Excessive Sleep after starting CPAP

[Jelly123]

I started CPAP again one month ago. I have used it continuously for 4 years before, between 2007-2011. Then, I had no discomfort with it but discontinued it without asking my physician ( I was 28 and got complacent).
I am 33 now, obese, BMI 42.00. Gained 50 lbs since i stopped it in 2011.

I have started again at 14mmHg (as prescribed in May 2015). Use it 10 hours a night, no major leaks and do not take it off (I am pretty comfortable with CPAP apparatus). According to my wife i do not breathe from mouth and sleep comfortably. I do not move legs which i used to when i was not using CPAP.
I have been feeling much more sleepy since I started it again. I wake up at 7.00 am feeling extremely sleepy and confused and have to sleep gain for another 3 hours and then another 2-3 hours. I sleep for a total of 16-18 hours on weekends and 13-14- hours on weekdays. I feel good, but only after sleeping for 15-16 hours. If i sleep less than that I feel groggy and cannot function.
When I was not using CPAP, I used to sleep 8-9 hrs and was functional after that. I live in Canada and have asked for the doctor's appointment to discuss this but could not get an appointment before 2 July. Still three weeks to go.
Is it sleep a rebound? Has anyone felt like this?
Equipment:Philips Respironics REMstar Auto A flex, Mask- FP Pilairo
Most features are disabled so cannot get/download values

[Krelvin]

Assuming your description is correct you have a PR System One REMstar (Series 50) Auto CPAP Machine with A-Flex which is data capable. You should be able to use sleepyhead to see what your machine is seeing.

If you are leaking a lot then the cpap can't help you much but without you being able to see what is going one, you and everyone else is guessing.

It is also possible you have other issues outside of OSA that need to be looked at which are causing your tiredness.

[Bill44133]

it sound to me that it maybe 4 years of sleep debt that you need to pay. Download the software and make sure that your therapy is optimized.


I wish you well..

[Julie]

If your low pressure setting is too low to be effective, you won't get treated... what are your settings?

[Jelly123]

Hi All,

Still sleeping excessively (12-13 hrs and feel disoriented for 3-5 hrs after getting up)

I met the sleep tech two days ago. He printed out the data from my machine which i am summarizing below
Severity=Severe Obs apnea, Wt 310lbs, 5ft 11 in
Equipment:Philips Respironics REMstar Auto A flex, Mask- FP Pilairo
Pressure:14 mm Hg,
Average AHI =0.7 (was 80 in sleep study)
Average % night in large leak=0.2%
Average large leak =54 sec
Average CA=0.1
Average OA=0.2
Average usage=8hr 54 min

Waiting to see the sleep Doc .
Thanks.

[bwexler]

The numbers you report look good, suggesting it may be something other than sleep apnea causing your issues.
I also find it unusual that you show your pressure in mm Hg instead of cm H2O.

I can tell you from experience the weight is an issue. You will need to address diet and exercise and get on the road to loosing 100 lbs,
I only got up to 245 lbs. Cutting out all soda, fruit juice, and salty snacks was a significant step in getting down to 215.

I would also request a full blood work up, especially the stuff they usually skip, like Vitamin D, B12, magnesium, calcium and VAP cholesterol test, which is much more detailed then the standard test.

I would also want to look at a lung function and a stress echo cardiogram.

You may have multiple issues. Good luck in sorting it out.

[kaiasgram]

Most features are disabled so cannot get/download values

You can definitely access all the features and download the data being recorded by your machine. You don't need to be dependent on a tech or the DME for that info. Most of the important data is in the clinical menu. Learn how to access the clinical menu here: https://vimeo.com/24175022

[palerider]

Most features are disabled so cannot get/download values

well, undisable them. and there's no way to prevent the download of data, it's all on your sd card.

[billbolton]

If your low pressure setting is too low to be effective, you won't get treated...

14 mmHg = ~19 cmH2O

[kteague]

You're doing the right things in making sure your treatment is therapeutic and considering if there could be other contributors. That said, if your numbers are good, I'm thinking one month may just not be enough for you to be recovered from the onslaught of years of untreated apnea. You're older now than the other time around, your body has been through more abuse, and it sounds like you are less healthy. Makes sense that your recovery would be different this time. If that's what's causing your excessive need for sleep, and if nothing else is going on, you should soon see the need for sleep being less and less. I remember pretty much hibernating for while. Then one day I woke up, saw the sun shining outside, and realized I actually felt awake and like I was ready to rejoin the world. If this lasts much longer though, I would want to look for other contributors. That is an inordinate amount of sleep.

[palerider]

If your low pressure setting is too low to be effective, you won't get treated...

14 mmHg = ~19 cmH2O

pretty sure that's a typo, since no machine that i've ever heard of measures pressure in mmHg. so who knows what the actual pressure is.

[Baylor1970]

Hg is the symbol for Mercury and pressure is sometime measured in cm or mm of Mercury as well as water.

[SewTired]

Several possibilities not mentioned yet. You could have a machine that is no longer holding the pressure correctly. You should also consider making an appointment with your regular physician because your problem may have nothing to do with the machine. Anemia and thyroid problems can both come on fairly suddenly. I developed bradycardia last year, which only showed up last year when I was laying down (never at a doctor's office) and now shows up when I go to the doctor's office. So, I wouldn't ignore these and just assume that your sleep doctor can solve this.

[palerider]

Hg is the symbol for Mercury and pressure is sometime measured in cm or mm of Mercury as well as water.

thanks for misunderstanding the point.

the OP said they have x pressure in thousandths of a meter of mercury....

no cpap uses that measurement. ergo, there was a mistake in transcribing the pressure measurement from the machine.

is it 14cmh2o? or is it something completely wrong?

at least, they didn't say they're using 14psi.