am i running out of options? whats my next step?

[Junaid]

I tried my machine in apap mode in a range of 10-13cm (my titrated pressure is 11cm) and a range of 9-13cm. I even tried 9-14cm. my AHIs ranged between 1.5 and 5. I was still tired.


Then, on advice, I tried it in cpap mode at 11 and again my AHIs ranged between 1.5 and 5. Alas, im still tired.

I dont have leaks! I might sound like a broken record but what do I do next. Am I running out of options here.

I want a day where Im not tired at all and can stay energised till 10 or 11pm.

what do I do? my results are so non-descript.

[Prevail]

Maybe the problem is not with sleep. It could be related to health and the condition of your body. Or it could be that your circadium rhythm needs time to adjust. In that case, I would suggest getting a light box and use light therapy. Or it could be psychological and habitual since you are so used to being tired. There are so many causes to fatigue and sleepiness and if CPAP is doing its job, perhaps the solution lies elsewhere.

Prevail

[dtsm]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Your number look good.
2. You might want to borrow or purchase a pulse oximeter - just to verify oxygen levels.
3. It might take a few months for you to feel better - I know in my case although my numbers and O2 readings were good, I didn't feel good until after 4+ months of therapy.

If none of the above works, time to head back to the doctor?

Good luck!

[bdp522]

You need to give it more time! Some people take a long time to feel even the smallest improvements, but eventually it happens. You didn't get this way overnight and you won't feel better overnight either. Pick a setting to leave the machine on and change nothing, NOTHING, for a couple of months. focus on the good things Like staying awake for an entire TV show(better yet a movie), not napping and still being able to function, being able to read more than a few pages in a book without falling asleep, waking up easier with less aches and pains, being able to actually THINK in the morning. I'm sure you can find something positive to focus on. You will find more and more positive effects if you give it enough time.

Brenda

[Wulfman]

How much sleep are you getting?
Do you have a pretty regular sleep schedule?
How long have you been at this?
How long did you try the CPAP mode? (are you still using it?)

It's hard to quantify "still tired".....and in what degrees, but like Brenda said, for many people, this can take ALOT of time (think in terms of three to six months, minimum) to feel the benefits of this therapy......and that's after you find the right combination.


Den

[Junaid]

How much sleep are you getting?
Do you have a pretty regular sleep schedule?
How long have you been at this?
How long did you try the CPAP mode? (are you still using it?)

It's hard to quantify "still tired".....and in what degrees, but like Brenda said, for many people, this can take ALOT of time (think in terms of three to six months, minimum) to feel the benefits of this therapy......and that's after you find the right combination.


Den

i get between 6.5 and 8.5 hours of sleep
i do have a regular sleep schedule-more or less the same time each night
Ive been using it in cpap mode for two weeks and still using it
ive been on cpap for 6months now

my sleepiness has improved overall since i started but when the onset of tiredness hits me its like it never left. also, i get these waves of tiredness at the most inappropriate times like in a work meeting. I could be very patient if it were just me to worry about but its my work and work performance that worries me too

[Junaid]

can take ALOT of time (think in terms of three to six months, minimum) to feel the benefits of this therapy......and that's after you find the right combination.

six months minimum

do people here stick with a combination for six months then try another and stick with it for six months? there are so many combinations!!! this could take forever

[Wulfman]

You might try bumping your pressure up by one centimeter for another week.

Many of us have been where you're at.......in varying degrees. Try to hang in there. It sounds like you're seeing "some" improvements.

Along the lines of what "dtsm" said, if you could get your doctor to prescribe an overnight pulse-oximetry (to check your blood oxygen levels while you sleep), that would be a good idea.


Den

[Junaid]

I'll do that Den. ive scheduled another titration and will ask my doc.

[guest 1]

Are you mouth breathing while asleep?

[TheTwinsMom1]

My sleep doctor also mentioned to me that some people just require more sleep time than others. I would also try for two weeks to increase your total sleep time. For me I found out that need almost 10 hours a night to feel rested, plus my cpap.

It's always worth a try.

[Bob3000]

I tried my machine in apap mode in a range of 10-13cm (my titrated pressure is 11cm) and a range of 9-13cm. I even tried 9-14cm. my AHIs ranged between 1.5 and 5. I was still tired.


Then, on advice, I tried it in cpap mode at 11 and again my AHIs ranged between 1.5 and 5. Alas, im still tired.

I dont have leaks! I might sound like a broken record but what do I do next. Am I running out of options here.

I want a day where Im not tired at all and can stay energised till 10 or 11pm.

what do I do? my results are so non-descript.

I notice you use the IntelliPap DevilBiss. I have the same machine. When you say that you don't have leaks, is that because you are running the SmartCode through the online system and it's telling you your leak was "0%"? If so, I would strongly recommend buying the SmartLink software and hardware module to get detailed leak rate. For months, my IntelliPap reported leak at 0% using the SmartCode. Last week I bought the SmartLink module and as you can see from my latest results, I most certainly am having leaks.

And no, you do not sound like a broken record, you sound like a OSA suffered struggling with the same problems as many of the rest of us. xPAP therapy is the gold standard, best treatment for OSA, yet less than half of the people prescribed it use it regularly for exactly these reasons. I am committed to getting this therapy to work for me, and it sounds like you are, too.

[DreamOn]

Junaid, you've had some excellent suggestions here already. You may have posted this on another thread, but do you have a copy of your sleep study(s)? If not, be sure to get that. You need to scour the reports to see if there are clues to any other sleep-related problems you may have, such as periodic limb movements. You may be having multiple arousals during the night that you're not even aware of, which could be keeping you from getting truly restful sleep. Also consider any medications/supplements you are taking, as some can interfere with sleep architecture.

Best wishes! I hope you're more rested very soon!

[twasbrillig]

Junaid - what did your titration study show about the quality of your sleep when using CPAP? Did you get a normal progression through stages of sleep, and fairly normal amount percentages of slow wave (stage 3 and 4, non-REM)? Were there a lot of unexplained arousals or sleep fragmentation? Did you feel like you got any better sleep during your titration?

[fotoguy]

When I left the hospital last month, they gave me a new hypertension medicine. I couldn't even walk to the mailbox for a couple days. I thought it was still my heart. But I stopped taking that medicine and the next day I was back to normal. My question is - are you taking any medicines that could be making you tired?