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Before cpap therapy, I woke up with a headache, groggy, and had aches and pains all over. I needed coffee to get going.

Now, 14 months later, I wake up and feel good, with none of the above. I"m lucky because my OSA is "ordinary" with no other insomnia or health issues, so cpap solved the problem, while others may have more complicated issues.

Also, I've been thinking about Barry Krakow's comments, see post about Dr. Park's interview:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=57868&p=544596&hilit=krakow#p544596)

I had to answer "occasionally" based on some pain issues. Although the last couple months it has been "rarely" for the same reason.

I think there is too strong a selection bias for this poll to be meaningful. The vast majority of people on CPAPtalk are here because they have issues, with exceptions of those who are doing well but here to help others.

kteague wrote:You set a mighty high standard there! Last time I remember meeting that description I was in my mid 20's
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Doubt I'll ever see that woman again, but I'm worlds better than when I was at my worst (thanks to CPAP). Haven't given up hope of getting close enough to get a glimpse of her though. I always feel the need to add a disclaimer so as not to discourage newbies with OSA, and note that OSA is not my only sleep disorder and other health issues are present.

I do wake up refreshed and ready to go every morning since the first night I started CPAP 7 years ago. However, as did Kathy (kteague) I want to add a disclaimer so as not to discourage any CPAP user who hasn't arrived at a "refreshed" feeling in the morning.

I was lucky and have no other health issues than mild OSA. People who have other health problems, or new people who have not yet found a mask they can sleep comfortably in... it can take a lot longer than it did for me.

This forum is a godsend for helping people help themselves toward getting as good a "refreshed in the morning" feeling as they possibly can. Depending on each individual's own other health issues, optimum CPAP therapy (the mask is a HUGE part of whether that goes well!) might result in a feeling of "fully rested and refreshed" -- or, hopefully, "better than before." Getting effective CPAP therapy is well worth working on.

In this topic:

viewtopic.php?t=6234

A long time ago poster nicknamed Perry wrote his description of recovery. I think of it as the "mental zest" post.

Which brings up the question of "What is feeling good?" Here are how I define the recovery and treatment process as I experienced it.

"Walking Dead" is where most of us start at. That is how a person with severe OSA problems feels before PAP. You seem to sleep very well - but am always tired, cannot think hardly at all, and can barely function well enough to eat, bathe, do a basic job (with not a good performance), and usually come home to die in front of the TV and sleep (you can sleep at the drop of a hat). Life is no fun at all, and you can be extremely frustrated because you know that something is wrong and you used to be able to do better. Your personal relationships sink to all time lows. You are probably so far out of it that your "other" in life may seek others for intellectual level or intimate companionship so that they can have a life at all (The best time to tell your “other” that you love them or care for them is before someone else tells them – I suggest that you do so daily – starting right now: even if you are not in the “walking dead” zone).

"Basic Treatment" is the next step. In my case this happened first on CPAP, then on AutoCPAP that was set-up totally wrong for me. All the sudden you feel much better. You start to notice that there is more to life than you have been experiencing lately. You now find the energy to do things in the morning you really should have been doing all along like flossing teeth, or some house cleaning. But you still cannot think clearly like you used to, while your job and personal relationships improve a little, you still come home from work exhausted, and retire to the TV or recreational reading because you don't have the mental energy to do anything else.

It is amazing how well you feel compared to before - but you still don't have the energy that you remember (or that you see other people with). Naps are still needed if you are to function at all throughout the day. Often it takes a couple of months – but there comes a point where you know that you are not where you should be.

I will note that most sleep Dr’s are satisfied once a person progresses from Walking Dead to Basic Treatment. They consider you a success, and are not likely to provide much support past this point. My personal experience is that I was better off dealing with a family Dr to move beyond this point as I was dealing with other health issues.

"Advanced Treatment" may follow. Here your feel so tremendously great compared to before. Life starts to be good again; you can see that there is a future (especially in the morning when you get up). Your sleep seems to be under control, you have the opportunity to do things in your job and personal life that you could not even imagine before. Mentally you can start to think of several different things early in a day. But you still feel run down in the afternoon (this must be normal you figure) and look forward to bed each night.

"Mental Zest" is where you want to be, what happens when treatment is really working well for you. All the sudden your mind and life is free again. You typically wake up feeling great, can do multi-tasking of different mental task (which really helps your job and personal life), and have energy all day. Can stay up much of a night if needed - with energy and mental involvement - without major effects on the next day. You can see how to make life great once you solve those problems that accumulated when you weren’t feeling so well (and some of those problems can be major issues to solve). You finally realize that this is what normal life should be. You may recognize at this stage that this is how you felt when you were a teenager. As long as you have a positive attitude about yourself and life - you are ready again to take on the word…

It took me years to get to the Mental Zest stage. I would like to claim that I can stay there. Pollen season knocks me back to the Advanced Treatment, and excessive work hours can easily knock me back to the Basic Treatment Stage (simple exhaustion). Proper diet, nutrition, and exercise are also required to keep you at the Mental Zest stage.

May each of you have a safe and quick journey to “Mental Zest.”

Perry

I voted very often, But I still have a hard time getting out of bed. Now however when I do pull my self out of bed I am ready to face the day. I no longer am falling asleep at work or in the car and have not had the need or desire to take a nap.

That really refreshed feeling has been sneaking up on me somewhere between 4 months ago to present.
At first, I noticed the desat headaches were GONE; likewise the nightmares. The rest took longer,
with the greatest improvement once I had my blood sugar under control.
Oh, and not to mention my new gel mask--wonderful!

rested gal wrote:In this topic:

viewtopic.php?t=6234

A long time ago poster nicknamed Perry wrote his description of recovery. I think of it as the "mental zest" post.

Which brings up the question of "What is feeling good?" Here are how I define the recovery and treatment process as I experienced it.

"Walking Dead"
"Basic Treatment"
"Advanced Treatment"
"Mental Zest" is where you want to be, what happens when treatment is really working well for you. All the sudden your mind and life is free again. You typically wake up feeling great, can do multi-tasking of different mental task (which really helps your job and personal life), and have energy all day. Can stay up much of a night if needed - with energy and mental involvement - without major effects on the next day. You can see how to make life great once you solve those problems that accumulated when you weren’t feeling so well (and some of those problems can be major issues to solve). You finally realize that this is what normal life should be. You may recognize at this stage that this is how you felt when you were a teenager. As long as you have a positive attitude about yourself and life - you are ready again to take on the word…

May each of you have a safe and quick journey to “Mental Zest.”

Perry

Yes this is more important then how you feel first thing in the morning. Many people aren't morning people but I am happy to be able to function well at the end of the day, to feel I have a future, to deal with life's issues, to make art.
To hell with zest first thing in the morning, mornings are not important in my life!
Mornings are for coffee and croissants and taking it easy, planning the day. Knowing that I can actually do what I planned or deal with the screw ups is what counts.

When I wake up my mind is refreshed but my body needs a hot shower, a couple a cups of hot coffee, and 2 or 3 Advils. After that, I'm good to go for the rest of the day.

I voted occasionally. While I wake up and get up right away, dress and am out of the house usually with 30-45 min I cant remember ever waking up feeling refreshed. I don't have to nap anymore (well occasionally I do on the weekend) but dream of waking up feeling full of energy to meet the day.
Does it really exist?

I've had three mornings that I remember recently when I woke up and was "ready" to get up, even getting up before the alarm. One of those mornings I actually told my husband I could become a morning person again. Those were three really "good" nights on cpap, with awesome numbers. They were some of the ONLY good nights. Now I"m working on reviving that, and somehow getting my therapy to work for me, thanks to lots of help from other forum members.

I would definitely settle for not waking up refreshed, but after a short time of being tired, being alert all day. That would be a dream... I felt that way a couple of weeks after my surgery, and some days I approach that, although more often than not, my best days lately consist of dragging myself out of bed and then becoming more alert, then dipping in the afternoon. I have a lot of trouble waking up, and have for decades. I call it "the undertow"--it wants to suck me back down into sleep and I have to fight, fight, fight to get back up. Some days it really is a battle--it sucks me down and I'm dreaming again, I wake up and before I know it, I'm back under, I wake up again, etc. It would be great to feel refreshed and not have to fight the undertow, but I'll most certainly settle for just knowing the day will good.

I am still groggy in the mornings but do not wake up gasping for breath or feeling like a sledgehammer is pounding on my head. Baby steps, I guess.

I've heard this before but it is true for me. I literally feel like I've been awakened from a very long sleep. I don't feel energized but I don't get tired as easily. I don't fall asleep in front of the tv anymore and I no longer feel like I've done everything I ever wanted to do.

Do you wake up refreshed?

No, she usually wakes me up.