Ever take a night off?

Wistful · Post by **Wistful** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:11 am

I have been at this since the beginning of March and always end up taking my mask off after a few hours when I am just to tired to not fall asleep because of it.
Yesterday was a rough day and I just didn't have it in me to to 'fight the apnea fight' when bed time was the one time no demands could be made of me. So, I took the night off. I will be back at it tonight, but I was wondering if anyone else ever does this?

Thanks Erin (Wistful)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:30 am

At first I wanted to, now not willingly. I left a power cord at home last October so I could not use it. Thought it would not bother me. By Sunday when I got home I actually looked forward to sleeping with the machine and mask (This was about five months after starting the machine in May 06). Keep using it every day, even if it is only for a relatively short time.

TM

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:35 am

wistful

i can feel the frustration coming through in your post and i know how you feel...i can honestly say, though, that i have had to tell myself that i absolutely cannot 'take a night' off, as enticing as that sounds... i've teased myself with it, though, saying 'just one night won't hurt...snuggling down into the pillow, not worrying about leaks', but i know my limitations, and one of them is if i give myself an inch, i'll take a mile! that has translated into anything to do with my own health, such as taking a day off from exercising turns into never doing it again; taking a weekend off from eating healthy turns into an all out food fest...with cpap, i'm so afraid of doing any more harm to my already embattled body, i know that it's just something i have to do every single night...there are still times i wake up and have taken it off in my sleep, but i force myself to put it back on...
please know that you can do this, and it will be the best thing you can do for yourself...hang in there
sharon1965

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:45 am

Oddly enough I have had such trouble sleeping prior to getting my machine that I never try to go to sleep without it. Even the few hours sleep I get are better than the nights I had before so the fights with the mask are worth it.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:46 am

Erin,
I have taken nights off due to sinus infection & pneumonia and slept in the recliner to help myself a little. For a long time I missed some nights due to falling asleep before I could get the mask on, and missed partial nights due to the same and from taking the mask off in my sleep. And there were the times when if I'd have kept the daggone thing on one more irritating second I would have had a very expensive fit. But in recent months I made peace with my current mask hookup (yeah, it's rigged) and other than the occasional times I doze off and miss an hour or so (never sleep more than an hour or two without waking), I dread any time sleeping without it. Even tho my sleep is still broken, the time I sleep is sooo good, and I have no desire to feel like I used to feel. And lately I'm not much of a risk taker. Don't be too hard on yourself over one night, but just be mindful that like with all unhealthy behaviors, it gets easier and easier to excuse ourselves if we deem it ok. Keep moving forward.
Kathy

Daffney_Gillfin · Post by **Daffney_Gillfin** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:51 am

One night in my first or second month, I woke up and decided I didn't need the mask for my last two hours of sleep. That was the worst day ever. I felt like crap all day. Never again as long as I have a choice.

I will admit though that I took to the treatment easily. I was never one to wake up to find I had taken off the mask in the middle of the night without remembering. I'm like dieselgal -- even in the beginning, the mask was an improvement over what I had before.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:51 am

no, never. I hate being miserable from not using cpap.

Wistful · Post by **Wistful** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:23 am

I guess that so far, I am more tired from being kept up with the mask on, then I was before I had it, so feeling worse the next day doesn't become an issue for me - yet, it's the opposite.
I will continue to try and keep the mask on a little longer each night and hope that as I get used to the mask (the swift I have is much more comfortable than the many masks I have tried) it will get better. I just couldn't do it last night.

continuing the journey,
Erin (Wistful)

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:30 am

Erin, I started about the same time you did. I think the others are right, it's not really a choice if we want to be healthy. I'm sorry you're having so much difficulty with your mask, and getting through the night. I hope it gets better really soon! For our journey, we're definitely on the "road less travelled".

frete50 · Post by **frete50** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:41 am

Normally I use my CPAP and only take days off when my allergies are in full swing and breathing is difficult.

Becky

ehusen · Post by **ehusen** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:48 am

Hey Erin,

Not much help here but I too feel your pain. I never really had "daytime tiredness" so using this thing was more challenging. This thing is supposed to help me get more energy so why is it sucking the life out of me?

I was pretty lucky, 1 completely horrible night, 1 pretty bad night, 1 mediocre night, and then pretty much just okay with it. I've been on CPAP for more than a year now and I'm not sure if it's helping even now. But, at least, it doesn't seem to cause me to feel worse these days. My AHI numbers are always very low and I have to mouth tape but you do get into a rhythm once things are "tweaked" for your circumstance.

Honestly, the reason I probably still use it is that I don't snore with it so my wife can get a good night's sleep.

I do face occasional issues with nose welts and lip injuries when the tape doesn't come off as easily as it should. But frankly I have to trust what my sleep study said and that this is helping me stay healthy.

I've lost 60 pounds or so since starting CPAP (diet and exercise, sorry no magical weight loss just due to using the machine. ) But I still snort and snore if I fall asleep without the machine. So I guess I'm a lifer. But I do wish someone would develop something better than this constant treatment setup...

Compliance is challenging and a lot of people do just give up on it. (I've heard like 50% failure rates????) With that kind of failure, there has got to be better options to be found.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:15 am

I was kinda like Ehusen, I didn't have daytime sleepiness and just snored like crazy. I started cpap for my husband because of the snoring. I also took to therapy easily.

When we had the trailer down at the lake, many times my husband came home in the evenings and I stayed at the lake by myself. During that first year of therapy, I wouldn't take my cpap machine.

But ultimately, I came to hate sleeping without it. I snored horribly and got "cotton-mouth". I hated feeling like my throat closed up and dried out.

Over time, hopefully it will become your friend, too.

allend · Post by **allend** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:30 am

I didn't know about my Apnea when I was a teenager. I was always tired and that makes functioning so much harder. Maybe for me it worked out Ok because I fought through it but it made for a life much harder than it had to be. There were times when I needed to be and should have been up and awake but I just wasn't.

So for me, putting on my mask is like cuddling with a pillow or your favorite person. I love the fact that I have found this therapy, even though the mask problems can be a pain in the ass at times. Right now I am trying out a full face mask, which led to an abysmal first trial night but I just got another one that should fit better. Once I get passed this "new mask stage" all will be smooth.

My first three years on bipap was uneventful with a Profile Lite mask attached fairly tight. Now that I have humidification, there are other problems that need to be worked on. I have had sinus problems and a deviated septum problem that could have led to surgery. Add up all these problems and I bless the day I found this form of therapy which is one of the best things that ever happened in my life. Look at the incredible positives!

Allen

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:55 am

Simply put there is no such thing as part time cpap treatment, like thinking smoking a half a pack is better than smoking two packs a day, who are we fooling, sorry if that sounds harsh but we have to stick with the treatment, and if necessary find answers to our obstacles.
Ed
PS wish I didn't have to mask up tonite.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:14 am

I use it every nite, all nite, I've became to like breathing O2. Jim

Ever take a night off?

Ever take a night off?

Taking a night off

Only regret is that

Mask

Additional Comments: Equipment isn't correct, S9 ASV w/H5i