The journey continues......
Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 6:58 am
Well, I'm finishing my sixth week of treatment, and its getting tough to keep my hopes up. Though I'm feeling better during the daytime, I'm sleeping worse than before my sleep study in terms of awakenings.
Briefly: I was diagnosed after a split night study conducted on my last night of a 5 day hospitalization followinbg my first (and hopefully last) heart attack (at age 55). I was titrated to 10 cmH2O and given a Fisher&Paykel HC608 CPAP with a superb humidification system with an integrated heated hose. I was alkso started on an Activa. After about a week of trying that mask, there were too many nights when I woke up suddenly with claustrophia, or with the mask coiled up on my CPAP or next to me in bed. I switched to the Swift anf have been very satisfied with how they feel. But, I began waking up at 4 every morning and not being able to fall back asleep.
About 2 weeks ago, I talked with my sleep doc about this, and was concerned that I was awakening because of some breathing event. Also, though I really loved the huimidification system on the F&P, I was a little worried that the heated hose was heating the air enough that it felt stuffy to me in my sleep, and that's what was awakening me. He agreed, and switched me to APAP, initially telling me that he had the best results with Respironics, though when I was contacted by the DME, I was given a brand new ResMed S8 Vantage AutoSet/H3i combo. My auto range was set from 6.0-14.0 cmH2O.
Now, I noticed that the number of awakenings to go to the bathroon has dropped dramatically (usually 4 on CPAP, down to 1 or rarely two on APAP). But, the 4 o'clock awakening is a killer, that lasts for two or three hours, if I go back to sleep at all. This is exactly like CPAP was. I'm feeling OK during the daytime, with MUCH more alertness, and I'm not dozing off as I watch the morning news or the evening news. My S8 is running at a 95% pressure of 9.6 cmH2O or so. My AHI has remained about 13, but I'm convinced that ResMed has a funky way of detecting hypops, so I think that they are over-counted. My AI is 0.6-3.0.
So, I've switched masks to one I really like (the Swift), switched machines from CPAP to APAP, and I'm still not sleeping through the night; WORSE in fact, than before diagnosis with OSA. I AM feeling better during the day though. I don't know what else to try, and I'm feeling soemhat discouraged. What's a boy to do??
Chuck
Briefly: I was diagnosed after a split night study conducted on my last night of a 5 day hospitalization followinbg my first (and hopefully last) heart attack (at age 55). I was titrated to 10 cmH2O and given a Fisher&Paykel HC608 CPAP with a superb humidification system with an integrated heated hose. I was alkso started on an Activa. After about a week of trying that mask, there were too many nights when I woke up suddenly with claustrophia, or with the mask coiled up on my CPAP or next to me in bed. I switched to the Swift anf have been very satisfied with how they feel. But, I began waking up at 4 every morning and not being able to fall back asleep.
About 2 weeks ago, I talked with my sleep doc about this, and was concerned that I was awakening because of some breathing event. Also, though I really loved the huimidification system on the F&P, I was a little worried that the heated hose was heating the air enough that it felt stuffy to me in my sleep, and that's what was awakening me. He agreed, and switched me to APAP, initially telling me that he had the best results with Respironics, though when I was contacted by the DME, I was given a brand new ResMed S8 Vantage AutoSet/H3i combo. My auto range was set from 6.0-14.0 cmH2O.
Now, I noticed that the number of awakenings to go to the bathroon has dropped dramatically (usually 4 on CPAP, down to 1 or rarely two on APAP). But, the 4 o'clock awakening is a killer, that lasts for two or three hours, if I go back to sleep at all. This is exactly like CPAP was. I'm feeling OK during the daytime, with MUCH more alertness, and I'm not dozing off as I watch the morning news or the evening news. My S8 is running at a 95% pressure of 9.6 cmH2O or so. My AHI has remained about 13, but I'm convinced that ResMed has a funky way of detecting hypops, so I think that they are over-counted. My AI is 0.6-3.0.
So, I've switched masks to one I really like (the Swift), switched machines from CPAP to APAP, and I'm still not sleeping through the night; WORSE in fact, than before diagnosis with OSA. I AM feeling better during the day though. I don't know what else to try, and I'm feeling soemhat discouraged. What's a boy to do??
Chuck