Are you still waking up in night now you're on CPAP ?

deedster · Post by **deedster** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:07 pm

I never woke up during the night pre-cpap (I thought!)

Now I wake up a couple of times a night if I turn over, but I feel SO much better that I just don't worry about it.

pj1016 · Post by **pj1016** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:09 pm

I wake-up once to hit the head as I had done before CPAP, but I've only been on the CPAP for four nights.

I do seem to wake-up a couple of other times in the night because of a leak or I've opened my mouth.

Wulfman sez:

Many times I'll wake up after several hours.....feeling rested and refreshed.....thinking it must be about time to get up.....only to notice that I still have several more hours to go.

You are my idol! I can only dream of being able to say this one day!

pj

Amigo · Post by **Amigo** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:12 pm

JamesCPAP wrote:I've been on CPAP for 3 weeks but I'm still awaking 2-4 times per night even though I'm on CPAP. Is this normal ?

I feel much better in myself and do not dose off once I'm on the sofa or in a recliner chair after 30 mins like I did pre CPAP.

However I still awake in the night (not for a bathroom trip though), although some of the time is because I've felt a leak on the mask and have to readjust the full face mask.

Just wondered when you all started on CPAP, whether you started sleeping all the way through the night or whether you still had tendencies to wake up ? And if you did continue to wake up, did your internal time clocks gradually adjust and let you sleep all through the night?

JamesCPAP, I'd say you're doing very well after only 3 weeks. Having this "thing" on your face takes quite awhile for your brain to adjust to.

The good news is that it will happen, assuming you have an interface (nasal or FFM mask, or nasal pillows) that you are both comfortable with, and is doing the job of keeping your airway open.

After 2 1/2 + years, it is very much second nature to me now, and the wonderful feeling of being fully rested is its own reward, and keeps me faithfully using my CPAP.

Yeah, I get up once a night to use the facility, and usually have to make minor adjustments when I turn side-to-side, but they're both done more than half asleep, and never keep me awake for more than a few minutes at most.

Amigo · Post by **Amigo** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:24 pm

JamesCPAP wrote:...Some people I've spoken to find a bit of alcohol (night cap) does wonders although a lot of CPAP documentation I've read suggests not taking alcohol after 6pm as this does have the tendency to close the airways more, but some people say it helps. In theory it shouldn't be a problem because CPAP is there to keep the airways are open. I don't know what others feel here regarding alcohol late at night?

I don't know if it exactly qualifies as a "night cap," but I have wine with dinner every night (3 - 4 hours before bed). When we dine out (fairly frequently), I also have a Scotch or two, and then wine with dinner.

So far, I've never had any adverse reactions using the CPAP, and do not notice any difference in how well-rested I feel the next morning.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:41 pm

pj1016 wrote:I wake-up once to hit the head as I had done before CPAP, but I've only been on the CPAP for four nights.

I do seem to wake-up a couple of other times in the night because of a leak or I've opened my mouth.

Wulfman sez:

Many times I'll wake up after several hours.....feeling rested and refreshed.....thinking it must be about time to get up.....only to notice that I still have several more hours to go.
You are my idol! I can only dream of being able to say this one day!

pj

You WILL, PJ. Hang in there!

The morning after my first night on my machine (05/15/05), I said to myself "OK, one night down......the rest of my life to go....."

It hasn't all been a "piece of cake". SOME things are just starting to improve. Just within the last couple of months, my aches and pains in my knees and back (which both came primarily from physical injuries) have been greatly subsiding. A couple of weeks ago I went off of my blood pressure medication (again) to see what things look like....and so far, they're looking "promising". Don't want to get too optimistic just yet, but......

Anyway, I realized I didn't get this way overnight and won't reverse all the damage overnight either. "Pace" yourself. Be analytical and try to find what works best for you. There IS light at the end of this tunnel.

Best wishes,

Den

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:51 pm

I am on numerous medications for pain, for sleep, for anxiety, and for Bipolar Disorder - all taken at bedtime to try and help me get sleep. I suspect that down the road a month or so I may be able to at least cut back on antianxiety and sleep medication, as I seem to be going to sleep much faster on AutoCPAP (with medication) than before CPAP (with medication)

I am currently averaging an AHI of 3, which is absolutley incredible for less than 1 month of treatment - I download smartcard and check charts each AM, watching for a change 4 hours after pain pills (they only last 4 hours) and I see no change in particular throughout the night and have had some of the best sleep I've ever known.

I think those who have severe anxiety with their CPAP should be put on antianxiety or sleep medication for short term to help adapt. I know there are those out there that just put their first mask on and were changed forever from the first night on CPAP, but those aren't the people seeking help on this forum. And for those of you who have done great since the beginning, try not to be too quick to criticize those who are having anxiety to the point of possibly quitting CPAP -

Again, I'm on such a myriad of medications at bedtime - it has worried me in the past - but now with charts to tell the story, I see that AutoCPAP keeps my airways open in spite of so much medication.

I'd rather see someone on medication for anxiety or sleep and stick with their CPAP treatment than quit.................

pj1016 · Post by **pj1016** » Tue May 02, 2006 2:52 pm

Thanks for the kind words, Wulfman.

I'm encouraged, so far, and I am feeling more rested already.

Yesterday, I ordered the MyEncore s/w; I look forward to using it to monitor and dial-in my therapy.

What is that famous saying? Something like "The longest journey starts with a single step"...I can deal with that.

Take care,

pj

rdjw · Post by **rdjw** » Tue May 02, 2006 7:10 pm

Hi, JamesCPAP and other assorted hoseheads. I'm a night or two from completing first full month on treatment. It has not been w/o its challenges, but I think/hope/have to believe that it's going to wrok in the longrun.

I do still wake several times during the night, and because the mask needs tiny tweaks when repositioning, I think that may turn out to be permanent. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the maqsk works, and at how little adjustment it needs.

I was on Restoril when I started CPAP, then over a long weekend 10 days ago I stopped it, thinking I had 5 nights before return to work to get past the deprivation and recover good sleep. This may have been a bit too aggressive. I went down at 9 last night and was still tossing at midnight. Lots of aches and pains, fibromyalgia in full flareup, maxed out on the ibuprofen. Too warm. Feel very fatigued today, just bone tired.

But I did have my moring walk and my evening swim, so even unrested the exercise is good to do.

I use a nasal mask on a comfort light headpiece, and it's usually very comfortable. It leaks less than my mouth does - am still trying to learn not to let mouth fall open. I would love to have vino with dinner, but I do get terribly stuffy after beer or wine, sometimes completely blocked - a dry blockage, very unpleasant, so I have to let the ETOH go. Sigh.

I apparently do not snore when on the machine, which has to be an improvement. I haven't missed using it for the full night since I started, although I do not yet feel fully "accustomed" to it.

I guess what I have taken away from this form is that needs, preferences, habits and disorders vary wildly. No 2 experiences are the same, and you have to just work through the variety of solutions to find your best fit, your best sleep.

Hang in there!

KevinVT · Post by **KevinVT** » Tue May 02, 2006 7:32 pm

I have now finished my first week on my CPAP machine and have some of the same concerns and feelings, but it seems to get better each day. I must say that the past 4 nights have been very good. It took several nights of trial and error to find out what combination of things worked for me.

Here's what I found: It took the right pillow, sleeping position, AYR gel on my nose to seal, plant holder above the bed for my hose, mask position, and humidifier temperature.

Once I got all of that, I wake up the several times per night, like you, because of leaks, mouth open, etc., but I fall back to sleep in no time. I still wake up tired, and am sleepy during the day, but it seems to get better each day.

Hang in there, I'm with you.

Kevin

JamesCPAP · Post by **JamesCPAP** » Wed May 03, 2006 9:22 am

Thanks Amigo! That's good to hear! Seeing what others have posted before me about their first nights and first few weeks on CPAP I'm quite surprised I've taken to it as well as I have. I thought I'd be ripping the mask off during the night, but I feel quite comfortable and at ease with it on. The mask leaks are getting a bit irritating but the beauty is not having to lay awake for an hour to go to sleep, once I've adjusted the mask I'm gone within a few mins, 10 at a maximum.

Hi rdjw, I've spoken face to face with some other CPAP patients and several have said to combat leaks they use some of the sticky back towelling like used around the handle of tennis rackets. This apparently sticks to the outer parts of the mask that would usually touch your skin and the towelling then presses against your skin to provide a good seal between mask and face. Haven't tried it myself but willing to try anything if I can completely reduce the mask leaks to sleep completely through the night.

You've just reminded me of something also, snoring! I haven't snored since being on the machine, so I guess that has to be another extremely good point as that's usually when apneas are occuring (the reason why snoring starts). Gonna hang in there for another week but I'm finding being on CPAP much better than I anticipated. I'm hoping it's going to be a long partnership together (until I stop experiencing apneas that is!).

Superb KevinVT, sounds like you're experiencing the same as me. I started finding the leaks start to increase as nights/weeks go on, but finding the correct pillow position and trying to take the stress out of the hose from pulling makes it much better.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Wed May 03, 2006 11:13 am

In four months on xPAP there have been few nights when I haven't gotten up. However, the number of trips has decreased from several to usually just one.

Last night was one of those rare nights though when I didn't get up at all, although I did wake up a few times. I just changed to fixed BiPAP settings from auto a few nights ago and these few nights have been quite good, so I'm hoping this marks another incremental improvement.

Regards,
Bill (wondering what it might be like to sleep through the night regularly)

Anatha · Post by **Anatha** » Wed May 03, 2006 1:45 pm

[quote="WindFlyer"]Anatha:

One thing you might want to try if you're new to CPAP is strapping on the mask and switching on the machine while you're still awake in the evening watching TV or something. I found it really helped me adjust by doing this so that when I laid down to sleep at night the mask wasn't a suffocating monster anymore- but something I was used to and knew what to expect from.

Just my advice.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:54 pm

deedster wrote:I never woke up during the night pre-cpap (I thought!)

Now I wake up a couple of times a night if I turn over, but I feel SO much better that I just don't worry about it.

Ditto.

roztom · Post by **roztom** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:18 pm

Be Kind to yourself. xPAP is a foreign experience.

Everything from the ritual of going to bed and hosing up the morning getting up and cleaning your xPAP tools.

All of it is a change and it takes time to adjust. I've been at this almost 3 months and it hasw made a big difference - not euphoria (still waiting) but it is definitely making a good improvement in quality of life.

I still wake up through the night with mask leaks not a lot but it doesn't take much - a little pin hole leak and I wake to briefly reposition my mask and I usually fall right back to sleep - better than all the arousals before.

I've ordered a Activa mask to see if it seals better than my Ultra Mirage Nasal - the forum seems to like the Activa Nasal best among nasal masks. Hope it helps.

Try settling in - for the long haul. This is a process that takes a while to get right. I'm still trying to get mine right but it's made a great improvement despite the imperfections.

Hang in there, it only gets better.

Best,

Tom

Are you still waking up in night now you're on CPAP ?

Re: Are you still waking up in night now you're on CPAP ?