Male, White, 23, 5'10, 165 lbs
My health has felt like it’s been in the crapper for way too long. When I was 12-13 I was diagnosed with GERD (acid reflux). It affected my sleep a little bit from what I remember, but not hugely. Right around this time I also started developing a bit of general anxiety, but again wasn't debilitating. And then, starting at age 16, I woke up one day and noticed I was a little tired for some odd reason. I have been tired ever since that day. Not even a day or a minute of feeling well again. I've gradually gotten tireder and tireder over the course of the past 7 years, to the point where I'm at now where I can hardly function because the exhaustion has become so debilitating. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep I feel so unbelievably drained, and as the days goes on I get tireder and tireder.
I have had practically every sort of blood/urinary test done, have had heart scans, cortisol levels checked, vitamin/mineral checks, thyroid, etc. Vitamin B12, magnesium, iron, calcium, h. pylori, candida, etc. Everything comes back fine and just about everything has been ruled out it seems. I have tried for the hell of it multiple anti-anxiety/anti-depression medications, none of which helped me in the slightest. My diet is healthy, I still try to exercise most days of the week (although it's gotten harder to due to my shear exhaustion). Exercise does not make me feel better or worse. I do not suffer from insomnia. I do not have ADD/ADHD. I do not suffer from any joint pain or any real pain for that matter. I average 7-9 hours of sleep a night and usually fall asleep very easily, although I do usually wake up 1-2 times a night to pee. I stay very hydrated throughout the day. I have slightly elevated CO2 levels in my blood (but nothing dangerous), slightly elevated bilirubin levels, and slightly elevated ferritin levels. I do not get sick that often, maybe two colds a year, never had mono. On a side note, about 2 years ago, for a span of 2-3 months, I would get this painful abdominal/stomach pain on and off. It has since dissipated.
Symptoms include:
- Chronic fatigue that has gradually gotten worse and worse over 7 years span
Overall cognitive decline (concentration, alertness, memory, focus, brain fog, processing words, etc.)
Coordination/motor skills decline
Feel like I move extremely slow now both mentally and physically
Urge to urinate more (especially at night)
No energy
Extremities/body parts feel so utterly exhausted and numb-like to the touch. It’s been a gradual decline as well.
Head often feels very tired and heavy
Occasional headache (not super often though)
Consistent yawning throughout the day
Wake up many mornings with a dry mouth/throat. Also sometimes throat feels sore/irritated like I'm coming down with an illness, but then goes away the next day.
I notice I tilt my head to the side often
Minor facial acne (not acne prone) Also these weird things I get once or so a month on my face. They initially look like a zit, but then stay raised with no sensitivity to them, then they flatten out and stay there as a mark for what seems like forever.
The worse I get, I feel more anxious/stressed easily where everything feels like a chore
Overall hearing quality seems slightly weakened
Seem slightly more bloated in face (but could be due to a bit of weight gain) but also look heavier than I really am.
Feel intoxicated much more easily/quickly
Have a perpetual drunk-like feeling like I'm not quite in real life. Never fully feel "there"
Hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness has declined sharply
Feel more awkward all the time
Lower libido (but can still get and maintain an erection and ejaculate)
Night sweats often
Sometimes lump type feeling in throat (mostly at night)
Acid reflux history
Sensitive to sunlight/bright light. Also get eye floaters
Overall, it just feels like everything is suppressed by this fog that has gradually gotten worse and worse over time. For example, humor, caffeine’s effect, sex drive, post-workout adrenaline and endorphins, getting plenty of sleep, etc. I can sort of FEEL all these things for the most part, but it feels hidden and pushed down from this utter exhaustion and intense fog. It’s like nothing can surpass the fatigue and fog.
I was recently diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and have been using a CPAP machine for a bit now (haven't noticed much difference yet due to mask changes and inconsistent usage).
After a few consecutive nights of CPAP use, I do notice a few areas of improvement that may or may not be directly related to CPAP. Notably the decrease in night sweats, reduction in stomach acid problems, I have not been waking up with a dry mouth/throat, and I haven't been waking up with an intense need to drink water or use the restroom. BUT, energy wise and fatigue wise, I still feel awful. Maybe it hasn't been long enough or consistent enough?
Now, to my main questions. I mostly have Central Sleep Apnea (CSA), not obstructive. My diagnosed AHI is about 6.5. When I use the CPAP consistently, my AHI is still 3-5 every night. My pressure is set to 5-15. I am wondering if maybe this could be too low to notice any benefits? Or maybe too high for CSA? Others have recommended I turn off EPR to help. I have included a couple of graphs from SleepyHead for you to take a look at if you'd like. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
I use a Resmed Airsense 10 and a nasal mask.
https://imgur.com/a/bLl3HS1
https://imgur.com/a/xz6JvAu
https://imgur.com/a/BrT9dwO
- Chronic fatigue that has gradually gotten worse and worse over 7 years span
