Frustrated

[chrate]

I wear this stupid machine every night just like I was told. I understand that there will be an adjustment period. But it has been two months and I still haven't slept more that three interrupted hours in one night. I was doing better than that without the machine. So why should I keep using it? I am so tired. I work over 50 hours a week to pay the bills and to be able to give my family everything they want. I only want to sleep - uninterrupted for six to eight hours a night and wake up ready to go.
Ok. I am done ranting for now. Anyone have some words of advice or eencouragement?

[49er]

I wear this stupid machine every night just like I was told. I understand that there will be an adjustment period. But it has been two months and I still haven't slept more that three interrupted hours in one night. I was doing better than that without the machine. So why should I keep using it? I am so tired. I work over 50 hours a week to pay the bills and to be able to give my family everything they want. I only want to sleep - uninterrupted for six to eight hours a night and wake up ready to go.
Ok. I am done ranting for now. Anyone have some words of advice or eencouragement?

Hi Chrate,

Oh, I definitely understand.

If you haven't done so already, you might want to download sleepyhead so you can see exactly whether you are receiving optimal treatment or not. Maybe post screen shots of your data so the experts can help you analyze it more closely.

I know people will say give it more time but if your apnea severity score is mild to moderate, I would also consider a dental device with these caveats. Go to http://www.apneasupport.org/sleep-apnea ... n-f20.html and look for posts by sleepdent who is very knowledgeable. Thoroughly educate yourself on the issues before seeking a sleep medicine dentist for treatment.

I am convinced if you can find a good provider, this is a viable alternative, especially if your apnea is mild to moderate. But because there are alot of crooks in the field, you have to tread very carefully if you pursue this route.

Is sleeping on your side (positional therapy) an option or not?

49er

PS - Forgot to ask you if you have any nasal congestion issues or allergies as that can definitely impact treatment.

[Todzo]

I wear this stupid machine every night just like I was told. I understand that there will be an adjustment period. But it has been two months and I still haven't slept more that three interrupted hours in one night. I was doing better than that without the machine. So why should I keep using it? I am so tired. I work over 50 hours a week to pay the bills and to be able to give my family everything they want. I only want to sleep - uninterrupted for six to eight hours a night and wake up ready to go.
Ok. I am done ranting for now. Anyone have some words of advice or eencouragement?

The machine makes it easier to breath more air. You need to learn to breath normally with the machine.

Try spending quality time with the machine during the day. Some on your bed learning to breath quiety in all the usual positions. Some with light distraction such as a book, music, light TV.

Recently I have remembered how nice it is to have someone read me to sleep (or use music). My older Ipod has a sleep timer. I have some little computer speakers set up on my bed. I have used headphones and ear buds to do this. It seems to just make the whole process of getting to sleep go better and the more better in a night the better the night is likely to go.

HTH,

Todzo

[Wulfman...]

I wear this stupid machine every night just like I was told. I understand that there will be an adjustment period. But it has been two months and I still haven't slept more that three interrupted hours in one night. I was doing better than that without the machine. So why should I keep using it? I am so tired. I work over 50 hours a week to pay the bills and to be able to give my family everything they want. I only want to sleep - uninterrupted for six to eight hours a night and wake up ready to go.
Ok. I am done ranting for now. Anyone have some words of advice or eencouragement?

I see you have an APAP/Auto in your profile.
Please tell us what are the pressure (and other) settings in the machine.
If your machine is set to a range of pressures, that could very well account for your interrupted sleep.
What happens is that when you enter a deep sleep stage or REM, your breathing changes. Those changes could cause the machine's algorithm (program) to think that you need pressure increases.......THEN, those pressure increases can bump you out of your much-needed sleep stages, which subsequently leaves you unrested.
Pressure ranges and pressure changes can also lead to more mask leakage (and more awakenings).

Are you using software to monitor your therapy?


Den

.

[BlackSpinner]

Wear it in the evening while you watch something interesting on tv. Get your body mind used to the fact that this is the new way of life.
It takes an attitude adjustment. It is a lot like toilet training a toddler, anger, hard discipline doesn't work. Reward and comfort does. Promise your self a real reward for keeping it on and sleeping with it.

[thewetlizard]

I just quit using the stupid cpap. I sleep better without.

[Janknitz]

There are no stupid CPAP's, only people too stupid to use them when they have diagnosed sleep apnea.

You've been offered some great help here THAT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. We all have jobs, kids, lives outside of CPAP--we've all been sleep deprived trying to get used to a chunk of plastic strapped to our faces blowing air. Everyone here understands your frustration. We don't understand quitting. We all went through what you've been going through, so we get it. But we all came here, got help, worked through it, and now we are trying to pay it forward.

If your rant is over and you want help, we'll still be here, ready to help.

[NeedHelp2]

I recommend to get your family to focus more on what they need as opposed to what they want.

[oak]

are chrate and the wetlizard the same person?

[Julie]

Supposedly not - WL apparently joined the forum in 2009, Chrate in June '13, but who knows.

[chunkyfrog]

There are a lot of worse things than sleeping with a mask and a machine.
My baby brother has had an ostomy since surgery last fall for colon cancer.
He is doing well, and is close to getting the ostomy reversed so he can go back to work.
Consider living with the after-effects of a stroke, or diabetes; both commonly follow untreated apnea.

[kteague]

But it has been two months and I still haven't slept more that three interrupted hours in one night... I only want to sleep - uninterrupted for six to eight hours a night and wake up ready to go... Anyone have some words of advice or eencouragement?

Well, since you asked. If your sleep is longer and does not feel interrupted without CPAP (is that correct?) then I'm guessing there is something tangible that can be pinpointed to work to resolve to help you get the sleep you need. Please do work with those experienced in looking at the data and the settings and see what they can come up with. My first 5 months on CPAP were awful. Came here and got some advice that turned that around. It could prove helpful for you to provide details on what you're experiencing, such as how long does it take you to fall asleep, how soon do you wake up, how many times, does any of the sleep feel deep or not - stuff like that. When I told the people here I woke up feeling suffocated in a very few minutes, they quickly pinpointed my ramp as being a problem, and it was a major one. If I'd never mentioned that detail, the answer would have taken long to get to. Best wishes going forward. A decent night's sleep is not too much to ask.

[kteague]

I just looked at your prior posts and saw that RLS may be at issue here. If you have copies of your sleep reports, can you tell us exactly what was said about limb movements? Won't change the need to know your CPAP treatment is effective, just may indicate other contributors and the blame MAY not be all on CPAP. Let's take it a step at a time.

[kteague]

I just quit using the stupid cpap. I sleep better without.

Sorry to hear that. Would it be safe to assume you are still hanging out here because you are considering trying again? I looked through your old posts and it seemed at a glance there are things that haven't yet been explored to try to make your experience better. Do consider starting a thread specific to your problems if that is of interest to you.

[DJD52]

But it has been two months and I still haven't slept more that three interrupted hours in one night... I only want to sleep - uninterrupted for six to eight hours a night and wake up ready to go... Anyone have some words of advice or eencouragement?

Well, since you asked. If your sleep is longer and does not feel interrupted without CPAP (is that correct?) then I'm guessing there is something tangible that can be pinpointed to work to resolve to help you get the sleep you need. Please do work with those experienced in looking at the data and the settings and see what they can come up with. My first 5 months on CPAP were awful. Came here and got some advice that turned that around. It could prove helpful for you to provide details on what you're experiencing, such as how long does it take you to fall asleep, how soon do you wake up, how many times, does any of the sleep feel deep or not - stuff like that. When I told the people here I woke up feeling suffocated in a very few minutes, they quickly pinpointed my ramp as being a problem, and it was a major one. If I'd never mentioned that detail, the answer would have taken long to get to. Best wishes going forward. A decent night's sleep is not too much to ask.

Great advice! I think about quitting often! However, I realize that I really have no choice and going back isn't an option so I try again each night. I started out doing well and then had issues arise due to cpap that I'm trying hard to get past. A decent night's sleep isn't too much to ask for! I believe there are people here who can help you as well as encourage you. I hope you stay with the forum and move forward to better sleep.