Driving before and after CPAP

[Ritap1965]

I took a quick trip to Vegas. I drove down there yesterday, and it is a 5-6 hour drive from Salt Lake City. When I drove this trip in December, before cpap, I found my self microsleeping, and being a danger to myself and the other cars out there. This time, I was wide awake. I drove home again today, and was alert and awake.

I am amazed at how CPAP has improved my life. I was thinking of not driving long distances again, because I was too dangerous before. But now I can take all the trips I want. I am very happy with this treatment.

[jawz]

Life changing for me too. After going undiagnosed for over 20 years. Was put on meds for depression, nothing helped. Wasted 20 years being tired. It was the reason I never finished medical school; too damn tired.

I can not believe how many doctors I went to, thinking I might be depressed. Kept telling them that I was not, but they never thought about Sleep Apnea. I had to discover it on my own.

Wish I could get those years back. But I can't. At least I'm not living the rest of my life like a sleep walking zombie.

Hurray for CPAP, and this forum.

[Guest]

jawz-how long have you been on cpap?

[HappyHoser]

I am amazed at how CPAP has improved my life

Amen!

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[allen]

CPAP has definitely improved my driving--I no longer fall asleep behind the wheel.

I'm disappointed, though, that I'm tired all the time. I'm much more aware of being tired than I used to be. I used to have slumps during which I'd have to fight to stay awake, often losing the battle.

That no longer happens, but I'm tired all the time. Oversleeping in the mornings is worse than ever--I've been late to work almost every day this year, with that happening now moreso than before I began treatment.

I know I'm having vivid dreams and I assume they're happening in REM. If it's REM rebound and the dreams have been going on for months, how much longer can it take before I make up the defecit that causes rebound and can sleep without those dreams?

I'm glad I'm on the treatment and I don't mean to complain. I'm disappointed, though, that I don't feel rested or that I've gotten a good night's sleep. I felt more rested before treatment, even though I had the afternoon crashes. I still end up sleeping all day on Saturdays, just to feel rested at the beginning of each work week. Unfortunately, I've got to work the next two Saturdays in addition to the regular school week--I don't know how I'm going to hold up without getting those days to make up the sleep I lose during the week.

Any advice gladly accepted regarding REM Rebound, etc...!

Allen

[Jan in Colo.]

I've just noticed that I'm started to need less and less sleep. I felt quite a bit better than I did pre-cpap (I have severe apnea, AHI 85, oxygen desat to mid-50's)....but I still needed a TON of sleep for the longest time! I really felt best with a minimum of 10 hours per day of sleep and I'd take 12 if I could fit it in! I started Cpap mid-August 2005....but as I said, just the past week or two, I'm not needing my afternoon nap as much. I think I'm down to around 8 hours with even a 6 hour night or two during the week. Much better!

So hang in there...

Jan in Colo.

[Ritap1965]

I have less need for sleep as well. I go to bed at midnight, and wake up at 8. No more naps or a need for 10-12 hours of sleep at night. I hope everybody can get to experience that.

Before CPAP I had 88 AHI an hour, and oxygen saturation dropped to 70%. No wonder I was exhausted.

[Patrick A]

I think the best thing that ever happened to me " My Doctor ordered a sleep study test"
It has kept me alive and I no longer fall asleep while talking to people!!
Since my Doctor ordered the test for me I am more wide awke than I have ever been in the last 19 years!!!!!!

[Guest]

allen-

Do you have the software for your machine? Are you using it in AUTO or straight CPAP mode? What do the nightly results show? How many apneas and hypopneas are you having each night? Perhaps you need to change your pressure to get more effective treatment.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I have been on CPAP for 11 months now and I can truly say that I have gotten my life back. I probably have had SA for over 13 years now, but was just diagnosed a year ago. I used to hate driving. I went to college 6 hours away and had to stop at each and every rest stop - every 1/2 hour or so. I never knew why I was so tired all of the time. I have hypothyroidism and they always kept telling me my levels were fine. In 2002, I was put on Paxil. I was ready to start going to a psychiatrist. I was sleeping 8-10- hours a night and also taking a nap daily anywhere from 2-3 hours long. I fell asleep as a pasenger in a car in a matter of five minutes. I have also "microslept" while driving.....your eyes are seeing things, but your brain is not processing it - I have wound up exits past my exit on the parkway on the way home from work.
I now sleep 6-8 hours per night, nap only about one time per week, and don't mind driving at all. I try to tell people about sleep apnea because I know they have been in the same situation and have been undiagnosed. I owe my current vitality to my pulmonologist who I see for my asthma. I was seeing him for my asthma follow up appt and I was telling him about my symptoms. He said, I don't think you have sleep apnea, but we'll send you for the study. Well, here I am over a year later now with my life back. Thank God for him!