About 10 months in, no improvements.

[vangmay231]

I have been using my cpap now since September last year. Over this time I have never felt like it has improved my symptoms of daytime sleepiness, morning headaches (which often continue through the day), bad fatigue etc. My AHI had been maintained at just under 5 for a while now, never at 1-2 but never over 5 either. However in the past month my AHI has steadily risen as well, to almost a constant 7 now. I'm putting up sleepyhead data, my leaks are generally very well maintained, over 7 hours of usage every night, no apparent problems to me. However along with steady rise in AHI I've felt much worse too, with my fatigue and headache to be clearly worse.

In June I was (wrongly) diagnosed with narcolepsy as well and went through treatment for that which was horrible, but I am off those medications as of 1st July (Amytriptyline and Modafinil).
Currently no medications. ENT examination has shown various issues - huge tonsils, adenoids, loose pallete and DNS, but I am not opting for surgery. I have lost 3 kgs in the last 30 days too.

One thing that has been a constant is dry mouth even after I got a humidifier. I have been using the Dreamwear Nasal mask, and is there a case here for me to try out a full face mask? I have always been a mouth breather but I thought the mask helped me with not breathing through my mouth and I have never had large leaks unless my mask falls off. But the constant dry mouth is a worry.

Anything that you could help with me. My medical provider is willing to send a FFM for a week to try out. The "Most Recent" activity in the table was a 1.5 hours nap in which I experienced just one single apnea.

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[realshelby]

I am sure Pugsy will give you information you need.

Meanwhile, it sure looks like you might be exhaling air out your mouth? From the leak rate and the dry mouth that is my first thought.

[Pugsy]

Multiple sessions...that many multiple wake ups to the point of turning the machine off and on.
Why? Any special reason?
Huge chance for SWJ sleep/wake/junk false positive flags.

Go here and do the crash course on learning how to distinguish awake/arousal related flagged events from the real asleep events.
http://freecpapadvice.com/sleepyhead-free-software

It's entirely possible that the fragmented sleep is the cause of the elevated AHI and not the result of the AHI.
It is very possible that you have sleep quality issues unrelated to sleep apnea and the machine only fixes sleep issues caused by apnea.

[Patriot Partner]

I always recommend people. use bipaps

I was compliant on cpap but bad off

Also, have your co2 checked

[jimbud]

I always recommend people. use bipaps

I was compliant on cpap but bad off

Also, have your co2 checked

Straight to the bipap everyone.
Ahem.
Maybe not so fast.
JPB

[vangmay231]

@Pugsy - no special reason for that many wake ups honestly. In fact, the first 6 months of Cpap usage - when my AHI was also down - I used to not get any wake ups. One thing I notice recently is a lot of dreams at times, which started happening to me since the medications I took and stopped then. I'll look at the link you provided, thank you
I tried a Comfortgel full face mask as a demo from my retailer for last night's sleep and I don't have dry mouth today at all. Feels much better, even though sleep wasn't great either last night, but an FFM probably is the way to go further.
@Patriotpartner I had tried a Bipap last year but I got 8 central apneas per hour with. Stopped after a week.

[zoocrewphoto]

I always recommend people. use bipaps

I was compliant on cpap but bad off

Also, have your co2 checked

Unless somebody needs more than 20 pressure or more than 3 exhale relief, there is no need for a machine that costs twice as much as an auto machine. Most peoplestill have to pay a copay of some sort. Most people do NOT need a bipap.

Yes, an AUTO machine is better and more useful than a plain CPAP machine. But both of those will cost the same if using insurance. Might as well get the best for the same cost.

[vangmay231]

Hey guys, so one thing I've realised is one of the reasons I'm waking up multiple times is due to very vivid dreams that I've been having for a while now. I've never, ever had this before June of this year, vivid dreams throughout the night, but since the treatment for my misdiagnosed narcolepsy in June I've had this problem. The antidepressants forced rem rebound and the last 10 days or so it started. But then I'm off medications for about 2 months now and this is a problem that's stuck. Any suggestions to control this?