New here, Cpap hasnt helped much yet

[nekothulu]

Hi guys

I’m 33 from Montreal Canada, and I’ve been loaned a cpap (via social assistance) for a bit over a year. Ive had various issues since starting but basically it hasn’t helped me a whole lot. Granted some of my issues are because I just can’t fall asleep with it many nights, I have very very bad anxiety, Adhd, and pretty severe depression. I’m a stomach sleeper and very often trying to sleep on my back with it results in me lying around for hours. Ive tried reading, warm baths, melatonin, chamomile, and a few other things but nothing seems to really work. I cant get comfortable on my side or stomach with the mask; Im very sensitive to sound and feeling the air go through the mask. If i take my mask off and sleep on my stomach im usually asleep in minutes. But then I go from exhausted zombie to super mega brain dead zombie.

I don’t have a printout of my results but last time my respirotherapeute (I guess technician at the hospital?) came to visit she said I don’t have leaks and my apneas are very low, between 0.5-1.5 I believe. When I went to see my sleep dr after a few months he basically said “I dunno, try a different mask and come back in a year”. I found the larger masks too tight and sensorally overwhelming, and the one that goes directly into your nose the straps dug too much into my face under my eyes so I wasn’t able to use it.

I realize that weight and bad habits have a lot to do with sleep... ive been trying for years to combat them but I get overwhelmed easily and fall back into them when Im having a bad spell (which has been ongoing for the last few weeks). Most days I’m fighting suicidal feelings so it’s a great day if im able to go to the gym and do a bit of artwork. But those days are few and far between with the anxiety, intrusive thoughts and adhd.

I don’t want to be a bummer but I’m starting to lose hope... If I dont use it for an average of 4hrs a night they will take it away.

[Hulk]

CPAP will only help you get more quality of sleep when you use it while sleeping ... which can help exhaustion induced depression/anxiety, however it sounds like your MH issues are a separate issue from your sleep apnea.


Are you working on treating your anxiety/depression/adhd beyond just using the CPAP? If you are on medication have you spoken with your doctor about adjusting what/when you take it? Switching to taking my meds about an hour before I try to sleep has helped me tremendously with an ability to fall asleep and then my CPAP helps make sure I get quality sleep.


If you are open and able to try different gear, I was able to successfully stomach sleep with the DreamWear full face mask so that may be something to try.

[Cpapian]

If you have anxiety and depression it can be hard to do something new. Try to take things one step at a time. Start with getting used to the mask first. Put it on in the day time. Laugh at yourself. Watch tv with the mask on ... read a book ... anything to keep it light. After a bit, congratulate yourself for accomplishing this. "CPAP is a good thing, it will help you in the long run". Repeat that to yourself. Next step use the mask and the machine .... again during the day ..... watch tv ..... read a book .... congratulate yourself and repeat your mantra.

Next step, now you are accustomed to the fear .... sleep with machine. I sleep on my stomach with my mask and machine. I turn my head to the side and on the edge of the pillow. Try that position and see if you can work out something that is comfortable. Then breathe and relax knowing you are doing something good for yourself and your body.

CPAP treatment is odd at first, but you get used to it. And the best part is when you start feeling better. Little by little, things improve once the therapy has been used regularly .... all night long.

Try to turn your won't power into will power.

Keep us posted how things are going for you.

[zan]

hey! I also have ADHD (and intermittent anxiety / depression, including darker periods)! I'm new to CPAP so I'm not much a resource for advice, but I can sympathize at least. You've got a lot of different starting points to choose from: as Hulk queried, are you getting any support for your mental health? Therapy, medication, coping skills, friends / family / partners, cognitive behavioral techniques?

Do you know what settings your CPAP is on? Your machine looks like one that is data-compatible, meaning there should be a removable SD card on one of its sides. If you take out that SD card, download OSCAR, and import the SD card data into OSCAR, you'll be able to view the data your machine collects throughout the night.

[Julie]

.

[palerider]

Be wary of certain people PMing you.

[Julie]

And be wary of people who don't mind their own business.

[palerider]

And be wary of people who don't mind their own business.

I mind other people's business... that's why I'm here, to debunk bullshit and help people.

[wm_hess]

Hi guys

I’m 33 from Montreal Canada, and I’ve been loaned a cpap (via social assistance) for a bit over a year. Ive had various issues since starting but basically it hasn’t helped me a whole lot. Granted some of my issues are because I just can’t fall asleep with it many nights, I have very very bad anxiety, Adhd, and pretty severe depression. I’m a stomach sleeper and very often trying to sleep on my back with it results in me lying around for hours. Ive tried reading, warm baths, melatonin, chamomile, and a few other things but nothing seems to really work. I cant get comfortable on my side or stomach with the mask; Im very sensitive to sound and feeling the air go through the mask. If i take my mask off and sleep on my stomach im usually asleep in minutes. But then I go from exhausted zombie to super mega brain dead zombie.

If you're most comfortable sleeping on your stomach, you may want to check out the falcon sleeping position. Please check out this article: wiki/index.php/Sleep_Positions

Good luck!

-Bill

[Miss Emerita]

Welcome! You are doing yourself a huge favor by treating your apnea. It isn't easy, but you're doing it. So right there, kudos to you. And you've found this forum, where people understand what you're going through and will try to help. More kudos!

You've already gotten some good responses, so let me just mention two things that caught my eye. One is that you are sensitive to the sound of the air going through the tubing and into your mask. Have you tried using a noise machine? I've found that using one really helps me to to stop focusing on the CPAP sounds. I recently switched to a machine that can generate "pink" noise, which I like even better than "white" noise. (It's lower in pitch.)

You say you lie there trying to fall asleep. Of course, you're not in the position your body prefers, and so that's completely understandable. With luck, you'll find the falcon sleep position, or a new mask, to be of some help. In general, though, it's good to avoid lying in bed awake for any length of time. Below I've pasted basic "sleep hygiene" advice. To be honest, at first I thought it was a crock, but I was so desperate for rest that I tried following these rules. I was surprised to find that they make a difference -- I think mainly by setting up associations in my mind that help me get to sleep.

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
• Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
• If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
• Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
• Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
• Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
• Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
• Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
• Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.