Is it normal to still feel tired/sleep long hours?

[Hello, World?]

Hello all,

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about a year ago with 16 apneas per hour. I used my cpap but was still having a lot of apneas (my machine doesn't actually measure them, but I could feel and notice them since I was looking out for it). It turns out that I have an overbite that was causing my jaw to fall back and close my throat (no amount of air from cpap will keep your jaw forward). Then it took months to get this expensive mandibular advancement mouth piece. So here I am now, using this mouth device and taping my mouth closed with masking tape (if I open my mouth in my sleep, it'll fall out) AND I'm using my cpap machine on top of that.

The problem is that I'm in my third month and I still wake up in the morning feeling not as refreshed as I think I'm supposed to feel. I do feel better than I did before, but I still prefer getting 9 to 11 hours of sleep before feeling remotely okay for the day. I'm wondering if maybe my body just needs me to catch up on all those missed hours of sleep, especially because I've actually had sleep apnea since I was a kid and wasn't treated until now, at 23. I'm mainly wondering if it's normal to take a while of sleeping extra before you really start feeling better.

[RicaLynn]

It's normal if your treatment is less than effective, and with that brick that you're using it's impossible to tell because we have no empirical data. But from your description it sounds like you could be doing better, and feeling better, with some adjustments.

You would do well to invest in a newer, gently used, data-capable machine so you can see exactly what your pressure is doing (or more likely NOT doing) for you, and how you, the patient, can improve your therapy.

[chunkyfrog]

It is so sad when someone gets a dumb brick.
There oughta be a law . . .

[RicaLynn]

I'm curious: if you were diagnosed just last year, why are you using a machine that's been out of production for nearly a decade? Was it the machine you were prescribed as a child that you've just recently dusted off to try again? Do you have ANY insurance coverage? Because after a gap in treatment that large just about any insurance plan worth anything would cover an updated machine, which would be a great help in getting you *effective* treatment as opposed to the shot in the dark method you're employing now. You deserve a good night's sleep.

[sir madalot]

It is so sad when someone gets a dumb brick.
There oughta be a law . . .

there are lots of laws
they favor DMES insurance and doctors not us

[kteague]

Yes, it is common to need extra sleep for a while as the body recovers from all it endured during untreated sleep apnea. The need should subside as healing comes to pass. It is critical to that recovery that your treatment be therapeutic. Since you have a machine that can't confirm its effectiveness, a couple options are to pick up another machine even if it's used, or ask your doctor for maybe a 2 week trial on a rented auto adjusting machine to determine if your settings could be improved. As far as your jaw, I have found that a totally flat firm pillow and postioning my self at an angle on the pillow where gravity will work for me instead of against me is my best guard against the dreaded slack jaw falling back. Think carefully about how your face is positioned. This one thing helped me with my jaw more than all the accessories.

[Julie]

If your min. pressure setting's too low, then you're not getting full therapy and may need to experiment by raising it 1-2 cm for a few nights to see how things go.

[Arlene1963]

I'm curious: if you were diagnosed just last year, why are you using a machine that's been out of production for nearly a decade?

Great question.

[Hello, World?]

I'm curious: if you were diagnosed just last year, why are you using a machine that's been out of production for nearly a decade? Was it the machine you were prescribed as a child that you've just recently dusted off to try again? Do you have ANY insurance coverage? Because after a gap in treatment that large just about any insurance plan worth anything would cover an updated machine, which would be a great help in getting you *effective* treatment as opposed to the shot in the dark method you're employing now. You deserve a good night's sleep.

It's because my family's never been able to afford health insurance, so I qualified for this second hand machine service where they accept donations and people that need them buy them for $125 no matter what the worth of the machine is. Unfortunately for me, that was the only one they had at the time. I agree that I definitely need a new machine, but I've been living with parents as I finish college, so it's been a matter of convincing my dad that the expense is worth it. He wanted me to try to make it work as best I could, and I have been messing with the pressure to see what helps. I have it at 14 which seems to be the max I can set it to without hurting my stomach from too much air, and it does help much more than prescribed pressure of 10.

I also think that I might need to try a regular nasal mask since my full face mask seems to have serious problems with leaking, no matter what position I sleep in. I'm a 5'2" female and even though I have small mask, it still seems to be slightly too large and wants to leak out of the top or the bottom all the time.

Overall, I've given it long enough of a try for me to talk to my dad again about getting a decent machine. He isn't going to be happy, but he'll understand. Any advice about what machine I should get or just what I'm looking for in a machine is welcome.

[Okie bipap]

I have a small Resmed F10 mask if you would like to try it. If you want it, send me a PM.

[Pugsy]

Any advice about what machine I should get or just what I'm looking for in a machine is welcome.

If money is tight consider a gently used low hour machine from secondwindcpap.com. They even have new zero hour open box specials.

Target either the ResMed brand or the Respironics brand.

I strongly urge that you try to get an apap capable machine if at all possible. They are like 2 machines in one...2 modes of operation ...cpap mode and apap (auto adjusting mode) and while you may not need apap mode it might come in handy and always better to have something and not need it than need it and not have it.

Since you are using higher pressures and already having issues with the aerophagia causing abdominal discomfort I suggest that you further limit your research to ResMed brand. At the higher pressures I think that their exhale relief is superior to Respironics and would stand a greater chance of maybe helping keep the aerophabia monster away.

The newest ResMedmodel is the AirSense 10 AutoSet but their S9 AutoSet would be a good lower cost option.

[Hello, World?]

Any advice about what machine I should get or just what I'm looking for in a machine is welcome.

If money is tight consider a gently used low hour machine from secondwindcpap.com. They even have new zero hour open box specials.

Target either the ResMed brand or the Respironics brand.

I strongly urge that you try to get an apap capable machine if at all possible. They are like 2 machines in one...2 modes of operation ...cpap mode and apap (auto adjusting mode) and while you may not need apap mode it might come in handy and always better to have something and not need it than need it and not have it.

Since you are using higher pressures and already having issues with the aerophagia causing abdominal discomfort I suggest that you further limit your research to ResMed brand. At the higher pressures I think that their exhale relief is superior to Respironics and would stand a greater chance of maybe helping keep the aerophabia monster away.

The newest ResMedmodel is the AirSense 10 AutoSet but their S9 AutoSet would be a good lower cost option.

Alright, I'll keep that in mind and look into buying one tomorrow. Thanks so much for the tips and advice everyone. It's been really helpful

[Hello, World?]

Okay real quick, I was wondering if any of you could take a quick look at this machine to tell me if it's a decent model to get and if the price is reasonable. It has the Auto mode and appears to have data, which are the two main things that I seem to need.

http://www.secondwindcpap.com/ResMed-S9-AutoSet.html

[Julie]

It does look good and they're really good to deal with... ord'd from them before (into Canada) and had excellent service, as has I think most here.

[Pugsy]

The S9 AutoSet is a great machine. Full data and a fair price and they are good people to deal with.
Will you be wanting a humidifier? If so, send me a private message. I have a new spare humidifier including a new water chamber that needs to find a new home and I will make you a heck of a deal on it. I have moved on from the S9 model and don't need a spare anymore.