Even MORE Fatigued After Using Cpap?

Hi. I'm a newbie and so glad to find this forum. I've used my cpap for 3 straight full nights and I'm kinda proud that I did. But I feel even more tired the next morning than I ever did before starting treatment. I'm concerned but don't know if this is common, normal or expected. Anyone? Thanks.

Tommie - you've posted a number of things on this forum in the last few weeks... it would be best if you posted this one as a follow-up to one of them rather than a new one, so we can look at your history to have something to go on. Anything would help, like what machine, what pressures, etc. etc.

If you have a recent machine, it should be collecting data. You will be able to see how may events you're experiencing.

Using XPAP is great, but success doesn't happen until you get your treatment working for you. Many are trying but are working under the idea of what they are doing is correct, many times it's not. Many machines are set up poorly, many don't use the software to monitor their real data, many don't take the effort to learn how to maximize their treatment. If that's the case, it's no wonder magic doesn't happen.

Also many of us have other health issues, known and unknown we need to address. Jim

Thanks. Hi, everyone. 4 straight nites sleeping 8-9 hrs. per and more fatigued during the daytime than I was ever before starting treatment. My "events" each nite was 1.8, 1.2, 0.8 and 1.7

As Julie asked, I'll give this info: machine is a ResMed Air Sense 10.
The Pressure Level is 7.0


Ramp Time: 40 mins
Climate Control: Manual
Tube Temp: 81
Hum Level: 4

Press Reief: On
Smart Start: Off
Mask: Full Face
Thank You .

Also, the machine says AHI 1.7 and Total AL 1.5 dont know what these mean

Your AHI #'s are great... AHI means apnea-hypopnea-index, which means you had very few per hour, which is what you want on Cpap (the lower the better). Below 5 is officially considered good, but in fact most of us hover around 1-3 on good nights and feel better for it. Looking at your other numbers, why on earth do you have the ramp set at 40? You are not being fully treated x 40 mins each night - the time it takes your machine to reach 7, which is the prescribed pressure setting and being so low (as 4 is the lowest machines go to begin with) you can probably stop using it altogether as most of us have done early on. Try not using it tonight and see how you feel.

BUT, I think it's possible the reason you don't feel better is that you may be having major leaks, either from the mask itself or from mouth breathing. You didn't say which mask you use (nasal or 'full face') and it can make a big difference to whether or not you lose Cpap air - meant to go down your airway - out of your mouth or from around a badly fitted mask. Please tell us what mask you use and whether or not your mouth seems dry in the a.m. Actually though, if you lost too much air that way, your AHI would be higher, so it's difficult to guess at the problem.

Tommie - if you'd posted in your previous thread, I wouldn't have had to go back and edit this note of mine to take out a request for machine type... which I only found out after seeing another note of yours. Please stick to one thread!

With the ResMed machine

AI...that's the Apnea Index and in this category are Central Apneas and Obstructive Apneas.

AHI that's the Apnea Hyponea index...which is the Apnea Index (AI) plus the Hyponea Index.

That's just how ResMed does the reporting on the LCD screen.

So you are sleeping around 8 hours....are you waking often during those 8 hours or sleeping soundly?
If waking often...approx how many times and how long does it usually take you to get back to sleep?
If waking often...any idea why? Mask leaks, fit, comfort, just because things are different?
Also, do you take any medications? If so, what?

You are using a full face mask? Any problems with it?

It can take up to a month for your brain to trust it can safely sleep with THAT THING on your face. After all it spent years worrying and waking you up when you decided to be stupid and stop breathing in your sleep, it isn't just going to stand down and do something stupid like sleep with THAT THING on your face.

Thanks. Julie, I will try to stick with one thread. As I said, I do use a full face mask, I sleep thru the night pretty soundly, no mask leaks (at least the machine always has the if I check the mask fit). Don't know if that confirms there is no leaking. If I do feel any air going out other than the one spot I'm supposed to feel it, I adjust the mask til appears again. I only wake up to urinate a few times, then back to sleep.
As far as my ramp time of 40 mins, that's what my doctor has it set at, so just following his recommendation. You think I should change it to zero?

I just wanna stick with using this every night and hope that at some point my terrible daytime fatigue will diminish or go away.

And my mask is an Amara View full face

If you wake up 3-4 times to urinate, you're not being adequately treated... most of us found that 'symptom' going away within a couple of days.

You really need to post some Sleepyhead results so we can see what's going on.

Julie wrote:. . .
BUT, I think it's possible the reason you don't feel better is that you may be having major leaks, either from the mask itself or from mouth breathing. You didn't say which mask you use (nasal or 'full face') and it can make a big difference to whether or not you lose Cpap air - meant to go down your airway - out of your mouth or from around a badly fitted mask. . . .

Since his AHI is good, I don't think leaks are the problem at hand.

Since your AHI is good, I assume that the treatment is delivering what it is supposed to deliver. Hang in there for a while longer, make sure your AHI remains good, and hopefully you'll start feeling better. Sometimes, the first thing you'll notice is that you're not nodding off as much, even if you don't think you feel better.

Also, consider that you might be tired for reasons other than Sleep Apnea (but don't discontinue CPAP). Other reasons for feeling tired include (but are not limited to) diabetes, fibromyalgia, and narcolepsy.

Note that narcolepsy doesn't necessarily meaning falling asleep standing up or in the middle of a sentence. That is the extreme case of narcolepsy.

D.H. wrote:

Julie wrote:. . .
BUT, I think it's possible the reason you don't feel better is that you may be having major leaks, either from the mask itself or from mouth breathing. You didn't say which mask you use (nasal or 'full face') and it can make a big difference to whether or not you lose Cpap air - meant to go down your airway - out of your mouth or from around a badly fitted mask. . . .

Since his AHI is good, I don't think leaks are the problem at hand.

you don't think at all. leaks have nothing to do with AHI, and for that matter, if they're too bad, they can artificially mask AHI problems. like everything you post, this is stupid.