How soon will I feel less tired?

[LARS929]

I am 21 years old, was diagnosed recently with mild sleep apnea. I have been using my CPAP for about 10 days now. I used to wake up with head aches every morning, but I have not had one since I began using it. However I am not feeling any less tired than I used to. I have no trouble falling asleep with it, there are no leaks I can hear/feel and I am getting as much sleep as I always have.

How long until I should feel some difference in my tiredness?

[LinkC]

Not an easy question, since everyone is different.

You have built up a "sleep debt" which must be "repaid" before the fatigue goes away. It's impossible to predict how long it will take. BUT, the fact that you are already sleeping better and have your leaks under control is a good sign!

Most of us found the tiredness subsides gradually. It's not like you suddenly wake up refreshed one morning. But hang in there. It WILL come. And it will be worth it!

Best of luck! Your recovery HAS begun.

[Gerald]

LARS....

Purchase the software that'll run on your S9 and learn how to use it. Learn how to tweak your system and manage your therapy so that your AHI stays below 2.5.

Purchase a recording oximeter (I recommend a SPO-7500 from turnermedical.com) and be sure that your blood O2 levels are staying above 93% all night.

When you do the above, I predict that you'll stop feeling so tired.

Gerald

[LowOnJuice]

In my experience, it took over half a year for me to recover from my fatigue, sleepiness, and overall feeling of crankiness, fogginess, zombie-like behavior. It took me longer to realize what I had lost, experiences, people, opportunities, etc.

Best of luck to you, and hopefully you rehab quickly.

Edit: Bad Grammar lol.

[Julie]

Do consider the possibility that your mouth opens when sleeping (if not previously, at least since starting Cpap - the pressure of air can do it - but don't lower your pressure setting because of it) losing all the cpap air that way, which would mean you need to try a full face mask rather than the nasal one.

[Knabino]

Purchase the software that'll run on your S9 and learn how to use it. Learn how to tweak your system and manage your therapy so that your AHI stays below 2.5.

Do you recommend a good tweaking guide? Or is the software intelligent enough to look at your history and recommend changes to your settings?

[Knabino]

And damn 6 months sounds like a long time before feeling energetic and healthy again.

[Gerald]

Knabino.......

The best tweaking guide in the world....is made up of all the fine people on this forum.....along with the stored knowledge available at "the yellow lightbulb" up at the top of the page.

Gerald

[LinkC]

The software will report either a "90% pressure" or "95% pressure" (depending on which brand you have). That's the pressure which prevents 90 or 95% of apneas. That's a great starting point. (And probably where your machine is set now.)

But neither having the software nor optimizing your setting will magically make your fatigue instantly go away. It will still take some time.

If you are mouth-breathing, your mouth will likely be excessively dry when you wake up ("cottonmouth"). Usually--but not always--they will determine that during your sleep study and not prescribe a nasal mask if you are prone to it.