Aproaching 1000 hours on APAP...lessons and challenges....

Sometime tonight, I will roll over into 1000 hours of APAP use.

By rights, I should have already hit that number....... but shorter than desirable sleeping, some missed naps, a few nights with active runny nose, and a few nights of power issues combined to keep my usage number lower. Even with the above, I am better then 90% compliant in used days.


Lessons learned:

I am not yet a good judge of how tired I really am. When at all in doubt, mask up!!

Keep saving for the alternative power equipment so no more hours will be lost to any length of power interruption.

Regular nasal irrigation -- and not just when I feel a cold coming on -- does help me.


Challenges......well, I have been lucky in adjusting to the mask....most leak lines are totally flat. My lasting challenges have been of unlearing behaviours of the last 30 years. When I start yawning at 10pm or so, I NEED TO MASK UP AND GO TO SLEEP!!! According to the Doc (and the data), more and better sleep in the earlier part of the night helps me feel less debilitated by any flurry of apneas in the early morning (when they do happen....) My ongoing challenge is to pay attention to my body, and stop resisting sleep. I resisted for so many years because waking up felt so bad and my functioning was compromised. WHen I give in to my body, I get more and better sleep, and wake up functioning.

I really would like to see what I can accomplish when my body is able to work WITH me.

J

Congrats on hitting that milestone, JayC! Your lessons learned are good reminders for us all!

Thanks, Rip!!

Here's to the next and better 1000 hours (1001 thru 2000). Hopefully, I fill get there in less than 6 months, with longer sleep nights, and few other glitches (colds and power issues)

J

Congratulations! And good tips, particularly about not taking chances on masking up. Early on I "accidentally" slept unmasked a lot. Tried to never lay down without it, just sit on the side of the bed to put it on. Wasn't enough - fell asleep sitting up. So for a few weeks, until I came out of my stupor, I would put my mask on while standing. It was the only safe way. To this day I don't lay down first, just sit on the edge till I'm "ready". Guess we all have to figure out how to get this right. Sounds like you've done a good job of that for yourself. Thanks for sharing, and may the next 1000 hours pass even sooner.