How long on CPAP therapy b4 you started feeling better?

[robysue]

Btw, can I ask why someone is called a "duck" if you adjust to CPAP quickly? Is it because a duck takes to water or is there an inside joke here I don't get? Lol.

You got it: A "duck" takes to CPAP like a duck to water.

Here's hoping you're duck!

[Jade]

And to further round out the range of experiences: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=66741&p=623492#p622412

[ultimatestrap]

yeah the times are different for everyone..mine took a while because I found I had leakage thru my mouth..so I was given a really cheap chin strap that the govt paid for and it was a piece of crap..then I bought another very expensive one that looked good, but did nothing! I switched to The Ultimate Chin Strap for SleepApnea and that changed the whole story...no more air leakage thru an open mouth at night...like anything dealing with sleep apnea it takes time to adjust to wearing something else on the face! But this chin strap changed my life..I was able to get my presssure lowered from 14 to 10 and sleep an uninterrupted seven hours the first time I used it. Just another thought to consider. Hang in there. The benefits are huge. You should be sleeping at least six or seven hours with your breathing machine to continually feel better....good luck....M

[soundersfootballclub]

I think I am feeling better from it already but it's only been 2 days. I was pretty worn out from stress last few weeks though so anything is going to feel better lately. I understand it could be months before I feel the true affects plus I'm sure there are things that I will need to tweak along the way. The true test for me is if I can stop having to lie down and rest in the afternoon every day. Something I've had to do for a long long long time.

[ahjchicago]

I am still adjusting. It has been fits and starts since April when I got my machine. I started with the nasal pillows which - nearly every night - I would remove while sleeping without realizing it...or I would remove b/c I was frustrated. I made 5 days in a row 7-8 hours and I started to feel so much better...then I got an upper respiratory infection and couldn't use it (doctor said ok not to use when sick). Then it was like starting all over again.

I went to the sleep doctor last week and she started me with a new mask, a nasal mask. The pillows were itchy and driving me bananas. I've used it every night since last Wednesday and I'm feeling better! It is a miracle. My hope is to get to bed a little earlier so I can get a good 8 hours in a few nights and see what kind of difference that makes.

At first there was no way I could have tried the nasal mask b/c I was so freaked out by having something on my face. It was ridiculous. Grateful things are better now.

[victormiller]

It's different for everyone. Some feel and see results right away, some take a month or two, some take a very long time to feel and see even the smallest improvements.
I was lucky, I took to it fairly easily and felt results very quickly.

Brenda

I wish you luck with it. You'll probably be in the vast majority of people who do start feeling some benefits. But for some people (like me) it never comes. I've been using PAP therapy for the last 17 years, and have yet to feel that it's made me feel better.

[Jade]

But for some people (like me) it never comes. I've been using PAP therapy for the last 17 years, and have yet to feel that it's made me feel better.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I am curious...have you seen any improvement? Do you use it as intended? Have you tried sleeping without it to see if you feel worse? I'd love to hear your story of what else you have explored to try and resolve what I assume are the issues/problems you still experience.

I'd be interested to learn if there are any studies of just people who felt no benefit using it and how their experience of developing health problems earlier compares to studies of the general population.

I'd be even more interested to read any studies of people that used it "correctly" and felt worse...

[victormiller]

But for some people (like me) it never comes. I've been using PAP therapy for the last 17 years, and have yet to feel that it's made me feel better.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I am curious...have you seen any improvement? Do you use it as intended? Have you tried sleeping without it to see if you feel worse? I'd love to hear your story of what else you have explored to try and resolve what I assume are the issues/problems you still experience.

I'd be interested to learn if there are any studies of just people who felt no benefit using it and how their experience of developing health problems earlier compares to studies of the general population.

I'd be even more interested to read any studies of people that used it "correctly" and felt worse...

I've never seen any improvement (subjective). In fact when I've tried sleeping one night without it I actually felt slightly better! I use it as intended. My last two machines (I've had 3, plus 5 different full face masks and 3 nasal masks) show that I'm not a mouth breather -- which is good, since I find a nasal mask much more comfortable (I've never been able to get a full face mask to fit without either leaking, or, if not, leaving huge welts on my face, or even open oozing sores). My latest machine (Respironics System 1) shows that I have no large leaks. I've used that machine since November. Up until about 2 months ago it was showing that I had an AHI of < 5. Yet I felt more tired and worn out. Starting about 2 months ago my AHI started escalating (almost all in Central Apneas). It's now around 11-13 (with OA < 1). Interestingly enough a few weeks ago I was being fitted for an oral device. The dentist had me take home a home monitoring device -- the Medibyte, Jr. The night that I didn't use APAP I had an AHI of 10.6. The night before and after, when I used my APAP I had an AHI of > 11.