Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
#1
Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
I've been struggling with CPAP for 3 months now, trying different masks/chin strips etc. 
I narrowed down to the Dreamwear Nasal cushion mask ( the one where nothing goes in the nose ) and have a chin strip. Yesterday I got a CPAP pillow as well which I really like because I sleep on the side and this prevents the mask from moving that much.


When I started wearing the mask and finally got to a point where I could fall asleep with it, I also started waking up in the middle of the night. After struggling to fall asleep again I just put the mask away and slept without it. 

Some things changed since then and I had a couple of nights where I slept without the mask but I still kept waking up around 4am and I couldnt fall asleep anymore for an hour or so. 

Currently, I manage to fall asleep with the mask, after an hour or two I wake up and take the mask of. Then I continue sleeping without the mask and again wake up around 4 and then I cant fall back asleep for 45/60minutes. Before starting with the CPAP therapy I always slept through the night. 

I understand that I am not used to the mask yet and that this is why I wake up once, but I dont understand why I suddenly started waking up in the middle of the night even when I am not sleeping with the mask  Thinking-about . I dont wake up gasping for air, I never had this before CPAP nor after ( I had moderate apnea with 21 events each hour during the sleep study, mix of central and obstructive - apparently because my throat is too narrow ).

My CPAP machine doesnt support OSCAR so I cant upload any data here but I am wondering if that would even help since this happens even without the mask now.


Anyone else had this ?
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
When different things, including apnea, add sleep disruptions, the body reacts in various ways and can even work to accept things that are a health risk if kept in the bad situation long enough. For myself, I recall having sleeping issues for a very long time. Being poor, I never got my sleep situation analyzed when I was younger, but it could be I had apnea in my teens or possibly earlier. It is just a guess however.

In my example say that we accept I had apnea in my teenage years, then in theory I may have had apnea as early as age 13. I didn't get any sleep study until late 2014 or early 2015, when I was aged
45-46. Important info because I possibly had apnea for around 33 years. Again this is a guess, and let's suppose I'm accurate. I had apnea for 33 or so years, and the body adjusted to this poor sleep breathing issue. Then around 2015, dummy Dave decides to do something about the apnea, the sleep study revealed very high apnea at 73 or so AHI. Now we try to correct this bad status with a CPAP. I am not used to it, I don't have medical support to guide me, and I fail it. The doctor involved with the diagnosis of apnea was the bad old school style "here's the CPAP at 20 with no EPR/Flex, use it, and if it does not work or it's uncomfortable, you have a problem not the CPAP or me."

Now, let's come back to you. I don't know how long you suffered with undiagnosed apnea, but your body had to make adjustments over the years to cope with it. Possibly one coping mechanism was/is getting up when you introduce the CPAP. You will have to allow time to adjust back to something more healthy with a CPAPs help. There's some things you can actively do to help your body to adjust. One is use OSCAR data to adjust the machine to be optimal for your needs. Two is to not sleep without the mask on. You are mixing up your own body. Sometimes you reduce apnea with the mask on then you take off the mask to go back to health risk. You're stuck in a very bad state of mixing up your body where it doesn't know what's going on. You've introduced something close to normal sleep by the CPAP. You have to diligently keep this new normal status by masking up every time you sleep. I know for myself, if I slept for any amount of time mask on then decided to nap or sleep any length of time mask off, especially during the early stages of getting used to CPAP, those mask on then off episodes basically reset the transition period. I got worse sleep during this mix up period, and I was causing it myself. Decide to treat the apnea by doing it all the time you sleep or you're likely just making it harder on yourself.

Bottom line: set the pressures to optimal for you and use it all the time you sleep.

PS I saw the machine you have isn't compatible with OSCAR. Can you see any data in any way with what you have? You have need of knowing if the machine is set best for you in some measurable way.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
(05-06-2020, 08:07 AM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: Two is to not sleep without the mask on. You are mixing up your own body. Sometimes you reduce apnea with the mask on then you take off the mask to go back to health risk. You're stuck in a very bad state of mixing up your body where it doesn't know what's going on. You've introduced something close to normal sleep by the CPAP. You have to diligently keep this new normal status by masking up every time you sleep. I know for myself, if I slept for any amount of time mask on then decided to nap or sleep any length of time mask off, especially during the early stages of getting used to CPAP, those mask on then off episodes basically reset the transition period. I got worse sleep during this mix up period, and I was causing it myself. Decide to treat the apnea by doing it all the time you sleep or you're likely just making it harder on yourself.


When I first got the CPAP 3 months ago I tried doing that. It took me a long time to fall asleep, then I would wake up and try to fall back asleep with the mask. This resulted in me sleeping for maybe an hour or two each night and me getting extremely sleep deprived. I fell into bad depression for the first time in my life and honestly had the worst month in my whole life. Now I manage to fall asleep much faster with it but I still wake up and I simply can not fall back asleep with the mask on. 

I talked about this with a sleep doctor and they told me that I should not push myself, that I should go to sleep with the mask and if I wake up and cant fall asleep again in 10/15 minutes because of the mask - that I should take it off. Eventually my body will get used to it and I will apparently start sleeping longer and longer with it without waking up. 





(05-06-2020, 08:07 AM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: PS I saw the machine you have isn't compatible with OSCAR. Can you see any data in any way with what you have? You have need of knowing if the machine is set best for you in some measurable way.

there is a website for it but it doesnt show almost any data outside pressure/leaks and number of events when I stopped breathing. 

Thank you for the long and detailed answer!
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
You didn't mention your age. I take an over-the-counter sleep aid, and have done so for quite a few years now. I'm 65, and as you age, things change, and not always for the good. 

If I fail to take a sleep aid, there's a very good chance that I will wake up after about 2-3 hours of sleep. My wife is a bit older than me, and she too, takes a sleep aid, but her's is different from mine. 

That, and the fact, that I have to get up a few times during the night to go use the restroom. Since having started SA Therapy, the number of those visits have gone down a little. 

As I mentioned, as you age, things only tend to get worse.  Oh-jeez
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
You're welcome. Another thing to consider that has helped others including myself: if you want or need more time to adjust to a mask on and using CPAP status, you can try wearing it for some short sessions while sitting in your chair reading or TV time, etc. This helps to add to time invested for the adjusting period. You may consider it if your daily activity schedule allows.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
(05-06-2020, 09:59 AM)Big Guy Wrote: You didn't mention your age. I take an over-the-counter sleep aid, and have done so for quite a few years now. I'm 65, and as you age, things change, and not always for the good. 

If I fail to take a sleep aid, there's a very good chance that I will wake up after about 2-3 hours of sleep. My wife is a bit older than me, and she too, takes a sleep aid, but her's is different from mine. 

That, and the fact, that I have to get up a few times during the night to go use the restroom. Since having started SA Therapy, the number of those visits have gone down a little. 

As I mentioned, as you age, things only tend to get worse.  Oh-jeez


Im in my early 30s, got diagnosed 3/4 months ago but have been struggling with fatigue my whole life. Doctors disregarded sleep apnea as an option because I am fit and even the at home sleep study didnt caught it. Only after years of desperation I went for a 3 night sleep study and they caught it there.

Which sleep aid do you take ? I live in Germany and here its not easy to get anything besides natural stuff without a doctors note. I got sleeping pills for a couple of days to catch up on sleep but could not keep taking them. Even Melatonin you cant get with over 1mg from normal stores and its always mixed with other things so you cant really take more.


(05-06-2020, 10:04 AM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: You're welcome. Another thing to consider that has helped others including myself: if you want or need more time to adjust to a mask on and using CPAP status, you can try wearing it for some short sessions while sitting in your chair reading or TV time, etc. This helps to add to time invested for the adjusting period. You may consider it if your daily activity schedule allows.

I was doing this for a while but honestly I keep forgetting to put the mask on. When I was doing it before I stopped after a couple of days because I dont actually mind having the mask on my face, but when I wake up in the middle of the night then I guess I just feel too sensitive and then it bothers me. But thank you for the reminder, I will go and put the mask on now. Do you use it with or without the actual CPAP machine during the day?
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
When I wore the mask in the daytime to get used to it, I had it hooked up to the CPAP and with it running just as if it were night and going to sleep.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
I've taken various sleep aids over the years. I'm currently taking Doxylamine Succinate, 25mg tablet. You only take 1 before bedtime. I bought these at our local Costco. 

I do find that after a while, the sleep aid I take, tends to become less and less effective. But, that can take a good year or so, if not longer. 

Anyways, I don't particularly like taking medications so that I can sleep, but the alternative (little to no sleep) is even worse.
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
(05-06-2020, 10:44 AM)Big Guy Wrote: I've taken various sleep aids over the years. I'm currently taking Doxylamine Succinate, 25mg tablet. Y

Thats interesting, I actually found it in some german online pharmacies. might give it a go if I dont manage to sort out my sleeping in the next couple of weeks
Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: Has anyone else started waking up in the middle of the night since they started CPAP?
You might find that Benadryl works well. It's an anti hystamine and puts me out pretty well. I often find that with otc sleep aids I feel almost hung over in the morning. Many people find that the sleep they get using these aids isn't as beneficial as unaided sleep. that said, I take these too given the right circumstances and level of desperation.

benadryl doesn't leave me feeling blah in the morning.

best of luck!
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  [Treatment] Waking up 10+ times a night Valtor 1 50 1 hour ago
Last Post: Sleeprider
  Recently started CPAP -- very high proportion of Clear Airway Events matt2 0 117 03-17-2024, 02:48 PM
Last Post: matt2
Sad [Treatment] 10 Months In and Still Waking Up After 4 to 5 Hours Burnsy 3 284 03-14-2024, 11:37 AM
Last Post: Burnsy
  [CPAP] Persistant night waking - Oscar results help please philjones 0 156 03-07-2024, 05:39 PM
Last Post: philjones
Cool [Diagnosis] Hello! Hola! New to CPAP, first night of SD card (Help Appreciated!) punkrockcholo 29 2,129 03-06-2024, 12:59 PM
Last Post: Dormeo
Sad [Symptoms] Traumatic life event. Now I'm waking up every night suffocating. BostonEngineer 9 394 03-03-2024, 12:44 PM
Last Post: HalfAsleep
Question [Symptoms] New CPAP User, Started Snoring Again heyou 30 1,591 03-02-2024, 11:00 AM
Last Post: heyou


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.