I had back surgery many years ago and when I was coming out of the anesthetic they asked me if I had been told that I have sleep apnea. Nope never been told that. Didn't think much about it. Went on with recovering from back surgery. The back doctor never said anything to me about it on my return visits. Few years later I had to have neck surgery. A different doctor did that surgery and my family doctor doesn't admit patients to a hospital so I had to go to an admitting doctor to be admitted. After neck surgery they mentioned again that something dropped low when I was coming out of the anesthetic (which I believe was the O2 level) So I asked the doctor that admitted me about it and I had to do the sleep study. That was when I found out I had sleep apnea. Me and the machine fight. I can start out with it on when I go to bed but when I wake up it might not still be on my face. Sometimes I wake up to turn it off and sometimes it wakes me up from not being on my face and I turn it off then. Sometimes I roll over and I feel like I am drowning because water has built up in my mask and when I roll over it doesn't have many places to go. I do have dreams now which I didn't have before. I have tried various masks, the full face, the one that just covers the mouth and nose, and the nostrils one. The mouth and nose is the one I am using now. I am sure I have had the machine for over 10 years and since reading this post I am going to get more information from my previous doctor and see about getting a new machine.
Some mention getting sore throats with out the mask, I get sore throats with it.
At first I didn't have the humidifier part on my cpap machine but a few years ago they added it.
I do think it helps me when it "works" right. I just haven't found the right mix or something. I also, take the generic of ambien.
Thanks for this thread there is a lot of helpful and encouraging words and information being shared on it.