Is it possible to feel more tired after using a bipap than before diagnosis?

[Hanrahan]

"We can help you."

I have asked questions in the past and if you feel you have something to contribute, you are welcome to add to the wealth of information. On this thread I asked nothing. I commented.

[OpalRose]

I apologize Hanrahan,
Just assumed you were asking for advice or help. I digress!

[trish6hundred]

Hi Bella2010,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I am just curious, is this your first machine or have you had a CPAP machine before this and then were switched to a BIPAP machine? If this is your first machine, it could be that your body is still getting used to this new way of sleeping.
I encourage you to stick with CPAP therapy, it would help you if you filled out your profile and get the data-management software, (SleepyHead,)so you can see what's going on with your sleep, and if you have questions about it, others here on the board can help you as well.
Much success to you and hang in there for more responses to your post.

[Rob S]

I have been using a bipap machine for almost 5 weeks. I honestly feel more tired most days than before I started using the machine. Is this normal? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

i had the same experience and question around my 5 week mark and the answer i got was, YES. it's common to feel worse before you feel better.

i downloaded sleepyhead, posted some data here, got ton's of great advice, made some changes to my settings and now 3 months in i feel absolutely fantastic!

do as the previous posters advised, update your profile, get sleepyhead and take charge of your therapy.

[DariaVader]

There are a lot of reasons you might feel worse instead of better. Could be wrong pressure settings, other wrong settings, wrong machine, ad infinitum. need to have machine type and settings + data, and some idea of what is wrong beyond "feel worse" to make any informed guesses. We want to help, but it would be bad advice if we give it without information.

[Hanrahan]

In Australia CPAP is an expensive road to travel, one I will not take on a vague promise that "things will get better"

Last night I went to bed a little after 9 with the mask on. I was awake again 1:53 on the machine so looked at the terrible test cricket scores and went back to bed. Fell asleep without putting on the mask and woke again 5 hours later. That's a LONG sleep for me.

I will quiz the specialist when I see him later in the month but I doubt apnea is my primary problem but I will take advice on that.

Sleep is a complex issue where one size obviously doesn't fit all.

[DariaVader]

apnea is potentially a deadly problem. Whether you choose to do the work to find what works for you and to treat or not, is entirely up to you, but you shouldn't discourage someone else based on an experience set that doesn't include doing that work. Sometimes the formula is hit upon on first try, more often it takes some tolerance and some fiddling. I understand if you dont have the patience for it.

[Bella2010]

Thanks for the advice, and I have updated the information on the kind of machine, mask and etc. I need to download SleepyHead--maybe I can find time this weekend.

[parkerdt]

No one wants to admit they have apnea. Had I done so 5 years ago, I might not have Diabetes type 2 and Glaucoma today. 7 years ago? Maybe the coronary disease would not have progressed.
Who knows?

If you have sleep apnea, there is no good road that comes from being in denial.

So, get with the program, make it work, live longer, feel better.

[Slothy]

I just started therapy last night and I had the same question. I felt like I slept well and woke up feeling fairly good, but by mid afternoon I had as much trouble keeping my eyes open as I've ever had, which was disappointing, since I wasn't expecting it. The more I search though the more I find that it's common. This has already been a long drawn out process; a bunch of doc visits, 2 home sleep studies, septoplasty and turbinate reduction, in-house titration sleep study, and now starting on the bi-pap. I'll definitely have to get a card reader and some software. I got some Philips Dream Mapper program for my phone, but so far it doesn't have any data in it. I don't know if that's supposed to back-fill with the data that goes to my DME over the modem or if it only works if I have the bluetooth option. In any case, I guess I should prepare for a long-slow slog. I suppose I didn't get myself into this boat overnight, so I'm not going to get out of it that fast either...