I'm having a hard time sleeping with the CPAP masks

postitnote wrote:Not sure which doctor nixed the sleeping pill for your test but maybe you need those to sleep. Might need to ask another doctor. And how about medical marijuana? Would that work?

I have no reason to believe Enchanter has ever followed up with his doctor.
I have nothing against medical marijuana but do you really want to encourage Enchanter to take marijuana when you know nothing about his medical history?
Is Enchanter looking for an advocate or has that idea been dropped?

Dropped - tried to arrange privately but couldn't be done (for reasons not worth talking about here). He doesn't want an advocate, but a baby sitter to fulfil his every wish when he whines.

Enchanter wrote:If only you knew how hard it was. I never wished to have any of this.

Enchanter, I have lots of compassion for you. In fact, I do know how hard it is. I'm in it. I'm tired, I'm crabby, I hate having to put this mask on every night, I hate having to struggle to find the right solutions to get some damned sleep! I get it, because I'm there.

But, like with most of these health issues, nobody can do it for you. You might be able to find a good medical team to support you, but YOU are the one who has to find a way to do the work. I can't put my mask on and have you get better sleep. YOU have to find a way to make it happen.

Get an OTC sleep aid like ZQuil or even some bendaryl. Or see if your sleep doc can give you a prescription for some sleeping pills. If you wake up and the mask is bothering you, take it off, get out of bed and walk around for a few minutes. Then, put it back on a try again. Wear it while you're awake, watching TV or reading the computer. Learn to breathe in it without thinking about it. Spend 30 minutes a day with it on your face, meditating or whatever, just get used to its presence on your face. Every day you do that, you get one baby step closer to compliance.

I go through my own personal pity party about this whole apnea thing. I do cry out "Why me!!!???!!!" on occasion. I've wished for a magic pill or surgical option, but it doesn't exist, so looking for it is only going to upset me more. Instead it's better to just focus on what you CAN do about it, which is wear your mask as much as you can.

Nobody can do it for you. Only you can do it.

Julie wrote:Dropped - tried to arrange privately but couldn't be done (for reasons not worth talking about here). He doesn't want an advocate, but a baby sitter to fulfil his every wish when he whines.

Hi Julie,

You have been very kind to Enchanter and I know you gave it your all.
You have much more patience than I do.

Enchanter has been given lots of excellent advice by many forum members.
It seems he only follows advice when he feels he's losing the attention of forum members and then all of a sudden he takes a mini step.
It seems to me he is baiting us.

What I see from that last post is 2 things E.

1. What do do about your insomnia-- Talk to your Doctor. And follow good sleep hygeine.
2. You have headaches- Talk to your doctor.
3. You have sleep apnea. CPAP is the treatment.

That's the plain facts. If you do not want to do CPAP treatment, you are in the wrong forum and wasting time here.

Take Care and I hope you continue CPAP.

49er wrote: then you need to look at dental devices or surgery.

that was, as I think you may have realized, totally irresponsible of you to say.

Ahhh - she knows and addressed it in the 1-2 note after her other posting.

Sonya wrote:

Enchanter wrote:If only you knew how hard it was. I never wished to have any of this.

Enchanter, I have lots of compassion for you. In fact, I do know how hard it is. I'm in it. I'm tired, I'm crabby, I hate having to put this mask on every night, I hate having to struggle to find the right solutions to get some damned sleep! I get it, because I'm there.

But, like with most of these health issues, nobody can do it for you. You might be able to find a good medical team to support you, but YOU are the one who has to find a way to do the work. I can't put my mask on and have you get better sleep. YOU have to find a way to make it happen.

Get an OTC sleep aid like ZQuil or even some bendaryl. Or see if your sleep doc can give you a prescription for some sleeping pills. If you wake up and the mask is bothering you, take it off, get out of bed and walk around for a few minutes. Then, put it back on a try again. Wear it while you're awake, watching TV or reading the computer. Learn to breathe in it without thinking about it. Spend 30 minutes a day with it on your face, meditating or whatever, just get used to its presence on your face. Every day you do that, you get one baby step closer to compliance.

I go through my own personal pity party about this whole apnea thing. I do cry out "Why me!!!???!!!" on occasion. I've wished for a magic pill or surgical option, but it doesn't exist, so looking for it is only going to upset me more. Instead it's better to just focus on what you CAN do about it, which is wear your mask as much as you can.

Nobody can do it for you. Only you can do it.

I appreciate your intent. However things like Bendaryl and Zquil only work for a few nights then after that don't have any affect on me. So all these things are great ideas, but unfortunately whatever I do ultimately stops working after a few nights.

Julie wrote:Ahhh - she knows and addressed it in the 1-2 note after her other posting.

I'm just trying to reinforce it, so many she won't keep popping off with ill advised distractions

Sonnyboy wrote:

postitnote wrote:Not sure which doctor nixed the sleeping pill for your test but maybe you need those to sleep. Might need to ask another doctor. And how about medical marijuana? Would that work?

I have no reason to believe Enchanter has ever followed up with his doctor.
I have nothing against medical marijuana but do you really want to encourage Enchanter to take marijuana when you know nothing about his medical history?
Is Enchanter looking for an advocate or has that idea been dropped?

I do have conversations with him off this forum by email. It was a suggestion only. I'm not an advocate of sleeping pills at all. I feel those that can use them should but I would freak out if I had to take one! I won't have general anesthesia either. Pot is safer to me. Doesn't put me to sleep but I know people who do fall asleep right after they stuff their faces, lol. Odds are E won't take my suggestion anyway.

Enchanter wrote: Yes, it's what I do. Everything always has to be hard and I'll try. I wish it wasn't hard.

But like u said, if nothing happens after 6 months, something has to be done.

Enchanter-hang in there.

1) Wear your mask with the machine running outside of bed--reading a book, etc. That will help you get used to having it on your face and having the air pressure to breathe against. Getting more used to it will help you sleep better.

2) You need your titration #s to set your CPAP. Right now you're winging it and the settings you are using may not be appropriate. Hang in there and don't give up before you've even given CPAP a try with the proper settings.

postitnote wrote:

Sonnyboy wrote:

postitnote wrote:Not sure which doctor nixed the sleeping pill for your test but maybe you need those to sleep. Might need to ask another doctor. And how about medical marijuana? Would that work?

I have no reason to believe Enchanter has ever followed up with his doctor.
I have nothing against medical marijuana but do you really want to encourage Enchanter to take marijuana when you know nothing about his medical history?
Is Enchanter looking for an advocate or has that idea been dropped?

I do have conversations with him off this forum by email. It was a suggestion only. I'm not an advocate of sleeping pills at all. I feel those that can use them should but I would freak out if I had to take one! I won't have general anesthesia either. Pot is safer to me. Doesn't put me to sleep but I know people who do fall asleep right after they stuff their faces, lol. Odds are E won't take my suggestion anyway.

Like I said, I have no problem with medical marijuana. I use it myself for severe pain in lieu of heavier medications. I did the research and got the approval of two very good doctors before I started. I do not see that Enchanter is working with his doctor and I do not see that Enchanter is capable of making a decision on drugs independently.

Enchanter please remember you started all this because you felt bad, not using your cpap will only make matters worse for you not to mention the additonal harm you could be causing yourself.

I am the opposite of you I had NO problems with wearing the mask and sleeping with the machine. I love what this therapy has done for me the last 2+ years. I was miserable before and now when I look back at it I honestly don't think I could have gone on for much longer. I most likely would be "pushing up the daisy's" today no doubt in my mind.

Please think twice before you quit.


I wish you well...

Is medical marijuana actually a good way to help me sleep? Will it make me real tired the next morning? I'm open, I'm open.