Can't Sleep for first 4-6 hours with APAP, then sleep fine.

Sometime in the last year, I developed a problem getting to sleep with my APAP on for at least the first 4 to 6 hours I am in bed. When I finally do get to sleep (in daylight hours only!!), I usually need to sleep close to 12 hours before I feel rested enough to get up, and am still groggy for an hour or more after that. I am not working due to disability, so I can live with this schedule, but I would like to have more hours awake in my day, and during the daytime. I have tried various nutritional supplements. I had 2 sleep studies last week that confirmed a problem but that I think gave no help toward a solution. i will get a copy of the sleep study results after the dr. signs off on it on Wednesday (dr. not in until then). I am going to see the sleep specialist dr. (neurologist) at the sleep center on Thursday.

The first sleep study was without CPAP. I got no sleep for 2.5 hours without CPAP, so went home to sleep. I was told they could not do a CPAP titration if I hadn't slept at least 2 hours. It was supposed to be a split study with the purpose of the sleep study to do a CPAP titration.

The second sleep study, the next night, was a CPAP titration. I slept for 2 hours with a nasal mask, then had to get up for a bathroom break. I never got back to sleep. The titration only went up to a sleep pressure of 10 and the sleep study analyst (not a dr.) told me 10 was my ideal titration. She did not realize until I told her that I only got 2 hours of sleep and am used to using APAP with a range of 10 to 16, with the last SD card reading a year ago indicating I was hitting 16 often when asleep. The DME told me at that time that the next APAP prescription probably should allow me to go up to a pressure of 20.

My CPAP machine is now croaking after 5.5 years, but I think it was working great for at least 5 years, and the problem getting to sleep developed while the CPAP machine seemed to be working fine.

The problem with getting to sleep quickly started after cataract surgery a year ago, not sure how long after. After the cataract surgery, I could not tolerate any sunlight at all or using a computer, even with sunglasses, but I am over that problem.

Thank you for any ideas, suggestions, or insight on what may be going wrong and what may help.

I assume you use the autopap mode. If you do, try straight cpap mode If you use straight cpap mode, I'd switch to the autopap mode, and see what happens.

Sheriff

Sheriff Buford wrote:I assume you use the autopap mode. If you do, try straight cpap mode If you use straight cpap mode, I'd switch to the autopap mode, and see what happens.

Sheriff

This is what I did, switched from APAP to CPAP, was not sleeping well enough in apap mode 7-13cm, switched to cpap 12cm and I'm sleeping much better, I fall asleep faster also...worth a try.

I have tried various nutritional supplements.

These need to be reviewed because some supplements can interfere with sleep.

Here is a reminder on some basics:

- Practice good sleep hygiene (Google it and read several sources)
- Eat a good diet
- Have a regular, moderate exercise program
- Practice total abstinence of caffeine including sources like chocolate
- Review all medicines, vitamins and supplements you are taking to make sure none are interfering with sleep
- Optimize emotional stress in your life
- Use CPAP software to make sure your therapy is optimized

I need to get a new CPAP/APAP machine after 5.5 years. MY current DME says that the replacement they provide, with a prescription specifying an APAP range, is a ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset. What should I know about switching to that model machine?

My current machine is about to die, literally, and I cannot change the settings. The only thing I can do now is plug it in when I want to sleep and unplug it to turn it off. It will not shut on or off any other way and I can't change settings on the control panel. I am trying to keep the machine alive until I get a new one and this is the only way I have found to get it to work. it has shut off a few times while i was using it but still awake. I barely noticed with the Airfit P10 mask, so I didn't suffocate.