For Veteran Papers - what happens if you take a night off?

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:04 pm

Okay, I don't fully get why taking a night off from CPAP would be so terrible. If I had to go do an overnight search (I'm in Search & Rescue) and catch a few zz's in the back of my car, I'm not going to drag the CPAP along. I'm also not going to drag it along to a primitive encampment (I'm a historical reenactor, as well). Boy would I hate someone doing that in the tent next to me! And yes, I also have slept next to the Snoring Thunder God, as well.

I DO understand the medical downsides. I just don't understand if there are immediate phyisical effects. Being only in week 3, I've had to take a few nights off here and there (total 3) for various reasons and haven't had any problems.

For someone who'se been on it long term, what happens to you if you take a night off?

Many thanks!
Barbara

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:08 pm

Ooooooooo, you just opened yourself up to some interesting feedback!

Sit back and read on!

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:10 pm

They don't, that's how they became Vets. Jim

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:17 pm

Hey I can take it. Remember, I'm not just Dangerous, I'm Armed.

But, as I reassure my coworkers regularly, it takes me 15 minutes to reload the muzzeloader, so you can easily wrestle me to the ground before I get the second shot off.

Hmmmmm... They just don't. Why not? Don't you people ever have overnight emergencies?

LOL,
B.

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:31 pm

[quote="Babette"]Okay, I don't fully get why taking a night off from CPAP would be so terrible. If I had to go do an overnight search (I'm in Search & Rescue) and catch a few zz's in the back of my car, I'm not going to drag the CPAP along. I'm also not going to drag it along to a primitive encampment (I'm a historical reenactor, as well). Boy would I hate someone doing that in the tent next to me! And yes, I also have slept next to the Snoring Thunder God, as well.

I DO understand the medical downsides. I just don't understand if there are immediate phyisical effects. Being only in week 3, I've had to take a few nights off here and there (total 3) for various reasons and haven't had any problems.

For someone who'se been on it long term, what happens to you if you take a night off?

Possible you might have many, many nights off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many thanks!
Barbara

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:33 pm

Death is always a possibility.
B.

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:42 pm

You are definitely going to get some strong responses about why you should never ever sleep without your CPAP and how you should even nap with it.

I think it depends on the individual. My initial AHI was 14.1 and my max desat was was 91%.

Since CPAP didn't seem to be helping I asked my current sleep doc during my first appointment with him what I should do about the CPAP. He said since it's not working right now if I wanted to take some time off from it I wouldn't have any serious problems. My sleep issues are complicated - CPAP alone isn't going to fix them. So I decided to do an experiment. I took 2 weeks off in March to see if I actually felt any better when I use CPAP. I definitely feel worse without CPAP but CPAP doesn't make me "not tired". Since I now know I feel worse without CPAP, I now use it consistently. I rarely take a night off and if I nap I also use my CPAP.

So, I'm comfortable taking a night off here and there. I actually took last night off because my husband had a big day at work today and the CPAP sometimes disturbs his sleep. I wanted him to be as well-rested as possible so I didn't use it last night - that was my decision - he didn't ask me to - he never would. Unfortunately, we couldn't just sleep in separate bedrooms because the bed in the master is being picked up today to be returned and we had already gotten it ready to go. So, we're both in the guest room.

Bottom line - if my AHI was really high or my desats were really low I would definitely never skip CPAP.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:43 pm

In addition to whatever comments you'll read here in your topic, here's another 5-pager of comments.

Mar 30, 2007 subject: Ever take a night off? topic started by Wistful

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:19 pm

well....what happens if you take a night off?

your libido goes down, so is it really worth it?

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:24 pm

#1-It can be sort of like playing Russian roulette for some people-I'm one of them. When the oxygen level goes down some people get heart arrhythmias-some arrhythmias can progress to dangerous /life threatening ones. Problem is you can't always predict who will and who won't. And your muzzleloader won't offer a bit of protection regardless of how fast you can reload it.

#2-At the start of treatment-even before I knew I had a heart arrhythmia-I looked at the failure rate and decided failure wasn't an option and skipping a night wasn't going to be an option-and invested in a battery backup.

#3-Now I can't sleep without it-and I do sleep well with it.

#4-The filtered, heated, humidified air also has reduced my allergy problems and use of allergy medication, and side effects from same.

#5-So far you are going without it at least 1/7th of your sleep time.

ScottH · Post by **ScottH** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:31 pm

snoredog wrote:your libido goes down, so is it really worth it?

...and having your partner roll over and get a good look at what happened when the Borg assimilated Snuffleupagus is going to help?

OK, I'm only in my fourth week, but I missed one night while out camping, and skipped a night because of sores from my nasal pillows. Both times I had a really bad day the next day. Once is coincidence, twice is enough data points to make a guess. Daytime alertness is sort of a new thing for me and I don't feel like giving that up just yet.

The "even while napping" thing is subject to renegotiation, though...

Nitro Dan · Post by **Nitro Dan** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:39 pm

Goofproof wrote:They don't, that's how they became Vets. Jim

Exactly, in my case, it's just not worth the risk. It almost killed me once, I'm not going to give it a second chance if I don't have to.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:42 pm

I could really live without the return of my libido. It's done nothing positive for me in my life, gotten me into all sorts of trouble, and if I could have it surgically removed, I would.

Cheers,
B.

TerryB · Post by **TerryB** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:49 pm

krousseau,
When you mentioned "muzzleloader" I was sure you were referring to the pump hooked up to the end of your (and my) nose. I thought it a clever nickname.

Got a chuckle from the image, whether you intended or not.

TerryB

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Thu May 10, 2007 2:00 pm

That was actually me (Babette). I'm the bore-stuffer. It refers to a type of gun that requires loading ammo and powder into the muzzle (bore), rather than at the breach. Think of an old-fashioned cannon.

And no, it has nothing to do with CPAP.
B.

For Veteran Papers - what happens if you take a night off?

For Veteran Papers - what happens if you take a night off?

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