CPAP makes it worse ?

I would love to know if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem. I will try to be as brief as possible. I have a ResMed SystemOne and use a p10 nasal pillow mask. I have started tracking my data using SleepMapper. When I check my data, my apnea rate is less than 2 during usage and my leaks are almost nonexistent, just a minute or so on occasion. The more I use my machine THE WORSE I FEEL! I seriously feel worse and worse each day. I can only make it 3 or4 nights and then I have to skip a night or two. When I skip I feel better for up to about 3 days. What gives? I get 4-6 hours of really good usage and each day I feel more drained. My doctor won't medicate or even order additional tests until I show him that my apnea is being "sufficiently treated." Meaning, an average of 6 hours per night 90% of nights. I cannot get there because I have to skip a couple of nights each week to keep from losing it. This has been going on for months! I used to be on meds ( Dexedrine and provigil) but between my old doc retiring and my insurance changing I am left high and dry and my life is falling apart. Can anyone offer any advice or does proper cpap usage make anyone else feel more horrible? I feel like I am going a bit mad. Need to know I am not alone.

sleepybirdiowa wrote:I would love to know if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem. I will try to be as brief as possible. I have a ResMed SystemOne and use a p10 nasal pillow mask. I have started tracking my data using SleepMapper. When I check my data, my apnea rate is less than 2 during usage and my leaks are almost nonexistent, just a minute or so on occasion. The more I use my machine THE WORSE I FEEL! I seriously feel worse and worse each day. I can only make it 3 or4 nights and then I have to skip a night or two. When I skip I feel better for up to about 3 days. What gives? I get 4-6 hours of really good usage and each day I feel more drained. My doctor won't medicate or even order additional tests until I show him that my apnea is being "sufficiently treated." Meaning, an average of 6 hours per night 90% of nights. I cannot get there because I have to skip a couple of nights each week to keep from losing it. This has been going on for months! I used to be on meds ( Dexedrine and provigil) but between my old doc retiring and my insurance changing I am left high and dry and my life is falling apart. Can anyone offer any advice or does proper cpap usage make anyone else feel more horrible? I feel like I am going a bit mad. Need to know I am not alone.

Can you tell us exactly what machine you have? System One machines are Respironics, not Resmed. If the machine is Respironics, can you post the numbers on the bottom of the machine. Probably something like 450, 550, etc. If it is a resmed machine, there will be a name on the front such as Elite, autoset, etc.

Next, what are your pressure settings? Are you using an auto range? Do you know what your typical ahi is? Have you looked at your nightly graphs to see if the events are long or short, and if they are spread out or in clusters?

Do you wake up frequently? If you are waking up a lot, your sleep quality will be horrible even if the apnea events are being treated.

How many hours of sleep are you getting each night? How much with the machine? How much without?

sleepybirdiowa wrote:I would love to know if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem. I will try to be as brief as possible. I have a ResMed SystemOne and use a p10 nasal pillow mask. I have started tracking my data using SleepMapper. When I check my data, my apnea rate is less than 2 during usage and my leaks are almost nonexistent, just a minute or so on occasion. The more I use my machine THE WORSE I FEEL! I seriously feel worse and worse each day. I can only make it 3 or4 nights and then I have to skip a night or two. When I skip I feel better for up to about 3 days. What gives? I get 4-6 hours of really good usage and each day I feel more drained. My doctor won't medicate or even order additional tests until I show him that my apnea is being "sufficiently treated." Meaning, an average of 6 hours per night 90% of nights. I cannot get there because I have to skip a couple of nights each week to keep from losing it. This has been going on for months! I used to be on meds ( Dexedrine and provigil) but between my old doc retiring and my insurance changing I am left high and dry and my life is falling apart. Can anyone offer any advice or does proper cpap usage make anyone else feel more horrible? I feel like I am going a bit mad. Need to know I am not alone.

Same questions as zoocrew. In addition, are the meds you were on ones you need to taper off of and you had to stop cold turkey because your dr. retired and you couldn't get refills? I took Provigil for a while before I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. It was prescribed to make me able to be awake during normal business hours, as my internal clock wants me to get up no earlier than noon. I remember being tired in the afternoon, but it gave me a temporary boost in the morning.

Sleepyhead software will give you much more data and is available for free. You just need to download the Sleepyhead software, then you can plug your CPAP machine's SD into the computer SD card reader and find out lots of data on what is happening when you sleep with the machine. People here will help you interpret the results. It gives you a lot more detail than SleepMapper.

How old is your machine? My therapy started being much less effective (and my sleep was worse) when the machine (a Phillips Respironics System One, of which there are numerous models) passed its fifth birthday and eventually croaked. I didn't realize how bad things had gotten until I got a new machine.

How old is your P10 headgear? I used mine for 1.5 years and thought it fit great, but it turned out to be causing large leaks. I got a new P10 and the leaks stopped.

Most of us find that our xPAP therapy needs tweaking, but when things are set up the way you need them to be, you should feel better sleeping with the machine. I can't sleep at all without mine, after being diagnosed about 6 years ago.

As you look for reasons why, I'll add another question to the mix. Did your sleep studies make any mention of limb movements or have you been told your legs move a lot in your sleep? It 's not unusual for one with limb movement issues to find it shows up, or shows up more, after starting CPAP. If your answer is yes we can discuss it more.

sleepybirdiowa wrote:I would love to know if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem. I will try to be as brief as possible. I have a ResMed SystemOne and use a p10 nasal pillow mask. I have started tracking my data using SleepMapper. When I check my data, my apnea rate is less than 2 during usage and my leaks are almost nonexistent, just a minute or so on occasion. The more I use my machine THE WORSE I FEEL! I seriously feel worse and worse each day. I can only make it 3 or4 nights and then I have to skip a night or two. When I skip I feel better for up to about 3 days. What gives? I get 4-6 hours of really good usage and each day I feel more drained. My doctor won't medicate or even order additional tests until I show him that my apnea is being "sufficiently treated." Meaning, an average of 6 hours per night 90% of nights. I cannot get there because I have to skip a couple of nights each week to keep from losing it. This has been going on for months! I used to be on meds ( Dexedrine and provigil) but between my old doc retiring and my insurance changing I am left high and dry and my life is falling apart. Can anyone offer any advice or does proper cpap usage make anyone else feel more horrible? I feel like I am going a bit mad. Need to know I am not alone.

sleepybirdiowa,

I had a similar type situation with my sleep doctor regarding Provigil and said in a diplomatic manner that what he was asking me to do was like asking a blind person to read a book. He prescribed it and hopefully, I don't have to wait for a preauthorization from my insurance company. If you register for the forum and send me a PM, I can tell you more about what happened if you want since I don't want to get too much off topic.

My point is if meds have worked for you in the past and have helped with you being able to use the machine, you might want to try a similar type strategy if you think your doctor will be receptive. To be honest, I would be reluctant to try this with most doctors but I felt it would work with this one and it did to his credit.

49er

sleepybirdiowa wrote:I would love to know if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem. I will try to be as brief as possible. I have a ResMed SystemOne and use a p10 nasal pillow mask. I have started tracking my data using SleepMapper. When I check my data, my apnea rate is less than 2 during usage and my leaks are almost nonexistent, just a minute or so on occasion. The more I use my machine THE WORSE I FEEL! I seriously feel worse and worse each day. I can only make it 3 or4 nights and then I have to skip a night or two. When I skip I feel better for up to about 3 days. What gives? I get 4-6 hours of really good usage and each day I feel more drained. My doctor won't medicate or even order additional tests until I show him that my apnea is being "sufficiently treated." Meaning, an average of 6 hours per night 90% of nights. I cannot get there because I have to skip a couple of nights each week to keep from losing it. This has been going on for months! I used to be on meds ( Dexedrine and provigil) but between my old doc retiring and my insurance changing I am left high and dry and my life is falling apart. Can anyone offer any advice or does proper cpap usage make anyone else feel more horrible? I feel like I am going a bit mad. Need to know I am not alone.

First of all, most everyone who has substandard therapy (including settings) will feel the way you do.

Second, the machine you say you have doesn't exist. ResMed is one company which makes the S9 and A10 machines and Philips/Respironics makes the System One.

Sleepmapper is not well thought of on the forum. But, it is a software system used by Philips/Respironics users and machines.

We have no idea what model of machine you have ("System One" is a generational name and not specific model) or what your settings are.

My guess would be that you're using an APAP/Auto in a wide range of pressures that is delivering substandard therapy. The changing pressures could be disturbing your sleep all night long.
Since you're using a nasal mask, you also may be leaking your therapy air out your mouth. (even though the reporting software shows "good" leakage numbers)
And, finally, 4 - 6 hours of sleep isn't nearly enough to feel "restored".

Please come back and register on the forum and tell us more.


Den

.

Sounds like an addict that has been cut off, to me, and now looking for techniques to get a new 'scrip for pills.

I was afraid that my GP would prescribe me amphetamines to use until I finally got my CPAP.