How Long Did it Take?

[Resister]

How long did it take you to start sleeping all the way through the night with your machine?

I've had my C-pap for about 2 weeks, and I have yet to sleep through the night. Often I only use it for 2-4 hours because after I get up to use the restroom I don't want to fumble with it to get it back on, or because I need to work the next day and I haven't fallen all the way asleep with the machine on, etc. Probably the biggest reason is that in the middle of the night, I'm just not thinking clearly enough about what I need to do.

Also, when I do "sleep" with it, it's often restless and I'm semi-awake. I keep thinking about the signature line one of y'all has that says "a bad night with c-pap is better than a good night without" or something to that effect. If I have to work early the next morning, I hate being "awake" all night. Is it truly better to be semi-alert all night than to fall asleep without c-pap? (OK, I'm guessing what the answer is, but please, I need the outside reinforcement from you folks who have been there/done that!)

[cflame1]

you have to put it back on when you go back to bed... then it'll start getting easier. The more reasons that you give yourself to not wear it the harder it'll be to wear it.

[jabman]

Hi,

I took to the mask right away so am not sure what help I can be but I have a cupple suggestions.

1. Try sitting up and watching tv or reading a book with the mask ( with the machine on) on right before bed to get used to it.

2. when you get up in the night to do your business don't take the mask off just disconect the hose that way you do not have to readjust the mask.

It can take some time to get used to using the cpap but hang in there you will get the hang of it soon enough.

[chunkyfrog]

The longer you wear it, the sooner you will get used to it.
The more days you put it on, the easier it will be to do so.
Stick with it. It may take awhile.
Happy, restful sleep to you.

[Lori Dawn]

It does get better... I think it's about training your brain that it's okay to sleep with that "thing" on your face. After about a month, for me, I was able to feel comfortable enough to sleep all night. But keep at it... stopping using it, even one night, just to "get some sleep," is a step backward. I promise it WILL be worth it.... I felt the same way, "I sleep better without the machine than with... what's the point?" It's an ILLUSION! You don't sleep better without -- maybe in the beginning that is true, but you will notice a difference in a month or so, that without, you feel so much worse..... The beginning is very hard. No one will dispute that. But I'm here to tell you, make an excuse for not using it one night, leads to two, leads to three.... leads to it going in the closet. Please don't let that happen, as you will not get any better with it in the closet. I wasted seven years of my life with it in the closet. I never believed I could feel so good. It is worth this time of adjustment..... Truly!

Lori "QF" Dawn

[Emilia]

I agree with everyone else here, but I'll add that the sooner you continue to wear the mask all night, the sooner you won't need to get up and use the bathroom! Consistent cpap use seems to eliminate that for most people. I never get up to go during the night anymore..... and as a post-menopausal woman, that's saying something!

I sympathize with what you are experiencing, but you need to stick with it. There is a quick release connector you can use to easily disconnect w/o having to take your mask off.... I don't use it but others may be able to guide you to the right product.

Remember, OSA is an insidious thing......it is doing damage when you don't use your therapy. Don't give up and you'll soon benefit from sleeping better, breathing better, and feeling better.

[Pugsy]

Often I only use it for 2-4 hours because after I get up to use the restroom I don't want to fumble with it to get it back on, or because I need to work the next day and I haven't fallen all the way asleep with the machine on, etc.

My first symptom of effective therapy was the cessation of the frequent trips to the bathroom. Is it possible that your therapy is not optimal? I know you are using and older machine for now. Does it offer any data at all?

It does take a while for some of us to start sleeping longer hours using the machine. I was stuck on 4 to 5 hours for months and it wasn't waking up to go to the bathroom that was causing the short hours. I had other issues unrelated to OSA. Is it possible that you have other issues also? Pain, meds, bed discomfort?

[robysue]

How long did it take you to start sleeping all the way through the night with your machine?

I've had my C-pap for about 2 weeks, and I have yet to sleep through the night.

I've been using my xPAP for about 10 1/2 months and I'm just now beginning to really "sleep through the night"---in the sense that the wake ups in the middle of the night are short enough for me not to remember much about them and in the sense of sleeping from 2:30--3:30 AM to about 8:00 AM. But I'm a pretty serious, major outlier in terms of how long it takes to get used to xPAP and in terms of how long it takes to start feeling something positive starting to happen because of using xPAP.

But in reading the boards, it does seem to take most people several weeks to a few months to start sleeping through the night and feeling at least a bit better than they did before starting CPAP. After all, sleeping with a six foot hose attached to your nose is not exactly natural and there's a pretty steep learning curve for some of us when we start.

So at two weeks into therapy? It's not at all uncommon to not yet be sleeping all the way through the night. It's not even all that uncommon to actually feel more sleep deprived and worse in terms of daytime functioning at that point. But keep plugging away at it and eventually it will get better.

Often I only use it for 2-4 hours because after I get up to use the restroom I don't want to fumble with it to get it back on, or because I need to work the next day and I haven't fallen all the way asleep with the machine on, etc. Probably the biggest reason is that in the middle of the night, I'm just not thinking clearly enough about what I need to do. (emphasis added)

Look at what you've written carefully: You are CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSING to go back to sleep after the potty trip EVEN THOUGH you realize you're not thinking clearly about this.

One of the biggest reasons people fail to adapt to CPAP is that they CHOOSE to only sleep part of the night with the machine. And by choosing to go back to sleep many/most nights sans mask, you are setting yourself up to either fail to adapt or to have an adaption period that is far longer than it needs to be.

Why? Well, every time you consciously choose to return to sleep sans mask, you are making it MUCH, MUCH more difficult for you to fully adapt to sleeping with the mask. Because every time you do this, you are rewarding that part of your brain and body that has not yet come to grips with the fact that CPAP is the new reality of your life. And clearly there's some of this going on right now in your mind (both conscious and unconsious) and body because you write:

Also, when I do "sleep" with it, it's often restless and I'm semi-awake. I keep thinking about the signature line one of y'all has that says "a bad night with c-pap is better than a good night without" or something to that effect. If I have to work early the next morning, I hate being "awake" all night.

What's happening right now is you're trapped in a vicious cycle that's actively working against your desire to become fully adjusted to your CPAP machine:

You feel you're not sleep well with the machine, you take the mask off after returning from the machine, you fall asleep, your unconscious mind persuades your conscious mind the problem is the mask, so you put the mask on the next night and can't sleep again and the cycle keeps repeating itself.

And forcing yourself to mask back up after the potty break is the KEY to stopping this cycle.

But you also have the problem that right now your mind and body both deeply believe that masking up for the whole night means you get little or no sleep because you are restless and semi-awake. (And yes I know exactly what you mean---this restlessness, semi-awake stage, and the overall physical over stimulation of xPAP are all factors in what led to my severe case of CPAP-induced insomnia).

The only way to get your mind and body to make the deep association that Time to Mask Up = Time to Sleep is to NOT allow yourself to fight to get soundly asleep for hours with the mask on. In other words, the longer you lie in bed worrying about how awake you currently are, how little you've actually slept with the machine on your nose, how little time remains until morning, and how on earth will you ever be functional the next day, the harder it will be to get your conscious mind, your unconscious mind, and your body to all believe (with heart and soul) that it is possible to get into a deep, sound, restorative sleep with the hose on your nose. And that in turn leads to resentment of putting the mask on each night (at some level, perhaps unconscious) and makes it far easier to return to bed sans mask after that bathroom trip.

So what to do? Well the key idea is that you need to actively teach your body how to go to sleep with the mask on your nose. I'd suggest the following things (all of which are in Taming the CPAP-Induced Insomnia Monster:

Step 1) Never allow yourself to consciously got to sleep without the mask on your nose---regardless of whether it's at the beginning of the night or later on after a bathroom break.

Step 2) Give yourself about 30 minutes or so to get to sleep---as in really asleep, not dozing. Estimate the 30 minute time window, don't look at a clock. If at the end of 30 minutes you are still awake---or semi alert, reassess the situation. If you think you are pretty close to sleep, fine stay in bed and give yourself another 10 minutes or so to really get to sleep. But if you are not really feeling like you are making any progress towards getting to sleep, get up out of bed and go into a different room and do something to take your mind off the mask for a while.

Step 3) When you are out of bed, try to do something that will make you feel sleepy enough to try masking up (again) and going to sleep. And be keenly aware that feeling sleepy is not at all the same as feeling tired or exhausted. Because the sad fact is, that no matter how tired or exhaused you are, if you are not sleepy you won't be able to fall asleep soundly and quickly when you put the mask back on and lie down in your bed. Think of an over tired 2 year old child who badly needs a nap but cannot settle herself down at nap time. That's what happens when you're over tired, but not sleepy. And what are some good sleep inducing behaviors to do when you are out of bed in the middle of the night?

• Sit in a quiet semi dark room doing nothing----if you can prevent your mind from starting to worry about things---especially about the fact that it's the middle of the night and you're not in bed.
• Listen to some quiet, soothing music.
• Make yourself a cup of warm milk or sleepy time tea and sip it slowly.
• Do some deep breathing or relaxation exercises. Or meditate if you're into that.
• Read a real book (that's not too interesting) or work a crossword or soduko (on paper, not on the computer)
• Play some solitaire with real cards instead of on the computer.

And there are also things you need to specifically AVOID when you're up in the middle of the night trying to get sleepy enough to go back to bed and try, try again to sleep with the mask on your nose. In particular:

• Do NOT get on the computer, start texting on the cell phone, or watching the TV. These activities are often too stimulating mentally and the blue light from electronic gadgets may mess with your sleep cycles.
• Do NOT do anything work related. This can cause you to start worrying and worry is an enemy of sleep. Moreover, you don't want your mind and body to regard getting up out of bed as a severe punishment because then it's too hard to force yourself to do it when it's clear you're not getting to sleep in a timely fashion.

I keep thinking about the signature line one of y'all has that says "a bad night with c-pap is better than a good night without" or something to that effect. . . . Is it truly better to be semi-alert all night than to fall asleep without c-pap? (OK, I'm guessing what the answer is, but please, I need the outside reinforcement from you folks who have been there/done that!)

I think you're misunderstanding the meaning of a bad night with CPAP. The presumption about a "bad night with CPAP" is that you do get SOME sleep---not as much as you'd like, but SOME real sleep. It's not about staying semi alert all night long; it's about getting SOME decent quality apnea-free sleep during the night vs. a full night of apnea-clogged sleep that induces your body to go through repeated cycles of sleep, quit breathing with possible O2 desat, arouse to restart breathing, sleep, quit breathing with possible O2 desat, arouse to restart breathing, etc., etc., etc. which in turn allows the apnea to continue harming your body in all its subtle ways.

[ameriken]

How long did it take you to start sleeping all the way through the night with your machine?

I've had my C-pap for about 2 weeks, and I have yet to sleep through the night. Often I only use it for 2-4 hours because after I get up to use the restroom I don't want to fumble with it to get it back on, or because I need to work the next day and I haven't fallen all the way asleep with the machine on, etc. Probably the biggest reason is that in the middle of the night, I'm just not thinking clearly enough about what I need to do.

Also, when I do "sleep" with it, it's often restless and I'm semi-awake. I keep thinking about the signature line one of y'all has that says "a bad night with c-pap is better than a good night without" or something to that effect. If I have to work early the next morning, I hate being "awake" all night. Is it truly better to be semi-alert all night than to fall asleep without c-pap? (OK, I'm guessing what the answer is, but please, I need the outside reinforcement from you folks who have been there/done that!)

LOL, that's my sig and and represents how I feel about my therapy.

I've had bad nights with the machine, but even if I wake up feeling bad, it is still not as bad as I felt after waking up pre-xPAP. Before xPAP, I woke up like I was being resurrected...as if I was run over by a truck 50 years ago, stayed dead all that time, and just as I barely crawl out of my grave, I get run over by a truck again. However, even if I have a bad night on the machine, I’ve never felt that bad again.

Anyhow, I think you just need more time to get used to it. You didn't take very well to the diagnosis or the treatment and seem to be fighting it while trying to commit to it. I viewed it differently: I knew it would save my life so I looked at it as a good thing and something to be thankful for. In fact, my first night I woke up about 5 am, took the mask off for a potty break, and when I came back I was proud for having slept 5 or 6 hours with the mask on. To reward myself I thought I'd sleep a couple more hours without it. But when I laid down, I told myself, “Don’t start a bad habit, put the mask back on” and I did. And I’ve stuck with that attitude ever since then. You’ve got to get that attitude.

Another issue: you are only focusing on the sleep aspect of this. What about breathing? IMO that is is more detrimental to your health than the sleep. Even if you don't sleep well, you are still getting oxygen because the machine is helping you breathe. Without CPAP you get neither sleep nor oxygen. Why would you want to deprive yourself of oxygen? When you think about sleeping without the mask, have you asked yourself that question? Think about that when you take the next potty break tonite. When you go back to bed, ask yourself, "should I put the mask back on or should I leave it off so I can deprive my heart and brain of oxygen".

IMO, your most difficult battle with CPAP therapy is not the machine or mask, it is you. Right from your very first post, you fought this while trying to comply at the same time. Isn't that why you gave yourself the username 'resister'? It's like saying "I'm a resister and I am going to make this as difficult as possible for myself by fighting my therapy every step of the way". Well, no wonder you're having trouble!!! You are resisting everything that is going to help you and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy!

Change that attitude, starting tonight.

Don't view CPAP as the enemy.

Sleep apnea is the enemy, CPAP is your best friend.

For example, you said: "Often I only use it for 2-4 hours because after I get up to use the restroom I don't want to fumble with it to get it back on"

Well, starting tonght, as I said earlier, change that to "I do want to fumble with it to get it back on because I want my brain and heart to get oxygen". Add some other good thoughts like "I must sleep with it". "Sleep apnea is death, CPAP is life". "I love CPAP". I know, it sounds flaky, but my point is, instead of thinking "I can't" and "I hate doing this" and "I won't do this", you have to find a way to look at this differently and positively and demand that you can and will.

Take to CPAP as a friend and not an enemy. Win the battle of the mind and approach it positively and patiently. Even when you have problems with the machine or a bad night, those can be fixed. But fix your mind first.

Instead of being 'resister' be 'adapter'.

The mind thing is why I wrote that in my sig: to remind myself that this therapy is a good thing and that I cannot and will not sleep without it. So yes, it may take some time, but do not give it up. Change how you look at it. Get rid of the ‘resister’ part of you and replace it with something positive. Look at the machine and therapy as being your friend and you will start to see better results, and will have more patience to work through the difficulties when they arrive.

[Alshain]

1 Night for me... I've never had a problem with compliance, just treatment.

[Resister]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

This is all exactly what I needed to hear. And IRL, the only person I know on C-Pap says, "Two hours is great, we all start that way!"

Two hours is not great if the problem is my own "Resistance"

Working on getting my mind right.....

[ameriken]

I think it's great that you're posting your issues. I'm really glad to have this forum, I think this therapy would be far more difficult without it. It's great if you have something going on and you can do a search and find you're not the only one going through it, or to be able to post a question or frustration and get some answers and support.

Hang in there, you're on the right road!

[ems]

I've been using it for around a month. Really, it does get easier. I no longer feel anxious about it... and just put it on.

I can't say I'm feeling better yet, altho now I only get up once (not 4 times) to go to the bathroom. I do put my mask right back on. My hope is that it will get better and better, and I'll feel more rested during the day.

It was hard and a bit scary the first few weeks. Now, it's becoming automatic and I don't think about it as much.

It was prescribed to you for a reason... that's what you need to think about.

[BlackSpinner]

My sleep doctor warned me it could take up to a month for your brain to trust that
a) you can breathe with a thing on your face
b) it no longer has to "stand on guard for thee" to keep you alive when you stop breathing.

However for me, I put it on thinking I would leave it on for 2 hours, and next thing I knew it was 7:30 am and I felt sparky except that my hips hurt from not having moved an inch for 9 hours.

[ameriken]

I felt so horrible every day that I couldn't wait to put it on, I was really excited when they delivered the machine. After they set it up, I took a nap with it that afternoon, and then went to bed early that night with it. Have had no problems dealing with anxiety, claustrophobia, or anything else like that.