First month results

I have been using and APAP system (ResMed Autoset Spirit with ResMed Swift mask) for about 5 weeks. For the first three and half weeks I felt so much better – I felt refreshed in the morning, wasn't tired during the day, wasn't taking naps, etc. For the last 10 days or so I have noticed that, while I still wake up refreshed in the morning, I start getting tired at work (I am almost falling asleep at times), I am napping again – I am not at the point where I would say I feel exhausted but I am very tired, and feel like I have no energy. I wake up during the night to go to the bathroom or when I change positions (sometimes I wake up because I get tangled up in my hose and pull the Spirit off the nightstand). I am compliant – I sleep with the mask on, etc.

By the way, my APAP is set for 5 – 18. When I wake up during the night, I look at the machine to see what the current reading is – I have noticed readings as low as 6.7 and as high as 11.4. I to plan buy the software so that I can accurately track what I am doing during the night.

Is this normal? Or should I be concerned? I am scheduled to see the doctor in a couple of weeks and plan on taking to him.

On a different subject – about a year before I was diagnosed with OSA I noticed that my feet and ankles were becoming mottled – there were red speckles that would turn brown. I saw several doctor's who didn't know what was going on. As I have been using the APAP, the speckles are going away.

Scott

Hi scott54,

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. Have been on APAP since Jan 20 and after the first couple of nights getting used to and tweaking it I started to feel a whole lot better. Then about a month after that the euphoria started to wear off and I felt not only was I not improving I seemed to be going backward.

I'm 5' 10" and weight 255 lbs big boned, stocky and have that pregnant look about me - so indeed I have a weight problem. In addition I have a desk job and a well worn lazy boy recliner - so am not very active. My other issues are severe sinus congestion ( Flonase is helping ) and big problems deflecting the grandkids incessant germs. In the past 3 months I had bronchitis and for the past 10 days seem to be getting over a 2nd bout of it.

I think we all have to understand that xPAP is not a quick fix but rather a long term treatment something like high blood pressure. It's not a panacea or the fountain of youth so if there are other factors present such as with me - overweight, inactivity, congestion ( among other health impairments )
we're just not about to recapture the health levels we once had.

You must give yourself more time and take whatever steps you can to improve your daily well being such as diet, exercise etc. If you really think back as to how you were right before xPAP I'll bet you can identify some areas of improvement. I know I have just in the way I walk now and feeling more alert.

Things are getting better for me and I am sure they will for you too. So hang in there and breathe deeply!

All the best

Bob F