CPAP newbie - feeling (more) miserable after first test

[cornuto12]

I was diagnosed with OSA about 6 weeks ago in a PSG study (i wake up about 25x an hour) and two weeks ago as a follow-up I did a titration study. My pressure was measured at about 8.

The morning after my titration I felt like a million bucks - even though I only got 55 minutes of uninterrupted REM sleep. I was told the 'normal' person gets between 2 and 3 hours of REM each night. I did not realize how much I have been suffering in the last 6 to 7 years from lack of sleep until after this titration. I had chalked up my continued tiredness and weight gain of 60lbs to mid-aged male, family, stress, job, etc, etc..

What is so strange to me is that after my titration two weeks ago I am MORE miserable every day than I was before the study. I feel like I am sleeping less and I am more tired. Last night I woke up in middle of night and I think I woke up because I gasped in my sleep.

Is is possible that my body/mind reacted positively to titration and is now reacting (either physiologically or psychologically) regressively to my OSA condition?

You must be wondering why I am not on a CPAP machine yet. Long story. Waiting for PC and DME to work out kinks to get me my unit early-to-mid next week. Since I am the only one suffering it can wait....

I am so glad a found this board and support from all of you.

-Anthony

[Lugus]

I have numerous medical issues that cause extreme tiredness during the day and fought the need for a sleep apnea test for years because I did not want one more illness to be added to the list. In the end I succumbed to the ever increasing bruising from my Wife and was diagnosed and prescribed a cpap machine. In the time between the diagnosis and the arrival of the machine, just 2 weeks, I felt worse than I ever had. I went into a depressive state and lost a lot of drive. It was like I was given permission to take time off from being strong and to have some Me time to wallow. Needless to say when the DME tried to rip me off I was back to my old self and sourced my own machine knowing it would help my family.

In short, yes you may well be having a psychological and philological reaction to the diagnosis.

[chunkyfrog]

The fact you are having to wait may be contributing to your feelings, but I suspect you are facing
the diagnosis and the prospect of sleeping with a machine for perhaps the rest of your life, which
may be a bit much to handle. Keep reading; it gets much, much better. Welcome.
Ask us anything. Someone is usually awake--we are all over the world.

[cornuto12]

Lugus and ChunkyFrog
Thank You for your comments. I look forward to feeling better.

[caffeinatedcfo]

Welcome!

I was diagnosed 3/9 and almost immediately started feeling more tired as well. I got my machine on 3/27 and thought I was about to pass out from fatigue the day before. I believe it was mostly mental as well. This was proven on 3/28 when I woke up feeling much more refreshed even though I only slept 5-6 hrs my first night on CPAP.

This forum has kept my sanity.

[kteague]

During my early times of trying to address my sleep disorders, I too tried to figure out some of what I was experiencing. For one thing, I think I was already at a tipping point by the time I was finally diagnosed with OSA. Secondly, before diagnosis there was a hand-to-the-plow mentality - a steely dogged determination to keep moving foward for lack of knowing what else to do. Once I had awareness there was a substantiated cause for feeling so bad, it was like I gave myself permission to yield to the misery, to lessen my resolve. I don't know that I felt worse, but it sure felt like it. All the symptoms I had felt for years I was suddenly hyper aware of once I understood what there were. Unfortunately, with that yielding came a huge protracted crash that was hard to bounce back from.

As you go forward, my best advice for you is to demand a machine that reports treatment data. I set my progress back about 6 months by having no way to identify problems with my treatment. Also, this is a good time to give yourself an abundance of TLC, especially regarding nutritional support. You have healing and recovery in front of you, so give your body what it needs to work with. Good luck going forward.

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Soon the kinks will be worked out and you will be getting your machine. In the meantime you might as well prepare yourself as best you can.

Some reading material...prepare for DME visit
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/

Educate yourself on full data machines and don't let them try to give you a machine that only collects hours of use
so read this
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

I would suggest that you avoid confusion by learning about the ResMed S9 machines and the Phillips Respironics System One machines. Those are the two main players.

Oh BTW...you know what my sleep doctor's nurse told me when I was complaining about waiting for the second sleep study and getting my machine?...."well, it hasn't killed you yet so I imagine you will survive"
How nice is that huh?
So play their games the best you can but arm yourself ahead of time so the DME won't be able to pull any tricks with basic hours of use only machines.