New to CPAP

Start off by saying I'm 74 years old and have felt fatigued for so long I can't remember when I felt normal. I've had my sleep test and my AHI was 50.1 and I've been using the machine for 11 days and I keep the mask on all night. I wake at least a couple of times during the night but it isn't from using the machine it's just from body aches and pains but I manage to go back to sleep. I must say that I have a good DME and my therapist that I deal with has been on CPAP for 9 years so that helps. I've tried to read everything I can on sleep apnea and I've learned a lot from this forum. I feel pretty good for awhile after I get up and then I start to tire out. I realize I probably have a large sleep debt to pay back before I start to feel good all day. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude on this and realize one day with good luck it will all come together and I may feel normal again. Also found out about a month and a half ago my Thyroid wasn't putting out enough so I've started Thyroid medicine and were just about to get it where it should be. So in away I had to things working against me. Love the forum and I may not post much but it's the first thing I read everyday.

Welcome to the forum. Lots of really nice people here.

Welcome squid.

You're lucky you got a good machine that you can monitor your therapy with. Remember that even if you don't feel better, you are preventing bad things from happening to you. Are you feeling better right after you wake up than you did before CPAP?

11 days is not that long to start really getting used to the effects of CPAP. I don't really like the term "sleep debt", but there is a healing process once you stop hurting your body with apnea.