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Is This Worth it?
#1
Is This Worth it?
Dear Friends,

I have been on CPAP for about 6 months.  I have every reason to believe I am folowing all the procedures correctly in that I get scores of 100 quite often.  That said, I have experienced no increase in energy, still feel the need for afternoon naps, and still go to bed no later than 11:00.

The only change I notice is a strong reduction in recorded episodes.  I experienced about 18 an hour during my sleep test and according to my machine that is down to about 3-5 on average per hour.  That is my only indicator that something positive is going on. (I am assuming that my snoring has in fact dropped precipitously. )

So, could I be doing something wrong?, do other out there also feel no reduction in the need for naps?   Is this worth continuing?

Thanks,
Joel
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#2
RE: Is This Worth it?
How are you doing on the non-AHI stuff that can disrupt sleep and don't contribute to your 100 score? BTW good job on achieving that and meeting compliance.

This is why we are such fans on the OSCAR program. It does allow us to see the details of what is happening and then suggest corrective actions.

IMHO Yes, it is worth it.
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#3
RE: Is This Worth it?
It will be one year for me on Sept. 10. I'm feeling much the same way as you are. I've been doing great as far as getting used to being on a CPAP machine, and I've had no real issues or concerns since my very 1st night. 

MY AHI is usually under 2 for the most part. Sometimes as low as 0.3. My sleep doc says my therapy is going very well and he has no concerns in regards to changing up my therapy. 

But......I'm not feeling any better, as in more energy. I still feel tired and want to take a nap in the afternoon. I'm dealing with some high blood pressure issues as well, so that's been on my mind now for a while. 

I am sleeping thru the night, although I do have to get up more often than I would like to use the bathroom. And, I'm taking meds for that hoping to reduce the number of trips to the bathroom. 

From what I've heard, SA therapy takes some more time than others. That's what I'm clinging to. It's going to take me longer than others to come around. I'm okay with that, but, I'm not going to wait forever. Initially, I thought that I'd give it a full year and if I didn't feel better, I'd just give it up and move on with life. 

This forum has been great for getting educated on SA and for it's support. I'm now rethinking my timeline and have decided to keep at it. I can't say that I'll stop at two years, but who knows? I have great insurance and it's taken most of the brunt when it comes to paying for all of this. 

You didn't mention your age. I'm going on 65, so I'm no Spring chicken. I'm sure that I've had SA for quite some time before being diagnosed with it. Maybe age has something to do with the overall success of being treated for SA? 

You asked if this was worth continuing? I'd have to say YES w/o a doubt. Give it some time, and don't be shy when it comes to turning to, or asking this forum for some help and support. There's a great bunch of people here with an incredible amount of knowledge. And, I do mean incredible! No if's, and's, or but's about that. 

So.....belly on up to the SA bar, get comfortable, and plan on staying for a good while. You're in good company and we're all chasing the same illusive goal. 

Best of luck to you!
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#4
RE: Is This Worth it?
I am in the same camp.  I feel no different from the way I felt two years ago when I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation suddenly.  In fact, I could say justifiably that it has gotten worse!  I now have to endure sleepy periods on the couch when the missus and I are on watching evening TV.  I also get sleepy watching TV just after lunch, although most of us would probably have that experience after lunch, especially if over 50.

However, I am contented.  I accept that the information resulting from my sleep lab overnight pegged me in the 'severe' range, and that my machine now has me between 0.0-1.2 events per night.  I am also taking medication that I never had to take until September of 2017, and I'm pretty sure they have had an impact on my life.  I've gained 15 pounds since then.  My heart doesn't have the output that it had before June of 2017.

The way I look at it, time moves ever onward, and things change in time.  I'm not the man I was even five years ago.  I'm that much closer to my end, and somewhat fatter.  Life is a struggle, more for some than for others.  When you give up, you'll wither and die.  When you fight, you keep vital.  I intend to keep up the Good Fight and to go kicking and screaming.
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#5
RE: Is This Worth it?
(07-13-2019, 01:18 PM)mesenteria Wrote: I am in the same camp.  I feel no different from the way I felt two years ago when I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation suddenly.  In fact, I could say justifiably that it has gotten worse!  I now have to endure sleepy periods on the couch when the missus and I are on watching evening TV.  I also get sleepy watching TV just after lunch, although most of us would probably have that experience after lunch, especially if over 50.

However, I am contented.  I accept that the information resulting from my sleep lab overnight pegged me in the 'severe' range, and that my machine now has me between 0.0-1.2 events per night.  I am also taking medication that I never had to take until September of 2017, and I'm pretty sure they have had an impact on my life.  I've gained 15 pounds since then.  My heart doesn't have the output that it had before June of 2017.

The way I look at it, time moves ever onward, and things change in time.  I'm not the man I was even five years ago.  I'm that much closer to my end, and somewhat fatter.  Life is a struggle, more for some than for others.  When you give up, you'll wither and die.  When you fight, you keep vital.  I intend to keep up the Good Fight and to go kicking and screaming.

Odd thing about the A-Fib. I was diagnosed with it about 18 months or so ago. I was successfully treated for it with a Cardio Version procedure. It only took one shock and I was good. 

After being treated for it, I felt no better at all. And.....I never had any signs of high blood pressure until after I was treated. Being in LE, I had a complete physical every year for 30 years. Not once in all those physical exams was blood pressure an issue or problem. Matter-of-fact, the doctors and/or nurses would tell me that they wished their blood pressure was so good.

Now it's an issue......... Dont-know
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#6
RE: Is This Worth it?
Thnaks for all the comebacks. FYI I'm 72 years of age.
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#7
RE: Is This Worth it?
Joel,

Yes, absolutely continue with your treatment! You are way ahead of where I was after six months. I was getting barely 4 hours of sleep per night. Not good sleep either. I quit my treatment at least 3 times in the first year, thinking it just wasn't going to ever work for me. I tried 4-5 masks and a bunch of gadgets only to find out I only needed the right full face mask that fit me.

I'm now getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. I wake up feeling rested. I drink about 6 less cups of coffee per day and can get through the day without a nap if I keep myself busy mentally and/or physically. Don't get me wrong, I can still nap if I want to. But the difference is - I don't need to. I'm 62, so napping is part life for us. I play chess, guitar, ukulele, do digital photography, and mess around with my two dogs. Keeping myself busy helps me to not think about napping or being tired. When 8pm rolls around, I'm ready to crash.

Keep at it, it took me a full year to get things figured out. In the long run, it will make your life better.
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you get there.
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#8
RE: Is This Worth it?
I too experienced the same as others, feeling no change in energy and tired all the time. I realized after a period of time that my BP had dropped due to the good pap numbers and I needed to adjust/reduce my BP medicines.
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#9
RE: Is This Worth it?
Sleepy afternoons also may also indicate T2 and high blood glucose. You would have your fasting blood glucose from previous blood tests.
mask fit http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer
For auto-cpap, from machine data or software. You can set the min pressure 1 or 2cm below 95%. Or clinicians commonly use the maximum or 95% pressure for fixed pressure CPAP, this can also be used for min pressure.
https://aasm.org/resources/practiceparam...rating.pdf
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#10
RE: Is This Worth it?
(07-13-2019, 01:18 PM)mesenteria Wrote: I intend to keep up the Good Fight and to go kicking and screaming.

"...do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
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