[CPAP] I don't feel any benefit from use of CPAP

[gordonharper]

I am an 86 year old male that has tested twice which indicated that I have sleep apnea. I have no other health problems related to breathing. I have been using the CPAP machine with regularity for several years but find that I can go without it for 2 weeks and feel no different. Do others experience this or does one usually feel much better when one uses the CPAP machine?

[staceyburke]

Welcome to the board!  I personally can not sleep without the machine so naturally it is 100% better with it. 

Maybe there are some adjustments we could help you with. We use OSCAR for our data. It is totally free at the top of the site (free as everything is here). You need a computer to run it and a SD card to transfer the data from your Cpap. 

I hope you will give it a try, a lot of people have found much better therapy here.

[mesenteria]

... Do others experience this or does one usually feel much better when one uses the CPAP machine?

My only indicator of a problem of any kind with my health came at the end of a 10km run.  I suddenly felt the wind go, and my legs turned to stone.  I sat on the curb and then noticed that my heart was pounding.  Move forward three months through just about every test imaginable, and my cardiac guy said the only other test left to see why I had suddenly developed a heart arrhythmia was a polysomnography.  That one last test showed I had sleep apnea.  Severe. 

Who knew!?

I still feel no different, and I still have the arrhythmia, albeit controlled mostly.  I sleep about the same, think the same, feel the same, eat the same....nothing has changed except I now wear a CPAP machine.  Ostensibly, that is to keep my heart from becoming worse.

I don't feel I can sensibly second-guess the medical profession on this.

[speed3914]

Personally I could not live without my machine. My sleep is exponentially better thanks to my machine. You would have to pry it out of my cold dead hands lol

[Sleeprider]

There are many reasons you may not feel significant benefits from your therapy. Upgrade your software from MyAir to OSCAR and let us see your settings and results, and I bet we can help. Very likely you are simply not using the exhale pressure relief, or are not using optimized pressure settings. We have nothing to work with from your post other than you don't consistently use the therapy. If you want some help, we need to know your settings and have some idea of the efficacy of your therapy.

[gordonharper]

Thank you for referring me to OSCAR

---

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I think it is a good point not to second guess medical advice.

[gordonharper]

Thank you. I will start by downloading the OSCAR software.

[Dormeo]

Gordon, when you post an Oscar chart, could you also describe what led to your having a sleep study?

Some people have several problems leading to lack of good sleep. For example, I have both moderate apnea and chronic pain. I'm using PAP for the sake of my long-term health, even though the pain problem still messes with my sleep. Of course, I'm also pursuing avenues to address the pain.

Other examples of sleep problems that PAP can't solve include insomnia and other people (or pets) who need frequent attention during the night. Do you think you have problems with sleep other than apnea?

It's also worth reviewing the guidelines for good sleep. I thought they didn't apply to me until in desperation I gave them a try. They helped!

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
• Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
• If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
• Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
• Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
• Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
• Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
• Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
• Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.

[Deborah K.]

Gordon, I don't feel different since using my machine either, but I know that it is protecting my health, so I use it daily.  On the other hand, my husband feels better and better since using his machine, and can barely sleep without it.  His AHI was way higher than mine, in the mid-90s, so maybe that is why.  I don't know.  But we both use our machines faithfully, and I'm glad about that, as I know it will continue to protect both of us.  That's reason enough for me.

[quiescence at last]

good luck, gordonharper.

QAL