British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

hi

i have just been diagnosed with sleep apnoea in january,and was hoping someone could give me some info

1. on how long i should expect to start treatment and get my own cpap machine.
2.Any websites where i can get information about sleep apnoea

Any help would be most apreciated

many thanks
matt

Hi Matt,

Welcome to the forum!

In answer to your first point, I am afraid that it could be a long wait. All health authorities currently have different rules, with some giving you a machine straight after the sleep study, others giving you a trial period before being put on a waiting list, and others who will either put you on a long waiting list or will not provide a machine at all. Hopefully other forum members from Kent will be able to give you a better indication of the timescales involved than I can.

As for your second point, you have just found an invaluable source of information, as everybody on this forum has experienced the exact same feeling of being completely lost and bewildered by sleep apnoea. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like as there will usually be somebody that will be able to answer your question.

If you want a good general overview of sleep apnoea, then I would suggest looking at the following websites:

www.sleepmatters.org - This is the Sleep Apnoea Trust Website

and www.osaonline.com

Hope this is useful.

hi tony

many thanks for the info, as any information is apreciated.
it is great knowing that you are able to speak to other people who suffer from sleep apnoea on this site,as i have not been given much information from the medical profession.

many thanks again

matt

Hi Matty and welcome!

If your computer is set up to listen to the radio, then this was a very good phone-in radio programme called "Check up" on Radio 4 last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/che ... 0330.shtml

It might fill in a few of the gaps for you.

ATB Ken

hi ken

thanks for the information.i will get my computer set up,so i can listen to the radio phone in program you mentioned.

many thanks again for your help

matt

I waited a few days because I bought mine on line saying "thanks but no thanks" to the 19 month NHS waiting list.

Good websites with info:

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/library ... 11700a.htm
cpaptalk.com
osaonline.com
www.cpap-europe.com
http://www.apnoea.org.uk/
http://www.scottishsleepapnoea.co.uk/

hi bogof

thanks for the info

i have now eventually got my cpap machine,only thanks to my local mp.

i was not getting anywhere with my local hospital with regards to being issued with a cpap machine,so i had to write to my mp.i would suggest that anyone who has been waiting a long time for their machine to write to their mp.

Welcome Matty!

I am delighted to hear that you finally have your own NHS-funded CPAP and I hope that you find it helpful and stop feeling so tired and get your life back.

There are more CPAP users than you might think so you're not alone in your journey back to good health. It's just that we don't wear badges or let you into our bedrooms at night ...

All good wishes, and do keep in touch

Alsa xxx

hi alsa

thank you for the kind words and thoughts, it means alot knowing their are other people in the same situation who you can talk to.

it is taking awhile for me to get use to the mask at nights though and i am still felling tired during the day time. i am abit disapointed at the moment, as i have read from other suffers that you feel a new person when you use your cpap machine.

best wishes

matt

Matt, give it time! It takes different people different lengths of time to adapt to wearing a CPAP and feeling its benefits! But do stick with it, and feel free to post if something's bothering you.

Alsa xx

hi alsa

thanks for your comments,will perservere with the mask

best wishes matt

Hello there,

My husband has been suffering from sleep apnoea for some years but has only just been officially diagnosed with it (earlier in August). It's a severe case according to the specialist and he's now on a waiting list for a CPAP machine.
We've been told that it may take 3-5 months to get one, is there anywhere (NHS Direct maybe?) I can check if this is a realistic estimate?

Thank you.

It really varies per postcode/area and seemingly, time of year. I've not heard of a way to check your position in the queue but then again, I bought mine privately so I don't have a lot of experience in recent years with the NHS.

Where are you based?

Hi, we're in West Yorkshire. My husband went to Pontefract NHS Trust to see the specialist who told him he needed the CPAP machine. It's only been less than a month we went to the appointment but I'm so impatient to get the machine as I believe/hope it would make such a difference, I just can't wait.

If it's been a month then you're either very close.... Or still a year off!

It's not a nice system and besides following up with the clinic every now and then to make sure you're still in the running, there's little you can do. One person wrote to their local MP and got it pushed through somehow so that could be an option perhaps?