Sleep issues still *Update :)

Looking for some help. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea about a month ago. I was given a cpap machine and have had mild success with it. My wife says that I no longer make noises while I sleep and overall I feel like I have more energy. The issue I am having is that prior to the CPAP machine I was waking up in the middle of the night and I would be wide awake for hours. This pattern seems to be continuing and occurring on a regular basis again. In fact, I think it is worse because when I wake up in the middle of the night (12 AM – 2 AM) I feel like I have even more energy than before so sometimes I don’t even fall back asleep anymore. I have a Resmed machine that only records how many hours the machine is on and provides no other data. I tried to swap it out but was told they couldn’t do that.

So a couple of questions, what would cause this to happen? I don’t think it is stress because my job is one that I get weeks off at a time and it occurs even during those week. Does anyone have any suggestions for sleeping through the night?

So far I keep getting tossed between my primary doctor, ENT and the place that did my sleep study. They all say I have mild sleep apnea but don’t address why I am wide awake when I awake at night. Any suggestions of where to turn next? At this point it is almost taking a mental toll on me.

dadof2 wrote: I have a Resmed machine that only records how many hours the machine is on and provides no other data. I tried to swap it out but was told they couldn’t do that.

What you're describing -- some improvement on starting PAP therapy, then a return of the pre-PAP symptoms early in the therapy, makes me suspicious that your pressure is not yet optimized to effectively treat your apnea. Did you speak with your doctor about writing a prescription for a data capable machine like the Elite or Autoset, or did you just ask the DME? The equipment supplier (DME) will of course say they can't swap the machine out. But if the doctor writes a very specific prescription and "do not substitute", or writes a prescription for APAP with a pressure range (min and max pressures), the DME has to provide what the doctor prescribes.

Read any good article (almost every major medical center's website has one) on sleep hygiene for some tips on addressing insomnia. What you eat, when you exercise, what activities you do in the evening hours, what medications you take, what your sleep environment is like (room temperature and ambient light), all these things can have an effect on your quality of sleep.

But my concern is that you may be missing an important piece of the puzzle (maybe even the most important piece) if you know nothing about whether your cpap machine is doing what it's supposed to be doing. Any doctor can write you a prescription, so if you're meeting with resistance from the sleep doctor, ask one of your other doctors to write a prescription that will get you a data capable machine.

If you are on a rent to own plan through your insurance company, when your doctor issues a new prescription the DME will have to take your brick back and and give you a full data machine. You may have to pick up the tab for extra months.

Links for information about Sleep Hygiene
Info on Sleep Hygiene
Sleep Hygiene Recommendations
Sleep Hygiene Tips

Just wanted to post an update.

I am finally getting a great night of rest every night, 2-3 months later! I went back to the doctor and he gave me a prescription for Trazodone. He said that it would regulate my sleep cycle. Sure enough, I took it for about a week and my sleep cycle was regulated and I was getting a full nights sleep. I am slowly weening myself off the Trazodone but I am still getting tons of sleep even when I don't take it. What is amazing is that my sleep is so caught up that even when I have a bad night of sleep (like a sick child keeping me up) I don't feel exhausted the next day. I haven't felt this good in years. Thank you for everyone's help and support.

Congrats!

Hooray for you.
What a great way to start a new year, with a "new" life!