How long does it take to feel fully awake?

[videomix123]

Hello everyone. I started using my CPAP machine two weeks ago and still wake up feeling dazed, in a dream state of mind all day. I feel as I didn't sleep at all but I do get a good 6 to 8 hours for good sleep at night with my CPAP. There are day's that I don't even want to do much around the house as I would before I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea. My main concern is that I feel like I'm not fully awake, and I'm in a dream zone all day. My doctor prescribed me Xanax XR 2mg for bedtime for anxiety and sleep. My wife and I are full time foster care providers and our home for children and adults that are medically involved so I need to rescue myself from these feeling I described so I can feel like myself again. I can do my job but I want to feel like myself again. After all, I'm the comedian in the family and I help keep everybody's soul healthy.

[lee_leses]

Others may be able to offer more, but all I can say is stick with it. Even treatment that is not 100% effective is way better than no treatment at all. I've been actively trying to feel like I should again for about 5 years, with not much luck...

[kaiasgram]

videomix123, I just posed a question very similar to yours in another thread. I don't have the "dream state" during the day like you described, but I do feel as if I didn't sleep at all. Three weeks into CPAP I wake up feeling like I did before I got on treatment. Once up for the day, my biggest problems are headache, overall heaviness and fatigue, brain fog and and disequilibrium. Hopefully you (and I) will get some helpful feedback about this.

I suspect people may comment on the xanax, which I have also used. Did you just start using it when you got on cpap, or have you used it prior? Two mgs is a somewhat hefty dose of xanax, though not the highest one could be taking, but could you ask your doctor if it might be contributing to your daytime symptoms?

Another thing is that we can't assume that because we get 6-8 hours of sleep, that we're getting "good" sleep. There's lots more work to do for that, per robysue's articles on insomnia.

[Sir NoddinOff]

My doctor prescribed me Xanax XR 2mg for bedtime for anxiety and sleep.

Been there, done that, have the Xanax scars to prove it. I'd dump that s--t, ASAP, because it's one of the strongest of the benzo drugs, regardless of what your doctor sez. Get a new doctor if necessary. Put on your seat belt, then Google Xanax + side effects. You seem like a nice and caring person who's taken on a lot of good work, tho you are somewhat naive about the dangers of benzo drugs... I wish you luck on your endeavor. You've got yourself in a hole and it's going to take some effort and help to get out of it (tapering off 2mg of Xanax). Keep up the CPAP, it can only help.

[Diablode]

2 mg of xanax is a large dose. .5-1 mg is a more normal dosage. And even than you should only be talking it as needed, not daily, otherwise you've just compounded your problems with dependency...

What cpap machine are you using? Does it provide data? People here can certainly help if we can get our hands on the data and make sure you are getting the best therapy possible from your cpap.

[kaiasgram]

My doctor prescribed me Xanax XR 2mg for bedtime for anxiety and sleep.

I'd dump that s--t, ASAP, because it's one of the strongest of the benzo drugs, regardless of what your doctor sez.

Yes, xanax is a potent benzo, but please don't advise people to get off any benzo "ASAP" because people might think you mean to stop or decrease the dose abruptly, and that can be a very dangerous thing to do. Especially if you've been on one for a while and you want to go off or even reduce the dose, you really need a slow taper-down plan under medical supervision (I'm a mental health professional and on a personal level, I've got the scars too!). We are not in a position to advise videomix or anyone else about the medications they are taking. I encourage him to ask his doctor if the xanax might be a factor in how he's feeling, but I would stop short of giving advice about med use or discontinuation.

[Julie]

Hi - can you click on User Ctl Panel under the main logo and then go to Profile... fill in your machine & mask FULL names and model #'s - text please, not icons - and scripted pressure settings, etc. then it'll all appear under your posts every time you post and we'll have a better idea of how to advise you... there are many reasons for treatment not to be working well but without anything much to go by, it's hard to help.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Yes, xanax is a potent benzo, but please don't advise people to get off any benzo "ASAP" because people might think you mean to stop or decrease the dose abruptly, and that can be a very dangerous thing to do.

kaisagram: You've kneecapped me before by not reading to the end of my posts. Please stay focused --- Your responses are usually intelligent and insightful, but your have to stick it out to the end of someone's discussion; you should get the full story before you simply throw out the first thing that pops into your head. Here's exactly what I said in the last line (as a helpful refresher):

[quote/ videomix123] I wish you luck on your endeavor. You've got yourself in a hole and it's going to take some effort and help to get out of it (ie. tapering off 2mg of Xanax). Keep up the CPAP, it can only help.

[BlackSpinner]

Hello everyone. I started using my CPAP machine two weeks ago and still wake up feeling dazed, in a dream state of mind all day. I feel as I didn't sleep at all but I do get a good 6 to 8 hours for good sleep at night with my CPAP. There are day's that I don't even want to do much around the house as I would before I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea. My main concern is that I feel like I'm not fully awake, and I'm in a dream zone all day. My doctor prescribed me Xanax XR 2mg for bedtime for anxiety and sleep. My wife and I are full time foster care providers and our home for children and adults that are medically involved so I need to rescue myself from these feeling I described so I can feel like myself again. I can do my job but I want to feel like myself again. After all, I'm the comedian in the family and I help keep everybody's soul healthy.

According to my sleep doctor it can take up to a month or more before you brain believes that it can let go and let you sleep in safety.

You could also be experiencing REM rebound / sleep debt. Your body wants to catch up and repair the damage done by sleeping extra hours. Try to make arrangements to sleep a few extra hours.

[Elle]

I agree that your problem is likely xanax related and has nothing to do with cpap.