how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
cuteangel
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how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by cuteangel » Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:23 am

I am wondering how long it takes for my fatigue and feeling cranky all the time to go away when treating with the cpap machine? if my symptoms are due to this.

SleepyToo2
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by SleepyToo2 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:46 am

There are a huge number of reasons why you don't feel better - you will need to let us know what machine/mask you are using, what your baseline AHI was, what your titrated pressure is, how your AHI is progressing, what your leaks are looking like each night, how long you have been using the CPAP (how many nights), and how many hours each night. And that is just for starters. There will be more questions based on the answers you give. Bottom line is there is no easy answer, and it varies from person to person, even from day to day.

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Sleeper Agent
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by Sleeper Agent » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:46 am

1) You should see noticeable (but not complete) improvement immediately, if you manage to get hours of continuous sleep with the mask on. Unless you're still struggling with the equipment of course.

2) The doctor's initial prescription might not be optimal. My AHI was 5-6 during the first few days and while I felt great improvement, I was still tired and sleepy until I made adjustments and brought the AHI down to 0-2. You need to read your data to see what is going on.

3) There are several research papers out there studying how >7 hours of sucessful (AHI < 5) CPAP use a night for 3 months significantly improved daytime sleepiness based on several tests. I have not seen studies for periods < 3 months however.

4) My personal experience was that after getting my AHI down to 0-2, I was SUPER energetic and alert for around 3 days. Then, the side effects started to disrupt my sleep (air swallowing) and after making adjustments with that, my body seems to have acclimated to CPAP, and I no longer feel super energetic/alert. Although there is still a noticeable difference. Staying awake through the day isn't painful anymore, and my sleep schedule has become regular. My doctor did tell me that this would happen (feeling manic at the beginning).

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BlackSpinner
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by BlackSpinner » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:52 am

It depends on your body and how badly it was damaged and what else is going on and whether your therapy is as effective as it could be. Just remember that being tired is only ONE of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Many of the other issues are not as clearly noticeable or as irritating to your perceptions.

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by chunkyfrog » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:02 am

For me, only a few small things were noticeable at first. (no more daytime sleepiness, less grumpiness)
More significant changes sneaked up on me over a period of months. (more stamina, clearer head, etc.)
Pretty much all positive, except for a couple really wrong masks.

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by Sleeper Agent » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:06 am

chunkyfrog wrote: More significant changes sneaked up on me over a period of months. (more stamina, clearer head, etc.)
Thanks for sharing. After 2 weeks of CPAP, I was worried that this is the best its going to be. I look forward to having more stamina and a clearer head!

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cuyahogaguy
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by cuyahogaguy » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:16 am

It would seem that we have damaged our sympathetic nervous systems to varying degrees. That does not heal overnight.

For me, i had severe neurological fallout for desaturation. That is to be expected, your brain runs on oxygen.

Dont forget youre not only destressing your brain and heart, youre supposed to be destressing your life. Sleep, rest, low stress, diet, excercise.

You will see results in spurts. Suddenly energy to walk further, etc. Can climb stairs more easily. In my case my body practically started shutting down, stopped perspiring (a condition called anhidrosis) and couldnt exert itself anymore (was a long time surfer).

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by Guest » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:19 am

chunkyfrog wrote:less grumpiness)
surely you jest
this forum is loaded with rude sarcastic comments which dont bear that out

to the op think back to figure out just how long this went undiagnosed.

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by BlackSpinner » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:13 am

Guest wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:less grumpiness)
surely you jest
this forum is loaded with rude sarcastic comments which dont bear that out

to the op think back to figure out just how long this went undiagnosed.
You didn't know us before. Just because we get O2 and sleep now doesn't mean we have to become angels of light. A sarcastic fast come back is a sign of good brain function.

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by Guest » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:26 am

BlackSpinner wrote:
Guest wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:less grumpiness)
surely you jest
this forum is loaded with rude sarcastic comments which dont bear that out

to the op think back to figure out just how long this went undiagnosed.
You didn't know us before. Just because we get O2 and sleep now doesn't mean we have to become angels of light. A sarcastic fast come back is a sign of good brain function.
and routinely insulting others (people you have never met) is a sign of
chunkyfrog wrote:less grumpiness)
?

introspection would be a sign the therapy is working imho

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chunkyfrog
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by chunkyfrog » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:28 am

I really do mean less grumpiness.
Before cpap, I could have impersonated Margaret Hamilton in her role opposite sweet Dorothy.
@guest, I "get" that you don't like me, but to do so anonymously is cowardly.
Share your story, so others can help. Bless you, in all your pain.

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by Guest » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:42 am

chunkyfrog wrote:I really do mean less grumpiness.
Before cpap, I could have impersonated Margaret Hamilton in her role opposite sweet Dorothy.
@guest, I "get" that you don't like me, but to do so anonymously is cowardly.
Share your story, so others can help. Bless you, in all your pain.
its not you
it is your (and others) cowardly comments

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CaptPat
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by CaptPat » Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:35 pm

Took me almost 2 months before I noticed a big difference, of course I had a summer cold for 3 weeks of that time which may have slowed things down some

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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by Guest » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:00 pm

cuteangel wrote:I am wondering how long it takes for my fatigue and feeling cranky all the time to go away when treating with the cpap machine? if my symptoms are due to this.
In all honesty just wearing a cpap is not enuff. You need to have your mask leaks under control and your pressure right for you.

The best way to know how things are going is to have a data machine and then learn to read and understand your data. This is the best place to learn all that.

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BlackSpinner
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Re: how long does it take for symptoms to go away with cpap

Post by BlackSpinner » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:08 pm

Guest wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:I really do mean less grumpiness.
Before cpap, I could have impersonated Margaret Hamilton in her role opposite sweet Dorothy.
@guest, I "get" that you don't like me, but to do so anonymously is cowardly.
Share your story, so others can help. Bless you, in all your pain.
its not you
it is your (and others) cowardly comments

Since it seems your therapy isn't working well, shown by the amount of bitchiness you are displaying without any wittiness, perhaps you should log in and ask for help.

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Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: Hybrid Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and Headgear
Additional Comments: Quatro mask for colds & flus S8 elite for back up
71. The lame can ride on horseback, the one-handed drive cattle. The deaf, fight and be useful. To be blind is better than to be burnt on the pyre. No one gets good from a corpse. The Havamal