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I am a very compliant cpap, apap, bipap user..

Im also circling the drain..


but at least Im giving it a good go... I plan to work on this for one year..

so I have six more months to figure it out

lktnky wrote:I'd still like to feel more rested when I get out of bed in the morning. Still a hit-or-miss thing and would love to get my AHI down lower than 5.
I notice that if I take a couple of Tylenol XS before bed I sleep better but have higher AHI. Wonder if I'm just not getting down into REM.

I have been 'all over the place' in terms of results... that having been said, I generally have few apneas/hypopneas most nights but note that my issue seems to be SaO2, my blood oxygen saturation and it is affected by all sorts of things. Taking any pain medication, sedatives or even just having more than yogurt as a snack before bed will make for a lousy night of sleep (based on how I feel in the morning and my SaO2 levels during the night). I am tracking very very closely all of the data coming out of my S9 Auto and my Contec 50E recording oximeter. There seems to be little relation excepting hypopneas add to low SaO2 levels which fluctuate wildly all night. Last night, for example, I only had three hypopnea events and zero apnea events however I was dead tired when I went to sleep and my back was quite sore so I too a couple of Tylenol 2's before retiring. Like I say, few hypopneas, zero apneas recorded but the recording oximeter was ALL OVER the place! From brief highs of 95%ish to numerous lows in the mid 70%ish range (totally unacceptable).

It's a six month wait to get in to see my respirologist and we have already booked and requested another sleep study (whatever form it may ultimately take). I am preparing to infuse 2L/m of oxygen into the air line to see what it does to my SaO2 during the night. I have no hesitation in doing this as when I came out of hospital I was only a few days off of 3 - 5L/m of O2 and it was MY decision to try living without it. Well, during the day I am 99% fine except in allergy country or in Buffalo smog. It is at night, when the breathing gets shallow that I have issues. And I believe that my autonomic nervous system is telling my body to awaken and breathe deeper to raise my SaO2, which it does (as can be seen by the SaO2 graph during the night). The only way I am going to be able to relate this oxygenation issue directly to quality of sleep is with a sleep study, perhaps split.... one half of the night without any added O2 and the second half of the night WITH 2 or 3L/m added into the line. It will be a very interesting result to see and I believe of significant clinical value to me and to everyone else who is getting low numbers (i.e. AHI) at sleep but still getting up dog tired.

So, I am generally happy with CPAP/XPAP therapy and cannot imagine living without it henceforth... but I am not quite there yet. Pressures seem to be spot on. Mask seems to be spot on with generally low leakage if I take the time to clean my face and adjust the mask properly before going to sleep (adjust laying down). Great numbers 99% of the time if I do this... am quite happy with them. BUT... gotta get the SaO2 issue sorted out and find out what is keeping me from getting a great night of sleep.

Keep at it gang. The magic bullet is probably out there; all we have to do is find it.

I'm really pleased to see that so many, at least on this Forum, are doing so well. I second and third most of the comments on the board. The most I could wish for to be 10+ is no sores in the nose at all, easy battery pack for camping and black-outs, and no runny nose, ever. Well, and easier DME process. Small price to pay for being awake and alert during the day!

Hospiceangel wrote:CPAP has saved my life, ok maybe not my job, but my life.
I'm so grateful for the the last 5 weeks and especially all the support, information and laughter I have found on this site. Each and every one of you need to pat yourself on the back because you are all angels!
Shar:)
I am not 10+ yet, there are still some things I want to tweak but I am grateful I took to it like a fish out of water....pun intended

All of your posts are so positive, I like you, Shar.

I am also a 10. I can't see it getting much better than it already is.

I THINK SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT VOTED ARE HEAVILY MEDICATED

A clear "10". Fantastic. Afraid to be without my CPAP.

I am 3 weeks new and everyone has helped me considerably! I hope to pay this back with other newbies on here and help them too! I believe I have mastered the Autopap very well with the aid of a chin strap and Wisp mask. I would give it an 8. I am still incredibly tired in the morning and still up every hour at night for no "apparent" reason" that I can see with tons of vivid dreams. I do not sleep better with the autopap, and not worse. My numbers are good, every night AHI under 1. I even had a 0.0 one night and highest number was 0.9. I was really hoping to feel better and sleep better but have not. But at least I am very proud of myself that I am compliant and have mastered this. I have to find out what the awakenings are from, but at least my AHI are low. It was low to begin with before I started, a 9. But now under .1
Thank you for all your support.

Kantou wrote:I THINK SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT VOTED ARE HEAVILY MEDICATED

Not sure what you mean, but when I take a "sleeping pill" at night it has absolutely no effect, and perhaps a beneficial effect, on my sleep and AHI.

Physician wrote:

Kantou wrote:I THINK SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT VOTED ARE HEAVILY MEDICATED

Not sure what you mean, but when I take a "sleeping pill" at night it has absolutely no effect, and perhaps a beneficial effect, on my sleep and AHI.

I think people that make and vote on polls, need go be HEAVILY MEDICATED.