Does Apnea get WORSE?

Does apnea get worse over time, even with therapy?

I've only been on cpap a little over a month, with great results until recently.
( viewtopic/t43307/HELP-Not-sleeping-thru ... ymore.html )

Maybe I'm just panicing, but I feel like my apnea IS getting worse, and my machine isn't helping any longer. I'd like to hear from some of you long-time sufferers, if your apnea has gotten worse over time, and what I can expect.

Thank's
John

That hasn't been my experience, at all. But I suppose there are several possible causes to be considered.

Could it be you improved dramatically at first and now improvement has tapered off to the point it seems like it stopped? Or do you now have worse symptoms than before you started therapy? If so, it this just a perception, or does the data back it up?

It may be your optimum pressure has changed and the old one isn't delivering any more.

Have you changed any equipment? Does your mask leak more than it used to?

John,

When I see these kinds of posts, and I look at the equipment in the person's profile and see a nasal mask......I immediately think of "mouth leaking". Are you taking any precautions against that happening?

The first several months can have their ups and downs, but "all things being equal", it shouldn't be getting worse.

Another thought......are you getting ENOUGH sleep?

Den

I vote panicing....

Reading your other post where your just had your worst night with an AI of 1.6, or something like that, I am thinking you may be panicing a little. Just think about those who have been on therapy for years and have a hard time keeping it under 10.0 or worse... According to you, in your first set of posts in the other thread, your numbers were good and leaks under control, but you are now starting to feel fatigue when you wake up. If the numbers are still good (which they appear to be), then it is probably something else or it's your body's way of telling you that it's caught up on sleep. I know that since I got on CPAP, I need ALOT less sleep than I used to and if I try to sleep any longer that my body suggests, I wake up feeling fatigued all day.

Just a thought, IMO.

Kevin

LinkC wrote:That hasn't been my experience, at all. But I suppose there are several possible causes to be considered.

Could it be you improved dramatically at first and now improvement has tapered off to the point it seems like it stopped? Or do you now have worse symptoms than before you started therapy? If so, it this just a perception, or does the data back it up?

It may be your optimum pressure has changed and the old one isn't delivering any more.

Have you changed any equipment? Does your mask leak more than it used to?

Yes, there was a dramic improvement at first.

Symptoms feel before I started, not better, or worse.

The data "sort of" backs me up, the numbers are all over the place, instead of a constant line.

Sill using the same equipment, leaks for the most part are good.

Optimum pressure......now THAT, could be the problem! When I first started using my cpap, I could feel the air being forced into my nose. NOW, it feels like I have to "suck it in".

Wulfman wrote:John,

When I see these kinds of posts, and I look at the equipment in the person's profile and see a nasal mask......I immediately think of "mouth leaking". Are you taking any precautions against that happening?

The first several months can have their ups and downs, but "all things being equal", it shouldn't be getting worse.

Another thought......are you getting ENOUGH sleep?

Den

I don't do anything to prevent mouth leaking, but my overall leak #'s are good, and I don't think I have a problem with that.

Am I getting enough sleep? I doubt it! My average for the past month was 6:15. I'm getting anywhere from 3-9 hours, with no two nights the same.

Komodo wrote:

LinkC wrote:That hasn't been my experience, at all. But I suppose there are several possible causes to be considered.

Could it be you improved dramatically at first and now improvement has tapered off to the point it seems like it stopped? Or do you now have worse symptoms than before you started therapy? If so, it this just a perception, or does the data back it up?

It may be your optimum pressure has changed and the old one isn't delivering any more.

Have you changed any equipment? Does your mask leak more than it used to?

Yes, there was a dramic improvement at first.

Symptoms feel before I started, not better, or worse.

The data "sort of" backs me up, the numbers are all over the place, instead of a constant line.

Sill using the same equipment, leaks for the most part are good.

Optimum pressure......now THAT, could be the problem! When I first started using my cpap, I could feel the air being forced into my nose. NOW, it feels like I have to "suck it in".

Isn't it great to finally be able to breathe normally and not feel that the machine is shoving air down your nose, stifling you and making it hard to exhale? I was glad when I started getting used to the pressure, it allowed me to back off the EPR/C-Flex a little and get rid of the ramp.

klockemy wrote:I vote panicing....

Reading your other post where your just had your worst night with an AI of 1.6, or something like that, I am thinking you may be panicing a little. Just think about those who have been on therapy for years and have a hard time keeping it under 10.0 or worse... According to you, in your first set of posts in the other thread, your numbers were good and leaks under control, but you are now starting to feel fatigue when you wake up. If the numbers are still good (which they appear to be), then it is probably something else or it's your body's way of telling you that it's caught up on sleep. I know that since I got on CPAP, I need ALOT less sleep than I used to and if I try to sleep any longer that my body suggests, I wake up feeling fatigued all day.

Just a thought, IMO.

Kevin

I don't think I've caught up on my sleep. Prior to my apnea, I'd get a solid 7 hours every night, wake up without an alarm, and be fully refreshed. When I first started treatment, I'd wake up fully refreshed even with less than the 7 hours sleep, but that's not happening anymore.

I know the folks with an AI of 10 are in much worse shape than I am, and my heart goes out to them. BUT, did they start out at "10", or did they have a steady increase? That's what concerning me now. I started out GREAT, and now I see an increase in my AI and my prior symptoms are returning.

If you don't mind my asking, what AHI/AI/HI did you have during your PSGs to be diagnosed with OSA?

klockemy wrote:Isn't it great to finally be able to breathe normally and not feel that the machine is shoving air down your nose, stifling you and making it hard to exhale? I was glad when I started getting used to the pressure, it allowed me to back off the EPR/C-Flex a little and get rid of the ramp.

LOL!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!! I actually got USED TO the dang pressure, and now that I don't feel it, I miss it!

klockemy wrote:If you don't mind my asking, what AHI/AI/HI did you have during your PSGs to be diagnosed with OSA?

No idea!
ALL my doc told me was that I stopped breathing 365 times, in the 6 hour test.
Trust me, in two weeks, when I go back to him for my first visit since starting, I will have a LOT of questions for him that I expect to get answered! Thank's to this forum, I now know WHAT questions to ask.

Komodo wrote:

Wulfman wrote:John,

When I see these kinds of posts, and I look at the equipment in the person's profile and see a nasal mask......I immediately think of "mouth leaking". Are you taking any precautions against that happening?

The first several months can have their ups and downs, but "all things being equal", it shouldn't be getting worse.

Another thought......are you getting ENOUGH sleep?

Den

I don't do anything to prevent mouth leaking, but my overall leak #'s are good, and I don't think I have a problem with that.

Am I getting enough sleep? I doubt it! My average for the past month was 6:15. I'm getting anywhere from 3-9 hours, with no two nights the same.

Well, keep those things in mind as you move forward with your therapy.
If you ever wake up with a dry mouth, that could be a clue. And, I'm not sure how well the machines can figure mouth-leaking into the leak numbers. Virtually all data-capable CPAPs have automatic leak compensation built in......which tries to sustain the fixed pressure delivered to the mask.

For me, I need an AVERAGE of at least 7 hours to keep from "crashing".

Also, having diabetes or eating too many carbs can have an effect on this, too.

And, the summer months really SUCK for getting enough sleep. It gets dark later and light earlier.


Den

LOL you are one of the first I have heard that said they like the pressure

Wish I could be of more help, but it's kinda something that I found that I had to figure out on my own. For me. I have to get around 6 hrs of sleep, any more or less and I feel miserable. Also, when you get the chance, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get the software and card reader for your machine so you can see the detailed data. Maybe there is a trend of something happening at a particular time of the night, that you aren't aware of, that is causing your issues. (ie sleep walking or something like that).

Best of luck when you visit your doctor. The fact that you actually get to talk to him/her is a plus. I don't know anything about mine, other than her name.

Kevin

klockemy wrote: The fact that you actually get to talk to him/her is a plus. I don't know anything about mine, other than her name.

When it comes to doctors, I am one tenasious SOB!!! It doesn't matter ONE BIT to me if they want to talk to me, I want to talk to THEM, and they WILL listen! I am a doctors worse nightmare!

klockemy wrote:Best of luck when you visit your doctor. The fact that you actually get to talk to him/her is a plus. I don't know anything about mine, other than her name.

I feel lucky in that regard. There are doctors out there who are good communicators and I apparently have one. I've had three appointments now: the first to determine if I needed a sleep study, the second to explain my diagnosis, and the third a routine follow-up after a few weeks to see how I was getting on. Each time it has seemed like a friendly chat, but with charts. I have had my questions answered and felt unhurried. I wish I were as happy with my DME, but life isn't all beer and skittles.