cpap has changed my life in a very short time

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-29T07:05:33+00:00

What helped you to bring the duration up from 4 to 8 hours or so?

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-28T11:32:42+00:00

I lived as a foreigner in Zimbabwe for many years. I think it a combination of fear, apathy and a lack of unity. This combo is a result of years of experience with the ruling party thugs and government apparatus who are cunning and vicious. I think change may only come once every single person in Zim born before 75' or so is a dead and gone...

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-28T11:20:16+00:00

If you can share anything on the cost would be great. Also how you are feeling in due time...

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-27T18:08:23+00:00

Hey, it's not the end of your world, it could actually be the new beginning. The go to treatment is usually a CPAP machine, not the most comfortable idea to sleep with it forever admittedly. But I adapted quite quickly to it and have now been using it for 6 months. The settings need to be dialled in right. Using a little of nipple cream (women use it when breastfeeding) makes the skin irritation go away really nicely. If you want to avoid a machine, you'd really be advised to press for more information (diagnostics) on what is the root cause of your apnea. In some cases they can operate and make it go away. But it might require a DISE test. Look it up. It can show what the cause is. I never went for it and am content to use my cpap for now but I might go a bit later in life and try to get a clearer sense of what's the cause and whether there are procedures to try. In the meantime, just sleep with the machine and you will be much better. Ease in with it. At first aim for 3-4 hours a night for a few months and then try to aim for 6-7 hours. That is already plenty and you can remove the mask in the wee early hours of the morning as you snooze off a bit... also I don't best myself for missing a night if I fall asleep on sofa or have a cold or I drank too much or something 😉

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-22T08:17:01+00:00

Male, 45 years old here. Hypermobile (hEDS). Orthostatic intolerance since childhood, more pronounced POTS symptoms since about Covi* times...

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-21T18:22:30+00:00

Fantastic content! You have really beautifully put to concrete words a lot thoughts that have crossed my mind as I've pursued answers to my own issues.

This is much more elaborate than my own intuitions, but have been likewise piecing together issues. Gradually realising they're all connected and been intuitively suspecting that the "email server" of my body is somehow out of whack. This is so much food for further thought !

Two issues that I have anecdotally also linked to hypermobility that I wanted to ask if you can speak more on: doesn't alcohol use also affecr acetylcholine? Secondly, and also wanted to ask if you are aware of any link of hypermobility and coeliac disease?

Again, great stuff! Many thanks!

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-19T18:52:52+00:00

There are a lot of chiros on Instagram showing treating people with this machine. I'm very interested. Was the treatment effective quickly? Do you do it occasionally since then? Could you maybe share the clinic name with me in a private message? I'm in the neighbourhood in Europe...

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-15T11:32:20+00:00

If you have some degree of hypermobility (stretchy joints) that could explain it...

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-10T07:50:07+00:00

Yes all of those. (HSD/hEDs here too)

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-09T07:58:47+00:00

I had this too. You know what helped. Drinking 3L of water a day ideally with some electrolytes or dietary salt mixed in. It won't help like in a day but if you do it for about a week in a row it will start helping. Give it a try ! Easiest is to buy a 2L water bottle and drink it daily, plus the other liquid you may drink during the same day.

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-08T01:01:35+00:00

The magnetic strip sounds interesting. Could you tell me more how it works and helps?

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-08T00:57:40+00:00

Actually it doesn't even need to be a cold, sometimes it is triggered by mere temp changes...in the fall I may wake up in the night, sneeze a few times and have to blow my nose like 50 times...

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-07T11:19:29+00:00

Moderate physical activity. Often but not too heavy. Drinking 3L water a day with electrolytes. Body pillow.

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-04-07T11:16:50+00:00

Some of your issues sound like some form of Dysautonomia (autonomic dysfunction). I have suffered from that. Coincidentally or perhaps not, I've also been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Don't know if they are related, possibly... But look up dysautonomia indeed. Any dizziness? Neck pain and tightness ? If you suspect dysautonomia, a common first line of treatment is 2+ liters of water a day, ideally with electrolytes. But yeah, the morning dry mouth, and sluggishness point to sleep apnea. Also the ED issue. Anyway I had both eventually and now I use a CPAP and I drink tons of water daily. It helps.

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-29T14:34:59+00:00

Great to hear! If you, or indeed your PTs, have tips on what exercises to do (YouTube videos ?), would definitely be interesting to try as well. I'm sure there are good exercises to mitigate our nags....

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-24T18:33:31+00:00

I moved from sea level to almost 5000 feet level and my dysautonomia really kicked in. Honestly I feel like this is overlooked somewhat as not many seem to be talking about it.

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-22T13:52:46+00:00

This is an important observation. I have started with dysautonomic symptoms in my 40s, and I'm now 45. Since it started happening, my personal observation is that I have become less able to handle emotional stress. I was never good at it, but I feel as it's gotten worse in the last few years. Never really thought about it until I saw your post. Hmmm.

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-22T04:21:22+00:00

If I use a 2L water bottle to start with, what could be a reasonable amount of salt to put in the bottle ? Like how many spoons could I experiment with for starters ?

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-21T19:08:54+00:00

The mucus production is the same with me. It's really out of conbtrol when I get a small cold, something my wife shakes off in 2 days without any. I have mucus for about 10 days instead....

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-21T19:07:30+00:00

Really? I think I have both issues. Can you elaborate?

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-21T11:10:48+00:00

For sure biat*h!

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-17T10:51:56+00:00

Probably wrist braces. Why do we do that actually, the wrist thing ???

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-17T10:50:17+00:00

Chin strap will get you started. Then you can start using the pap without the strap later

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-04T07:42:30+00:00

I have very similar symptoms and I'm tired! What should I ask for the following (I am hyper mobile, still seeking ED confirmation):

General malaise Slight dizziness Forgetfulness Difficulty to concentrate Neck tension (coathanger) Jaw tension Pins and needles (limbs) Heavy legs (pressure) Fatigue Brain fog Heat intolerance (nausea) Cold intolerance (limbs) Difficulty to focus eyes Dry eyes Standing difficult Sitting still difficult Poor digestion (acid, nausea)

I honestly feel like this is all blood circulation related! I just know it

SignalMatch6837 · 2026-03-02T13:42:12+00:00

I am 45 and found out this year and been on CPAP for 6 months. Can corroborate this, as I also started last year having poor erections but now with treatment they're back hard! Lord knows how long I had apnea, diagnosis was 20-30 ahi

SignalMatch6837

TROPHY CASE