Wanting advice

I have been using a CPAP machine for 3 years. I am 43 years old. My initial test showed I stopped breathing 27 times per hour, which seems minimal in comparison to some I have read about. However, I was falling asleep at my desk and at times could hardly hold my head up. I believe I have had sleep apnea my whole life but was too stubborn to get the test. I am about 65 lbs over weight and my weight has not changed much since being placed on the machine 3 years ago.

The first year or two of being on the machine was mind blowing for me. I would wake up feeling completely refreshed....excited to begin my day. However as time goes by, I don't feel that way anymore. I feel tired every morning...my energy level feels like it has dropped again. I am not falling asleep at my desk or anything to that extreme anymore, but I am constantly somewhat tired.

My doctor adjusted my machine from 11 to an auto adjust - that didn't work and I asked him to change it back. After 2 or 3 visits with him, he is having me do another sleep study. Just curious to know if anyone has any experience with your apnea changing and did machine changes or adjustments do any good? I find it hard to believe that I responded so well to this treatment and now it doesn't seem to be working as well. Very disappointed that I am not experiencing that refreshed feeling anymore.

Short answer: Yes, OSA can get worse with time and a pressure that "used to work" may eventually not work as well as it once did. Data from the xPAP machine itself can be very useful in determining this, and it is not always necessary to get a new sleep test.

Longer answer: If the machine's data "looks good", but the daytime symptoms have returned, a new sleep test may be useful. There are a large number of sleep disorders, all of which have "waking up tired" and many of which have "feeling sleepy during the daytime" as significant symptoms. And it is quite possible to have other sleep disorders in addition to the OSA.

Question: What xPAP machine have you been using on a regular basis during the last 3 years? And which autoPAP machine did you use during the recent experiment? More than likely your machine records useful data and you don't have to wait for the sleep doctor to tell you what that data says and what it may imply about your pressure needs.