Still Tired

[Ternes4202]

I have been using my cpap for 3-4 weeks now and love it. I feel so much less exhausted, however, I still can become very tired in the afternoon when say sitting in front of a computer or reading. Is this normal and will it resolve?

[Julie]

Yes it's normal, yes it may resolve at least to some extent over time, but it's a good idea to try and tweak what you have now. Are you getting a reasonable amount of sleep to begin with? Are you aware (because someone else told you) that you might sleep with an open mouth through which all the good air is being lost (in which case you'd want to look into a full face mask - a nasal which extends to also cover your mouth)?

[BleepingBeauty]

I have been using my cpap for 3-4 weeks now and love it. I feel so much less exhausted, however, I still can become very tired in the afternoon when say sitting in front of a computer or reading. Is this normal and will it resolve?

First, welcome to the forum. There's lots of info and help to be had here. To get started, do some informative reading on the site. Click the yellow lightbulb at the top of the page ("Our Wisdom"), and read the "Where a CPAP Newbie Should Start" topic near the top of the list of threads.

As to your specific questions:

Is it normal? It's not unusual. Prior to being treated for your OSA, your sleep debt has been building. It takes time to repay it, and many of us still feel tired for awhile after starting treatment. Keep using your machine.

Will it resolve? If your therapy is working well, then yes, it will. Unfortunately, you have the same CPAP machine that I have, and it offers no data other than compliance (i.e., usage hours). In other words, you don't know what your AHI (Apnea/Hypopnea Index) is with this machine, so you have no way of knowing if your therapy is working well. Simply going by how you feel is not an accurate barometer.

If you can, ask your doctor to write you a scrip for a fully data-capable machine, and exchange the one you already have. Some of these machines will let you read the basic data off the LCD screen on the machine, itself; a better solution is to purchase a card reader and the software needed to upload your data on a daily basis so you can track your progress more fully. The software will tell you how many events you're experiencing each night, what kind of events they are, whether your mask is leaking and if so, how much, etc. Very useful information.

I hope to have one of these upgraded machines very soon, myself. Being kept in the dark about your therapy is no way to go, so do what you can to change that asap.

Good luck, and feel free to post your questions. Lots of knowledgeable and helpful folks here.