How many hours?

mxylplik2 · Post by **mxylplik2** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 5:40 am

I get only about 6 or so hours a night (sometimes less). I know it sounds crazy - but I still feel tired (maybe not as tired as pre-CPAP days). I don't sleep 8 hours for several reasons - decompression time after kids go to bed (close to 10pm) and as I wake up at 5:30am. So I need to go to sleep at 9:30pm if I want to get 8 hours of sleep. I normally get home from work at 7:30pm.

The other thing that is annoying is I don't know if the CPAP is working effectively because my machine is not compatible with the monitoring software. I was thinking about asking my doctor for an upgrade to a machine that does - has anyone ever done that? Is the insurance company willing to do that or do I have to buy it out of pocket through CPAP.com?

Thanks.

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 6:30 am

I was thinking about asking my doctor for an upgrade to a machine that does - has anyone ever done that?

Hey, what do you have to lose? I say, ask away. You've been on this site since January. Don't know if that's when you started using the machine, but if it is, it's now been eight months. I think you're entitled to at least ask for an upgrade, if nothing more! Go for it. If you can convince your doctor that it will make the difference in your feeling more energetic (if he doesn't already agree with you) and being able to figure out why you are or aren't (which I happen to agree that software helps you do), then it's worth it.

Don't hesitate. Talk to your doctor first as he/she is the one who will have to write the prescription for the machine, not the insurance company. Then you can deal with any grief that they MAY give you. Or you may be pleasantly surprised and not get any grief at all. Then you'll be really glad you asked.

I had to buy my own software because otherwise the DME was the only one who would have been able to read it for me. My insurance did not cover my software or card reader. I don't know if yours will be the same or not. Just making you aware that I think most insurance companies don't cover your software and related items.

Let me know if you ask and how you made out. Good luck.

mxylplik2 · Post by **mxylplik2** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:25 am

Never got to my original question - How many hours is everyone sleeping with their CPAP and do you feel tired because you are not sleeping enough hours with it?

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:49 pm

I sleep anywhere from 6-9 hours, depending if it's a weekday or a weekend and, no, I don't feel tired at all. I have an endless amount of energy usually. I have been truly blessed at how the therapy has worked for me. I have been compliant 100% since the day I started and never have even taken so much as one nap (not that I need them anymore) with being hooked up to the mask and machine.

yawn · Post by **yawn** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:16 pm

I'm tired no matter how many hours I sleep. Last night I only got about 6.5 hours and I'm exhausted!!! I typically sleep 8 hrs. on a week night but I'm still always tired. I am seeing a new sleep doctor on MOnday....can't wait to see what he has to say.

Good luck!

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 5:43 pm

Amy,

Please let us know what happens on Monday. You've been saying that you're not feeling rested for some time now and I'm hoping this doctor can come up with an idea. Mention the PLMD to him, please.

By the way, is he/she a specialist of some sort?

Fatigue Fighter · Post by **Fatigue Fighter** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 6:33 pm

I can relate. I am always tired. I usually sleep 8 hours during the weekday and have at least a 1 hour nap during the day. On weekends, I can sleep 10 hours or more. I am not depressed....just very fatigued. I had two titrations for pressures in the last 4 months. I'm giving this second test 30 days to see if it works. One of my doctors thinks I might also have chronic fatigue syndrome. I don't think so because I don't have most of the symptoms for that. My sister was diagnosed with CFS a few years before they found out what her real problem was (rhuematoid arthritis). So....my guess is I might also have another autoimmune disease (besides thyroid malfunctioning), since autoimmune diseases cluster in my family. Time will tell.

Hope you are able to do something quick since you have been on your machine for a while now. I would investigate further with your sleep doc.

FF

Fatigue Fighter · Post by **Fatigue Fighter** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 6:37 pm

I get only about 6 or so hours a night (sometimes less). I know it sounds crazy - but I still feel tired (maybe not as tired as pre-CPAP days). I don't sleep 8 hours for several reasons - decompression time after kids go to bed (close to 10pm) and as I wake up at 5:30am. So I need to go to sleep at 9:30pm if I want to get 8 hours of sleep. I normally get home from work at 7:30pm.

I would try to rearrange the schedule and see if you could get more sleep time in. I understand we all have a sleep debt to pay off and it continues to increase as time goes on while we are trying to pay it off. I could not function on only 6 hours a day. I have a hard time with 8-10 hours even!

FF

mxylplik2 · Post by **mxylplik2** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 6:08 am

Thanks for the advice. I guess what I am getting at is trying to figure out whether I need more sleep (duh!); the cpap machine is not working effectively (need software) or its a combination of the two.

It probably sounds strange - but its even hard to get eight hours of sleep - kids wake up on weekends at around 6:30.

Jan in Colo. · Post by **Jan in Colo.** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 1:01 pm

I sleep about 6.5 hours at night and then get in a 2 hour nap later in the day. I'm VERY sleep deprived, I know. Have had CPAP for a month, but I swear I needed this about 30 years ago and am now diagnosed as an extremely severe case of sleep apnea. Also I had major surgery a couple of months ago and they said I wouldn't be truly over THAT for something like a year, and would be fatigued, etc.

So right now I'm unapologetically sleeping a lot. I'm hoping in a year or so, I'll be able to cut out or at least cut short that afternoon nap.

Still get quite a benefit from CPAP though. I'm actually ALERT when I'm not totally asleep, lol....

Jan in Colo.

WAFlowers · Post by **WAFlowers** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 8:44 am

mxylplik2 wrote:It probably sounds strange - but its even hard to get eight hours of sleep - kids wake up on weekends at around 6:30.

I've read that for an adult (maybe it was an adult male) anything less than 7.7 hours of sleep is considered sleep deprivation. I wish I could recall where I read that though to confirm.

The above is assuming you don't already have an accumulated sleep debt.

I've had to rearrange my schedule as best I can in order to get up at 5:30 with my son in order to get him out the door for his 6:23 bus. It is killing me, but I'm doing what I can. The DVR is going to get a good workout as all those shows that start at 10pm that I like get recorded for watching the next morning!

TXKajun · Post by **TXKajun** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:08 am

I generally get between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 hours sleep (according to my Silverlining Software, anyway). Some mornings, I wake full of vim, vigor and verve, but most mornings, I just wake up. I really think I need to get about 8 1/2 - 9 hours per night, but like everyone else, life intrudes and makes it almost impossible. I have to be at work at 7 AM, so I'm up at 5:15 and out the door at 6:30. I'd have to go to sleep at, what, 9 PM to get 8 hours? Yeah, like that's going to happen! LOL

The good news is, though, that I'm pretty much sleeping through the night and waking briefly once or twice. That's opposed to waking up every hour or so pre-CPAP and what with enlarged prostate problems (now being controlled), sometimes waking every 30 minutes. That made for looong nights and even longer sleepy days, needless to say. So, all in all, major improvements plus I'm not falling asleep at my desk at work every day and in my recliner immediately when I get home.

This therapy works!!!