Re: A newbie message.
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 6:17 pm
Interesting updates. I actually went back to the clinic and met with the administrator. She was horrified that I had never met with her prior and couldn't apologize enough. Like I said I was surprised they only seemed interested in getting me to purchase the device and then blew me off. It was the number one reason I gave up so easy back in 2014.
So, I discovered a few things. I was diagnosed as SEVERE case of Sleep Apnea. Not only was I having more than 35 Obstructive episodes an hour but was suffering from 5 Central Apneas as well. When I told her I had put the mask away and gave up, she was really pissed than when I called the clinic they did not notify her. She got to me when she said at 64 and with my severity I was lucky to be alive and healthy. Not sure if that was accurate but it did get my attention. She also did not like the way my mask fit and suggested that the way my jaw was dropping the mask I had (medium) was not right. She went in the back and got me a new large size. I am using the F&P Simplus and it works really well on my side overall. She adjusted my start pressure up to 7 (was at 4) and my maximum up to 18 (was at 16). I only had a few days of information on the SD Card as but she saw I was hitting 16 at the peak so wanted to provide some overhead. She encouraged me tremendously and placed a lot of positive thought into my head. I am now abut 9 days into trying it EVERY night and I see her next Monday for a review of the card. I have had some good nights with as many as 5 or 6 hours with only one or two wake ups. I have no idea on the deepness of my sleep as I have NEVER noticed sleep issues on my own. If I had not traveled with other people, I would never have even gone to a sleep clinic. So that's one reason why using the machine has been so hard. Now I notice interruptions to sleep. I would go to bed at 11PM and the alarm would wake me at 7AM. My only indication where I knew in my mind something was wrong is I would get tired VERY quickly after doing a physical activity and then going out for a 30+ minute drive and get that road hypnosis. I never got that when I was young and commuted an hour each way.
One thing she told me was not to worry if I wanted to remove it during the night. She told me if having a bad night pull it off but go back to it the next night. I have had a couple of nights where by 2:30 AM I was struggling. But her encouragement was that 5 hours of CPAP to me was like 7+ hours of sleep for an non-apnea person. So to be encouraged and keep trying to increase my time.
Here's what worked well.
Getting a cervical collar from CVS and using it at night. This helped a ton with my jaw drop. I tired straps but they also pulled my jaw backwards which created more blockage when I was at peak relaxation. The collar helps a lot.
I also updated my bed which I desperately needed but wasted my money by getting the adjustable base. While nice for reading in bed, being on my back just doesn't work even if in the zero gravity mode. (Raised head and lower legs.) But the new mattress is more plush and comfortable so not sorry.
Here's where I am still struggling.
Leakage is getting better and better each nite. I am pleased with the progress over all but have discovered something disturbing to me. I am assuming I am hitting a deeper period of sleep than I have for a very long time. About 90 minutes after I go to bed, I will often wake to be mostly on my back and struggling to exhale. I don't mean a feeling of fighting the inflow but rather I snore on exhale and have to almost force it out. This seems to go away once I return to my side.
The other issue is cramping. I have always moved and tossed in my sleep. I would sense waking up but know I did. Now I lay on my left side and stay in that position. I wake up like I said between 2:30 and 5:30 AM and if in muscle stress yank off the mask. I then move around and stretch and eventually fall back to sleep. But of course without the mask at that point.
At east now however I am using the mask every night and have gotten into the routine so that part is good. I am curious if others struggle with the cramping I am referring to. It occurs in my mid and upper back muscles. It will actually keep me from falling asleep unless I roll onto my stomach. Can't do stomach with a full face mask. LOL That's why I typically pull the mask off.
I am at the point where the choking only occurs if I move onto my back. That's when I can't breath out and the airflow is max. On the good nights, I wake at 4:30AM + and am breathing fairly normal with little if any leakage. But the cramps get to me and I struggle to fall back asleep.
So I am down to trying to see how common the exhale issue us and also if anyone suffers from cramps and stiffness remaining in one position and what hey have discovered that might help.
Other than that, looking forward to having my history reviewed and get feedback.
Jeff
So, I discovered a few things. I was diagnosed as SEVERE case of Sleep Apnea. Not only was I having more than 35 Obstructive episodes an hour but was suffering from 5 Central Apneas as well. When I told her I had put the mask away and gave up, she was really pissed than when I called the clinic they did not notify her. She got to me when she said at 64 and with my severity I was lucky to be alive and healthy. Not sure if that was accurate but it did get my attention. She also did not like the way my mask fit and suggested that the way my jaw was dropping the mask I had (medium) was not right. She went in the back and got me a new large size. I am using the F&P Simplus and it works really well on my side overall. She adjusted my start pressure up to 7 (was at 4) and my maximum up to 18 (was at 16). I only had a few days of information on the SD Card as but she saw I was hitting 16 at the peak so wanted to provide some overhead. She encouraged me tremendously and placed a lot of positive thought into my head. I am now abut 9 days into trying it EVERY night and I see her next Monday for a review of the card. I have had some good nights with as many as 5 or 6 hours with only one or two wake ups. I have no idea on the deepness of my sleep as I have NEVER noticed sleep issues on my own. If I had not traveled with other people, I would never have even gone to a sleep clinic. So that's one reason why using the machine has been so hard. Now I notice interruptions to sleep. I would go to bed at 11PM and the alarm would wake me at 7AM. My only indication where I knew in my mind something was wrong is I would get tired VERY quickly after doing a physical activity and then going out for a 30+ minute drive and get that road hypnosis. I never got that when I was young and commuted an hour each way.
One thing she told me was not to worry if I wanted to remove it during the night. She told me if having a bad night pull it off but go back to it the next night. I have had a couple of nights where by 2:30 AM I was struggling. But her encouragement was that 5 hours of CPAP to me was like 7+ hours of sleep for an non-apnea person. So to be encouraged and keep trying to increase my time.
Here's what worked well.
Getting a cervical collar from CVS and using it at night. This helped a ton with my jaw drop. I tired straps but they also pulled my jaw backwards which created more blockage when I was at peak relaxation. The collar helps a lot.
I also updated my bed which I desperately needed but wasted my money by getting the adjustable base. While nice for reading in bed, being on my back just doesn't work even if in the zero gravity mode. (Raised head and lower legs.) But the new mattress is more plush and comfortable so not sorry.
Here's where I am still struggling.
Leakage is getting better and better each nite. I am pleased with the progress over all but have discovered something disturbing to me. I am assuming I am hitting a deeper period of sleep than I have for a very long time. About 90 minutes after I go to bed, I will often wake to be mostly on my back and struggling to exhale. I don't mean a feeling of fighting the inflow but rather I snore on exhale and have to almost force it out. This seems to go away once I return to my side.
The other issue is cramping. I have always moved and tossed in my sleep. I would sense waking up but know I did. Now I lay on my left side and stay in that position. I wake up like I said between 2:30 and 5:30 AM and if in muscle stress yank off the mask. I then move around and stretch and eventually fall back to sleep. But of course without the mask at that point.
At east now however I am using the mask every night and have gotten into the routine so that part is good. I am curious if others struggle with the cramping I am referring to. It occurs in my mid and upper back muscles. It will actually keep me from falling asleep unless I roll onto my stomach. Can't do stomach with a full face mask. LOL That's why I typically pull the mask off.
I am at the point where the choking only occurs if I move onto my back. That's when I can't breath out and the airflow is max. On the good nights, I wake at 4:30AM + and am breathing fairly normal with little if any leakage. But the cramps get to me and I struggle to fall back asleep.
So I am down to trying to see how common the exhale issue us and also if anyone suffers from cramps and stiffness remaining in one position and what hey have discovered that might help.
Other than that, looking forward to having my history reviewed and get feedback.
Jeff