Sleep Talking and CPAP Therapy Difficulties

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:39 am

I have been using CPAP for OSA since Dec 2005. I've never really felt the benefits from it they say you are supposed to get, i.e. weight loss, more energy etc. My other sleep related issues are periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome, talking in my sleep and fibromyalgia.

I currently am using a nasal mask, but oftentimes wake up with dry mouth and palpitations/chest pain. I am assuming that this is from talking in my sleep and the air going out through my mouth. I actually have felt better on the nights when I didn't use CPAP. I've been through cardiac testing and no problem was found other than mitral valve prolapse w/ some leakage which we knew about beforehand.

If I go to a full face mask, will I still be able to maintain a seal if I am sleep talking? I also have claustrophobia and suffocation fears with full face mask.

If anyone also has the sleep talking problem, I would greatly appreciate any input you have on your experience with sleep talking and CPAP therapy.

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:45 am

Lavendar,
Is it the having stuff between your eyes that cause the claustro? If so try the Hybrid or the Liberty, though my vote would be for the Hybrid.

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:50 am

No, the between the eye thing is not the problem. I think having something covering my mouth and nose would cause me to feel claustrophobic. I've tried quite a few different nasal masks and even nasal prongs before. I like the freedom of the nasal prongs, but I woke up in just a couple of hours with the inside of my nose hurting really badly and had to take them out.

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:54 am

have you tried a nasal pillow mask?

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:21 am

Lavender, do you still have the nasal pillows you tried? It may have been that you just didn't have your humidifier turned up enough to provide sufficient humidity. I found the nasal pillows much more drying to the nasal passages due to the air pressure blowing so directly into the nose. We probably need more humidity w/nasal pillows than w/the nasal cushion or full face masks.

I know the two nights I tried nasal pillows w/just a passover (not heated) humidifer I ended up w/chapped, raw nasal passages and couldn't use CPAP at all for another two nights.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:53 am

I've never really felt the benefits from it they say you are supposed to get, i.e. weight loss, more energy etc. My other sleep related issues are periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome, talking in my sleep and fibromyalgia.

wow, how strange to read someone else's words describing their own experience that is almost identical to your own ...except that i also sleepwalk/act out dreams

i usually use polident strips and though i can sometimes feel my lips moving (ie, sleeptalking) i don't feel air escaping

in terms of the fms, plmd and rls, have you had your ferritin levels checked? mine were extremely low and exacerbated my plmd, and of course the low iron added to the low energy; and are you medicated for the plmd/rls? these can contribute heavily to tiredness even if xpap therapy is going well

forgive me if you already know all this; just wanted to comment in case you didn't

sharon1965

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:21 am

I tried nasal prongs instead of nasal pillows. I just gave up and went back to the nasal mask after trying them a few times. I do use a heated humidifier. Maybe I'll try nasal pillows instead and see if they work out better.

Sharon, I have also acted out my dreams, so even though I've not been diagnosed I really suspect REM behavior disorder in addition to the other stuff. I've tried tape, but not the poligrip strips. I'll give that a try.

I think I'm mouth breathing too. I told my dr about my chronically stuffy nose and he gave me a steroid nose spray to try.

Thanks for the help. I think I'd definitely do better with the taping or poligrip strips than a full face mask.

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:24 am

Sharon, I forgot to reply about the testing for iron. My doctor does blood work every six months. I'm not sure if he includes this. It is a good point and I will bring it up with him when I see him for my appt in September. Thanks for mentioning it to me. I was taking Requip for my RLS, but stopped taking it. I currently take 1 mg of Klonopin at bedtime for sleep, RLS, and PLMD.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:28 am

I think I'm mouth breathing too. I told my dr about my chronically stuffy nose and he gave me a steroid nose spray to try.

lavendermist
do you know why your nose is chronically congested? just wondering, because i thought mine was due to year-round allergies when it turned out to be a severely deviated septum...i had that corrected in april and it's the best thing i ever did...i've stopped taking all the OTC allergy meds i've been on since i was 11 and i'm breathing freely for the first time in my life

also, if you're leary about the steroid spray ( i was!) you could try the nasal rinses that many folks on these boards swear by...i use the NeilMed Saline Flush Kit and it keeps me clear all the time

again, please excuse if you've heard all this before!

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:37 am

Sharon, I forgot to reply about the testing for iron. My doctor does blood work every six months. I'm not sure if he includes this. It is a good point and I will bring it up with him when I see him for my appt in September.

lavendermist, when you see your dr. ask him to to check the ferritin level specifically...this is a protein that stores iron...my sleep doc tells me it's the most sensitive test as of right now...the normal level is 10-250...mine was 6...with iron supps we've brought it up to 30, but he says in order to address the plmd and rls, it has to be between 50 and 60...so, still working on that and i'm really hoping it's the low ferritin that's causing the plmd so i can get off the requip if we can bring it up to that level

I was taking Requip for my RLS, but stopped taking it. I currently take 1 mg of Klonopin at bedtime for sleep, RLS, and PLMD.

can i ask why you stopped taking the requip? was it not working for you?

so you already know the unfortunate truth about underlying issues keeping you tired in spite of xpap...how much does that suck, right?

take care
sharon1965

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:34 am

Sharon,

No, I didn't know about the ferritin testing. I appreciate you informing me about it. Now I know exactly what to ask the doctor to test. I stopped taking Requip and a couple of other meds because I am on so many meds and wanted to decrease my medication bill each month. I am on disability and on many meds so that is a big issue for me. As far as the nose spray, I stopped taking it too. I'm not keen on putting steroids up my nose every day either. I think it was just easier for the dr to push nose spray than to find the cause of the problem. I will bring up the issue of a possible deviated septum at my next visit. I think that is one of my biggest hurdles with the CPAP is feeling like I'm not getting enough air through my nose due to the chronic stuffiness. I'm thinking of getting a netti pot and doing the nasal washing with water and sea salt solution and see if that helps. I agree that it does suck to have so many other issues that affect sleep in addition to the apnea.

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:54 pm

If you are having trouble breathing thru your nose, a full face (FF) mask would be an advantage. Here are two things to try.

1. Try a mask like the hybrid covers the mouth and uses pillows, but that doesn't cover so much of your face. I know it's your mouth that's the issue, but this might feel better than a traditional FF mask anyway. Or try a traditional FF mask, but make sure to find one that fits best for you. Try this in conjunction with step two.

2. Try a FF mask, but start off slow. Day 1: put it on for a 1 minute period then try to relax. Do this every day. After a while you will get used to it, then raise that to 2 minutes, then 5 minutes. Wait until you are comfortable for the 1 minute before you move up to the 2 minutes, ditto for the 5 minutes, etc. (Timing can vary depending on your comfort level. Once you are up to 1/2 hour, try it for naps. Just gradually work your way up in baby steps. You can continue to use the mask you are now using for nights, because something is better than nothing, but once you are used to the FF mask you have that as an option.

Good luck with working out the other issues, too.

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:30 am

Thanks Rose. I taped up last night and it seemed to help. That tells me that a full face mask is probably my best bet. Thanks for the suggestion of slowly easing into it. That is probably my best bet.

echo · Post by **echo** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:37 pm

sharon1965 wrote:
I think I'm mouth breathing too. I told my dr about my chronically stuffy nose and he gave me a steroid nose spray to try.
lavendermist
do you know why your nose is chronically congested? just wondering, because i thought mine was due to year-round allergies when it turned out to be a severely deviated septum...i had that corrected in april and it's the best thing i ever did...i've stopped taking all the OTC allergy meds i've been on since i was 11 and i'm breathing freely for the first time in my life

My 2 cents.... I also had chronically (alternating) stuffy and runny noses (nose? noses? anyhooo), and it was due to food intolerances- which were NOT diagnosable through traditional food allergy testing (blood tests or pin prick tests). First suspects are usually milk, wheat, corn, soy, and/or all grains with gluten. Mine are sometimes to usually accompanied by migraines or muscle aches, but not always. I tend to get the migraines when lack of sleep is combined with an overdose of foods I'm intolerant with.

good luck...