impromptu sleep overs? Like theres been times where I go to a friends house or something and we just randomly decide to drink so none of us can drive home and i just end up sleeping over.

Or what if I meet a girl somewhere and I sleep with her at her place? Even forgetting the fact that I have to explain to her what it is if I do use it (And wouldn't that kill the moment and any chance you had? unless you explain to her before hand?) Do I just have to drag around my machine everywhere I go in case I sleep somewhere thats not my house?

What about in cars on road trips? Airplanes? Trains?

I could understand if it was a small portable thing, but as far as I know, its a relatively big box sized thing with big tubes attached to a big mask that covers your nose and mouth.

Not to mention that I have insomnia too, and Insomnia + Sleep Apnea is a horrible combo

Follow Ups:


Post a Followup

E-Mail  :  required - same address used when you registered (will not show up in posting)
Password:  required (sent to you when you registered)

Subject : Re: How do you handle living with CPAP?

Comments:....note: including your email address here will result in the removal of your posting (See removal policy)

PLEASE ONLY CLICK THE SUBMIT FOLLOW UP BUTTON ONCE!!. Thanks, Sandman

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Apnea Forum134 ] [ FAQ ]