Why am I so sleepy?

[RealityBites]

I've been using CPAP for a number of years. No compliance issues - I use it every night for the whole night. I don't snore anymore, I rarely wake up during the night, and I don't wake up with an alarm. I let my body get as much sleep as it wants, which seems to be about 7 hours a night. My AHI is around 1.9-2.0

But every day I get terribly sleepy in the afternoon at work. If I'm at a presentation I have to bite down hard on my tongue to keep from falling asleep. This often happens to me at movies or the theatre too, and I can forget about watching TV on the sofa. I have to do it sitting at the computer desk and even there I often fall asleep.

On the weekend I can take a nap when it hits (although this usually results in me staying up late). Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

[boston]

Im still new at this, but maybe your pressures need adjusted. Could be time for another sleep study.

[chimom]

I know where you are coming from i have the same problem! I have ask my dr. but she didn't seem to have any idea for the cause. She did a blood test, and said i had a bacterial infection in my blood and gave me meds and said i was just worn out. I took the meds but i am still sleepy every afternoon. I use my cpap every night all night long. I wish i had the answer, i have no idea what it is or how to fix it....
Chimom

[Wulfman]

I've been using CPAP for a number of years. No compliance issues - I use it every night for the whole night. I don't snore anymore, I rarely wake up during the night, and I don't wake up with an alarm. I let my body get as much sleep as it wants, which seems to be about 7 hours a night. My AHI is around 1.9-2.0

But every day I get terribly sleepy in the afternoon at work. If I'm at a presentation I have to bite down hard on my tongue to keep from falling asleep. This often happens to me at movies or the theatre too, and I can forget about watching TV on the sofa. I have to do it sitting at the computer desk and even there I often fall asleep.

On the weekend I can take a nap when it hits (although this usually results in me staying up late). Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

You haven't listed any of your equipment or your pressure setting. From the AHI you listed, it appears that you have a data-capable machine, but you also didn't mention anything about leak rates. Do you have software to monitor your therapy? If you're using a nasal mask, you could be mouth-leaking and thereby negating your therapy.

Den

[kteague]

Hi. Are you aware of any problems with limb movements during sleep? They can disrupt sleep stages and leave one feeling unrested.

[glenwood]

I too have same problem after three years on cpap,HELP!

[chimom]

My machine is a resmed S7 so it is not data compatable, i use a full face mask but i still wake up breathing through my mouth sometimes. As far as i know i do not move at all, i go to sleep on my back and wake up on my back with my cat in one arm and my chihuahua in the other. As long as i keep busy it is not so bad but if i sit down to watch tv i get very sleepy. I try not to drive if i dont have to because i get so sleepy. I just i could make it stop. Sometimes i yawn so much it look like i am crying.......

[packitin]

Hello,
It looks like to me that it may not be related to sleep. You're doing excellent in that regard. Have you had a physical checkup?

Once I was feeling "run down", went to the doctor, had a routine medical and found my sugar level was at 34. The doc asked how I made it to his office. I later had a sugar test and everything was normal . I still don't know why it happened. I don't have diabetes . Guess the human body is a mystery sometimes.
Bye,
Jay

[chimom]

I Tried to talk to my dr. but she didnt seem to understand, and she though i was just worn out due to a infection in my blood. but this has been going on for years. mabey i didnt explane it right??? i just dont know????

[DreamDiver]

RealityBites, Chimom,

Den makes some good suggestions above. It'll be hard to help unless we at least have information about your machine and mask. You'll notice that most of us have either images or words at the bottom of our individual posts that describe what machine and mask we have. We need you to do that too. A good way to do that is to fill out your member profile in the user control panel in the top left-hand part of the forum window. Click on 'profile' and fill out all the 'edit' tabs in the left menu that are appropriate for you.

Next - if you don't have a fully-data-capable machine you need to get one. The best way to figure things out is with data. You'll need to convince your sleep doc to give you a prescription for just such a machine. Software generally can't be put on insurance, so you'll need to buy that yourself.

This is your life we're talking about. Pressure diagnosed and prescribed at a sleep study titration doesn't necessarily stay the same over the years. It's good to get re-titrated occasionally, especially if you're having headaches when you used not to, or are growing more tired during the day.

If you don't have insurance, or cannot afford further sleep studies, we can work around that. There are people here willing to share their own experiences. None of us is giving professional advice - just relating from our own experience, so please take that into account.

The first thing we really need is your machine/mask profile and your pressure settings. Can you help us out there?

After you've filled out your profile, consider reading the 'Our Wisdom' section under the yellow lightbulb at the top of the forum. You'll find a lot of very good experience and feedback there.

[RealityBites]

I'll try to answer all questions. Thanks for all the responses.

I've just had a sleep study two weeks ago, which suggested a pressure of 11. Previous sleep studies have not shown any problems (apart from the sleep apnea itself). I haven't had any issues with mouth breathing, except without the machine, in which case I wake up with dry mouth. No issues with limb movement.

One thing they've noted is how quickly I fall asleep though. My machine is a M Series Auto CPAP with A-Flex
. Mask is Mirage Swift™. I did change a couple of settings last night. It was previously set to 6-20, no ramp. I've changed that to 10-20, with a 10-min ramp. I've also put the Aflex setting on minimum. My AHI did decline - the seven day average is 1.8 as of today, and was at 2.0 yesterday.

My leak rates are about 33, which is normal for my mask and pressure.

Chimom, I'm pretty much the same as you - if I can keep busy, with my mind and/or body engaged, it's much less likely to happen. Conversation or physical activity is best.

[sepool]

RealityBites:

I'm not sure if this applies to you, but I also usually wake before my alarm, but with me, it doesn't matter when I went to bed. I find that I will wake after 7 hours, but if I get to bed earlier, I will sleep longer and feel more rested.

If you fall asleep easily, it might be worth a try - in addition to looking at your data.

[gasp]

Let's just say your apnea therapy is 100% effective. Some other things to consider

-Seasonal Affective Disorder Syndrome (SADS): Are you the same level of tired year round or only in the winter? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6581756

-Circadian rhythm: You mentioned being sleepy in the afternoon at work. You may be particularly sensitive to a circadian rhythm change under low lighting conditions. If your afternoon work setting isn't finding you in a reduced lighting situation, then you still have the body's natural circadian rhythm challenge. http://www.news.wisc.edu/3357

- Food: It goes without saying to not have alcohol with lunch which could produce afternoon sleepiness. Avoid foods that you know cause drowsiness such as fried foods and foods high in tryptophan like chicken and turkey. I also avoid high carbohydrate foods. So what does that leave? I eat a large chef salad most of the time and avoid comfort foods which as their name implies leave me feeling like crawling into bed with a comforter. I also fruit snacks during the day such as apple, pear, berries and avoid sugar like the plague. No coffee or other stimulants either. I drink plain water and sometimes herbal teas such as peppermint and orange. All this interprets to keeping your blood sugar level. If you do not have Type I or II diabetes, then you probably don't have a testing device. Diabetes is prevelant in my family and I'm pre type II so I test to make certain I understand which foods cause my blood sugar to spike and how not eating enough can cause low blood sugar. I've learned how to eat to keep my blood sugar level by testing. Since my insurance won't cover testing supplies, I've found this site has the best prices. http://www.americandiabeteswholesale.com/

- Exercise: The amount of exercise you get tells your body how it needs to respond to be ready to exercise again. For me, I find if I walk briskly everywhere I go my body stays in high gear throughout the day. Walking briskly to a place to eat lunch and a leisurely pace back can also help ward off afternoon sleepiness.

Hope this helps : )

[chimom]

I am not sure where to go to fill out the infermation no my machine so here it is. I have a resmed S7. And a resmed FFM. My pressure is 14 i was last tested 3 years ago. And the job i have now does not have ins. So right now i can't get tested right now. If i knew how to change the pressure i would try that, but the machine i have they have a code they put in and they will not give that to me. My machine is not data compatable when i got it i was not give a choice and didn't know anything about it.
I was reading about diabetices. and my mother is diabetic but i have never tested my self.
I never eat breakfast, and ususlly i dent eat lunch until i am on the way home sometimes that is around 3 or 4. SOme times i will stop and get a jr. burger and a coke. And then i will eat supper at 6 or 7. You would think i would be skinny but that just does happen.
A long time ago i was told by a dr, that i had a auto amine problem but i can't remember the name of it.he said it was like cronic fetiuge syndrome. BUT the dr. i have now says she has no clue what i am talking about. The other dr said he found it in a blood test. So i am just confused.I am sorry others here have this same problem but i makes me feal like maybe i am not crazy after all.....

[fortomorrow]

To fill out your profile, click here. ucp.php?i=profile&mode=equipment_info

Which Resmed FFM do you have?

Have you gained or lost weight in the past 3 years?

The directions for changing the settings on your machine are here: viewtopic/t35824/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35 ... s7#p304347

You really need to eat breakfast and lunch at proper times. Your body is constantly in starvation mode because you only feed it once a day and it's going to hold on to any calories you give it because it's not sure when it's going to get any more. And don't eat fast food, there's no nutritional value in it. No wonder your body is tired, it wants some vitamins!

Perhaps you could get your old medical records and give them to your new doctor so she knows what your old doctor said about your auto immune disorder? That could definitely cause fatigue, but without more information it would be impossible for your doctor to say.

You have a legal right to your medical records. When you go get them don't take no for an answer.