cpap/sleep apnea

Hi,

I've been recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. I've been wearing my cpap machine for the third week now and feel a lot better then what i use to. On my second week of using the machine though I've had some issues. I've had 6 episodes in my second week of wearing the machine. when i say episodes i mean I'm going along in my daily routine and my head will drop down for 15 sec. or so i can tell that some time has passed. when its over i continue on like normal. i was wondering if this is a sign narolespy or my body becoming used to the cap machine? your help will be greatly appreciated thanks.

There are all kinds of reasons why we can get tired during the day. Are you on any medications? Are you getting enough sleep at night? Are you doing things during the day that either wear you out or bore you to sleep? These days I'm tired during the day because of allergies that aren't controlled well enough by medication, and a new beta blocker.

"Getting used to cpap" wont make you more tired. All cpap does is keep your airway open WHILE THE MACHINE IS ON. The air pressure sorta pushes against the soft tissues in your throat and keeps them open so air can get into your longs. it does nothing for you unless it is on. You can't build up a tolerance to it, Pressures MAY not be high enough. Do you have data to see whether your apnea is under control?

There was a short period of time, where I felt the effect of lowered levels of stress hormones,
but not yet a lot of new energy. It was temporary. I felt droopy, but not drowsy--weird.
The stress hormones had me all hopped up, (giggle), so the reduction was a bit of a downer.
All this while I was getting my first real, decent sleep in ages, so not sleepy in the day.

If you had a proper in-lab study, narcolepsy would have been seen, certainly flagged as a possibility, and just dropping your head x a few mins probably doesn't quality. Is it really completely involuntary, or could anxiety maybe have a role in there?

Hi,
when i have these episodes i can not control them. the majority of them happened while sitting in a vichele, and 1 of them inside a store. after it happens i can tell time has lapsed. somebody watched me while i had theses, and they say my eyes are not closed i look straight down and mumble. I've been tested for everything under the sun. seizures, heart related problems, blood flow in my head and neck. all have come back negative. i got dignoised with sleep apnea and have these issues now.

chevy25001 wrote:Hi,
when i have these episodes i can not control them. the majority of them happened while sitting in a vichele, and 1 of them inside a store. after it happens i can tell time has lapsed. somebody watched me while i had theses, and they say my eyes are not closed i look straight down and mumble. I've been tested for everything under the sun. seizures, heart related problems, blood flow in my head and neck. all have come back negative. i got dignoised with sleep apnea and have these issues now.

See a neurologist

+1

This doesn't sound at all related to sleep apnea. I agree with the neuro consult.

That sounds more like a seizures - Go to ER.

ETA: do not drive there - get someone to drive you or take a taxi.

chevy25001 wrote:Hi,

I've been recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. I've been wearing my cpap machine for the third week now and feel a lot better then what i use to. On my second week of using the machine though I've had some issues. I've had 6 episodes in my second week of wearing the machine. when i say episodes i mean I'm going along in my daily routine and my head will drop down for 15 sec. or so i can tell that some time has passed. when its over i continue on like normal. i was wondering if this is a sign narolespy or my body becoming used to the cap machine? your help will be greatly appreciated thanks.

I definitely agree with the suggestions to see the neurologist.

Also inform sleep doc in case a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), which is not part of the test for obstructive sleep apnea, might be in order.

Julie wrote:If you had a proper in-lab study, narcolepsy would have been seen . . .

Narcolepsy can easily be missed in an NPSG, especially when moderate-to-severe OSA is present. Some estimate that as many as 50% of cases are "missed" during in-lab overnight studies. Generally, as I understand it, OSA is often treated first before narcolepsy symptoms are investigated, since OSA can at times mimic the symptoms.