CPAP - Night 2

Hello Everyone,
First i want to say thanks to everyone that has read and responded to my posts. It is been so very helpful and reassuring to know that there are others that have experienced the same things that I have experienced and have eventually overcome those issues and been successful on CPAP.

So, night 2. I had a very bad night 1 and actually did not even get any sleep at all. I was up at 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning and tried to go back to bed around 6:00 a.m. but I never fell asleep. I took several 5 to 10 minute "naps" during the day but never actually fell asleep as far as I can tell. I felt really crappy during most of the day. Around 6:00 p.m. though I kind of got a "second wind" and did some cleaning around the house and that made me feel somewhat better.

At 8:00 p.m. I took the advice offerred by ughwhatname and put the CPAP on while sitting in the living room watching tv. I did this for an entire hour. The first 1/2 hour I was aware of my breathing but near the end of the second half hour there was one or two occasions where I was distracted by the tv or the book I was reading and for a second there it did not even seem like the CPAP machine was working. I think that is a good thing.

I went to bed at 3:00 a.m. and started reading as I normally do. I put on the CPAP at around 3:30 a.m. I always sleep on my left side but I have noticed that I am laying on my back while using the CPAP. Once again, it seems like I get right to the tipping point but can't get past it. I lasted about 40 minutes and took off the mask. This time however I remained in bed and eventually fell asleep. However, I experiended those feelings again where it seemed like I still had the mask on and was feeling air coming through my nose. I think I got about 3 or 4 hours of sleep and woke up with a very bad headache. I am not sure if there is something physical happenning at that tipping point or if I am just afraid to fall asleep with the CPAP. I think it is more fear based but am not ruling out a physical cause.

I have a deviated septum and was told that I have about a 50% blockage. I use a breathe right strip at night and right as I feel sleepy I will take one or two very small puffs of Afrin. I have been doing this for many years. I know it has only been two nights but I am wondering if I can use the Nasal Pillows. I told the respitory therapist who did my mask fitting and she said it should be fine.

I am going to do the same thing again today where I sit in the living room and use the CPAP while watching tv. Then off to bed at around 2:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. I am going to try sleeping on my side tonight to see if that makes any difference.

Admiral, I am a newbie (only been on CPAP about 2 weeks). I am using a full face mask because I am a mouth breather. Since my SA diagnosis I also found out that I have a deviated septum, not sure of the % of blockage. My RT said that I must use a ff mask.
Good luck and hang in there.

I don't have a deviated septum but I usually have blockage in one nose. Sometimes 100% on one side. I haven't been blockage free for a very long time now.

Nasal pillows works just fine. Do you breath through your mouth during the day?

What is your prescribed pressure? Just wondering re: the pillows... If you have some nasal blockage and the prescribed pressure is low, you might not feel like you are getting enough air and open your mouth, which you can't do with pillows or nasal mask.

Have you really been using Afrin daily for years? Afrin is contraindicated for use for more than 3 consecutive days as it causes rebound congestion. You may want to discuss a prescription for a nasal spray like Nasonex or Flonase with your doctor; they are safe for daily use and can really help when used at bedtime. I started therapy with a full face mask but REALLY wanted to transition to a nasal mask or pillows, but I have deviated septum and congestion issues like you. I implemented a nightly regimen of nasal irrigation with NeilMed saline packets & squeeze bottle (and distilled water), and eventually got things under control and was able to do it. I also use Nasonex at bedtime.

I wouldn't bother trying the pillows on nights when your nose feels more than 15-20% blocked. Having a full face mask available when you are blocked, or if you have a cold, is a good thing. Right now you just want to make it through the night without needing to take the mask off, so whichever mask you breathe best with is the one you should use. Mask issues/leaks are what most of us struggle with in the beginning. You can check your onscreen leak rate and AHI on your S9 in the morning to see how you're doing.

As to the rest of it, you'll get there. Once I got cpap dialed in, I confronted the dietary issues and habits that were keeping me overweight. Almost 2 years later, my diet is gluten free & dairy free, I'm 65 lbs lighter, my fasting blood sugar is in the normal range instead of pre-diabetic, inflammation indicators are down, etc. I exercise daily and with a trainer twice a week.

Hi - couple of things... you may not be aware yet, but back sleeping is the worst position for apnea provocation, and if you're not using the machine it's asking for trouble. The second thing is that you could easily, once asleep, be breathing with your mouth open and losing therapy that way... the air does need to go down and not out , but if that's the problem, you'll need to try (ideally) a full face mask - there are lots, or a chin strap which isn't always that effective, or at least trying taping for a few nights to see if you feel better the next day. Most people with OSA have morning headaches if not using Cpap.

Also, you didn't need to use the machine while watching TV - the idea is to get used to having a mask on, and any data you might have seen for that time won't be accurate at all - you breathe differently when you're asleep.

Admiral, I know you would like this change in your life to go away or at least become easier very quickly, but please keep working at it and posting here! Patience, especially in the beginning, is crucial as it is the mind that gets in the way in the beginning, but it can come around eventually to understand and accept that it can now relax as the PAP machine, mask, and hose will provide their services to keep you breathing/alive so the mind can relax and allow you to really sleep. Like any change, whether good or bad, it can take time for it to become a habit, though admittedly, some changes are much more fun then learning to sleep with an alien strapped to your face .

Julie wrote:...you may not be aware yet, but back sleeping is the worst position for apnea provocation, and if you're not using the machine it's asking for trouble.

Julie, I know that for a lot of people,, especially with Sleep Apnea that is positional, that back sleeping could make their SA worse, but it needs to be clarified that there are indeed people with SA that have their SA treated very successfully and sleep exclusively on their backs. I happen to be one of them and just want it known to the newbies that it is not always the case that back sleeping is detrimental to SA treatment. As with all things here that we deal with, their are no absolutes .

Don't give up Admiral, i had a rough couple weeks like it seems you are having, but it gets better as you get used to it. I am a side sleeper too and had to find just the right position and its working great now. It will get better!

Hi All,

Cosmo asks:

Nasal pillows works just fine. Do you breath through your mouth during the day?

I do not breathe through my nose during the day.

RandyJ asks:

What is your prescribed pressure? Just wondering re: the pillows... If you have some nasal blockage and the prescribed pressure is low, you might not feel like you are getting enough air and open your mouth, which you can't do with pillows or nasal mask. Have you really been using Afrin daily for years?

I was prescribed a pressure of 10. Yes, I have been using Afrin almost every night for 10 years but I do not use a full puff. I let it kind of just drip in, I use one small drop in each nostril.

Julie quotes:

Hi - couple of things... you may not be aware yet, but back sleeping is the worst position for apnea provocation, and if you're not using the machine it's asking for trouble.

Hi Julie, I am a side sleeper definitely but the past two nights I have started out on my back. I think I am still nervous about falling asleep with the mask on so that is why I am not sleeping on my side becasue I think I might fall asleep faster. Sounds wierd when I read it back to myself but I am going to try sleeping on my side tonight.

2 B Sleeping Soundly:

Admiral, I know you would like this change in your life to go away or at least become easier very quickly, but please keep working at it and posting here! Patience, especially in the beginning, is crucial as it is the mind that gets in the way in the beginning, but it can come around eventually to understand and accept that it can now relax as the PAP machine, mask, and hose will provide their services to keep you breathing/alive so the mind can relax and allow you to really sleep. Like any change, whether good or bad, it can take time for it to become a habit, though admittedly, some changes are much more fun then learning to sleep with an alien strapped to your face .

Thanks very much for the encouraging words.

raptor5150:

Don't give up Admiral, i had a rough couple weeks like it seems you are having, but it gets better as you get used to it. I am a side sleeper too and had to find just the right position and its working great now. It will get better!

Not going to give up. It seems it is going to be a difficult struggle but with all the positive feedback that I recieve from you and others here I feel like I can get through this.


Thank you all very much!

Hi,
Michell writes:

Admiral, I am a newbie (only been on CPAP about 2 weeks). I am using a full face mask because I am a mouth breather. Since my SA diagnosis I also found out that I have a deviated septum, not sure of the % of blockage. My RT said that I must use a ff mask.
Good luck and hang in there.

I meant to include you in the previous post! So sorry I left you out! Thanks for the words of encouragement, they really do help.


Thanks

Welcome to the forum! I had a similar problem when I started APAP. What worked for me was making a decision to wear the mask every night no excuses (and I had many . If I could only wear it for a few hours so be it. It took me almost 8 weeks before I was comfortable enough to fall asleep and sleep through the night. Hang in there!

Admiral_Schmidlap wrote:Hi All,

Julie quotes:

Hi - couple of things... you may not be aware yet, but back sleeping is the worst position for apnea provocation, and if you're not using the machine it's asking for trouble.

Hi Julie, I am a side sleeper definitely but the past two nights I have started out on my back. I think I am still nervous about falling asleep with the mask on so that is why I am not sleeping on my side becasue I think I might fall asleep faster. Sounds wierd when I read it back to myself but I am going to try sleeping on my side tonight.

I think I understand your anxiety but just keep telling yourself it's only "good air" that you're breathing. Try to keep to your regular sleep position to keep things as normal as possible. Keep us posted.

You may want to check out this blog. Robysue has some excellent advice that helped me when I was struggling.


http://adventures-in-hosehead-land.blog ... er_19.html

If you don't breathe through your nose during the day, why are you trying to use a nasal mask at night? No wonder you are struggling to breathe with the mask. You're trying to breathe differently at night than you do during the day.

It sounds like you need to try a full mask mask that will allow you to breathe normally all night long.

zoocrewphoto wrote:If you don't breathe through your nose during the day, why are you trying to use a nasal mask at night? No wonder you are struggling to breathe with the mask. You're trying to breathe differently at night than you do during the day.

It sounds like you need to try a full mask mask that will allow you to breathe normally all night long.

Hi,
That was a mistype on my part. I meant to say that I do not breathe through my "mouth" during the day. However, I know it has only been 2 nights so far but I am considering a switch to a full face mask. I talked to my respitory therapist today about the issues that I have with the deviated septum and she thinks I might have better results with a full face mask. In fairness to her, she did suggest that I go with a full face mask initially but i was preety adamant about trying the nasal pillows. I must admit I am concerned about claustrophobia issues but I think if I just wear it while not trying to sleep to get aclimated to it I should be able to tolerate it.

I have a question about the full face mask if you do not mind. I am on a setting of 10 right now. Will the pressure need to be adjusted up since it is now spread out over a larger area?