Sleeping My Life Away

johnb2 · Post by **johnb2** » Sat May 27, 2006 2:13 pm

Here's another question: I have had CPAP going on 3 weeks. I've gone thru several adjustments and now seem to have adjusted OK. However, I am tired/ sleepy whenever I sit for a while and if I go back to bed I sleep several hours. Today, Saturday of Memorial Weekend. I got up at 9AM - ate breakfast-felt tired went back to bed to rest and woke up at 3:30 PM. I feel less tired than this AM but not energized like I want. I also don't want to spend my life sleeping. Anybody going thru this experience?

Best Regards

John

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat May 27, 2006 2:39 pm

If you went undiagnosed/misdiagnosed and untreated for a long time, as most of us have, then it can take some time on good treatment to begin feeling energetic. I had no additional energy until I had been on treatment about four months. Approaching the end of my fifth month of cpap therapy, I am much improved but the energy level is still a good way off from what I want it to be.

A good diet, exercise program and good sleep hygiene will help speed up the improvement process.

Since you seem to have adjusted well to the "breathing system" in only three weeks, count this as a big victory and keep at it.

Rastaman · Post by **Rastaman** » Sat May 27, 2006 2:44 pm

Wow! I've been on CPAP for 3 days and I feel like a million bucks. My friends are telling I have the energy I had 10 years ago in my mid 20's. I feel 500 to 1000% better. And I'm almost already completely use to my CPAP machine. This leaves me wondering if they have your setting correct or if there are just that many different outcomes from the CPAP treatment. I'm minorly claustraphobic but the machines below seem to be working VERY well for me. See pics/descriptions below. My nose is just a little bit sore when I wake up. I tried switching from the medium pillow to the small and that seems to have helped.

johnb2 · Post by **johnb2** » Sat May 27, 2006 2:57 pm

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. Rastaman wrote

Wow! I've been on CPAP for 3 days and I feel like a million bucks. My friends are telling I have the energy I had 10 years ago in my mid 20's

That is awesome. You may have a good point re. the machine setting I should ask my Sleep Doctor next week. I also wonder if age might be a factor, you are in your 30's, I'm im my early 60's. Maybe I didn't have much energy in my fifties (LOL).

Thanks again,

John

Rastaman · Post by **Rastaman** » Sat May 27, 2006 3:01 pm

Oh yeah, I have been exercising on an eliptical trainer 50 minutes per day 3 to 4 days a week on average over the past 2 months, and I plan on doing this permanently. I'm using the gym at work but I work so well with this unit I'm going to eventually buy one because it's the only machine I use at the gym. I thought this might have something to do with my energy level. That and I switched from Cokes to Diet Coke too. No major body changes yet but I feel much better.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 27, 2006 3:06 pm

[quote="Rastaman"]Wow! I've been on CPAP for 3 days and I feel like a million bucks. My friends are telling I have the energy I had 10 years ago in my mid 20's. I feel 500 to 1000% better. And I'm almost already completely use to my CPAP machine. This leaves me wondering if they have your setting correct or if there are just that many different outcomes from the CPAP treatment. I'm minorly claustraphobic but the machines below seem to be working VERY well for me. See pics/descriptions below. My nose is just a little bit sore when I wake up. I tried switching from the medium pillow to the small and that seems to have helped.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 27, 2006 3:10 pm

[quote="johnb2"]Hi,

I also wonder if age might be a factor, you are in your 30's, I'm im my early 60's. Maybe I didn't have much energy in my fifties (LOL).

Thanks again,

John

cpapita · Post by **cpapita** » Sat May 27, 2006 6:07 pm

There are so many potential variables. I've been on APAP 1 week for a "tritation Study". I'm 63 and have a L O O O O N G history of snoring. Until very recently I had no clue that snoring was endangering me so never did anything about it. When I got my initial test and the order for the titration study, DME set my equipment for 4-20 with humidifier on level 1. I was being awakened several times each night feeling like "gale force winds" were attacking me and my nasal passages were stinging, dry, sore and sometimes bleeding. I was getting less sleep WITH the equipment than WITHOUT!! My husband reset the equipment with humidifier at 3 and pressure at 4-12. I slept through the night last night for the first time and no dry nasal passages. It might mess up the study a little but I gotta get some sleep!!! Four hours a night is definitely not enough!! Feeling GREAT today!! The weird thing is that I never at any time felt that I needed treatment for anything. Am in excellent health and usually felt quite rested in the morning despite the fact that my initial study showed I was having 41 apnea incidents per hour!! How that could be is beyond me but since I'm very committed to not having a heart attack or stroke I'm more than willing to use an APAP and/or CPAP. My husband, of course, is delighted. He's the one really feeling the relief!! He LOVES the quiet bedroom.

Rastaman · Post by **Rastaman** » Sat May 27, 2006 6:26 pm

[quote="Anonymous"][quote="Rastaman"]Wow! I've been on CPAP for 3 days and I feel like a million bucks. My friends are telling I have the energy I had 10 years ago in my mid 20's. I feel 500 to 1000% better. And I'm almost already completely use to my CPAP machine. This leaves me wondering if they have your setting correct or if there are just that many different outcomes from the CPAP treatment. I'm minorly claustraphobic but the machines below seem to be working VERY well for me. See pics/descriptions below. My nose is just a little bit sore when I wake up. I tried switching from the medium pillow to the small and that seems to have helped.

SuxBeingU · Post by **SuxBeingU** » Sun May 28, 2006 11:29 am

Anonymous wrote: 3. You have cpaper's high and will soon come down to a more normal experience. After two nights on the machine I was so elated I went mountain climbing for the first time in five years. But once the elation passed I found I needed about a year to get to a good energy level (I was 60 when treatment started).

That was me after the 1st week.I have since come down adn am trying to catch up on years of sleep depravation.If I could I think my body would sleep 15hrs a day.

johnb2 · Post by **johnb2** » Sun May 28, 2006 8:09 pm

Took a nice 2 hour "executive" nap today. I think I felt better after it. It's weird but I don't know why I felt like a nap, I just did.Of course I wore my mask. Something else I wear glasses and have noticed that my eyes are now watery and feel like I have dust in them. Anybody else have those things.

Regards

John

roadwarrior · Post by **roadwarrior** » Sun May 28, 2006 8:28 pm

Well, I've been on CPAP now for just over 2 months. I'll give a "before and after" list

Before Cpap:

* I got up 3 to 4 times during the night (usually to tap a kidney) and felt very unrested in the morning
* I woke up with headaches several times a week on average.
* I was dying to take a nap every day between 2-4pm, and did when I could. I still didn't feel all that rested after awakening.
* My thought processes and ability to work were terrible. My work performance was poor and my boss let me know it

After CPAP Therapy began:

* I now sleep through the night and do not have to get up to hit the bathroom even once PERIOD.
* I haven't had ONE headache since beginning therapy
* I not only don't need a nap in the mid afternoon I am able to do anything be it mental or physical once my day begins until I head to bed between 10-11pm nightly
* Not only have my thought processes improved, but I've gained new clients, my sales have increased and my boss has called several times in the last months I've been on CPAP and praised my efforts and the way things are going in the field. All he used to do was call to repremand me on what I needed to do.

So all I can say is for ME this has been a Godsend indeed as I knew I was suffering but hadn't a clue from WHAT until I had a conversation with several employees that I was working with at a trade show, ALL of which were on CPAP therapy and praised it's use. They STRONGLY suggested I get a sleep study....I did....and it revealed 416 episodes of obstructive sleep apnea (cessation of breathing), 36 of those times were in excess of 20 seconds. They said I'd be on my way to brain damage, heart problems and stroke. When my doctor got the study he said it's a good thing we found this out now as it explained my uncontrolled blood pressure readings he noted. All in all it's been a great experience........

johnb2 · Post by **johnb2** » Mon May 29, 2006 7:05 am

Congratulations Roadwarrior,

You have greatly benefited from Cpap. My benies are smaller steps and I think that it might be age related being that I am days away from 63. How much of a factor do you think over-weight is in recovery to "normal" sleep. If I wcould lose 100 pounds I'd feel a whole lot better.

John

Fromaginator · Post by **Fromaginator** » Mon May 29, 2006 7:58 am

I've been on BiPap for 3 days now, and I'm beginning to see that I'm probably going through the same thing Johnb2 is describing.

I think it's in large part due to the fact that I was undiagnosed for so long - looking back, it could have been as long as 15 years - and I only just turned 30!!

I've been able to manage 3-4 hrs continuously so far, but even that seems to be an improvement. I "feel" better rested, though I'm still napping during the day.

I think, bottom line, give it a couple of months and this "need" to sleep for ages will go away.

My sleep doc even told me - when beginning therapy, give yourself plenty of extra time to sleep than what you're accustomed to. Once the body realizes it's getting REM on a regular basis, it will want as much REM as it can gather - like a sponge to water.

roadwarrior · Post by **roadwarrior** » Mon May 29, 2006 8:49 am

I have no doubt that weight plays a huge role in getting better health in general. I too have been VERY frustrated in this regard. I keep think about how I was back in my late 20's and early 30's at a prime condition weight of a mear 158lbs. Now at age 52 I am near 250, and while I don't look overtly obese can surely feel the burden of the added weight. It doesn't help my high blood pressure either. I just love food, which is my downfall. I don't exercise anymore other than having to mow our 1/3 acre of lawn and other various household chores. I wish I was independently wealthy and didn't have to work, so I could have a personal trainer and nutritionist.

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