I need oxygen now!

Hello my fellow CP'ers.  I hope this evening finds my friends coping well and managing the pain well for the time being.  My prayers are for all of you.

Well, as my title suggests, I am now on oxygen.  I went to a respiratory specialist to investigate my extreme shortness of breath as of the last six months.  To make a very long story short, it has been determined that I have severe sleep apnea, two different types and need oxygen during the day, as well as a c-pap or bi-pap mask during my sleep at night.

They brought me into the sleep lab for a second time to titrate the mask to eliminate my apnea.  No good.  I felt like a hurricane was blowing at me and it went into my stomach.  So, this Wednesday, I am going again, but during the day and while I'm awake to see if I can overcome my resistance and find a way to get use to the mask and hurricane winds.  lol.

Meanwhile, the oxygen during the day has made a tremendous difference in me being able to get around.  Seems I need it so much whenever I go to do anything.  I never realized how out of breath I really got all the time.  So, I carry a cylinder with oxygen whenever I go out and wear the cannula at home hooked to the machine.

However,  my husband has been suffering with shortness of breath too and went to a new internist who called his cardiologist and scheduled a cardiac catheterization for him and come to find out, he had a 90% blockage in his heart artery (LAD) and needed a stent.

So, on Monday, I have an appointment with the cardiologist and I will set up the same test for myself.  I have some pain in my chest from time to time, but have been attributing it to costochondritis from the fibromyalgia.  However, the oxygen seems to help the pain and so does the nitro I took today.  hmmmmmm!  It warrants further investigation for sure.

For those of you who don't remember, I have fibromyalgia with the majority of my pain in my legs and feet and chronic lower back pain and I take oxycodone, lido patches and lyrica for the pain.

Anyway, that's the latest with me.  I will certainly continue to post more on my saga to let everyone know how I am doing.

God bless you all.  I'll be in touch.

Lindaloo

This is funny you brought this subject up. I just got done seeing my neuro this week and he wanted to do a sleep test. He thinks my poor memory fog is from lack of proper sleep. I kind of decided I didn't want to do the test because of the cost. I am not sure what my part is going to be after medicare. I almost sure I dont have low oxygen, even at night. The problem is that I wake up some or a lot is because the pain wakes me up. If I have the test done, what is it going to prove? I dont like sleeping pills do to my depedency problem. I cant take heavy narcoticts. If it came that I need the bi pap I probably wouldn't wear it due to panic attacks. I will see the cost first, but I think it's a cost that I cant afford. I had an oxygen monitor on in bed before and even with a blood clot in my lung the oxygeen sat. was good. I am glad it's working well for you. I heard how much it does help people, but I just think mine is a pain issue. I can't really do much more about it. I just sleep in later.

Well, I went to the cardiologist's ARNP and she believes my symptoms and quality of life warrant a cardiac catheterization, so Monday at noon, I am scheduled. Please, those of you who pray, please pray for me. I am hoping all goes well.

I have my granddaughter's first Holy Communion on the following Saturday and I am making her dress. I am hoping I have enough time to complete it. Everyone says, don't worry, they can always buy a dress, but this is a once in a lifetime event and sewing is my gift from God, I feel, so I want to be the one who makes it for her. She is my precious light, my Kelly. (I also have my precious Anna too, who is my light as well.) When she turns 8, I plan to be there to make hers as well. God willing.

So tomorrow is the sleep trial with the mask during the afternoon, while I'm awake and Monday is the cath. I am a faithful woman and know it will all go well, but I will let you all know anyway. Thanks for being there for me. I so appreciate it and all your comforting words. I need them!!

God bless everyone in Healing Well.

Lindaloo

PS  I didn't see any of these reply posts until just now.  I want to thank you all for your well wishes and your input.  Tomorrow I go to the resp sleep clinic to try the mask during the day.  I will overcome this!  I feel it is important with the central apnea as well as the obstructive apnea.  Will post to let you know how it went. 

Here is some info on CPAP coverage with Medicare This particular link is for Alabama for some reason but I'm sure there should be a page for where you live too http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/Search/Results.asp?State=AL%7CAlabama&Coverage=115%7CContinuous+Positive+Airway+Pressure+(CPAP)+Device

Apple and Beachgirl, thanks for the replies.

I went today for the mask tolerance test and did ok. They had an opening tonight for a sleep study, so I figured I might as well go to get this all straightened out ASAP.

My cognative ability has gone down so much, that people can't believe it when they talk to me. I am hoping it improves with this Bi-Pap machine. We will see.

This mask that they are using tonight is not as large and now I know how to unclip it fast, if I need to. It cuts down on the anxiety a lot. She should have explained how to open it in the first place. I'm sure she just forgot. She really was a great technician.

Well, film at 11. I'll let you know my results! Thanks for everything, friends.

Lindaloo

Hi Linda - it's been ages since I've been here. I'm so sorry that you are on oxygen, but I'm glad it's helping you. I hope they get everything figured out for you....and also that you get the dress finished. I'm sure that will mean a lot to your family and yourself.

thanks so much.  I appreciate your kind thoughts for me!!  And Many blessings over you too!!

Lindaloo