How long does it take...

Do the Doctor's in the CPAP world know, in general, how long it takes before you start to see positive results from this type of therapy? I know that everyone is different and responds in different ways, however, what I am wondering is if they have done enough studies that indicate positive results within a certain time frame.

The day after I did my sleep study with titration, I woke up with so much energy and mood elevation, I thought, WOW, is this what I am supposed to feel like. It was almost like mania. I probably felt that way bc it was the first good nights sleep I had in years. I am only on CPAP therapy for a week now and I do feel slightly better, but, I guess maybe I had my hopes up and wanted to feel that good all the time. I still feel tired. I am averaging about 6 to 8 hrs. of sleep a night. Today I woke up feeling exhausted again. I am going to check my CPAP data to see how I did last night. My AHI has been really good so far. I have to be patient. I didn't get this way overnight and I'm not going to get better overnight, either.

MsMairsleeps wrote:I am going to check my CPAP data to see how I did last night. My AHI has been really good so far.

If you have AHI data available then you have chosen the incorrect machine in your equipment profile. What model number is your machine? Model number is a 3 digit number on the bottom of the blower unit. Let's correct the equipment choices to avoid confusion later.

How long to feel better? There aren't any studies that I know of that will answer your question. Just too many variables to affect how we feel even with good therapy on paper (good software reports).
For me personally I have found that hours of sleep and quality of sleep itself is the biggest factor even after over 5 years of therapy.
If I wake a bunch of times during the night I feel like crap the next day even if I get 8 hours of sleep and if I get less than 7 hours of sleep (even without many awakenings) I feel like crap the next day.

Add in other health conditions and/or meds and their side effects and it just makes it difficult to predict how long it takes for a person to feel like they want to feel.
Or...also in my case. I was never a morning person anyway. No amount of good cpap therapy is going to make me into something I never was in the first place. It just doesn't work that way. No matter how much I wish it did. Even prior to my developing OSA (came with menopause) I wasn't a morning person.

As your body gets used to the changes, highs and lows are normal.
Judging by your results so far, you seem to be coming along quite nicely.
It is good you seem to have this figured out, as timetables are variable--we are all different.
Some of the best changes sneak up on us gradually.
"OMG, I just ran a whole block, and I'm not out of breath". or
---Realizing you can watch a movie all the way through.

MsMairsleeps wrote:Do the Doctor's in the CPAP world know, in general, how long it takes before you start to see positive results from this type of therapy? I know that everyone is different and responds in different ways, however, what I am wondering is if they have done enough studies that indicate positive results within a certain time frame.

The day after I did my sleep study with titration, I woke up with so much energy and mood elevation, I thought, WOW, is this what I am supposed to feel like. It was almost like mania. I probably felt that way bc it was the first good nights sleep I had in years. I am only on CPAP therapy for a week now and I do feel slightly better, but, I guess maybe I had my hopes up and wanted to feel that good all the time. I still feel tired. I am averaging about 6 to 8 hrs. of sleep a night. Today I woke up feeling exhausted again. I am going to check my CPAP data to see how I did last night. My AHI has been really good so far. I have to be patient. I didn't get this way overnight and I'm not going to get better overnight, either.

MsMairsleeps, I agree with chunkyfrog: you're coming along very nicely. I'm about 3 weeks in to treatment and I have ups and downs. It's mostly up in the sense of 1) being very aware of my sleep and what conditions are needed to produce "good" sleep, even if I can't always replicate those conditions; 2) feeling hopeful and empowered by the research I'm doing and the amazingly helpful folks on this forum; 3) believing with certainty that this therapy is helping me, because breathing at night is better than the alternative. Even on my "worst" nights on CPAP, I usually wake up with more energy the following morning than sleeping 8 hours with OSA. Really and truly!

I haven't had the "mania" feeling yet. Feel like I'm missing something but I'll settle for a long-term trend of more energy, more alertness, and (this surprised me, not sure why) easier breathing during the day.

Hang in there. I've heard that research suggests that the first week or so is key to compliance. You're doing great!

chunkyfrog wrote:As your body gets used to the changes, highs and lows are normal.

Yeah I am experiencing a lot of highs and lows. Sometimes the lows occur when my data looks good: mask on for 8 hours, 3< AHI < 3.5. Sometimes the highs occur when my data is quite crap: mask on for 5 hours, disrupted sleep due to bloated stomach etc.

Overall I have been experiencing tremendous gains from CPAP. But its frustrating that I am unable to maintain my productivity at a heightened level.

Or...also in my case. I was never a morning person anyway. No amount of good cpap therapy is going to make me into something I never was in the first place. It just doesn't work that way. No matter how much I wish it did. Even prior to my developing OSA (came with menopause) I wasn't a morning person.

Interesting point. You are the first I have seen express that but it makes perfect sense.

ShelaghDB wrote:

Or...also in my case. I was never a morning person anyway. No amount of good cpap therapy is going to make me into something I never was in the first place. It just doesn't work that way. No matter how much I wish it did. Even prior to my developing OSA (came with menopause) I wasn't a morning person.

Interesting point. You are the first I have seen express that but it makes perfect sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sl ... e_disorder ?

Let's make things clear....I do NOT have anything like Delayed sleep phase syndrome.

I get sleepy at the normal "get sleepy" times and I wake up after 6 to 8 hours or so of sleep somewhere around 6 or 7 AM. I am just a bitch when I first wake up...even with the best sleep available. I don't want to eat first thing...I don't want to talk first thing...I am awake, not sleepy but I just don't want to interact with the world for a couple of hours.

Pugsy wrote:Let's make things clear....I do NOT have anything like Delayed sleep phase syndrome.

I get sleepy at the normal "get sleepy" times and I wake up after 6 to 8 hours or so of sleep somewhere around 6 or 7 AM. I am just a bitch when I first wake up...even with the best sleep available. I don't want to eat first thing...I don't want to talk first thing...I am awake, not sleepy but I just don't want to interact with the world for a couple of hours.

I am right with you there, Pugsy! I need at least an hour to get started in the morning - doesn't make a difference if I have 6 or 9 hours sleep! I like to use that time to do crosswords, catch up with the news, etc. But I need that cup of tea (my English heritage?!!) and quiet time before I am ready to face the day. By the end of the day, I am ready to sleep - in between I do not want to nap.

In addition to taking time to get to feeling good, I have a theory that until you find the right mask, and get it working right (minimal leaks) at the right pressure for you, keep it clean, and change the filters on a regular basis (ie, when they are dirty), you will struggle. Oh, and make sure that if your numbers are going up, you consider a new mask/headgear. For those that need humidification, getting that right can also make a huge difference. Add in the daily variations in atmospheric conditions and our sleeping habits, and you will understand why it can take some time to really feel like it is working.

Pugsy wrote:Let's make things clear....I do NOT have anything like Delayed sleep phase syndrome.

I get sleepy at the normal "get sleepy" times and I wake up after 6 to 8 hours or so of sleep somewhere around 6 or 7 AM. I am just a bitch when I first wake up...even with the best sleep available. I don't want to eat first thing...I don't want to talk first thing...I am awake, not sleepy but I just don't want to interact with the world for a couple of hours.

so, what you're saying, is that you have MGS...



amusingly, when I googled it, morning grumpy syndrome is a thing....

palerider wrote:so, what you're saying, is that you have MGS...

Well...if the shoe fits...
Adorable grumpy kitty pic. Thank you. I love it. Yes, that's how I sometimes feel...
I just don't wake up rearing to take on the world. Never have. Doesn't mean that something is wrong with me except I just don't do mornings well. My husband understands this...and he is a morning person. Wakes up early and wants to get all his chores done by 8 AM. By 8 AM I am just starting to feel human.
I could try to blame it on pain or arthritis or whatever but the truth is....I just don't like mornings. Didn't as a kid or teen or young adult or semi mature adult.
Physically....I am okay with mornings...it's mainly mental.
And I am not usually grumpy unless someone is trying to make me do something I am not wanting to do....yet.

Pugsy wrote: My husband understands this...and he is a morning person. Wakes up early and wants to get all his chores done by 8 AM. By 8 AM I am just starting to feel human.

he's just trying to get his work out of the way so he has time to spend with you when you're coming online, as it were