Waiting for Wow factor to kick in

I am new to forum and also new Cpap sleeper. I finally gave in to the Cpap. When I went to sleep study for the 2nd night to sleep with CPAP, the next morning I felt the best I had felt in years. So obviously, I couldn't wait to get my own. No more fighting the Sleep Apnea issue. If this is what sleep is like, bring it on. Well I got my machine on Tuesday, so I have slept 3 nights with it so far. First night was rough, took me a while to fall alsleep, then kept fighting hose and mask all night. 2nd and 3rd night I correct the mask and hose problem, slept much better, but still not getting the WOW factor. Still waking up tired as if I hadn't slept well. How long will it take before I wake up and feel rested???

Thanks for the forum, I have learned a lot in just a few days. Have a great weekend, Happy sleeping!

No one can say how long or how strong the "Wow" will be.

There are a number of factors at work. You are dealing with mask, leaks, hose, increased pressure, additional noise, etc. You almost certainly have a "sleep debt" to make up. Sound sleep and refreshed mornings may come on very gradually, or may happen overnight (pun intended! )

You're lucky...you have that "carrot" of a good titration study and the refreshed wakeup hanging in front of you. Talk about incentive! (Of course, the downside is knowing how that feels and not having it again immediately.) I can hear your frustration.

I dreamed my first night on CPAP. I woke up, realized I couldn't remember the last time I had dreamed, and I cried like a baby. The rest came on slowly--maybe a month--until I wasn't nodding off at the dinner table. That dream was my carrot. (and, for the life of me, I can't even remember what I dreamed about! Sheesh.)

I CAN tell you for sure it WILL happen. But I can't say when. That's the best anyone can do. I know...it's like being a kid stuck in the first week of December...

I never experienced a "wow factor" when using CPAP. Rather, I noticed a gradual improvement in both the quality of my sleep and of my waking hours.

When I had my first discussion regarding sleep apnea with my doctor almost five years ago he said "You probably have no idea just how exhausted you are. The body is an amazing machine and will compensate when deprived of food, water, heat and sleep." He was absolutely right. I spent so many years under-rested, that I had little idea of how I SHOULD feel after a good night's sleep.

All that to say: Don't set arbitrary time limits or expectations for yourself as you start our on this CPAP voyage. You'll have good nights and bad ones and there may be absolutely no rhyme or reason for why they were good or bad. Enjoy the good ones and, if you can, learn from the bad ones (fixing leaks, finding more comfortable sleeping position or mask). If you acknowledge that you're in this for the long haul and that the cure may not present itself as a magic bullet, I think you'll be more satisfied.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Kurtchan

And don't forget about non-apnea related issues. One thing I love about my machine is the 7 day average of hours of usage. Why? Because it tells me that I'm not getting enough sleep - period. Even though I'm getting much better sleep if I can't keep that average over 7 (which is hard for me) I'm still going to be exhausted. Before my machine I never new how little sleep I was getting - and what little I got was totally disrupted. Now at least I have better quality but the machine can't give me quantity. I have to do that myself.

You really have to wear the Mask out to a party or store to get the real "wow" factor...

Nord

i'm two months in, still no wow factor....

25 days in and no wow factor, but for the most part i feel a little better each day

The experience is different for everyone.

There was never a WOW for me ... but I knew right away I was sleeping better.

It took over 2 1/2 years before I began feeling more in the " normal " range.

I had probably been sleep deprived since I was a teenager. Which was quite a few moons before I was diagnosed.

All the women in my life had always reported me snoring badly and stopping breathing so that takes the sleep apnea way way way back to teenage years.

For some lucky few they see instant life changing response to the xpap ..... others ... not so much.
But, usually, if they keep at it they eventually see improvement in their quality of life.

That's the biggest thing .... just keep sticking to it and don't give up.

Nord wrote:You really have to wear the Mask out to a party or store to get the real "wow" factor...

Nord

Very true. And, it helps even more if you decorate your mask some. Sparklies and streamers on the sides, glitter on the nosepiece, maybe something wrapped around the hose,..... The possibilities are endless! Be creative and see what you can add!

I can't remember if I had a big WOW moment or not, but I do remember the first OH CRAP moment when, after the first few months of continuous CPAP use, I accidentally fell asleep without it one night. The next morning, OH CRAP, I was completely congested, my chest felt like a steamroller had gone over it, the inside of my mouth felt like a cotton plantation, eyes all puffy, and I was one mean crabby lady the whole day.

After years of OSA damage, it CAN take time to feel better. Don't look at only tiredness, also look at whether your mood and memory improve, whether you can last longer in the day, etc... And if you're still not feeling better after some time then it's time to start some serious troubleshooting (congestion issues? mouth breathing? pressure too low? mask leaks?). A data capable machine will really help you figure out how the therapy is going, do you have one? The earlier you can start tracking things like leaks and AHI levels, the better.

Oh, and it can easily take a few weeks to get used to sleeping with the mask, the hose, the sounds, especially when you're sleeping, so give yourself some time to get comfortable with everything. I didn't get a good night's sleep until I managed to tame the hose

I am one of the lucky ones the "WOW" factor for me was after the first night of therapy. Don't get me wrong I have gone through all of the hassels of finding the correct mask, the sore nose, the dealing with the uncomfortable pillows, the mask leaks and just about everything else you will read about here. However even after the first night and ever since I have felt better than I ever have. I have no idea how long I had been dealing with not getting proper sleep but this therapy has done wonders for me and has been worth all the trouble and I really did notice a difference after the first night.
Wait it out it is very much worth the wait. All of us are different as you can tell by reading the posts here and I truly am one of the lucky ones. But no matter how long it takes you to feel the"WOW' it is worth it.