hate going to bed

[jamie1666]

I am a 3 week user and am having problems going to sleep and staying asleep. I have already switched from the nasal pillows to a full face mask. My biggest problem is that I have developed a fear of going to bed at night.
Don't get me wrong I love to sleep ( when I can ) but just knowing I have to put on the mask and hook up to a machine make me feel uncomfortable. Once I am in bed and set my ramp to 45 minutes, I will just lie there waiting and hoping to fall asleep. Sometimes I have to reset the ramp it takes that long.
Even though I am new I have already began to hate the cpap. Still wake up with headaches and tired.
I will stick it out for a few months and hopefully things will get better.

[KatieW]

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you are having discomfort--can you pinpoint what it is? eg. mask, pressure setting, ramp time. Perhaps others can offer suggestions.

If you go to User Panel (above left) and list your cpap equipment and mask, we can see what your equipment is. What is your current pressure setting? Do you have access to data--leak rate, apnea/hypopnea indices?

We all experience an adjustment period, and I have found that members of this forum are very helpful in walking you through that. I used to have brief feelings of dread in "masking up", but now it's part of my ritual to prepare for a good night's sleep. I hope we can help.

[tattooyu]

I experienced something very similar which was most likely from all the stress hormones in my body (from years of untreated apnea). I was also having panic attacks daily. That, coupled with the fact that the diagnosis itself freaked me out, caused me to think things like, "Oh my God, am I going to die in my sleep if I have one more apnea?" Things like that.
Give it time. It's hard. It's very hard to be patient and work through the adjustment period.

Initially, I took to PAP therapy well, but then fell into a bad rut. It took at least two or three months to get out of it. Now, I sleep like a baby and feel great. It will happen, but it may take a lot of determination and working through frustration on your part. The mental aspect of adjusting to this therapy is huge. Your attitude towards your machine can make or break you being successful.

My machine is my buddy, my pal. It keeps me safe and alive. It makes me feel better.

[Guest]

welco,me try having daytime naps using CPAP

also try getting comfortable in bed, lie any way, you dont have to lie on your back, and take deep slow breaths with the ramp turned off

[Muse-Inc]

Welcome! Great folks and info here! You're experiencing the hated sleep dread...been there, done that! If your ramp is too low, it feels like you can't get enough air. But I admit, my first 4 nights I only slept during my 45-minute ramps, within secs of going to full pressure I woke up, then night 5 my brain had learned it was OK to go to sleep in hosehead gear. I did have my ramp increased to 6, later to 8. Went thru months of dreading going to sleep...think it was anxiety about having OSA and seeing very slow improvements. But I was seeing some improvements. Hang in there, it gets better.

PS After awhile, some stop using the ramp feature, I used it for almost 2 years.

[moombeam]

Jamie
First I let me say I am have moderate apnea ---not in danger of kicking off
right this minute. I began therapy in June 2008 These are just some of the things I tried
to improve my quality of life.
I felt the same as you when I first started. The harder I tried to adjust to
using all this equipment, the less I wanted to go to bed at night.
So I made a deal with myself I would stay on the machine for 2 hours with the promise to stay an hour longer each night. I used every relaxation method I knew to sleep.
I did go to sleep and finally made 4 hours of straight sleep.. In those 4 hours of sleep
improvement began I felt better ; it became easier to hose up.
Easier yes, but I still had problems with this going bed thing. Next step
Stop the going to bed at a routine time go when I am sleepy and probably will fall
asleep in the ramp time set. Oh yeah I set the ramp many times on many a night.
Then in Nov 09 it clicked and I found myself waking in my favorite position Now into 6 hours with one potty break.
Still not all was well , still had bad nights and I gave myself permission to sleep in my chair
Progressed from there to no ramp time to 8 hours
Now my going bed saying If I can't sleep I can get up. I do. I have opted not to lay there
and get frustrated by trying. My sleep quality is so much better than before that quantity of hours is not that important.
Oh I am the same as anyone else with lack of sleep,
not like the air head, exhausted , can't hardly breathe , sleep deprived person from before.

Sometimes I feel that giving myself permission to have a little leeway in treatment
takes the stress off and lets me still feel human.

I also treat myself before rising to take all that stuff off and lay in bed and curl up in favorite position and think without noise and air blowing through my head about whatever .
FEELING NORMAL time is important to me. Oh by the way. I don't go back to sleep
because I can't. I won't it will ruin the feeling of wellness for the day.

Moonbeam

[cotech50]

Hopefully you are using an auto machine with some respiratory relief. I too use an FF I just put it on and get in rythem with the machine, the coolness of the air seems to help. I know that whatever sleep Iget will be much better than I was getting. I also use a noise machine so betwee them I am able to relax and let sleep take over. Do not give up, I once dreaded the thought of having to strap this on for the rest of my life but now I look forward to sleep because of the way I am starting to feel the next day. You will still have not so good days but as you go along things will get better just give it a chance.

cotech

[Julie]

Hi, can I make a suggestion? Don't use the ramp at all. I think it could be unconsciously gearing you to wait for it to reach it's limit, giving you permission only then to sleep (I know it sounds nutty but what's to lose?). Most of us don't use the ramp at all beyond a few days I think, and when it begins, it's usually at a level too low to breathe at, forcing us to feel short of breath right off the bat, not a great way to get used to anything. If you just take the plunge, you might find it works (let me know!).

[moombeam]

Jamie
My success was due to more adjustments than just getting used to hosing up.
I changed my pressure settings, ramp settings and the length of time spent on ramp.
As my sleep improved I found I needed higher pressure setting than was scripted.
With higher pressure settings better sleep quality more time spent in sleep .
Better sleep quality easier to feel make going to bed a good experience.
The days what a difference !!!!
Auto machines have A flex and C flex setting A flex for me sucked. It made feel like
machine was breathing for me. I set in to C Flex which gives relief on the exhale.
I went from 6 min setting to 8.5 in this year and have my ramp setting on 7.5
My max setting is 12.5 My highest AHI is 1.1 lowest is 0.4

I have reached my MPS Max Pressure Setting for best attainable AHI's
Which is much like MPH; once gals per mile are established one might as well go
with the flow and enjoy the ride. And that I am

I learned how to do all this from the best on this forum.

I used my software faithfully to tell me what was happening daily to see
if adjustment was still needed.
The rule of thumb here is one pressure adjustment a week.


Your day of success will come

[Gerryk]

Welcome aboard!
I used to hate going to bed. I knew when I woke up I was going to wake up tired and with a headache. When I first started with cpap it wasn't easy. Thinking back, I recall thinking about my mask and machine and humidifier and everything else associated with it long before I was going to bed. I don't know if it was being anxious to be successful or just thinking about it hoping things would work out or what. I do remember though that once I started to relax and not do all that thinking that's when things started getting better and I started falling asleep fast. Now I am usually asleep within minutes of getting into bed if not as soon as my head hits the pillow.

Just try to relax and don't concentrate on the machine or mask or your breathing. Get in bed and think of something pleasant you enjoy doing and concentrate on that and I believe things will get better.

Gerry

[thewetlizard]

I still hate going to bed. I hate so much that I don't wear my cpap and I sleep better without it! I wish Icould return that dang machine! I go to bed more without than I do with it on.

[tattooyu]

I still hate going to bed. I hate so much that I don't wear my cpap and I sleep better without it! I wish Icould return that dang machine! I go to bed more without than I do with it on.

That's too bad. Let's hope you don't decide to do that.

[Uncle_Bob]

I still hate going to bed. I hate so much that I don't wear my cpap and I sleep better without it! I wish Icould return that dang machine! I go to bed more without than I do with it on.

The machine will extend your life so its worth giving it another try . What exactly do you hate about it and what mask & machine are you using exactly? There are plenty of people here likely have your mask and can help you out with adjustment suggestions. Also your machine likely has some comfort features such as a ramp and some kind of exhale relief that you can turn on.

Most people struggle at first. I found that by wearing the mask during the day helped get used to it.

Also i used the http://www.pur-sleep.com/ aromatic scents to help distract my mind from the equipment.

Good sleep hygiene is also important, a warm lavender bath before bed time and only going to bed when i am tired helps too. If you are not asleep within 20-30 mins get out of bed. Go and read something boring like the instruction manual for your dishwasher and then try again.

Good luck

[ScrappinMom]

HI Jamie, welcome to the forum.

I know exactly how you feel, because I felt the same way.
You've gotten some great suggestions. I would like to add one more. Please talk to your doctor about a sleep aid. I took Lunesta for about 3 months. Without it, I would lie awake for hours, then finally taking off my mask and going to sleep.

This is what I did...which is completely opposite of what works for most, but it worked for me and it might work for you. I would get into bed, take the Lunesta, then watch tv for 15 - 20 minutes, until I was almost asleep. Then I would put on my mask and go to sleep.

I know it seems like you will never get used to it, but you will after you start getting some rest. I thought I would NEVER be able to go to sleep without the Lunesta, but now I can. Also thought I would never get past hating the darn thing, but I did that, too.

You should register for the form (it's free!! how great is that!!) and list your equipment. If we know exactly what you're using, we can make more specific suggestions to make you more comfortable. Good luck.

[Dan on CPAP]

Jamie, I received allot of help from this site to get over my first day to present, which is now 21 days. I was having anxiety issues and panic attacks as the sun went down (dreading my CPAP FF mask/treatment). I never used the ramp function, as it felt like I didn't get enough air. However, the full pressure was initially hard to get used to. I found that taking over the counter valerian root, kava tea and sleep aids made me comfortable enough to deal with it. By the second week, I was sleeping through the night with minor issues (leaks and subconsciously removing my mask). I now enjoy 7 to 8 hrs of restful sleep, no more headaches as you described and a renewed energy level to start working out again and make my daily 120 mile roundtrip commute without falling asleep. Tonight will be my first night without taking anything (off work tomorrow) to see if I can sleep without it. I do feel much more comfortable with my equipment now and don't like taking anything for extended periods of time, but I feel it got me over the hump.... Hope you find your own way to making peace with your treatment.....Dan