Newbie Question

[Birdy45]

I got my cpap machine...about a month ago..use it every night. Have severe apnea. I have had some air leaks in mask that wakes me up. I have a full mask. My question is I have trouble a lot of times going to sleep..Some night sleep @11pm the earliest I can get to sleep and then other nights 1 or later...Thank God I don't work because I am not waking up till 11am next morning..I am glad I am sleeping better don't get me wrong but is this normal? Will it straighten itself out time I get up I feel the whole day is gone. Thank You

[spacetoast]

If you are getting a lot of leaks with your mask, it might not be fitted properly, or it might not be a good fit for your face.
In order to benefit from the therapy, your first step should be to get your leaks under control. There are a brazillion threads about leaks on this forum.

I don't know if this would be any help, but we were having a discussion about a book that talks about good habits for bedtime to help you get to sleep:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45013&p=402367&hilit=barry#p402367

[lazyace]

If you are getting a lot of leaks with your mask, it might not be fitted properly, or it might not be a good fit for your face.
In order to benefit from the therapy, your first step should be to get your leaks under control. There are a brazillion threads about leaks on this forum.

I don't know if this would be any help, but we were having a discussion about a book that talks about good habits for bedtime to help you get to sleep:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45013&p=402367&hilit=barry#p402367

I would echo what Toast is saying, and also ask whether you are experiencing chronic fatigue? Any idea how long your apnea went on before a diagnosis? It could be that these things have been lingering for some time, which could mean that it could take some time to correct. I am also very new to this, and have had many members tell me that I need to be patient and give the therapy time to work.

Like you, I have difficulties getting up in the morning. In fact, many mornings I wake up feeling more exhausted than when I went to bed. There is something you may have seen discussed here called "sleep debt", and conventional wisdom suggests that it needs to be paid off (or at least a significant down payment made), before you can begin feeling much better. Of course, this is a theory and doesn't apply to everyone. There are the lucky few that get a xPAP machine and feel awesome the next day.

I would give it a little more time, while making sure the leaks are well under control. If in a few weeks you aren't feeling much better, then go back to the doc and discuss the need for different machine settings or a different mask.

[GaryG]

Also, different masks work for different people. So if your mask isn't fitting properly, go back and get another. Finally took me 5 masks over 6 weeks to find one that works for me. (Had my first good night last night with Liberty.). Patience is a virtue. Hang in there.

[Spirit]

Hi,
My sleep pattern increased to insomnia, since I began my cpap treatment. Have an amazing working mask, leak under control & ideal data. In addition to what others have shared, in the beginning I was overwhelmed by all the info regarding cpap therapy, lots of info for my fagile brain to consume, in a sleep deprived state, which kept me restless, it was very difficult for me to relax and feel comfortable in the new world of cpap. I was up late into the night researching information, not having to work the next day.

I developed inconsistent sleep patterns. Some nights, I will zonk out early, some nights I don't, some nights I sleep 2 hours, some nights adjusting mask, leaks, allergies etc.... But now, I'm working on getting my sleep pattern back on track, like everything else, it's an adjustment, takes time & patients. One small step for cpap, one giant leap for recovery. Just sharing experience, as to how I developed insomnia. Just lots of adjustments, kept me from falling asleep.

Good luck ! Sleep well !