BEEN ON CPAP FOR ONE WEEK

When I had the sleep study done the first part of the study was miserable then they put the cpap on me and in 5 hours i felt like i had slept for hours and was very refreshed when I got up at 6 am (getting up at 6 is a major chore for me) but since I have been on the CPAP for a week-i still dont feel refreshed -it seems like it is helping but not like I did at the sleep study. Has anyone else had this happen? I also sometimes cant get to sleep before midnight -i cant seem to shut my mind off a lot of life things going on. any suggestions?

Many of us have had similar experiences, me included. I had trouble sleeping through the night with the mask on...took me about a month and five or six different masks to get to where I could. My best advice is to hang in there. It does get easier and your body gets more used to using the machine.

Hi mdpooch, and welcome to the forum!

There might be several factors that are working against you -
- If you're having leaks, then your therapy will be less effective (less air to your throat, awakenings)
- If you're using a nasal mask, you might be mouth-breathing or mouth leaking (then your therapy basically has no effect because it's all going out of your mouth instead of down your throat) - dry mouth is a good indication of this

There can be other reasons but let's get the above two sorted out first.

CorgiGirl is right though, if the damage of OSA has been going on for a long time, it can take some time before you start feeling better.

As for the mental parade keeping you up - melatonin might help.
Alternately, are the mask and setup are keeping you awake? Are you not able to sleep in your preferred position? Is the mask uncomfortable? Is the hose pulling on your mask? Is the pressure too high when you're falling asleep?
In time it will all seem like second nature!

Hey mdpooch,
Welcome to the forum!!! Check out the yellow light bulb for our "Collective Wisdom" and read read read......the more you know the better you'll be able to figure it all out.....



I hear ya on the feeling better after test......I've been on the xPAP for a year and a half and I'm still waiting to get that feeling I had the morning after my titration.....WOW!!!! I felt sooooooo good.
But that said, I do feel a whole lot better than I did before I started on the xPAP so it is working, and actually working pretty well....I didn't expect any miracles, and I really didn't get any -- I didn't get in this condition overnight, so I don't expect to get out of it overnight.....For me the miracle so far is that I feel so much better now!!!!
I found a mask that works -- the Headrest. I was first given a ComfortGel, which worked ok, but not great. I changed from a Medium to a Small and it made all the difference in the world -- it's now my "second mask". I rotate occasionally between the Headrest and the CG.
Once you find a mask that fits, doesn't leak (much), and works well you'll have it wired!!! Sometimes it takes a while to find the right mask -- it is the Holy Grail of xPAP.....A blower is a blower, but your mask is "where the rubber meets the road", to coin a phrase. If you feel that is the issue, check with your DME and see if they'll let you try some on for fit and function - some DME's have pretty good policies about that - -then again, some don't!!!!

Keep at it. Please keep coming back and let us know how you're doing. If you have problems or questions let us know as I'm sure there are answers.....You are not alone!!!!!

Good luck -- take care
cheers
goose

Am I the only one who felt like crap after their titration? I swear that mask leaked more than a sieve. I kept waking up the whole night, I still doubt that they performed a decent PSG. They gave me that same mask as my take-home one. The CrappyClassic as snoredog once referred to it

Goose is right - read read read, and find the right mask!

You really have to give it more time. It seems to help ,more after your body gets used to it. As far as not being able to shut your mind off. Some times a ssri can help. I used to lay in bed thinking of all kinds of stupid stuff that really wasn't that important. It is worth some research.

I read the replies, I appreciate the wisdom, last nght I devised a method to help me keep my mouth close, I caught it trying to open a couple times and I didnt realize that was why i would wake up in the middle of the night with dry mouth. So i think I am going to try a FFM. Once I did that I was able to fall directly asleep.

Alright mdpooch!!!!!!! Small successes is what it's all about!!!! They eventually add up to a good nights sleep!!!
Great news -- congratulations on your find!!!

keep it up
cheers
goose

Thought I would give you all an update.....I have been sleeping well since last Tuesday ...I have been on the CPAP for a little over two weeks my RT says I am right where I shoud be and I am Waking up with a lot of energey and it is really nice to breathe a night. I guess I can consider myself lucky, I have a chinstrap to keep my mouth shut at night.....my hubby likes that...LOL. HOWEVER I appreciate the Forum lots of knowledge out there and kind people. I will continue to be on the forum