Hi. I'm Mr.NoSleep

Mr.NoSleep · Post by **Mr.NoSleep** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:07 pm

Hi everyone, I have another question. Lately my mask has been wet inside in the mornings, I mean wet. I was waking up with a dry throat in the mornings so some suggested I turn up my humidifier which I did. I didn't turn in up much at all, so why would my mask be soaked inside? Are the CPAP humidifiers that sensitive?

I am also taking provigil for this sleep disorder. Provigil is used to help "wake" me up and keep me more alert throughout the day. My sleep doc started me out on 200Mg a day (one pill), it didn't seem to help so he doubled the dose, I now take 400Mg a day (two pills). So now my problem the past few days has been difficulty breathing. I called my sleep doc today and he wasn't in at the time, I left a message and he never called back (this seems to be his way of operation - and there is no one else locally I can go to). Anyway has anyone else been on Provigil?, and if so did it help you?

This whole experience with this sleep disorder treatment has been a total disaster since day one, nothing seems to work and I am getting fed up. Anyone else have any nightmare treatment? Sorry for the rant, I'm "tired" lol!

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:42 pm

Hi I have been taking Provigil for the past month. It really helps me. I don't take it on days off-I take it when I work 12 hour shifts. I take 200 mg in the morning and then take another 100mg around 12noon. It has made a big difference. My doctor had told me to take 100mg in the morning to start and I usually see him when I'm at work so he knows what my current dosage is. He can see a big difference and actually knows when I haven't taken my meds

Kapow4000 · Post by **Kapow4000** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:17 pm

I can totally sympathize with you. I received my machine one week ago. I feel like I haven't slept for a week. Follow up with sleep Dr tomorrow. I sit up at nights with the mask on and just want to cry cause I just can't get comfortable with it. Sleeping was my favorite activity and now its just no fun.

Mile High Sleeper · Post by **Mile High Sleeper** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:19 pm

MrNoSleep,
Welcome. You received lots of good suggestions. Have you read the articles under the light bulb/our collective wisdom? They will give you a foundation for the questions you've asked and the advice you've received. Click on the bulb, expand all, and see the articles on machines, reasons for APAP, masks; and to address your question about water in the mask, the article on solving rainout.

Mr.NoSleep · Post by **Mr.NoSleep** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:59 pm

Kapow4000 wrote:I can totally sympathize with you. I received my machine one week ago. I feel like I haven't slept for a week. Follow up with sleep Dr tomorrow. I sit up at nights with the mask on and just want to cry cause I just can't get comfortable with it. Sleeping was my favorite activity and now its just no fun.

This is day 118 for me on CPAP. I don't mind wearing it, I'm used to that. I'm just ticked off that everything the doctor has tried is not working. I would think after about 4 months I should feel much better, shouldn't I? To be honest I think I actually feel worse than before I started CPAP, but I think I read something about that before, I think it was sleep debt or something. I wonder how long that lasts. Ahhh to be rested, I forget what that's like.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:27 am

if you didn't have OSA why did they put you on cpap?
do you snore?
where there any other arousals seen on your PSG?
what did the ENT say about the size of your Uvula? if that was large did he/she suggest reducing it? If you snore I would seriously consider a LAUP.

If you are only 34, I wouldn't get hooked on those prescription drugs, none of them work for long term use couple weeks is about all. You are a little young for it, but I would try melatonin. If you are on other prescription drugs such as those for hypertension, their side effects can impact your normal melatonin production. Melatonin helps you get to sleep with insomnia and helps promote deep sleep with no side effects (its cheap too).

Masks: there are much better masks than the ComfortClassic, it is a leaker, uncomfortable and it is noisy. Consider a Somnotech Soyala, it is silent, more comfortable and doesn't leak (quietest interface you will find). Do NOT get a mask that is too small for you, if you do it can put pressure on the outside of your nose and be the cause of congestion itself.

Use only a saline only nose spray such as SimpleSaline or make your own from sea salt, distilled water and a pinch of baking soda in the form of a rhino rinse and apply with a netti pot or irrigation syringe. It will flush out the allergens in the nasal passage that causes the congestion, couple times a week before bed and you'll be breathing better. OTC nose sprays like Afrin will cause rebound in as little as 3 days use which contributes to congestion. The saline only solutions don't have any rebound effect.

Look closely at your bed, if it is a traditional box spring mattress, consider upgrading to a tempurpedic or select comfort and get a good pillow, one that doesn't jack your head up.

Try sleeping on your side if you can. Humidifier: Only turn it up high enough to add moisture, if your bedroom drops below 68F consider getting a aussie heated hose. The humidifier is not there to warm the incoming air, only there to add moisture. Too much moisture and you will get rainout.

Mr.NoSleep · Post by **Mr.NoSleep** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:16 pm

[quote="Snoredog"]if you didn't have OSA why did they put you on cpap?
do you snore?
where there any other arousals seen on your PSG?
what did the ENT say about the size of your Uvula? if that was large did he/she suggest reducing it? If you snore I would seriously consider a LAUP.

If you are only 34, I wouldn't get hooked on those prescription drugs, none of them work for long term use couple weeks is about all. You are a little young for it, but I would try melatonin. If you are on other prescription drugs such as those for hypertension, their side effects can impact your normal melatonin production. Melatonin helps you get to sleep with insomnia and helps promote deep sleep with no side effects (its cheap too).

Masks: there are much better masks than the ComfortClassic, it is a leaker, uncomfortable and it is noisy. Consider a Somnotech Soyala, it is silent, more comfortable and doesn't leak (quietest interface you will find). Do NOT get a mask that is too small for you, if you do it can put pressure on the outside of your nose and be the cause of congestion itself.

Use only a saline only nose spray such as SimpleSaline or make your own from sea salt, distilled water and a pinch of baking soda in the form of a rhino rinse and apply with a netti pot or irrigation syringe. It will flush out the allergens in the nasal passage that causes the congestion, couple times a week before bed and you'll be breathing better. OTC nose sprays like Afrin will cause rebound in as little as 3 days use which contributes to congestion. The saline only solutions don't have any rebound effect.

Look closely at your bed, if it is a traditional box spring mattress, consider upgrading to a tempurpedic or select comfort and get a good pillow, one that doesn't jack your head up.

Try sleeping on your side if you can. Humidifier: Only turn it up high enough to add moisture, if your bedroom drops below 68F consider getting a aussie heated hose. The humidifier is not there to warm the incoming air, only there to add moisture. Too much moisture and you will get rainout.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:38 pm

Snoredog wrote:if you didn't have OSA why did they put you on cpap?

Probably because of this suspected problem:

Mr.NoSleep wrote:The results showed I do not have sleep apnea but do have "Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome."

CPAP can help that, too.

Links about UARS:

http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/dis ... /sleep.htm

http://www.apneasupport.org/viewtopic.php?t=5443

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/full/115/4/1127

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... 161/5/1412

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... 161/5/1413

viewtopic.php?p=101358

sleepydave (RPSGT manager of an accredited sleep lab) wrote an interesting post about UARS:

New Here/Need help with Sleep Study Results

____________________________________

sleepydave
Moderator [apneasupport.org]
Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Posts: 813
Location: In the Sleep Laboratory

What's UARS?

Hi Arline!
UARS is the acronym for Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. It is characterized by respiratory events that are not severe enough to be classified as apneas or hypopneas still cause arousals. These respiratory events can be snores or minor narrowing of the airway, but the increased negative intrathoracic pressure trying to draw air through the restricted airway, as well as the arousals, can cause the same havoc as plain old OSA.
Here's an interesting blurb that should perk your ears up:

UARS

So it's still nothing to sneeze at.
Sure, continue to gather more info, including maybe seeing an ENT. Also keep in mind that surgery of the upper airway can have some significant associated hazards, so don't make that decision lightly.
See what the CPAP results bring, then maybe go from there.

sleepydave

______________________________

Click the red word "UARS" in sleepydave's comments to go to the ncbi.nlm.nih.gov link in it.

Interesting UARS links were posted by SleepyJ in a topic at this clickable link:
Sleep Studies Forum, apneasupport.org, August 2006.

Mr.NoSleep · Post by **Mr.NoSleep** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:47 pm

Thanks for all this great info rested gal. That will keep me busy for a while.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:49 pm

Mr.NoSleep wrote:What are arousals on the PSG?

The "PSG" (Polysomnogram) is the sleep study -- when you spent the night all wired up in the sleep lab. The PSG results show what happened in your sleep that night.

http://www.apneasupport.org/viewtopic.php?p=27820

sleepydave writes:
"An arousal is simply a 3 to 15 second break in sleep continuity, and an awakening is 15 seconds or more. It's usually to an alpha pattern. You may be aware of awakenings (not to be confused with really being "awake") but you won't be aware of arousals.

A hypopnea needs either an arousal and/or a desaturation to be scored as such. In adults, virtually all respiratory events will be terminated by an arousal (the rule kind forces that issue)."

____________________

Interesting discussion about "arousals":

http://apneasupport.org/about1644.html
Nov 12, 2005 subject: why so many spontaneous arousals?

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:00 am

[quote="Mr.NoSleep"]Hello,
....... My sllep doctor then suggested I have surgery to remove my adnoids and tonsils (which have always been huge). I went to the surgeon and he disagreed, he said removing them now at my age only because they are large would not be a good option. ..............

Mr.NoSleep · Post by **Mr.NoSleep** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:51 am

I had a question about my ComfortClassic mask. When I got my equipment I didn't get any booklet or instructions about my mask. I noticed that it has a small white valve type thing. The white part is a soft plastic cover that goes over a hard clear plastic piece with a small hole in it. What is this and how would it be used? Thanks.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:23 am

You seem to be in de-nile about mouthleaking, it has been brought up by many in this thread. Unless it is addressed correctly, you can him and haw on every aspect of treatment, and never have success.

For treatment to work certain things must be done, #1 you must maintain the proper pressure in your airway to keep it open. Also to find out what is going on with your treatment, software to monitor your treatment is a great help. It's hard to drive a car with blinders on, seeing the road is good. Jim

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:30 am

[quote="Mr.NoSleep"]..........................

I have and use a heated humidifier, but lately I can't seem to get it set right. If I have it too low I wake up with a "dry" throat and mouth and if I turn it up I have had water in my hose. ......................

Mr.NoSleep · Post by **Mr.NoSleep** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:48 am

Goofproof wrote:You seem to be in de-nile about mouthleaking, it has been brought up by many in this thread. Unless it is addressed correctly, you can him and haw on every aspect of treatment, and never have success.

For treatment to work certain things must be done, #1 you must maintain the proper pressure in your airway to keep it open. Also to find out what is going on with your treatment, software to monitor your treatment is a great help. It's hard to drive a car with blinders on, seeing the road is good. Jim

I don't think I am in denial about anything. If I have mouth leakage fine. I just want to know what's going on so I can fix it. I don't know enough about all this stuff to figure things out, that's why I come here.

I doubt I can afford the software, I'll check into it. Thanks.

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine:Resmed S7 Elite; Oracle Mask(YES! My DREAM mask!!)

Hi. I'm Mr.NoSleep

light bulb

Re: Hi. I'm Mr.NoSleep