How long does it take to get less tired?

[robysue]

I've been using CPAP/APAP for four weeks now. For the first 2 1/2 weeks I felt about 100 times worse than I did prior to starting CPAP. At that time, the PA in the sleep doctor's office recommended that I be switched to APAP for a week since some of my problems sounded like they were being caused by the pressure being to high. As a result of the week on APAP, the doctor's office switched me to APAP with a range of 4 -- 8 cm (instead of the fixed 9cm I was prescribed at the start of my adventure). Ever since starting APAP, I've been feeling much better---maybe only 5 or 10 times worse than my pre-CPAP days---and I seem to be feeling a bit better each day. Today, I'm physically feeling only a bit more tired than my pre-CPAP self with a nasty head cold. But I still feel like I've got a serious CPAP-induced mental/cognitive fog with a whole bunch of snarliness that's much more than I had pre-CPAP. I most certainly didn't feel like I was walking around in a mental fog all the time before starting CPAP.

So I'm still waiting to feel better on CPAP/APAP. Heck, I still waiting to wake up simply feeling no worse than I felt before starting CPAP. I'm hoping in another month or two that maybe I'll be back to my more normal self and not feel so exhausted and sleepy all day and not be so snarly all the time.

[roster]

the doctor's office switched me to APAP with a range of 4 -- 8 cm (instead of the fixed 9cm I was prescribed at the start of my adventure).

4 cm is a very low minimum and most people report having to increase it to get good therapy.

[Twentysix]

Hi robysue,

I have tried to sleep 1 night with a fixed 9 cm and it was absolutely awful. Could not fall asleep. Have set it back to auto, with a start of 4.7 again and that works fine. According to the sleep guy only 5% of people do not tolerate the fixed setting. Guess I'm one of those 5%.
Good luck with the whole thing. Hope you start feeling better soon.

[Somatose]

Hi:
I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea 2 months ago (sleep study stated sleep duration at 128 minutes and breathing ceasation of 293 times during that period) but I had it for over a year that I knew of. I've been on an apap machine for 3 weeks now. I can open my eyes right away when I wake up (vs. having to acclimatize my eyes to sunlight and having painful eyes for 1/2 an hour upon waking). Daytime dizziness is slowly dissipating but has not thoroughly left. I have muscle and joint weakness and limited mobility.

My question is about dealing with the emotional aspect of sleep deprivation. Because of my condition I am not employable. I struggle not only with fatigue and energy loss but also with having to go on social assistance and a non-understanding family (because I am not employable I had to move in with my brother and sister in law's family). They think they are helping me by emotionally pushing me to get back to work however it only results in me feeling tired, limited, inadequate AND pressured.

I was wondering how other people dealt with this level of difficulty and what they did to manage relationships. How soon was it that you could reasonably expect to increase energy and get back to work? I'm wondering if going on social assistance and moving out would allow me the "permission" to get better without having to worry about their pressure.

[roster]

I was wondering how other people dealt with this level of difficulty and what they did to manage relationships. How soon was it that you could reasonably expect to increase energy and get back to work? I'm wondering if going on social assistance and moving out would allow me the "permission" to get better without having to worry about their pressure.

First things first. And the first thing is to make sure your CPAP therapy is working properly.

I am guessing that you do not have a machine with software that will track the effectiveness of your therapy each night. There is a good chance your therapy is not working properly and you are still having apneas. The software will show you the details and allow you to adjust your therapy to achieve good results.

Most of the regular members here use such software and have found it valuable, or even required, to get good therapy.