[Noctuary]

Almost two years now without just a handful of days where I feel rested. Even with "therapy" I'm still heavily fatigued everyday. I've been to several doctors and had blood work done. I'm 47 and the thought of living the rest of my days in this hated world with chronic fatigue is a crushing thing. I would be happy knowing that I wouldn't wake up tomorrow. Life is bad enough without this disease; now its unbearable.

[Skeezyks]

Hello Noctuary: Thank you for sharing this. Yes, I also have some sleep apnea & I am also always fatiqued. I always have been. I'm in my mid 60's now, but I've struggled with high stress levels my entire life... "run on my nerves" as the saying goes. And I've always assumed that this has caused my body to require allot of sleep. Yet, no matter how much I sleep, I never feel rested. Every morning, when I wake up, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. The only good thing, for me at this point, is that I'm retired. So I no longer have a need to "perform". I do have a small dog & I walk him every day, twice a day. This helps me, I believe. My best wishes to you...

[Mountainbard]

I've got severe sleep apnea, and I've been on a BiPAP for almost 18 years. It has literally been a lifesaver for me. If you haven't tried one I strongly recommend that you do.

[montanan4ever]

I have severe sleep apnea, too. Have been on CPAP or BiPAP therapy since 1995. What kind of treatment are you using and what's happening at night? Waking up a lot?

[avlady]

i also have sleep apnea, my last test showed i had NO rem sleep. i am on a machine at night and use it during the day sometimes too. i know how you feel with no energy, fatgued. i also had a test for my brain waves in the mornings and it showed they were too slow. i can't work so i'm on disability and it is so demeaning i do wish i could work so bad. i cant drive either and have to rely on my husband for rides everywhere. i do hope you can get a CPAP machine they do help. good luck

[arcticranger]

I am essentially cured of sleep apnea but it was a long road, as in 20+ years. Insomnia started in 1991 but was diagnosed as depression until 2001 when I finally got a sleep study. I went the whole CPAP route, followed by the "pillar" procedure, nothing worked.

In 2009 I had an MMA surgery which advances the jaw and airway, but it was botched and did nothing. The MMA was revised at Stanford Medical Center in 2012, it was successful and my followup studies showed no apnea events. It took about a year for my brain to catch up and late 2013 my sleep really normalized. I actually dream every night now and feel well rested. I still take a few sleep meds I am habituated to, not sure if I'll ever get off them and don't care.

Please don't anybody run and get an MMA because you read this, I moved too fast and picked the wrong surgeon. But I am happy to provide any info via PM. I have no affiliation other than being a patient.

Sleep apnea is hell and I think standard treatment options in the US just suck.

[Noctuary]

I have a cpap, but still don't sleep well. I just don't find anything in this life worth enduring this unending fatigue. I hope whatever days I have left are few; I hate this ******* life so much.

Originally Posted by avlady

i also have sleep apnea, my last test showed i had NO rem sleep. i am on a machine at night and use it during the day sometimes too. i know how you feel with no energy, fatgued. i also had a test for my brain waves in the mornings and it showed they were too slow. i can't work so i'm on disability and it is so demeaning i do wish i could work so bad. i cant drive either and have to rely on my husband for rides everywhere. i do hope you can get a CPAP machine they do help. good luck

In 2003 I began to have sleep issues. It deteriorated quickly to where I was terrified of my bed. I was having micro sleeps that were so short it seemed I was awake the whole time. I would get in bed around 22:00 and by 00.00 I could feel pain and tingling in my feet and by 02:00 my whole body felt it was on fire. On top of that my mind was running constantly. Arising for work be-
came a major struggle. I had to take two buses to get to work and here in FL the heat can be unbearable and that exacerbated my pain and discomfort. Even on a 32 hr week there was no relief(the job was horribly boring). The lorazepam knocked me out but after 3 to 4 hours I would suddenly wake. I had no other meds to help. A sleep study was performed and my O2 saturation was 90, borderline. I could not afford a CPAP and the pulmonary doctor was most rude by accusing me of addiction to the benzo. I think I must end this post now as my mind and body are getting out of sync. Before I go..I understand how a lack of sleep over several years does cause depression. My kingdom for a restful sleep...

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

Hello Noctuary: Thank you for sharing this. Yes, I also have some sleep apnea & I am also always fatiqued. I always have been. I'm in my mid 60's now, but I've struggled with high stress levels my entire life... "run on my nerves" as the saying goes. And I've always assumed that this has caused my body to require allot of sleep. Yet, no matter how much I sleep, I never feel rested. Every morning, when I wake up, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. The only good thing, for me at this point, is that I'm retired. So I no longer have a need to "perform". I do have a small dog & I walk him every day, twice a day. This helps me, I believe. My best wishes to you...

I get it Skeesyks. Running on nervous tension. It's hard to start a project not knowing if you can finish because of the fatigue. I worry even at 59 that I'll lose SSDI: Will I be able to go back to work or get up or keep up with my quality of life(such that it is). It's almost 02:00 and have been up since 05:30 and am not the least bit sleepy. No somnolence. I take Ambien every night and when that wears off I take a Xanax. I wish I was like my cat and sleep 17 hours a day. Take care and thanks for listening.