Newbie and Introduction

[kblair62]

I just wanted to say "HI" to everyone,I live in Indiana my name is Kevin and had my sleep study done 23rd of December,2007 and started my C-PAP Machine on New Year's Day ,I am feeling somewhat better and I'm not nodding off driving anymore,but,I wake up several times through the night,my doctor on January 13th put me on 14 days of Ambien,and that sleeping pill didn't even phase me ,I still woke up several times and quit taking the pills after 10 days because it was making me extremely moody.I feel alot better now not using them,except this waking up around 3 or 4 times every night is getting old.
My Question is: Is this normal to do this for awhile ,since I've only been using CPAP for 36 days today? I'm hoping in the near future I can sleep through the night,but ,I am starting to feel more rested if that makes any sense? I found the "Yellow Light Bulb" in this forum to be very informative

[roster]

One suggestion for now: Get a fully data capable machine and software so you can study what's happening with your breathing while you are asleep.

[sleepycarol]

Keep reading the posts and you will learn a lot.

It takes time to figure it all out and it does get better!!! Hang in there and take it one night at a time.

[Moby]

Welcome.

Have you looked at "Our Collective Wisdom", found by clicking the yellow light bulb at the top of the page here? Lots of info there.

It took me a while to sleep through the night, and then it was on and off before I slept through the night regularly. It has taken years for this disease to "train" your body, don't expect it to bounce back to full health straight away.

I still get sleepy days (having one today) and find that a small sleep deficit causes a big sleepy response, as does poor diet/abuse of alcohol (which for me is one glass

Try to look after your health really well - good food, early bedtimes if possible, not too much alcohol if you drink, a bit of exercise - and you will find the benefit you get from decent sleep and decent oxygenation at night will become more evident week by week.

I hope you enjoy the board - it is an excellent resource and a great community to belong to.

regards

Di

[KenC]

Hi Kevin, I'm in Indiana as well. Welcome to the group!

I started CPAP back in October and I'll try to give you a brief rundown of what it has been like for me so far:

For the first few weeks, I'd wake up several times a night either with a massive air leak from my mask becoming dislodged, or the hose wrapped around my neck. However, I did notice that mornings were better almost right away. Waking up became an event - not a process. It no longer took minutes for my brain to become fully functional.

On the other hand, I seemed to need more sleep than before. Even though mornings were fog-free and energetic, evenings were worse. I'd usually be nodding off by 7:00 or 8:00pm. Maybe my body was trying to catch up on all the deep sleep it had been deprived of.

Now, after 3 months, I think things are getting settled. I've learned how to roll over without wrapping the hose around my neck. I sleep all night, and best of all, my wife has gotten used to "sleeping with Darth Vader" as she puts it.

Here's the things I've learned:

1. Try different masks! It took me 4 masks to find something I like, and I'm bidding on a 5th on cpapauction.com (which you should check out, BTW).

2. Don't run the hose over your headboard unless you have to. If you have hose running downhill toward your face, at some point in the night, you'll get a snort of cold water up the nose - not a pleasant way to wake up! You can reduce the condensation (rainout as it is refered to here) with hose insulation, or a heated hose, but IMHO, keeping the hose downhill from your face is the best solution.

3. EXPERIMENT! Try different styles of masks, different pillows, mask modifications, etc.

4. Assume that you will shortly know more about OSA than your doc and RT. Take charge of your treatment.

5. Keep reading here. I suspect there is more knowledge about OSA and it's treatment here than in all of the medical literature in the world. Despite what the medical world thinks, the treatment of OSA is still as much an art as it is science.

[deerslayer]

Welcome kblair62 ! well said KenC

[Aloha]

Hi Everyone,

I am also new, see you guys around!!

[deerslayer]

greetings Aloha, Welcome. fill in your profile(equipment)..visit the yellow light bulb @ the top & start posting

[DreamStalker]

Yes ... Ken noted the expectations quite well and Rooster's suggestion is golden. Best-o-luck and welcome!

[ozij]

1. Hose routing: whether over your head is comfortable or not depends on your mask, and you sleeping habits. For me it made a major, positive difference.

2. Waking up: One of the pleasure and luxuries of cpap therapy for me is that when I wake up, I can a turn over, and drop right back to sleep immediately. That is very different from pre-cpap, when I used to wake up snoring, gasping, and with me heart banging. Don't look at the clock when you wake up. If you have to adjust the mask to make it more comfortable do it, but otherwise, try to disregard you awakenings.

3. Yes, do your best to get a data capable machine.

Welcome, and good luck
O.

[bbacher]

Hi-Ho, from one newbie to another!

Lots and lots of info here. Welcome.

[goose]

Welcome aboard. You've found the lightbulb; also the red question mark has a wealth of info.....

I always say I didn't get here overnight so I don't expect miracles. I've been on the hose for 7 months now and I still have sleepy days, but overall it is better. Try different masks until you get one that works for you. What works for one will not necessarily work for you....

Keep at it, make notes if you want to keep track and by all means, read, read read.......

Keep us up on how you're doing and ask questions when they come up....

take care
cheers
goose