Why oh why oh why isn't this working?

[cherylann]

Hey, guys. I haven't been around this year because in January I broke my shoulder in three places and my ankle and had to have surgery. It was a long, long recovery and I have some permanent damage, but am beginning to be somewhat functional again.

The strange thing is that up until a couple of months ago, I had absolutely zero problems with the sleep apnea. I slept in a chair for several months so that could be the reason.

But, the last couple of months it has come back with a vengeance and I am worse than I ever was. There is a new doctor in town so I went to her and she said the same thing as everyone else....."you just have to keep trying". Like I had just been goofing off with it for five years. She did change the setting on my machine and it has made a bit of a difference. I can tolerate the mask for 4-6 hours at a time now, but I am not really sleeping because I am trying so hard to make sure I don't take it off without realizing it. And eventually I am suffocating to the point where I have to take it off.

And I am having 40-60 "events" an hour!! I am tired all day long and can't sit and read or watch TV without falling asleep. I went back to work a couple of weeks ago and even have found myself dozing off there occasionally.....though generally speaking I can stay awake as long as I am busy.

I feel like a walking time bomb.....that any minute now I am going to drop dead.

I don't know why I did so well for several months and now this.

[Stormynights]

Maybe a bed wedge would help some. I got one for my husband for after he had surgery and it helped him. It is not a fix but having your head raised might give some relief.

[reolhlains]

Good luck with it Cherylann - I'm sending you good vibes!!
If you are doing 4-5 hours - that seems like a really good place to improve on! I guess it's just trying to relax and have sweet dreams about being less tired the next day!
Speaking of which - I had the most crazy dreams the past few weeks - I can see why they call it the DreamStation - I'm calling it the DreamMachine. I was on a Navy aircraft carrier last night...!!!

[49er]

Hey, guys. I haven't been around this year because in January I broke my shoulder in three places and my ankle and had to have surgery. It was a long, long recovery and I have some permanent damage, but am beginning to be somewhat functional again.

The strange thing is that up until a couple of months ago, I had absolutely zero problems with the sleep apnea. I slept in a chair for several months so that could be the reason.

But, the last couple of months it has come back with a vengeance and I am worse than I ever was. There is a new doctor in town so I went to her and she said the same thing as everyone else....."you just have to keep trying". Like I had just been goofing off with it for five years. She did change the setting on my machine and it has made a bit of a difference. I can tolerate the mask for 4-6 hours at a time now, but I am not really sleeping because I am trying so hard to make sure I don't take it off without realizing it. And eventually I am suffocating to the point where I have to take it off.

And I am having 40-60 "events" an hour!! I am tired all day long and can't sit and read or watch TV without falling asleep. I went back to work a couple of weeks ago and even have found myself dozing off there occasionally.....though generally speaking I can stay awake as long as I am busy.

I feel like a walking time bomb.....that any minute now I am going to drop dead.

I don't know why I did so well for several months and now this.

Hi cherylann,

Ouch, I feel your pain regarding the surgery.

Can you clarify what you mean when you say, don't sleep because you are trying hard not to take it off? Do you feel you are so worried about that that you really can't relax and deeply sleep? Or is it something else?

And you were using the machine sleeping in the chair?

Sorry for playing twenty questions as I just want to make sure I understand your situation.

49er

[cherylann]

49er, yes that is what I mean. I am so stressed about not wearing it that sub-consciously I stay partly awake to make sure I keep it on. I am aware all night of being in that state. In the "old" days (before this year), I would take it off during the night without even being aware of it. Now strangely enough, last night I went back to my old habits. I woke up this morning with it off....not being aware of when I took it off. I just checked the Resmed site and I wore it 4.03 hours and only had 27 events. And I feel better this morning than I have felt in the last several weeks since I started using it again!!!

And no, I definitely did not wear it while sleeping in chair. For the first three months after the accident I had a cast on my arm and leg. I couldn't do anything for myself...had a live-in caregiver. There is no way I could have managed that machine along with everything else. But, like I said, I didn't need it. Even for the first few months after moving back to the bedroom.

I've even tried sleeping in the chair again lately, but it doesn't work anymore.

[49er]

Thanks cherylann for your response. Darn, I was hoping that if you went back to using the chair, that would solve your problems. I am so sorry.

Not sure what to tell you regarding your problem with keeping the mask on. Hopefully, someone will come up with a good idea.

49er

[herefishy]

Maybe you could take a piece of pantyhose and knot it around your head "headband style" over the mask straps? It would probably come off if you tried hard enough, but maybe you could fashion something that wouldn't?

[robysue]

cherylann,

Did you ever try using a small piece of tape to tape the frame of the mask directly to your face so that it would hurt just a bit when you took it off in your sleep? If not, that might help you get over the hump that you're dealing with.

[BlackSpinner]

One of things you could try is to simply wear it watch tv or reading as we tell newbies to do. It is like starting all over again for you brain. It has to get used to it all over again.