Why aren't feeling better with CPAP?

Sorry for misleading title but figured it would hook those who need to read this the most.

About me.... I am a brand new convert to sleep apnea. The biggest question on my mind is when will I feel better!

Well I have been using 3 nights so far and have learned one thing.

The first night I slept 5.5 hours the second I slept 6 ish hours with machine and last night I slept 2.5 hours with machine and a total of 7.49 hours. I had the toughest time waking up and handling the day when I didn't use my machine long.

So I guess what I'm saying is even if you don't perceive a difference in the beginning don't give up! It is helping and give it time.

Compliance can be tough, but you have found the real benefit, a longer and more restful sleep, even if you don't notice the more restful part right away. I have gone from 6 hour nights, total, to one 11 hour night (I am retired and have that luxury) but that followed a couple of nights of non compliance due to a cold and fever, where I spent more time up using a nebulizer. I am averaging 7.5-8 hours a night now.

I don't know if my COPD is due to apnea, as it has been attributed to second hand smoke, since I do not and have never smoked. But I was an xray tech for many years and spent a lot of time around processing equipment where I could feel the effects of inhaling those fumes when it happened, so who knows! My next career was in print where fumes from the press were and ongoing issue. Since early adulthood, I have noticed tobacco smoke and fumes from chemicals make my lungs respond almost instantly with tightness.

I also have pulmonary hypertension directly attributed to sleep apnea which I am hoping better compliance might reduce.

I do feel better using the machine, as I have for a few months now. My favorite part is staying awake all day. I felt like such a jerk nodding off on my grandchild and having her shake me to wake me up when I was supposed to watching her. The other upside is not falling asleep behind the wheel. That has happened more times than I care to admit and I have been very fortunate to have never had an accident with that. I do limit, still, my long distance driving, and for any long distance trip, I bring another licensed driver just in case. Mostly, I still stay local, but even with that I do actually feel a better level of alertness and I do attribute that to longer sleep times and I know better sleep times. I can tell when my sleep is less than restful because the bedclothes are more mussed up. When I get that more restful sleep, which occurs much more often, now, the bedclothes stay put since I am not tossing, which also means more sleep disturbances.

I woke up around day 17 to feel my ah-ha moment. It takes time. Some folks don't get a distinctive ah-ha moment and their recovery is a gradual improvement. Whatever the case may be for you, DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Sheriff

I read on another thread that you posted to that you are very happy with your Dreamwear mask. So pleased to read this. Finding the right mask (or at least a serious contender) is one of the biggest hurdles and you've found one in no time at all. But I think you might find yourself eventually getting curious about other masks, many of us do, some even put masks on our "wish list" for Christmas!

Yes, longer time each night on CPAP is key. I read an article someone linked to a few days ago about how sleeping for even an hour off machine basically ruins treatment. The article made it crystal clear how absolutely counter productive sleeping without the machine is in terms of treated AHI. Reading that article made so much sense ... long time posters here say this all the time, use CPAP whenever you sleep ...who would have guessed they were right!

Anyway, relax as much as possible into recovering and regaining good sleep. And enjoy your Dreamwear, it really is a super mask.

If you are hoping for positive results, please remember this:
Partial nights are only relevant for insurance company bean counters.
Until you sleep ONLY with the cpap, it will not count in the real world.
Keep working on it. It is worth it--TIMES TEN!

Some people never have that aha moment in their treatment where they suddenly feel better. My change was gradual over two or three months. I finally noticed I could sit and work the crossword puzzle in the newspaper without falling asleep, I could sit and watch a movie on T.V. and not fall asleep. I feel much better than before starting my treatment.

Sheriff Buford wrote:I woke up around day 17 to feel my ah-ha moment. It takes time. Some folks don't get a distinctive ah-ha moment and their recovery is a gradual improvement. Whatever the case may be for you, DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Sheriff

And the clock doesn't start until you get your treatment dialed in, as good as it needs to be. Many think they are being treated when in reality, they are not. Jim

USMCVet wrote:Sorry for misleading title but figured it would hook those who need to read this the most.

About me.... I am a brand new convert to sleep apnea. The biggest question on my mind is when will I feel better!

Well I have been using 3 nights so far and have learned one thing.

The first night I slept 5.5 hours the second I slept 6 ish hours with machine and last night I slept 2.5 hours with machine and a total of 7.49 hours. I had the toughest time waking up and handling the day when I didn't use my machine long.

So I guess what I'm saying is even if you don't perceive a difference in the beginning don't give up! It is helping and give it time.

If you're using "Auto setting 4 - 20" as listed in your profile, it could take a LOOOOOOOOONG time (if ever).
But, to answer the question.........
You should start feeling the difference as soon as you get your therapy settings tweaked to their optimal settings.
Finding the right mask.
Having a bed pillow that doesn't cause too much leaking.
Getting "enough" sleep.
Getting your "sleep debt" paid down.
Using the machine all night, every night. (including any naps)

For most of us, the improvements were gradual but mostly noticeable.
Don't give up! It's "baby steps" as you start on this long journey.


Den

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Or not. You may find yourself 3 years later still wiped out every day, even with an AHI of 1. Hey, it happens.

chunkyfrog wrote:If you are hoping for positive results, please remember this:
Partial nights are only relevant for insurance company bean counters.
Until you sleep ONLY with the cpap, it will not count in the real world.
Keep working on it. It is worth it--TIMES TEN!

+10

Not everything you read here will work for you, but keep trying different things until you find the things that do.

I've noticed I'm tired all the time and need naps when watching TV. Honestly that's improvement over being completely exhausted!