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[Diagnosis] New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
#1
Grin 
New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
Hi All – this is my first post here and I am glad to have found this great community. I just turned 28 (Height = 185CM, weight 185 lb, BMI = 24.5) and have just been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea which pretty much confirmed my suspicions over the years. I never seem to get enough sleep and always wake up tired; no matter how many hours of sleep I get and snore very loudly! So I finally decided to get a sleep study done and I’ve attached my results here. As you can see, most of my arousals are caused by hypopneas and my AHI is at 27. The sleep doctor prescribed me with the ResMed S9 elite and initially set the pressure at 7. He has also made another appointment for me to come back to the lab for another sleep study on Feb 15th to fine tune the pressure.

Fortunately I am deep sleeper and the CPAP machine did not bother me too much and I’ve been fully compliant since the day (Jan 24th) I received the machine and average about 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night without any disturbance. After reviewing the data from the machine for the past 12 days, it seems my AHI is under control and has never exceeded 3 and my snoring has completely ceased!

With regards to my energy levels, the first night was a bit of a challenge but the second to fourth morning I wake up feeling very refreshed and energized and I was extremely happy with the result. However after the fifth day of using the machine, the refreshed feeling went way and I was still sleepy in the morning and during the day so I am wondering if this is normal as I’ve read on this forum that it might take weeks or months to be fully adjusted to the CPAP therapy? I’ve included some of the data from the ResScan software…. So am I on the right track so far with my CPAP therapy vs untreated condition?

Thank a lot everyone!

Original Sleep Study Report from the Doctor:

http://imageshack.us/a/img829/3166/sleep0002.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img841/3282/sleep0001.jpg

CPAP Data from SleepyHead:


Jan 25th
http://imageshack.us/a/img585/3213/shjan25.jpg

Jan 26th
http://imageshack.us/a/img72/9342/shjan26.jpg

Jan 27th
http://imageshack.us/a/img62/1065/shjan27.jpg


Jan 28th
http://imageshack.us/a/img62/5192/shjan28.jpg

Jan 30th
http://imageshack.us/a/img202/7497/shjan30.jpg

Jan 31th
http://imageshack.us/a/img203/6660/shjan31.jpg

Feb 2nd
http://imageshack.us/a/img541/236/shfeb2.jpg

Feb 3nd
http://imageshack.us/a/img835/2185/shfeb3.jpg
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#2
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
Pfft. With an AHI like you have, consider yourself not only on the right track, but at cruising speeds.

There are two things to determine effectiveness of treatment: an AHI below 5 and feeling pretty dang good.

You got both.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#3
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
you,re doing great but if wanted something to do
lower EPR or turn off and see if feel any better
also if using Ramp, turn it off
Sleep-well
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#4
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
(02-06-2013, 07:39 PM)PaulaO2 Wrote: Pfft. With an AHI like you have, consider yourself not only on the right track, but at cruising speeds.

There are two things to determine effectiveness of treatment: an AHI below 5 and feeling pretty dang good.

You got both.

The thing is I still do not feel totally and awesomely refreshed in the morning, and during some mornings I still feel extremely sleepy and want to nap longer. Maybe my case isn't that severe to begin with which is why I lacked the "miracle" feeling that some users reported?

I heard this is normal during the adjustment period and will take several weeks to months to get things sorted out... I must say that I've been dreaming much more vividly after using the CPAP...
(02-06-2013, 07:49 PM)zonk Wrote: you,re doing great but if wanted something to do
lower EPR or turn off and see if feel any better
also if using Ramp, turn it off
Sleep-well

I thought EPR and RAMP is a main comfort feature of this machine? Will turning off EPR make the treatment more effective?
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#5
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
(02-06-2013, 08:04 PM)wasserware Wrote: I thought EPR and RAMP is a main comfort feature of this machine? Will turning off EPR make the treatment more effective?
comfort features if one them and not so if one don,t need them
most can do without Ramp after the initial adjustment phase

its very hard to say whether its more effective or not without trying EPR at different levels (1,2,3,off) for period of time and see what works best
some find breathing out at lower pressure more comfortable, for me EPR did suit my breathing patterns

on the Elite and Autoset (cpap mode) you can set EPR Inhale to fast or med




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#6
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
(02-06-2013, 08:04 PM)wasserware Wrote: The thing is I still do not feel totally and awesomely refreshed in the morning, and during some mornings I still feel extremely sleepy and want to nap longer.

I think that's called normal. It's going to take a lot to get me awesomely refreshed in the morning. I'm just happy to be able to get out of bed and not feel like a total piece of crap anymore.

Quote:I thought EPR and RAMP is a main comfort feature of this machine? Will turning off EPR make the treatment more effective?

They are both comfort features. I no longer use the ramp, and I doubt many people continue to use it after the initial adjustment to CPAP therapy.


Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
Hi Wasserware, Just hang in there with it; it takes time, you haven't been at it that long.
trish6hundred
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#8
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
Just echoing what the others said. It takes a while to catch up on what you didn't know you were losing. Google "Sleep Debt". Some of it applies, some does not, but it is interesting reading. And while you are at it, Google "Sleep Hygiene" as well. Make sure you have good habits in place.

I guess, for me, it was about three to four months that I could sit back and say, "Wow, I didn't realize how dang tired I was!"

Your AHI is great so the treatment is working!
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#9
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
(02-06-2013, 08:04 PM)wasserware Wrote: The thing is I still do not feel totally and awesomely refreshed in the morning, and during some mornings I still feel extremely sleepy and want to nap longer. Maybe my case isn't that severe to begin with which is why I lacked the "miracle" feeling that some users reported?

I heard this is normal during the adjustment period and will take several weeks to months to get things sorted out... I must say that I've been dreaming much more vividly after using the CPAP...

You're not the only one who feels this way.
Unfortunately I'm in a strange mix up. I've used CPAP since 1997 and the old dinosaur I was hooked up to simply blew air. Mechanical mostly or totally. No data output or anything. I had no knowledge of whether or not there was any progress. Until a few months ago. Unfortunately the local store had the tendency to push the cheapest model on me and I didn't have enough insight to realize that it still offered me no insight as to how I was doing. Well I got in touch with the doc, he concluded that my preferred pressure was way off and prescribed an AutoSet. Unfortunately the doofuses at VitalAire are dragging their butts in trying to correct matters. So I'm still waiting. In the meantime I too am often tired. Expect on a good day for me to sleep all night and half the next day. On a bad day I sleep longer. So welcome to the club. You'd think those guys would want to help us out. No. Profits seem to take precedence.
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#10
RE: New CPAP user looking for support and guidance! THANKS!
(02-06-2013, 08:04 PM)wasserware Wrote: I thought EPR and RAMP is a main comfort feature of this machine? Will turning off EPR make the treatment more effective?

Hi wasserware, welcome to the forum!

Although EPR is considered mainly a comfort feature, it can definitely affect sleep quality and AHI in some patients.

With a pressure as low as yours, I too suggest turning EPR down or off, to see if you feel better without it.

Take care,
--- Vaughn
The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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