Still sleepy

[Jules72]

I just wondered if anyone might know why this happens....first let me say I have been on cpap/bipap for about a year now and I'm still having trouble. I can't seem to keep it on more then about 2 hours a night. The question I wanted to ask is... On occasion I have kept it on for 5 to 6 hours this don't happen very often but I have noticed when it does the next day I am so sleepy I can't hold my head up. Last night this happened , I kept it on almost 5 hours and I didn't have to work today so all together I slept about 8 hours and I have sat at my kitchen table all morning dozing. It's awful I have so much stuff I want and need to get done and all I can do is sit here and sleep. Anyone else ever had this happen to them or any ideals. Thanks so much............Jules

[Wulfman...]

I just wondered if anyone might know why this happens....first let me say I have been on cpap/bipap for about a year now and I'm still having trouble. I can't seem to keep it on more then about 2 hours a night. The question I wanted to ask is... On occasion I have kept it on for 5 to 6 hours this don't happen very often but I have noticed when it does the next day I am so sleepy I can't hold my head up. Last night this happened , I kept it on almost 5 hours and I didn't have to work today so all together I slept about 8 hours and I have sat at my kitchen table all morning dozing. It's awful I have so much stuff I want and need to get done and all I can do is sit here and sleep. Anyone else ever had this happen to them or any ideals. Thanks so much............Jules

The "H5i" is the humidifier, not the machine itself. The name should be near the On/Off button or a model number on the bottom. It would also help if you could include your pressure settings in your profile.

Additional Comments: ResMed H5i Bi Pap-couldn't find on the list


Den

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[Pesser]

It will soon be a year and I’m still sleepy. I sleep all night with my gear. My pressure is 10 and my AHI is under 1. This is all the time. I am fully compliant. I get about 6.5 to 7 hours of sleep. The next day I really want to take a nap, but I’m too awake to do so. I remain sleepy all day. I’m wondering if bipap would help?

[Pugsy]

It was determined in another thread that Jules is using the S9 VPAP Auto.
That model selection in the profile equipment menu is a working link and Jules just needs to selection that model machine.

Sleeping without the machine is a problem. You can't use it for 5 hours and then take it off and sleep another 3 hours without it and expect to ever feel much better.
Guess what sleep the body is going to remember?...yep, that last 3 hours of untreated sleep apnea sleep.
This is made worse when you only use the machine 2 or 3 hours and sleep the rest of the night without it.
Even the best AHI in the world can't overcome that obstacle.

So the question is...why do you take the mask off and sleep without the machine?

[Sheriff Buford]

This hasn't happened to me. I appears that something is haywire in your therapy. It could be a large issue, a small issue or a bunch of issues that is causing you to not only feel bad, but unable to keep the mask on longer than 2 hours. Why is that? I do not know of anyone who has this dreadful disease who can sleep with the machine for 2 hours, then wake up feeling like a million bucks. If I were you, I'd start working every issue you have and conquer that issue one at a time. From your note, I'd first attack only wearing the mask 2 hours "issue". Even though you may feel worse by keeping it on longer, YOU HAVE TO USE THE MASK AT ALL TIMES WHEN YOU SLEEP. Figure why only two hours. Give us more info... we'll get you thru it. Hurry up, though... I'm going to Florida ! I am sure your issue aint' our first rodeo.

Sheriff

[Julie]

If your mask is uncomfortable, there are so many more you could try (check out Cpap.com for ideas).

[borgready]

I get the same thing. I don't get rested sleep either. I sleep soundly untill I wake up 2hr later. I will sleep 2 to 3 of these two hour cycles until I can't sleep anymore and I am aware of the mask, the airflow, leaks, noise, aches. So I get up. About an hour later, I get really tired and have to go back to sleep for an hour and will sleep soundly. Maybe I get through all my sleep and maybe I don't. If I don't I will get up and end up falling off in a doze a little later not using the machine. What I think is happening the mask is an annoyance and as long as your tired you don't notice it. But if your rested and in a light sleep mode toward the end of your nights sleep you notice the mask and aches and pains and anything else. Some how the mask keeps you out of rem sleep and you need that final stage of rem sleep to full fill the nights sleep. Otherwise, you just keep entering another cycle of sleep that tries to get that final stage of rem sleep. Are there any drugs that allow you to sleep but will allow the rem to take place. I have been thinking about nicotine. Are there any smokers out there that will wake up and have a cigarette, and fall back to sleep and get that final stage of sleep in and wake up fully rested for the day. I don't like smoking, but the gum or losengers or even the e-cigs might be a choice. Anybody use marijuana to help them sleep?

[Tatooed Lady]

I don't like smoking, but the gum or losengers or even the e-cigs might be a choice. Anybody use marijuana to help them sleep?

Whoa...this floors me. Firstly, WHY would you even consider adding chemicals like nicotine to your body if you aren't currently addicted? so many people would just about kill to be able to quit!
Secondly...I didn't check to see where you're from, but whacky weed is illegal, even for "medical" use, in most states. So, it's doubtful you'd get anyone to openly admit to smoking it...

[borgready]

I don't like smoking, but the gum or losengers or even the e-cigs might be a choice. Anybody use marijuana to help them sleep?

Whoa...this floors me. Firstly, WHY would you even consider adding chemicals like nicotine to your body if you aren't currently addicted? so many people would just about kill to be able to quit!
Secondly...I didn't check to see where you're from, but whacky weed is illegal, even for "medical" use, in most states. So, it's doubtful you'd get anyone to openly admit to smoking it...

I am sure there are some smokers out there on cpap. All I want to know is does it help them sleep. You might wake up in the early morning grab a cig and go back to sleep. Any smokers that are cpap users care to comment.

I have heard that marijuana helps people that might be restless or their mind won't shut down to find that calm to help them sleep. I am sure we got some pot smokers in some legal states or parts of the world that used pot and cpap at the same time. If you used pot at one point or another and found it helped you use the cpap it would be interesting to note.

[Jules72]

I don't know why I take it off only after a couple of hours , I just wake up and it's off. And after sleeping with it for 2 hours I really don't feel that great but, I don't feel nearly as bad as when I sleep with it all night. I have tried all kinds of new masks and I always come back to the full face......I go to see a new dr next month so I'm really hoping she will have some suggestions for me. Jules

[kteague]

Jules, seems you unknowingly remove your mask during sleep, right? I think you said you wake up and it's off. Couple things here... Once you realize it is off, what is the reason you don't put it back on? You may have to take measures to make sure you wake up if you try to take it off in your sleep. At one time I was putting bandaids/tape across the straps on my cheeks so the pain of removing it would wake me up. Now, whether you continue to use it after you wake up, only you can control that. I'm getting a little fuzzy on what I read where, but if I'm correct that your events are worse in REM, then I wonder if you know that the amount of REM generally increases as the night progresses. From what you are saying, you are rarely ever using the machine when you need it most. Early on I could have been a poster child for difficulty adjusting to cpap. I know people here wanted to shake some sense into me sometimes. I was challenged to accept responsibility for those things within my control. My worst habit was falling asleep before masking up. Bottom line was, that was a decision I made - a decision to not do whatever it was going to take to use the treatment. To solve it I had to commit to masking up while standing, never even sit on the bed until my mask was in place and my machine on. Whatever it takes. We have to do those things within our control and let others here help with the rest. Teamwork.

I realize I may sound harsh, maybe it is because you remind me of me. For that same reason I encourage you to make your first priority getting familiar with your data and make sure there is not something about your treatment that is working against you. Make sure your removing the mask isn't due to ineffective treatment. You can't be expected to succeed against those odds, so take care of that piece of business. Been there done that with settings that weren't working well for me. Once you know for a fact the machine settings are not harming you (hey, stranger things have happened), then do your part and watch things get better. It's just sad for so much time to keep passing with you not getting to reap the benefits of this. Let's turn that around.

[49er]

I don't know why I take it off only after a couple of hours , I just wake up and it's off. And after sleeping with it for 2 hours I really don't feel that great but, I don't feel nearly as bad as when I sleep with it all night. I have tried all kinds of new masks and I always come back to the full face......I go to see a new dr next month so I'm really hoping she will have some suggestions for me. Jules

Any reason why you always come back to the full face mask? As an FYI, I had similar type issues to you but found switching to the elan nasal cloth mask improved things although it didn't happen right away due my brain thinking I was still wearing the "dreaded" full face mask.

49er

[Jules72]

I think I breath thru my mouth so I don't know I have tried many others mask but I just like the full face..

[Wulfman...]

I think I breath thru my mouth so I don't know I have tried many others mask but I just like the full face..

Me, too. If you HAVE to breathe through your mouth, you're not going to diminish your therapy.

Taking the mask off is VERY common for many users in their early months of therapy. Happened to me, too. But, the thing is to recognize when it's happening and put it back on. Part of the learning curve.

Edit: I posted to this one before I read your post about your new doctor. Good luck with the new doc.


Den

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