Feeling Weird After First Night

[lcole1013]

Hello All....
I am new to this forum. I just started using a CPAP machine last night. Full face mask. A ResMed machine. I was extremely uncomfortable at first. But with some patience I was able to keep the mask on for a few hours on the couch. Later I went to bed but couldn't lay down because it caused a lot of anxiety. So, I decided to sleep in the recliner. I woke up about every hour but managed to keep it on for 6 hours. The only really uncomfortable part was when the air pressure must of increased. It felt a little overwhelming.
So anyway....I guess it was a pretty good success. However, I feel very odd today. Can't exactly put my finger on it. Just a little off. Maybe it it because I was up every hour. I am also not looking forward to tonight. Seems easier to sleep without it. But my doctors insist I will feel better in the long run.
So, I guess my question is has anyone else experienced a weird day after using the CPAP in the early days?
Thanks to all who respond.
Have a great day....and a restful night's sleep,
Laura

[palerider]

welcome, laura,

please register and fill out your equipment profile, it'll help people give you better suggestions without having to inundate you with questions

[sleepydc]

First of all, congrats for going down this road; it's not easy, but the reward is amazing.

I would say you can expect to have a wide range of feelings and physical states as you try to adjust to the mask and the cpap. Not sure there is a normal as you work your way toward a new normal, at least in the first few weeks/months. But things do and can get better.

If you felt anxiety while wearing the mask, you might consider wearing it while you are awake and watching television, etc. The main thing is to keep using it, and to scour this web site for advice on all the different issues that can and will come up.

[Julie]

Hi - It's usual to have odd experiences at first, certainly it's a different way to go to bed , but if your pressures have been set relatively appropriately for you on your machine and you manage to keep your mask on the first night (at least for a few hours), things should improve quickly. You gave us no info at all about your machine (the specific name on top, model # underneath (but do NOT tip it over to look unless you've emptied the humidifier water first), and particular mask description, as well as what pressures were set. Without any of that, it's a bit hard to advise. Also, can you be more specific about the feelings you had - e.g. dizziness, spaciness, claustrophobia, uncomfortable mask (in what way), etc etc.

[lcole]

How do I complete a machine profile so that people on the forum know what I am working with?
Thanks!

[archangle]

There's some info in the link at the bottom of this post.

Tell us EVERYTHING is says on the top of the CPAP machine and we'll help you.

[LadyWolf79]

I have been on CPAP for a few months and can tell you that the first few days were a bit challenging. I felt off my game, where one day I would get (what I call) "a CPAP high', then the next night, a bit different. One night would be great, and the next, I felt like a "goldfish" breathing air. I can say I do not suffer from any anxiety, but can be jarred awake very quickly by a mask leak. Usually the fix is quick and I go back to sleep fast, which has not always been the case for the many years that I suffered from undiagnosed OSA. I researched this site and read many of the posts by Veteran "pappers", learned from new people posting on this forum, and realized that the acceptance for CPAP would require that I maintain an open mind and a positive attitude. It sounds like you are off to a good start. Keep working the mask issue, and before you know it, the treatment will become a habit and the pressures will no longer be as noticeable as they are in the beginning.

You are a part of the best forum around for learning about your condition, how to best take care of yourself, and get an occasional chuckle from other forum members. Welcome, and good luck with this new adventure!

[archangle]

Your body makes a lot of chemical and neurological changes to adapt to apnea. If you stop having apneas, you may be sort of out of balance for a while, just like when you stop smoking, drinking, or taking certain drugs.

[grayghost4]

That could be called "apnea withdrawal"