Another Newbie with Newbie questions

Greetings all!

I was diagnosed last month with mild sleep apnea. A week later, I was titrated for a CPAP and started to use it last Thursday. So, I've been using it one week.

I'm using a Resmed machine with an air pillow mask. The machine has a feed back feature that I can look up online to see my mask fit, time sleeping, events, and other things. Pretty fancy. For the nights I've been using the machine, my stats have been above 90% every night so I know the mask fit is good.

So far, I feel more sleepy than before. I'm also rather dizzy and ended up having to take two days off work. Not cool.

I tried moving up to the larger nose size air pillow, but still find myself feeling rather sleep deprived.

I'm coming up with all types of wild theories, Sleep Deprivation Bank, CO2 buildup from not exhaling correctly, not enough air input, or just plain not being used to it. I do seem to sleep okay... but then I'm a bad person to know this because I didn't know I had apnea before hand.

My husband says I am not snoring at all anymore and I seem to move around less. I usually toss around a lot. I'm still dreaming as always; I've always been a vivid dreamer.

Anyone else have an experience the same or can perhaps shed some light here?

Hi and welcome.

First - the CO2 vents should not be covered by bedding as you'll rebreathe the stuff and that's not good (and could possibly make you feel a bit dizzy for a short time afterward).

Second - if you normally have low blood pressure, you may want to take your time getting out of bed in the a.m. because Cpap will generally make it even lower (which is good for most people, but not all).

What are your pressures set at - if they're too low, you may need to tweak at least the lower one (too often doctors don't bother telling DME's where to set the thing - after making you go thru the titration - or the DME doesn't bother setting it properly.

Go to the 'User Ctl Panel' under the main logo here, then hit Profile and fill out machine name - the fullest one you can rather than just brand name, and mask/type, and please use text vs icons - makes it easier for us to see and help you (all your info will appear under each note auto. from the time you submit. And if possible, try to stick to this one thread for most notes so we can keep track of what's what.

I'm thinking you may be "catching up" on your proper sleep depravation. Give it time. Try and follow Julie's recogmendations.

Sheriff

Julie wrote:Hi and welcome.

First - the CO2 vents should not be covered by bedding as you'll rebreathe the stuff and that's not good (and could possibly make you feel a bit dizzy for a short time afterward).

Second - if you normally have low blood pressure, you may want to take your time getting out of bed in the a.m. because Cpap will generally make it even lower (which is good for most people, but not all).

What are your pressures set at - if they're too low, you may need to tweak at least the lower one (too often doctors don't bother telling DME's where to set the thing - after making you go thru the titration - or the DME doesn't bother setting it properly.

Go to the 'User Ctl Panel' under the main logo here, then hit Profile and fill out machine name - the fullest one you can rather than just brand name, and mask/type, and please use text vs icons - makes it easier for us to see and help you (all your info will appear under each note auto. from the time you submit. And if possible, try to stick to this one thread for most notes so we can keep track of what's what.

Thanks for the reply.

The vents are not covered. I do sleep on my side so my face is half in the pillow, but doesn't appear to be obstructing anything.

I just started to take my blood pressure when I wake up. If anything, it's higher right now.

My pressure is set at 10. This was the number that was set at the titration and it was set in the machine by the technician who set the machine up initially. I'm not familiar with the term DME.

I've added my information to the my profile, but it doesn't have my particular CPAP machine yet.

DME, durable medical equipment supplier, the ones that typically provide the equipment, masks and supplies.

If you're using a PR S1 auto, the link to list it hasn't worked for a while...

The latest ResMed machines are indeed in the profile equipment list but they are in alphabetical order and cpap.com chose to simply start it with the model name instead of ResMed.
So at the very top of the list in the "A's" are AirSense and AirCurve and the various models of each that cpap.com offers for sale.

On Thursday, I really started to check how I was breathing and found I felt I was trying to hard. It seemed difficult to breath through the pillows, like there wasn't enough airway.

On Saturday, I went to the store that has masks and traded for a nasal mask. It was difficult getting to sleep because it was bulkier and the seal on the mask wasn't as easy to manage, but I do believe I slept better.

Has anyone heard of not being able to breathe efficiently from the pillows?

IdahoCowgirl wrote:On Thursday, I really started to check how I was breathing and found I felt I was trying to hard. It seemed difficult to breath through the pillows, like there wasn't enough airway.

On Saturday, I went to the store that has masks and traded for a nasal mask. It was difficult getting to sleep because it was bulkier and the seal on the mask wasn't as easy to manage, but I do believe I slept better.

Has anyone heard of not being able to breathe efficiently from the pillows?

Yes, when the CPAP pressure was not right for me. I have always used nasal pillows masks, although I have tried other masks during sleep studies.

If your dr. prescribed a constant pressure and it is not comfortable breathing with the machine at that pressure, one solution (the one that worked for me) was to used APAP instead of CPAP. In APAP, the dr. prescribes a range of pressures and the machine automatically adjusts the pressure based on your needs.

I would talk to your dr. and / or a respiratory therapist at the DME with your question, since you are newly diagnosed and they can see what pressure (or range of pressures) produced good results during titration (if you had a good sleep study).

The DME can't change the pressure or change from straight CPAP (Constant pressure) to APAP without a doctor's prescription, but a respiratory therapist may be willing to give you some advice on what to ask the dr. to write on the prescription, based on your sleep study data and experience so far. Then again, they may refer you to the dr. Is your dr. a sleep specialist? Although I never saw the dr. who signed off on my sleep study at the sleep center,I was able to get an APAP prescription with a range when I contacted the sleep study center and told them of the problems I was having. in my case, the CPAP pressure was too high for me (13) and I ended up with an APAP range or 10-16. I only knew to ask about the APAP range because people on this
forum suggested it. The dr. thought it was a good idea once I brought it up. Otherwise, i'd have given up on CPAP therapy very quickly.

Are you using a ramp feature? The ramp pressure may be too low and need adjustment, also. I think I had that problem too at first.

Good luck and let us know what ends up working for you.

Thank you Maryland user. I'll have to look into that.

I did "fire" the doctor's office where I initially had my first and only appointment with the sleep specialist. That was just one frustration after another and one botched problem after another.

I see my regular physician tomorrow and will finally get to hear the detailed results of my sleep study. I don't know if they can do anything but I'm looking at getting another sleep doctor soon.

Be sure to get a copy of your sleep study report and your CPAP Prescription Order from your doctor. Good luck with your dr. appointment!

If you have a blood pressure cuff, start taking your readings for a history. OSA is a cause for high blood pressure and since your OSA. Is being treated, you may not need as much medicine. Take the blood pressure readings to your doctor for assessment.