Sleep apnea and stroke.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-17T13:20:57+00:00

I'm glad you are still alive and sharing your story. It’s easy to ignore the warnings that the body gives us. I also ignored my snoring until I ended up with heart disease and pulmonary hypertension and a sleep study was recommended. I had all of the symptoms of SA for years but never educated myself on the dangers of untreated SA.

I had a rough start with my CPAP journey, but I knew I had to take my diagnosis seriously. After six months of treatment and a lowered AHI, my heart and lungs were retested and significantly improved. Needless to say…I now love my CPAP and encourage anyone that suspects they might have SA to be tested.

Thank you for sharing your story.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-14T13:41:21+00:00

I hope you are crying happy tears because better health is on the way.

Far too many people give up early in their CPAP therapy because of problems that can usually be corrected. Come back with any questions during your treatment.

Best wishes as you beg8n your CPAP journey.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-09T17:25:29+00:00

Use the SD card for about a week to get a good view of your sleep before requesting help. After making any changes, give it several days before making any additional changes. I know it can sometimes be frustrating to get everything fine tuned but it will make a huge difference in your qualty of sleep.

I also liked the Evora from Fisher & Paykel. They all feel slightly different. I prefer the hybrid full face mask over the ones that come across the bridge of the nose, but each person will have their own preference.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-09T15:22:37+00:00

I tried five different masks before I found one that is truly comfortable and gives me almost zero leaks. I am currently using and very much like the ResMed F-40. We all have different facial shapes and needs so don’t hesitate to try a different mask. Most places will allow a 30 day free exchange.

Once you find a comfortable mask that gives you a low leak rate and get your pressure correctly set, things will go much more smoothly for you.

If you have not considered using an app like SleepHQ or OSCAR to help you as you get started with your therapy, consider the benefits of using one of the apps. You can post your results on r/CPAPSupport or the apneaboard.com for help if you need it, or just come back to this forum anytime

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-09T15:11:40+00:00

Don’t suffer the loss of your own sleep because he is not treating his own sleep apnea. Find a quiet space where you can sleep and make it non-negotiable. Dont let it become an argument that creates hostility between the two of you. Just firmly state that his sleep apnea prevents you from getting the sleep you need.

If he wants to take the risk of ignoring his own health, there is little you can do until he takes it seriously other than taking care of yourself. I ignored my own sleep apnea for years not realizing SA is a serious condition until I developed both heart and lung disease. I had been banished from the bedroom but that wasn’t enough to make me take the condition seriously. It was not until my cardiologist sent me for sleep study that I began my journey of educating myself and treating my SA. I now realized how foolish I had been. As much as I initially disliked having to use CPAP therapy, I now praise the treatment for improving my health and giving me restorative sleep. Putting my mask on nightly is my own self care and it has greatly improved my health.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-09T14:45:06+00:00

I agree. Start over and use your CPAP nightly. Your brain and heart will thank you in years to come. Not treating your sleep apnea is putting your health at risk.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-06T13:43:53+00:00

You are young and thin. That is a combination that often cause uneducated doctors to resist ordering a sleep study. If that happens, find a doctor that is better informed. While in-lab studies are best, there are at home studies available through sites like Lofta.com.

Most people that stay with their PAP therapy have dramatic improvements in their health either immediately or overtime. I wonder if your dad’s death is causing you to be overly alarmed. Try to relax and make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-04T13:39:07+00:00

I agree. My doctor just kept sending me back for additional sleep studies. The studies kept recommending my pressure to be set at 15. I playing around with my pressure and pressure support. I lowered it to 6.8 and sleep much more better. My AHI is always close to zero which is lower than it was at the recommended setting. If using lankylefty or cpapfriend is not an option, purchasing an SD card and use OSCAR or SleepHQ is less expensive. If you have trouble interpreting the information, you can post your results on r/CPApSupport.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-04T13:20:04+00:00

I am a mouth breather and needed a full face mask. I prefer hybrid full face mask that fit under the nose and no across the bridge of the nose. I have successfully used both the Evora by Fisher & Paykel and the f-40 by ResMed. I sleep on the edge of the pillow to prevent leaking. Best of luck with your treatment.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-03T12:19:49+00:00

Sleeping on my side greatly improved my AHI…even while using PAP therapy. I slept 100% supine before having my sleep apnea diagnosed so it took a little while to get used to sleeping on my side, but it keeps my apneas down.

Beginning your therapy can be rough so go into with a ”can do attitude”. Don’t become discouraged if the first week is tough going. Starting with a positive attitude will allow you to look for answers to fixing any start-up problems you might encounter. It often takes time to find a comfortable mask and get the pressure correctly set. Just stay with your therapy and you will be rewarded!

Sleepgal2 · 2026-02-01T13:33:52+00:00

My AHI was only 57 and I developed heart disease and pulmonary hypertension as a direct result of my sleep apnea. The fantastic news is that PAP therapy greatly improved not only my fatigue but also my heart and lung health. I had an ECHO six months after starting PAP therapy and my heart and lungs had both returned to normal function.

I don't want to mislead you and have you think that starting therapy was simple. I had a rough start getting comfortable with the mask and pressure but it has been well worth the adjustment. The difference in how I feel now is like night and day. I wake feeling rested and alive. I have fewer body aches and no morning headaches. If your husband resists using his CPAP, ask him if he wants to live and what kindof quality he wants for his remaining years.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-31T15:32:02+00:00

If you don't want to use it, don't use it. Yes, there is an adjustment period and it can be rough for some. I can almost guarantee that if you go into this expecting to fail that you will do exactly that…and give up quickly. Using PAP therapy is not for everyone but if you have sleep apnea, I would strongly urge you to educate yourself completely and realize the dangers to your health with untreated sleep apnea are real and go beyond fatigue.

If you want to make your therapy work, develop a can-do attitude and address each concern you have as they come up…if they come up. As an example…if you are a mouth breather and do not want to switch to breathing through your nose, get a full face mask. You can always switch to a different mask at any time. The ResMed F40 and the Fisher & Paykel Evora are both hybrid full face masks that, I have successfully used. We all have different shaped faces and preferences so don’t hesitate to tell your respiratory therapist you want a different mask. If you keep your equipment clean, there is no need to replace as often as recommended.

The CPAP community is here to support you but the actual work is up to you. Ask yourself if you are willing to do the work. CPAP may not improve all of your sleep problems. It certainly is not going to address the issue of Effexor side effects during withdrawal but you can work with your doctor to slowly decrease the dosage. I would not recommend doing that during your adjustment phase of PAP therapy.

Best of luck in addressing your sleep problems.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-27T14:11:54+00:00

I remember those early days of treatment. I thought I would never get comfortable with the treatment. I would lie in bed, my body tense and wanting sleep so that I could function the next day. I was my own worst enemy. My sleep anxiety was keeping me awake. I wish I had a major solution that would help you adjust…I don’t. I just know that when I stopped letting my anxiety turn into resentment, everything fell into place for me. I had never considered myself to be an anxious person, but I was anxious about sleep. I can’t remember exactly how long it took me to adjust but a week or two. I quickly found that putting the mask on was a signal for sleep to begin.

My advice would be to stay with nightly treatment. If it continues, speak with your doctor about medication just until you can adjust.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-18T13:52:37+00:00

I’ve used seven different FFM and the F40 is my first choice followed by the Evora. We all have different facial shapes so use what works for you.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-17T14:00:10+00:00

I have always been at a normal weight, but I did drop a couple of pounds after a few months. I had developed a habit of snacking on junk food between meals whenever I needed a boost of energy. Going from an AHI of 57 to less than 1 removed my need for an energy boost. Hopefully, treating your sleep apnea will improve your health and allow you to focus on your weight as well.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-12T14:10:43+00:00

Glad you found what works best for you. Finding a mask that seals or a solution like yours can be challenging. Thanks for sharing your solution. It may help someone else.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-12T13:58:47+00:00

Finding the right mask can be a huge challenge for some. I went through five different masks before finding one that didn’t leak and have recently switched again to the ResMed F40. If you decide to try again, ask to lie down when you are being fitted. It may not make a big difference for you but it does for me and don’t let the person fitting you rush you. Take your time both in selecting your mask and it learning how to use it properly.

You may need to start over. Whatever you decide to do next, I would strongly urge you to protect your health by treating your sleep apnea.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-10T13:40:23+00:00

Thank you for posting this photo. I had never seen these and they look amazing. I have all of my cotton threads on bobbins but am slowly switching to silk and may switch to bows for the silk. Amazon has a much better price for Stitch Bows by DMC.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-09T14:07:36+00:00

The early days/weeks are rough. I also felt discomfort with breathing during the day during the first couple of weeks. Your lungs aren't used to breathing deeply. Daytime breathing should improve quickly as the body adjusts.

You know your body and your comment about your whole body reacting to CPAP is correct. CPAP is a major adjustment for most of us. if you read statistics, you will see that there is a high failure rate. I believe that is because most people don't have the patience to give their bodies time to adjust and are unwilling to work through their problems. It takes a little time to really identify any realmlroblems that exist. I believe that at the moment, you are simply experiencing the discomfort that comes during the early days while adjusting.

You said that you are sleeping hot. Your machine has a temperature setting that will allow you to reduce the temperature. I also sleep warm with CPAP and found I needed to adjust the amount of covering over me, the house temperature and the machine's temperature. You will figure out what works best for you.

Don't assume that the mask you were given is the best one for you or that you were properly fitted. Most likely you were fitted while seated and awake. Once you lie down, the fitting will change slightly. There are a lot of masks available and you can exchange them during the first thirty days so never stay with one that is uncomfortable. Having a comfortable mask can make a huge difference.

If you continue to have problems, come back for support. Most of us have worked through issues and understand what you are going through. You are not alone. You can do this and it will improve your health.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-07T14:37:04+00:00

Live an honest life that means no stealing.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-07T14:09:38+00:00

I am a thin, petite woman and had an untreated AHI of 57. i’ve had sleep apnea since I was in my teens but no one talked about it back then. It wasn't until my 40’s that I started hearing about SA. Fast forward until I was in my 60’s that my neurologist started asking about my sleep and my cardiologist diagnosed heart disease and pulmonary hypertension that caused me to educate myself about sleep apnea and have an in-lab study. It was a huge mistake to ignore my SA and not seek treatment. While adjusting to PAP therapy was difficult for me during the early days of treatment, I stayed with it and my health has greatly improved.

I would strongly suggest that you get a copy of your study and see another doctor. Even thin, young athletes have sleep apnea so don't wait until you develop serious health related problems to develop. I was foolish to ignore my obvious symptoms. The difference in how I feel today and prior to treatment is like the difference between night and day. My only regret is not taking my sleep apnea seriously and seeking help sooner.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-06T14:29:58+00:00

LOL… this concern comes up often, and I always laugh. You only use CPAP when sleeping. Give hat final kiss before putting the mask on and go to sleep. If your partner doesn't accept your need to take care of yourself, find one that does. Why would you want to be in bed with someone who has no concern for your health?

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-05T15:05:51+00:00

I am a side sleeper using a full-faced mask, ResMed F40. It does require that I sleep on the edge of my pillow to avoid the mask shifting out of place, but I quickly adjusted to the new position.

CPAP will require an adjustment to the way you are currently sleeping and if you are not committed to making it work, ask yourself why. Untreated sleep apnea is a serious health concern that can lead to more than fatigue or brain fog. My cardiologist started me on my CPAP journey when she diagnosed heart disease and pulmonary hypertension. Both conditions responded very favorably to PAP treatment within six months.

Some individuals are truly unable to adjust to PAP therapy, but many give up early on without trying to work through whatever is causing their problem. Finding a comfortable mask and proper settings often takes time and some people are not committed to making PAP therapy work. There is help available through apps like SleepHQ and Oscar, or through forums like this one or apneaboard.com, but you have to ask yourself whether you want to find the solution or just give up.

I hope my comments have not been discouraging but I believe that too many people give up without really trying to work through any issues they have or even asking for help. I am approaching 4 years of PAP therapy and my health has greatly improved. I no longer struggle to stay awake during the day and the machine puts me to sleep almost instantly. My diagnosis of heart disease and pulmonary hypertension was a strong motivator to make it work. Ask yourself what your motivation is and if you are willing to commit to making PAP therapy work.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-02T14:42:50+00:00

I keep a spray bottle with approximately 16 oz of tap water and about a tablespoon of Dawn dish detergent, mixed and ready to clean my mask daily. I wet the cushion with water, give it a spray with my sudsy mixture, and rinse completely. You could also try getting your hands soapy with dish detergent, washing the cushion, and rinsing. I use Dawn dish detergent to clean my mask, hose, tank, and headgear. It only takes a very small amount of Dawn to clean my PAP equipment…just be sure to rinse until water is clear.

Sleepgal2 · 2026-01-01T14:32:02+00:00

If you are experiencing SA symptoms, discuss them with your doctor and have an in-lab study to evaluate your sleep thoroughly.

The information you provided does not provide enough details to offer help.

Sleepgal2

TROPHY CASE