Not able to sleep after three weeks

I've had my CPAP mask for about three weeks, feel like I'm getting use to it, am taking sleep medicine to help but I'm still not sleeping . I wake up and can't go back to sleep. Is there something else that I can do? What does "getting use to it mean? How long does this take? I stopped for a while because I was loosing sleep, had trouble concentrating at work, was irritable and became depressed. I work 11 hour days in a tough job and need my sleep to function. Before I got the CPAP machine I didn't have any trouble sleeping . My symptom was snoring and my test found I had 30 episodes an hour, Help!
I didn't have these problems before. When am I suppose to feel better??????

What kind of mask are you using? You may need one that is more comfortable for you. If the mask is ok, wear it while reading or watching tv to get used to it. It takes longer for some to adjust to something strapped to their face. Don't give up. Good luck! Missy

Welcome to my world. I felt HIDEOUS for the first six weeks of therapy. You WILL get over this. It's horrible, I know. Do whatever you can to combat it. It took me six weeks before I could even been 100% compliant with the mask all night. I had to take days off of it to catch up with sleep. I ended up getting some Provigil from my sleep doc, and that helped me alot.

1) Ask your doc for a small supply of Provigil - free samples are good. I can only tolerate 1/2 a pill or I'm totally "methed up". This helped me through the daytime sleepiness and inability to focus and function at work.

2) Use a sleep aid - I prefer non-prescrip. I'm fond of straight Benadryl (I actually by the generic version) with no Tylenol or Ibuprofen in it. If I'm in pain, I add Tylenol or IB as needed.

3) "Getting used to it" means you can keep the mask on your face all night long, AND sleep all night long, with minimal interruptions. You may still get up for a potty break, but you don't wake up restless and insomniac or tear the mask off.

4) Give us more info on your mask and machine and your mouth taping or chin strap routine, so we can help diagnose you there.

I went through 8 masks in 6 weeks. I finally tried a mask I had NO INTEREST IN, just because it was FREE, and it turned out to be the mask of my dreams. I'm NOT THE EXPERT ON THIS MASK, I'm just reporting it works for me. It's the Nasal-Aire II prong style cannula. Anyway, once I found that mask, everything fell into place for me, and I could sleep all night. I continued to use the Provigil for several months, until tapering off it in August. I still use Benadryl routinely at night. I sometimes vary it with Melatonin, just for grins, and because several people on this board have mentioned good results with melatonin. I get about the same results with either drug.

Good luck and give us more info!!!

Hugs,
Babette - who can't log in from work

kjmaid,
While you symptom was snoring, "30 epsiodes an hour" means you were choking and fighting for breathe every 2 minutes all the time you slept. And eventually, all that choking and fighting for breath against obstruction start taking it toll on all parts of your body.

If you broke your leg, and had to take time off from work to let it heal - would you do it? Getting used to cpap is the equivalent - and it takes some of us a long time.

The mask has to be comfortable - and there are many kinds of masks some better for some people some better for others.

There are also many tips to make this therapy more comfortable.

So tell us whatever you know of your mask and machine, and try to be as specific as you can about what it is that is annoying you, and why you can't fall asleep again.

And why are you taking a sleep medicine? Have you always done that? I would say that you needs your wits about you in order to figure out how to make the therapy better - and sleep medicine blots the world out. Sleeping with cpap - falling asleep naturally with the mask is something we learn - we can't do that too well when we think its medication that helps us fall asleep.

So - be as specific as you can, and we'll try to help.

Good luck!
O.

As I said before the mask feels fairly comfortable. So I'm not thinking this is the problem. Besides my insurance company won't let me change until I've used this one for 6 months. It's an Optilife/ Respronics(not sure of the spelling)It has a solid plastic thing that holds, a plastic piece you put over it, the nasal pillows I think they call it that goes in your nose. It has a 6 foot tube attached to the base of this , so the tube is in the middle and I can move better from side to side with it. It has a strap that goes around the back of my head, on the top of my head and under my chin. That's the best way I can describe it. I have a humidifier and my pressure is set at 9. I use the sleep medication so that I can SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!! If the goal is to be awake to be conscious of how the mask is working, what is the point!!!
THis doesn't make any sense. I'm not sure what you mean by if I broke my leg it would take time to heal. I have been giving myself time and I would think I would feel somewhat better, little by little, every day the way you would if a leg was healing. But this is not what is happening. I need specifics on how to help myself sleep not a general statement that it takes time. I know that! I have been using it every night but tooka break this week-end and slept 11 hours the first night and 8 the next, without sleep medication. So your suggestion is don't take sleep meds?????? THen I'd probably only get 2-3 hours sleep a night. I don't understand these suggestions. ARe you saying I may simply lose sleep for two to three months before things get better and I just have to suck it up??????HELP!!!!!!

kjmaid,

Welcome to the forum.

Could you please fill out your profile with the exact make and models of the equipment you use. Also, your pressure, whether your machine has exhale relief (C-Flex or EPR) and any other medical issues (including medications) you may have. I realize you've put some of the information in your posts, but if you can put it in your profile, it saves a lot of digging through posts to make references.

This therapy CAN take weeks to months to get the kinks ironed out. Also, depending on age and other health issues, it can take a good deal of time to feel the "recovery" take place. For some it can be rather quick and for others, a lot longer.
A good frame of mind is essential. It's "Baby Steps".
You didn't say how long you sleep before you wake up. Many times, in the beginning, a few hours of GOOD sleep is more refreshing then many hours of apnea-laced sleep.

Please give us more information and we'll try to help.
Have you clicked on the yellow lightbulb above - "Our Collective Wisdom"?
There's lots of information there.

Best wishes,

Den

kjmaid,

For some those first few weeks are the worst because before cpap many didn't even know what their body was going through while they slept, so in comparison, this new waking up thing is maddening.

As far as your particular situation, just seems to me if awakening and being unable to sleep was not a pattern before, it is likely transient. As to why you are awakening, all you can do is rule out some most common causes. Since mask comfort doesn't seem to be your problem, next to consider are large mask leaks and mouth breathing, either of which can compromise your pressure and may allow apnea events. Another would be if your pressure is not therapeutic. Not sure what machine you have or if data is an option.

Last thing I can think of is if you have any other sleep disorders. Did your study show any problems with limb movments? If so, they could be waking you.

As far as "getting used to it", for me I could fall asleep easily as I was always exhausted, but either took my mask off in my sleep or awakened and could not go back to sleep with it on. I found that laying there trying to make myself go back to sleep just didn't work for me. I had to take the mask off, get up for a bit, then start over. Those moments of disconnecting were enough to cue my mind it was sleep time again when putting the mask back on. I'd slept 54 years with nothing on my face, and having this foreign thing there took a long time (many months) to not feel invaded. If you are not dealing with other sleep disorders or major problems, I'd venture to say your adjustment phase won't be very lengthy.

At 3 weeks this is still early in the game, but in the meantime you have to figure out how to rest enough to work a grueling schedule. My heart goes out to you - been there. If you're pretty sure you are not sleeping thru large mask leaks or mouth leaks, I guess you have to do what you've gotta do to get some sleep. At one point my doc gave me a short acting pain script to take when I woke in the wee morning hours, and it would give me 2-3 more hours of sleep without the morning drowsiness. Maybe your doc could recommend something for you just till you're on schedule again.

Hope things level off soon.

Kathy

Kjmaid,
I'm truly sorry you felt my post was so unhelpful. I hope you find more help in what the others have said, and I'll try to explain a number of points:

I work 11 hour days in a tough job and need my sleep to function.

Broken leg: my point was "take time off from work if you can't work now". You're saying: my work is more important than this annoying therapy. I'm saying: finding a way to make this therapy work should be your first priority now.

Sleep medicine: Since you can sleep fine without it, and since all the sleep you get with it and the mask is a few hours and then you wake up and can't get back to sleep, I don't see what the great gains are.

My suggestion:
Take a Monday and Tuesay off. That will give you 4 nights without the threat of work looming above your sleep. And for those three nights do the following

Try to fall asleep without medication. If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up, do something nice and relaxing, and go back to bed when you feel tired. Try to fall asleep. If you don't fall asleep - get up again. repeat the above for a long as it takes. Don't yell at yourself or the mask when you don't fall asleep. Don't try to "make" yourself sleep. Don't get into a fight. Tell yourself that you are now doing your utmost to make sleeping with the mask comfortable and possible.

When I started therapy I couldnt fall asleep for the following reasons:

• I couldn't stand the touch of a mask on my face
• The hose was dragging and pulling the thing off my face
• The air in the mask was cold and froze my nose
• The humidity in the mask condensed and was bothering me
• I couldn't scratch my face
• The way the pressure rushed in at me terrified me - and I would wake up with from the way the pressure got higher.
• The motor's sound was driving me crazy
• The thought that this is the bizarre way I'm going to have to sleep for the rest of my life was harrowing.

I would love to help you come to the point where I'm at today: It's almost 3 years on, I love sleeping with my mask and machine, and feel so much better during the day.

O.

Hi ya Kjmaid.

Hang in there. As mentioned before 30 episodes an hour means that your brain is waking up every 2 minutes . You might think you were sleeping but if the brain does not get it's rest then you are heading for a big hole . "Loss of Memory ,Concentration issues ,Fatique ,depression , Blood pressure and immune issues and a haze that simply won't go away."

Do you feel that you have any anxiety towards the treatment , are you suffering any other complaints or have you simply got to much on your mind.

Talk it out with the forum.

I also work long shifts night and day 12hr. And had fallen deep into the hole before i got on to treatment .

As you didn't have trouble sleeping before , You proberly need to look at the changes that have happened since starting the treatment. Mask, noise,air pressure , and the knowledge that sleep will never be the same.

The Mask you said doesn't bother you , (remember it doesn't need to be tight) , For the noise try some ear Plugs ,does the air pressure hurt your lungs or your stomach ?? Smelling oils also seem to be helping people sleep ? . And know that the Treatment is not just stopping your snoring ,but proberly saving your life.

List your equipment and treatment .

Regards