When did you first notice improvement?

[CPAPNewbieJ]

Hi:
I was recently diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea... got my new CPAP machine had it for a week and I feel more tired just like before. I find myself trying to sleep all day, getting concerned because I thought that I would begin to notice something even slight improvement quickly. Concerned because it's getting difficult to function during the day. When did you notice improvement?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[LSAT]

It varies...some people notice a difference the first night, with others it could take months. Just keep a positive attitude and give time. If you have concerns...ask.

[Wulfman...]

Hi:
I was recently diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea... got my new CPAP machine had it for a week and I feel more tired just like before. I find myself trying to sleep all day, getting concerned because I thought that I would begin to notice something even slight improvement quickly. Concerned because it's getting difficult to function during the day. When did you notice improvement?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!

It depends on how soon your therapy becomes "optimized".......correct pressure, no major leaks, enough sleep time, etc.

If you'll add your equipment and machine settings to your profile, that may help us make suggestions for you.

If you have a fully data-capable machine, it will help significantly to use software to monitor your therapy, too.

Welcome to the forum.


Den

.

[Sheriff Buford]

It took me a little over 2 weeks. I woke up refreshed... and I haven't felt that well in decades. I will never forget that morning. Unfortunately, most folks are not not as blessed as I was. Like Lsat and THE Wulfman said, optimal treatment and each individual is different.

I wish there was an easier answer.

Work on getting a comfortable mask that doesn't leak.

Sheriff

[Bill44133]

I was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea(AHI 140). My first day with the bi-level cpap I slept for 12 hours. When I woke up I felt more rested then I had for years. I guess the worse you are the more likely you have immediate results.

[spotteddog]

Like you I'm just completing my first week. I noticed some minor improvement the first night. The 3rd night i slept over 9 hours but the 6th morning was the morning I got up and really went WOW. I was feeling better than I had in a long time. I average just over 7 hrs a night. I've had some issues with my mask but have modified my headgear and have a second mask being shipped so I should be set there for a bit. Many say that there is a sleep deficit you have to repay before you see major improvements. Best of luck. Keep us posted.

[Stormynights]

I don't think you will notice improvement until you get comfortable with your machine and mask. 'For some it happens faster than for others.

[NCRaiderGirl]

I really appreciate you asking the question because I just finished night 5 and I'm still exhausted upon waking (and sometimes longer). The almost instant, sometime euphoric results about which I've heard and read had me thinking that I'm the only exception. I guess we were't the lucky ones but I encourage you to "keep hope alive" as I will be doing the same.

[msla]

I am one of the lucky ones. I had a split study and felt better when they woke me in the morning after just a few hours of titration. I had a miserable time waiting for the "official" diagnosis and arrival of my original "brick." In 10+ years, I haven't looked back. I only wish that everyone had as easy a time as I did. Not much help to the original question, but attitude and perseverance are very important.

[johnthomasmacdonald]

based on what my sleep doctor told me, having mild/moderate apnea is a good news/bad news story. Obviously the good news is that the condition is less severe and that you will have had little to no damage already done. The bad news is that you may never feel "better" on cpap since you probably weren't feeling that bad to start with. Its use will be prophylactic. It will prevent the damage that would be occurring to your organs that you would be totally unaware of but that would pile up over time, night by night. The doctor said that the people who feel better almost immediately upon use are those with the most severe apnea because they basically weren't getting any sleep prior to the use of the cpap machine.

[jbarker18]

I surely can sympathize with you! I am on my 3rd round with cpap therapy and I have not found any relief or energy either! I have tried tons of masks and nothing seems to help! I have a full face mask because I am a mouth breather, but with the mask on and humidifier on 2 I still don't feel like I can breathe! I feel like I am breathing in dry, stall air so I end up taking it off! Good Luck to you and I will be checking on your replys to see if I can get some answers.

[Suzannaor]

Interesting thread with good information. I was wondering when you were supposed to see an improvement, too. I have moderate sleep apnea and have been using the CPAP since May. I am on my 4th mask and have decided there are no comfortable masks so am tolerating the current one. I sleep between 6 to 7 hours and don't feel any more refreshed than I did the first night. But my sinus problems have basically cleared and my irregular heart beat has settled down, so I know the machine is good for me.

[big_dave]

I felt like I was about 2/3 recovered the first night I used my CPAP machine, but it took about a year before I was fully recovered.

[mgaggie]

The only improvement I have noticed is no awful axe in the head headaches when I use my machine. I still feel tired, and consume way too much sugary foods to keep me going. But I have a large sleep debt to catch up on.

[zoocrewphoto]

I had a noticeable change after my split study as I went from severe (79 ahi untreated) to under 5 (I don't have my summary handy to check the actual number). I got 5 hours of sleep with the machine, and I don't remember a thing. It was great sleep, and after years of crappy disturbed sleep, that 5 hours was awesome.

Now, once I got my machine, I had to learn how to fit the mask myself, so I had issues with leak that caused me to wake up sometimes and also take it off sometimes. I also had a prescribed pressure range that went higher than my titration. At the sleep study, it went up t o 11, but I didn't sleep on my back long enough to get the actual pressure needed for my back. So, my prescribed range is 11-17, though it stays under 14 most of the night. It does go up higher sometimes, and that took some getting used to at first.

I did notice some changes right away. No headaches, fewer bathroom trips, falling asleep faster, very little tossing and turning, etc.

I didn't notice any great amount of energy, but I did realize I felt more cheerful in general, and somewhere in the first couple months, I stopped answering "tired" to the standard "how are you" every day. Even with a bad night of sleep, that isn't my standard answer anymore.

Now, when I do get a really great night, like 6+ hours straight, or 7+ hours combined, I really do feel extra good. And when I have had a rare 8+ hours straight, I am extremely awesome, with a very noticeable energy boost. I have been accused of drinking energy drinks. But those nights are still very rare for me. I think I have had 5 in the last year and a half. But that's okay. Because even a bad day with cpap is better than a good day without. It may not feel that way during the night when I am fussing with it. But during the day, I can tell. For example, if I fall asleep watching tv and skip a night, I feel like I slept okay, but I don't feel as good. And if I get lazy and miss a few nights in one week, or only get partial nights for a few nights in a row, I can see the old crap coming back. More bathroom trips, headaches, crankiness, etc. So, when I fail to use my machine, I am punished with the crap I used to feel. And now that I know the difference, that crap that seemed tolerable before is now horrid.