First night without CPAP in years = best night's sleep?!

I am maniacally compliant - so much that I've literally never missed a night on it since getting my first machine three years ago. But I'm moving across the country and due to a mix-up while packing, I packed everything but the headgear for my mirage Quattro. Naturally, I didn't realize this until midnight at a hotel in the middle of nowhere. I was actually pretty terrified to sleep without my machine, but I did it.

I woke up this morning feeling GREAT compared to any day after a night on the machine. I was alert, not groggy and sluggish like I always am after 8 or 9 hours of sleep on the machine. I only slept for six hours - I usually need at least 8 - and then drove for 12 hours without even feeling fatigued. I normally am only good for five or six hours of driving before I really need a break! Once I arrived, I even unpacked everything and am here wide awake hours past my normal bedtime.

What the hell!? I swear I got a better night's sleep last night than I ever get on the machine. This is really kind of freaking me out: I'm sure I had apneas and my AHI was through the roof, but it seems that the actual quality of my sleep was way better. I'm really not sure what to make of this since I usually sleep really soundly with the mask on.

How many bullets are left in that revolver? Most only hold 6, maybe a XPAP had more holes. I'll admit not using your XPAP, is probably less risky than a revolver, but in the end the result is the same. Jim

My "guess" would be you were super tired from getting ready for the move and the driving and maybe Adrenalin rush.


Den

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Black Shampoo wrote:I am maniacally compliant - so much that I've literally never missed a night on it since getting my first machine three years ago. But I'm moving across the country and due to a mix-up while packing, I packed everything but the headgear for my mirage Quattro. Naturally, I didn't realize this until midnight at a hotel in the middle of nowhere. I was actually pretty terrified to sleep without my machine, but I did it.

I woke up this morning feeling GREAT compared to any day after a night on the machine. I was alert, not groggy and sluggish like I always am after 8 or 9 hours of sleep on the machine. I only slept for six hours - I usually need at least 8 - and then drove for 12 hours without even feeling fatigued. I normally am only good for five or six hours of driving before I really need a break! Once I arrived, I even unpacked everything and am here wide awake hours past my normal bedtime.

What the hell!? I swear I got a better night's sleep last night than I ever get on the machine. This is really kind of freaking me out: I'm sure I had apneas and my AHI was through the roof, but it seems that the actual quality of my sleep was way better. I'm really not sure what to make of this since I usually sleep really soundly with the mask on.

Very common phenomenon. If you actually need PAP therapy, you can do well for a few days after cessation of therapy, but the problem will recur. The cause of this reflex mechanism is unclear

Curious why the headgear was not on the frame? .

Well, I'm all for a good night's sleep, but So what are your thoughts going forward? I mean, are you entertaining any notion of continuing without the machine? How long has it been since you last sleep study?

There has been some mention of "therapy carry-over", but coincidence is at least as likely.
Spontaneous cures are generally considered miraculous, and should be verified;
-just for us unbelievers and the DOT.

How active are you normally? I work in an office, sitting on my butt all day...and I get tired and groggy day after day. Then the weekend comes and I'm much more active. Busy and active days energize me. I suspect that the process of moving, and likely the desire to get to your destination, is pushing you forward.

I'm watching this thread with interest. Part of my issue is that I also sleep better on the nights I don't use my machine. I use it because I know my body needs the oxygen. However, I don't feel one bit better when I use my machine and that makes it easy to go a night or two without it. I sleep better and feel better the next day. I see my sleep doctor twice a year and she goes over all the data with me and says my ahi (always under 3) and leaks are very low. She says there is a big improvement since my sleep study when my ahi was 45 with destats under 85.

I think the OP having the best night's sleep without the machine isn't the big surprise others think it is. I think quite possibly over all health has a lot to do with it.

Lucyhere wrote:I'm watching this thread with interest. Part of my issue is that I also sleep better on the nights I don't use my machine. I use it because I know my body needs the oxygen. However, I don't feel one bit better when I use my machine and that makes it easy to go a night or two without it. I sleep better and feel better the next day. I see my sleep doctor twice a year and she goes over all the data with me and says my ahi (always under 3) and leaks are very low. She says there is a big improvement since my sleep study when my ahi was 45 with destats under 85.

I think the OP having the best night's sleep without the machine isn't the big surprise others think it is. I think quite possibly over all health has a lot to do with it.

A lot of the improvements I have took some time to show up. That requires continuous use. They weren't something I could see over night, or even a few nights.

More cheerful.
Not more energetic really, but thoughts of more activity (ie, I thought of dancing when a favorite song came on, something I had not done in years)
Sometime in the 2-3 week range, I stopped answering "Tired" when people asked me "How are you?"
Long time since a headache (I thought they were sinus headaches, apparently not)
I don't toss and turn all night
I fall asleep with 5-10 minutes now
I sleep much better when traveling now (which is strange as I now sleep better in hotels than at home, yet it used to be far worse in hotels than at home)
No more tense sleeping with clenched arms that fall asleep - used to be random, so took awhile to notice it was gone
My blood pressure improved (but will spike again if I miss more than a couple hours)


Once I was using cpap for awhile, I could recognize more instant changes that will comeback quickly if I fall asleep without my machine or take it off in the night. I consider this my incentive to keep at it consistently.

Headaches
Gasping choking fits
dreams of being chased
blood pressure immediately goes back to high
extra bathroom trips


A lot of symptoms can be resolved with cpap use (at optimum settings), but it takes continuous usage to build up. Just like some medications don't give immediate results. They need to build up in your system before you notice the improvements.

I don't want my wife finding me in bed with a stroke or dead in the morning, saying, "My he looks like he did sleep better without that mask, no marks at all." Jim

Lucyhere wrote:I'm watching this thread with interest. Part of my issue is that I also sleep better on the nights I don't use my machine. I use it because I know my body needs the oxygen. However, I don't feel one bit better when I use my machine and that makes it easy to go a night or two without it. I sleep better and feel better the next day. I see my sleep doctor twice a year and she goes over all the data with me and says my ahi (always under 3) and leaks are very low. She says there is a big improvement since my sleep study when my ahi was 45 with destats under 85.

I think the OP having the best night's sleep without the machine isn't the big surprise others think it is. I think quite possibly over all health has a lot to do with it.

If you're using your Autoset in a range of pressures, I would guess it's the changing pressures that are keeping you out of your needed sleep stages.......which means you're spending most of the night in lighter sleep stages. So, if that's the case, your observations don't surprise me at all.

Den

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Den and Zoocrew - I am having a at home sleep study next Thursday night because my doctor doesn't understand why I feel as I do either. Even though I had a sleep study in a lab two and a half years ago, she said there is nothing to lose and more to gain by having another one. I'd like to get to the bottom of this myself. Looking forward to seeing the data. Thank you both for your responses.

Lucyhere wrote:Den and Zoocrew - I am having a at home sleep study next Thursday night because my doctor doesn't understand why I feel as I do either. Even though I had a sleep study in a lab two and a half years ago, she said there is nothing to lose and more to gain by having another one. I'd like to get to the bottom of this myself. Looking forward to seeing the data. Thank you both for your responses.

Lucy,

What are your settings? If you don't already use Sleepyhead software, I'd strongly urge you to get it and see for yourself what's going on. There may be plenty of clues there.


Den

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Wulfman... wrote:

Lucyhere wrote:Den and Zoocrew - I am having a at home sleep study next Thursday night because my doctor doesn't understand why I feel as I do either. Even though I had a sleep study in a lab two and a half years ago, she said there is nothing to lose and more to gain by having another one. I'd like to get to the bottom of this myself. Looking forward to seeing the data. Thank you both for your responses.

Lucy,

What are your settings? If you don't already use Sleepyhead software, I'd strongly urge you to get it and see for yourself what's going on. There may be plenty of clues there.


Den

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As I started to type this I noticed a blue thing where my machine is shown on here. Wrong machine. I'll correct it as soon as I type this. I obviously hit the wrong thing though I was sure it was the right one. My machine is a Vpap Auto. Settings if I remember correctly are 7/11. I probably will install Sleepyhead but at this point I'll wait until after the sleep study next week. I check the little screen every few weeks and ahi is okay and the little man is smiling. Could be his smile is just glued on there? Thanks again.