I recently got a CPAP machine and I'm still exhausted

[Lindsie]

I've been using a Luna G3 CPAP machine with nasal pillow for 12 days now and I'm still waking up exhausted every morning. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I actually wasn't told if it's obstructive, central, or complex, but I'm assuming it's obstructive because I struggle to breathe out of my nose. I have narrow nasal passages, but I also seem to always be congested for some reason. I've tried saline sprays, medicated sprays, nasal decongestant pills, and breathe right strips to little or no avail. I have better results on my CPAP machine when I sleep with my head more elevated however.

I was so excited to finally get my machine because so many people said they felt relief after the first night. I'm on day 12 and I feel just as tired as ever. Maybe even more so. For the past few nights I've used it all night but before that I only used it for about 4 hours or less. My overall average usage time for the past 12 days has been 4:49.

My (average) stats are as follows:
Average Treat P: 6.0 cmH20
P95: 8.0 cmH20
AHI: 7.8
CAI: 3.1
Avg. Leak: 5.8 L/min

If it helps, my lowest AHI has been 3.0 and the highest has been 9.5
My lowest CAI has been 1.2 and the highest has been 7.5
My lowest leak has been 2.8 L/min and the highest has been 10.7 L/min

That's all the information I could think to include... I hope someone can help because I am desperate for a good night sleep!

[zonker]

I was so excited to finally get my machine because so many people said they felt relief after the first night.

well this is why this forum exisits. don't know what your source is on that statement, but it sure as hell didn't apply to me and many others on this forum. it took me months to get my therapy dialed in and see the benifits. so hang in there!

That's all the information I could think to include... I hope someone can help because I am desperate for a good night sleep!

there's a bit of a problem here in that there isn't a lot of luna users out there. so it's hard to give some specific advice. also, it appears that the free software program, oscar, isn't yet available for the luna. that software is pretty important in tracking the results of a cpap machine.

that said, there are some smart folk here who'll come along shortly. in the meantime, do you happen to know your minimum and maximum pressure settings?

[ozij]

Doest the Luna 3 have software that lets you chart the breath flow?
We need to see the nightly breath flow in order to start understanding what's going on with your therapy.

If you can find software for your machine, fine. If not: Can you have it changed to a ResMed Auto AS10 or AS11? Or possibly another machine supported by OSCAR?

OSCAR https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/
https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.p ... d_machines

[Garethep]

Which model of g3 do you have?

I have been using the Bilevel version for about 6 months now...it's a good machine though not as well understood as the more usual manufacturers efforts.

There is a fairly good bit of software which allows detailed data analysis.

https://www.sleepfiles.com/BMC-2/pap_link.exe

Depending on your pc setup you.may have to use the "run as administrator" option if it seems not to work at first.

I'm far from an expert but your circumstances seem similar to mine (mild sleep apnea, congested nose etc.) that said, this advice is worth what you paid for it

Your average treat pressure seems very low....you don't say if the machine is set to manual or auto but with AHIs heading towards double digits I'm assuming it's either set manually or has the max setting very low.

You seem to have a high proportion of CAIs....his may be treatment emergent (not used to using CPAP), positional apnea or it may just be oversensitive recording of events when you are awake and/ or rolling over etc.

The blocked nose wont cause sleep apnea (it may or may not cause UARS but that's another rabbithole entirely). What it will do though is limit the effectiveness of low CPAP pressures. Unfortunately just raising the pressure still may not help as the obstruction has the same issue when exhaling.....the perceived advice in situations like this seems to be use a bilevel machine which isn't helpful if you've just got the "wrong machine" but you do have the option to use "reslex" which is similar to EPR on other machines.....where the G3 seems to be different from other machines is that it seems to increase inhalation pressure as well as dropping the exhale pressure so the total difference is double that of something like a resmed (ie a reslex of 3 can give a maximum difference of 6 cmh2o)
You do however need to up your treat pressure if you want to use the full extent as the main pressure on the machine is 4 so you would need a minimum of 7 to use reslex 3.

It's worth noting that increasing the reslex / EPR can increase the number of CAIs but it's well worth trying..... ironically the number of CAIs does not (within reason) necessarily correspond with the quality of sleep.

If you haven't already tried this it's well worth giving it a go....the reslex setting should be in the main patient menu but it is possible that it has been disabled in the clinical menu.

To access the clinical menu scroll to the settings option on the screen, hold the "home" button then press and hold the select knob /:button for about 2 seconds (standard warning here about changing anything in here....only do it if you are comfortable with taking charge of your own treatment) you can then scroll across to "comfort" select using the rotary select button, scroll down to reslex and set it to "patient"

To go back in the menu structure press the home button....if you select the treatment menu then you can change your pressure settings.

Keep at it.....yes there are some who report an overnight improvement (I suspect most of these are those with simple severe OSA) but for those of us at the milder end of the scale it's all a bit more subtle and takes some work.....it's worth trying out different humidifier / reslex / pressure settings to see what works for you.

Shout if you have anymore questions on the g3

[Lindsie]

Which model of g3 do you have?

It's the Luna G3 3B

[Lindsie]

Doest the Luna 3 have software that lets you chart the breath flow?

As far as I know, no, it doesn't, but I can double check with my doctors.

[Lindsie]

I've been using a Luna G3 CPAP machine with nasal pillow for 12 days now and I'm still waking up exhausted every morning. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I actually wasn't told if it's obstructive, central, or complex, but I'm assuming it's obstructive because I struggle to breathe out of my nose. I have narrow nasal passages, but I also seem to always be congested for some reason. I've tried saline sprays, medicated sprays, nasal decongestant pills, and breathe right strips to little or no avail. I have better results on my CPAP machine when I sleep with my head more elevated however.

I was so excited to finally get my machine because so many people said they felt relief after the first night. I'm on day 12 and I feel just as tired as ever. Maybe even more so. For the past few nights I've used it all night but before that I only used it for about 4 hours or less. My overall average usage time for the past 12 days has been 4:49.

My (average) stats are as follows:
Average Treat P: 6.0 cmH20
P95: 8.0 cmH20
AHI: 7.8
CAI: 3.1
Avg. Leak: 5.8 L/min

If it helps, my lowest AHI has been 3.0 and the highest has been 9.5
My lowest CAI has been 1.2 and the highest has been 7.5
My lowest leak has been 2.8 L/min and the highest has been 10.7 L/min

That's all the information I could think to include... I hope someone can help because I am desperate for a good night sleep!

Update:
It's been 54 days and I feel just as exhausted as I did before I started using the CPAP machine. Despite using a chin strap, I still wake up with a dry mouth. I had a follow up at the Sleep Disorder Center where I explained all of this to the nurse practioner and she told me my options were a) wait until I'm eligible for a new mask and try one that goes over my mouth (or if I don't want to wait, buy a new mask) or b) Get a prescription for something that would help me feel more awake (Adderall was discussed at the appointment). I feel frustrated about all of this tbh. I just want a good night sleep!!

Updated stats are as follows:
Average Treat P: 6.0 cmH20
P95: 7.5 cmH20
AHI: 1.7
CAI: 0.7
Avg. Leak: 7.4 L/min
(no, I do not have access to OSCAR or any breathing charts)
Machine: Luna G3 3B with heated humidifier
Mask: Airfit N30 nasal cushion (small)

I was told my CPAP therapy is going really well and to keep at it, which I plan to, but then why do I still feel so ******* tired?!?!

[Pugsy]

How many hours of sleep (real sleep and not just laying in bed with mask/machine on) are you getting?
Are those hours of sleep fragmented with a lot of wake ups?
Do you take any medications of any kind? Even OTC? Is so, what?
Any other physical or mental health issues going on?

[Lindsie]

How many hours of sleep (real sleep and not just laying in bed with mask/machine on) are you getting?
Are those hours of sleep fragmented with a lot of wake ups?
Do you take any medications of any kind? Even OTC? Is so, what?
Any other physical or mental health issues going on?

Between 7 and 9 hours, depending on the day.
I tend to wake up at least twice a night, sometimes 3 or 4 times, but I generally fall back asleep fairly quickly.
I don't take any medication.
I've been diagnosed with GERD but it hasn't been an issue lately and has never woken me up (when it's bad it actually tends to be worse in the morning). My ent recently suggested that I get surgery to make it easier to breathe through my nose...
I have Meniere's Disease (causes vertigo sometimes, constant ringing in the ear, and hearing loss in the affected ear) but sleeping with white noise seems to help. Other than that, no issues.

[Zelph3]

What mask are you using...full face????

[Lindsie]

What mask are you using...full face????

Nasal cushion

[ozij]

You are struggling to breathe through your nose, you get congestion, you have "narrow nasal passages", your ENT "recently suggested that I get surgery to make it easier to breathe through my nose...", and you're using a nasal mask, i.e. one that will only supply air through you compromised nasal passages.

Get a full face mask, one that will let you breathe through your mouth as well as your nose.

[Lindsie]

You are struggling to breathe through your nose, you get congestion, you have "narrow nasal passages", your ENT "recently suggested that I get surgery to make it easier to breathe through my nose...", and you're using a nasal mask, i.e. one that will only supply air through you compromised nasal passages.

Get a full face mask, one that will let you breathe through your mouth as well as your nose.

Yea I had explained all this to the doctor at the sleep center and he still gave me a nasal mask. When I picked up my supplies, I reiterated to the nurse that I struggled to breathe out of my nose and they *still* gave me the nasal mask and told me to use nasal decongestants even though I said they don't seem to help. On my follow up I said I struggled to breathe out of my nose and I was told unless I wanted to pay out of pocket, I had to wait until April for insurance to cover a different mask. *sigh*

[Zelph3]

On my follow up I said I struggled to breathe out of my nose and I was told unless I wanted to pay out of pocket, I had to wait until April for insurance to cover a different mask. *sigh*

Pay out of pocket ASAP....get a full face mask!!! Do it now!!! Your health depends on it

[Pugsy]

Where are you located?

Take a stroll through the commonly available full face masks here
https://www.cpap.com/plp/full-face-cpap-mask/ZT0yNjU
and let us know what mask looks interesting to you and what size you think you might need.
I might have one in the donations box and all it would cost you is reimbursing my postage costs.
I don't have very many though and sizing options are even more limited.

What kind of insurance do you have?