Difficulty Waking Up After Sleeping w/CPAP

My Husband recently started using a CPAP machine for severe sleep apnea. It has taken him months to get over the fear of claustrophobia and now can get about 2-3 hours nightly on the CPAP. The problem he is having now is waking from use of the CPAP. He says that he feels like he is waking from the deepest sleep. Often he has to go back to bed without the CPAP to re-wake up.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Hi, we need a whole lot more information to begin figuring out what's going on...

What machine (full name + model #) and mask is he using? At what pressure settings? How many hours is he sleeping (before and/or after awakening)?

Does he have any known issue with acid reflux at all (it often wakens people)? Best to avoid any triggers (caffeine, alcohol, spicy food) before bed - often by hours. What about his health otherwise, any recent labwork or diagnoses? Does he take medication?

Is it at all possible he's actually getting 'enough' sleep now on the machine but fewer hours because the machine is doing its job? You say he's waking 'from use of the Cpap', but how does he know it's Cpap that's waking him vs whatever else it might be?

Bingham16 wrote:My Husband recently started using a CPAP machine for severe sleep apnea. It has taken him months to get over the fear of claustrophobia and now can get about 2-3 hours nightly on the CPAP. The problem he is having now is waking from use of the CPAP. He says that he feels like he is waking from the deepest sleep. Often he has to go back to bed without the CPAP to re-wake up.

Has anyone else experienced this?

.

Well...of course he's having trouble waking up if he is only getting 2-3 hours sleep. He is sleeping deeper with the CPAP and should be sleeping 7+ hours.
He is waking from the "deepest" sleep. He should go back to sleep WITH the CPAP.

I apologize for not being clear.

My husband is having trouble waking up in the morning after using the CPAP. When he wakes up he is extremely groggy and very much in a sleep like state, in fact he drifts in and out of consciousness.

This morning he awoke this way and even after a hot shower still needed to lay back down for an hour of sleep, which he did without the CPAP.

To be honest, I really thought the CPAP would help him so much more than it has; however between his fear of the machine smothering him and his not being able to use it successfully in bed (he is sleeping sitting up or laying on the couch) I'm at my wits end with this.

He has already had one accident due to falling asleep at the wheel and everyday he walks out the door I pray for his safety as well as those around him.

I understand that he needs to be getting more than 2-3 hours on the CPAP; however that is the best we can get at this point. I would appreciate a little more consideration and empathy in replies here.

CPAP Machine: Fisher & Paykel ICON
Pressure: 13
Mask: Full face
Hours slept with the CPAP: 2-3 hours
Other issues: Obesity; acid reflux; allergic rhinitis

Which FF mask?

Which F/P Icon?

Any medication?

Is he taking anything/doing anything about the reflux? It can make quite a difference.

We'd like to help, but without knowing much, it's hard to advise.

Call his doctor! This is not supposed to happen!
He could have had a stroke--something not to be diagnosed on the internet!

I'm not sure why someone would jump to thinking he's had a stroke, but I do absolutely think his doctor should take his license away before he kills someone, if not himself.

We understand that you're having a hard time, but hard facts up front will go a long way to helping more quickly than sympathy.

I still feel that his condition is dangerous, for others and for himself.
The symptoms sound serious.
He might need a referral to a neurologist.
This is not normal for cpap use.
At the very least, make sure his exhalation vents are clear, open, and NOT COVERED.
Grogginess is often a symptom of excess carbon dioxide in the system.

If he is only using it it 2 -3 hours then of course he is sleep deprived.

Use the cpap machine for ALL sleep for 8 hours every night.

WOW! Y'all are very serious on here!!

No, he has not had a stroke.

My husband is 37 years old and other than the obesity and sleep apnea is very helathy. I understand that sleep apnea is very serious as is the obesity, we are actively working on both issues.

Julie, yes he is taking medication for the acid reflux and unfortunately I am at work so I do not have access to the CPAP to see what model ICON he has. I have added the face mask to this profile, Simplus Full Face with Headgear.

Unfortunately taking his license away is not an option either.

Not an option? He may well drive for a living, but killing himself or others is not optional. I'm sorry if I sound harsh, not my intention, but if there are no quick easy answers here - yet, that's because there aren't any - yet. I strongly suggest he be seen by another doctor, qualified in sleep medicine, and/or a neurologist who specializes in sleep problems. Without knowing more about what's happening there (and believing his wake-ups are as likely due to 'silent' GERD (reflux) that may well need more attention, I'm not sure what else to suggest. It might be helpful if your husband wrote in, giving a direct explanation of what he feels when... too often small, subjective details get lost in translation.

I should say that there is software that will track his sleep and Cpap overnight, but as he's on straight Cpap and not getting much sleep at all, I'm not sure if it would be appropriate yet to use it.

Asking again - "he's waking 'from use of the Cpap" - how does he know it's Cpap that's waking him vs whatever else it might be? Does he complain about trouble breathing with the machine on? Is the CO2 vent (patch of tiny holes) being covered by bedding when he sleeps? It must remain uncovered so he doesn't rebreath CO2.

Is there a reason he's not on autopap vs plain Cpap? I wonder if his own MD is completely qualified to deal with this situation.

chunkyfrog wrote:I still feel that his condition is dangerous, for others and for himself.
The symptoms sound serious.
He might need a referral to a neurologist.
This is not normal for cpap use.
At the very least, make sure his exhalation vents are clear, open, and NOT COVERED.
Grogginess is often a symptom of excess carbon dioxide in the system.

I'm no expert but, if it happened to me, I would go doctor-specialist.
I would try at least monitoring with a pulse oximeter.
As the saying Chunkyfrog, I fear excess carbon dioxide, I would check mask and all its parts, holes, etc. valve.
Help yourself and God will help you.

Hello,
Oltremare

Bingham16 wrote:My Husband recently started using a CPAP machine for severe sleep apnea. It has taken him months to get over the fear of claustrophobia and now can get about 2-3 hours nightly on the CPAP. The problem he is having now is waking from use of the CPAP. He says that he feels like he is waking from the deepest sleep. Often he has to go back to bed without the CPAP to re-wake up.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Bingham16,
Thus far, the folks who have responded have done so with the full intention of helping you and your husband. Take this situation as seriously as it IS. In your post you state "severe sleep apnea," is that your term or the actual diagnosis? Those of us here who have dealt with this for several years know how serious it is and are willing to help as much as we can. I know when I first started on CPAP I was lucky to find this forum and come to the realization that my internal knowledge set was not enough - I needed information and help in using it - that is what the folks in this community of shared experience provided. What I didn't need was a pat on the head and a murmured "poor thing." One thing I still don't understand is WHY he is "waking from the deepest sleep." What is triggering his waking up? Is it a schedule thing - has to get up to go to work at a specific time? If so, he may well not be going to bed and initiating CPAP early enough. If he doesn't start CPAP until 2-3 hours before he has to get up, then failure if practically a given. If he is on shift work, then sleep patterns may be somewhat out of whack, too. If too much light is a problem with his sleeping, get room-darkening shades (they helped me) or a sleep mask. IMO, the only thing standing in his way is a lack of information and the willingness to apply it appropriately. The same can be said regarding giving help - those responding need information in order to offer help. One last, perhaps brutal question: Why isn't he the one asking for help?

Bingham16 wrote:I apologize for not being clear.

My husband is having trouble waking up in the morning after using the CPAP. When he wakes up he is extremely groggy and very much in a sleep like state, in fact he drifts in and out of consciousness.

This morning he awoke this way and even after a hot shower still needed to lay back down for an hour of sleep, which he did without the CPAP.

To be honest, I really thought the CPAP would help him so much more than it has; however between his fear of the machine smothering him and his not being able to use it successfully in bed (he is sleeping sitting up or laying on the couch) I'm at my wits end with this.

He has already had one accident due to falling asleep at the wheel and everyday he walks out the door I pray for his safety as well as those around him.

I understand that he needs to be getting more than 2-3 hours on the CPAP; however that is the best we can get at this point. I would appreciate a little more consideration and empathy in replies here.

CPAP Machine: Fisher & Paykel ICON
Pressure: 13
Mask: Full face
Hours slept with the CPAP: 2-3 hours
Other issues: Obesity; acid reflux; allergic rhinitis

Treatment wont work until you get it set correctly, and use it correctly, and monitor the data with software, so you know its working. with the right info, people can suggest options and help.

Even when you get your treatment correct, it will take time for your body to catch up with the abuse given to it before treatment. This varies person to person. No sleeping without XPAP, Rule #1... Jim

Julie wrote:I'm not sure why someone would jump to thinking he's had a stroke, but I do absolutely think his doctor should take his license away before he kills someone, if not himself.

We understand that you're having a hard time, but hard facts up front will go a long way to helping more quickly than sympathy.

+1