Community Views: Dealing With My Sleep Apnea Diagnosis

Your diagnosis may have been hard to accept. Sleeping at night used to be a time for you to rest after a long day. Now it has gone from a normal routine to a tiring chore. One of the challenges of sleep apnea is adjusting to a new lifestyle. It can make your diagnosis harder to cope with when you see how life-changing it can be.

To learn more about people's experiences, we reached out to the Sleep Apnea community on Facebook. We asked, “Was it difficult to accept that you had been diagnosed with sleep apnea?”

Around 70 community members responded. Some community members shared it was relieving to hear their diagnosis, while others expressed their difficulties about hearing the news.

It is hard to get used to

Your treatment can continue to be a lingering problem. It is common to feel frustrated about the shift from your usual routine. It can also be hard to get used to different habits, like using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. You may feel life was simpler before diagnosis and find these new changes to be stressful.

“It’s been a month, and I still find the machine annoying… I get up during the night frequently and now have another couple of steps before I can go back to sleep. Also, can’t wear my glasses at the same time as my mask! So I can't read myself to sleep.”

“Yes… even though I wear my mask every single night, I still have never felt fully rested in the morning.”

“My problem was a CPAP that was trying to kill me by pumping me up like a balloon until I popped. It did not ease the pressure for me to exhale. I couldn't tolerate it.”

“Now it’s been 11 years, and it’s hard to deal with. The doctor’s office can’t solve my problem.”

A better alternative

People newly diagnosed with sleep apnea expressed that it was difficult to bear the news. Over time, it became easier for some to make peace with the treatment.

“Yes, but since I had a couple of instances of dozing off while driving a week before finding out I had sleep apnea, it was a relief to realize that was why. I haven’t had that problem again.”

“Yes at first, but once I had a truly good night's sleep, I saw what I was missing and the damage it was taking on my body.”

“I ended up in the hospital a few times before they could figure me out… I gladly accepted that it was the missing piece of the puzzle for me to regain my health… CPAP user since 2014 and never happier.”

I can finally get some rest

You may have felt a sense of relief when given the news of your diagnosis. It can be encouraging that you finally have an explanation of recent symptoms. You may feel that your sleep apnea care has made the transition easier.

“I was just happy to find the answer to what was wrong with me. At one point I thought I was literally dying. I wouldn't be able to sleep without my machine now.”

“I was so exhausted and tired, it was a relief to find a reason why. I struggled to stay awake while driving home from work. That's not a good thing for me or anyone else driving.”

“I denied it for a long time, but my wife convinced me to take the sleep study. When I found out how many times I stopped breathing every night, it scared the hell out of me! It was a long time before I got used to the CPAP machine, but now I wouldn’t go 1 night without it.”

“It was a blessing to have an answer to my sleep problems and for being so tired all the time.”

“Not difficult at all. It explains the headaches in the morning and waking up so tired it was painful. Now I know why and use my CPAP even when I take a nap.”

What advice would you have given yourself?

After your diagnosis, you may feel unsure not only how to feel but what the proper next steps may be. Members of the sleep apnea community shared advice on how they would have dealt with the news in hindsight.

“The bottom line is it's a positive adjustment in your life, and they have many different types of masks... just do it.”

“Listen to your body.”

“I have used it for many decades… I think of it as an investment… I am not going to live forever, but my kids have the peace of mind that I do what I can to enjoy the best health I can. And that is accepting and using CPAP.”

“Find a doctor who cares.”

Thank you

Thank you for expressing your experiences dealing with sleep apnea! We appreciate the community helping us spread awareness of what you encounter on a daily basis.