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New CPAP user
#1
New CPAP user
Hello Everyone!  I just signed up and this is my first post.  I'm sure my questions are total "newbie" questions.  But after all, that's what I am!  LOL

I was diagnosed in June with severe obstructive sleep apnea.  I had a lot more hypopneas than apneas and ended up with an AHI of 54.1.   I actually felt like I slept BETTER the night of the test than I had been sleeping other nights.  So who knows how bad it might have been on the bad nights!

I've been sleeping with APAP for about 5 1/2 weeks now.  I chose a full face mask because I have a lot of allergy and sinus problems and knew I tend to breathe through my mouth part of the time.   I've used my machine every night since I got it.  I had some mask leak problems at first, but no major leaks recently.   I sleep much more peacefully and my AHI is staying mostly below 2.  I think it's only been above 5 once.

I definitely feel better than I did.  I no longer nap, and no longer fall asleep every time I sit still, or fall asleep while I am working at my computer.   During the week, I am sleeping about 5 to 6 hours a night.   I'm trying to get that up to 7.  But it seems I just can't sleep that long.  After 5 or 6, I wake up even if it's not time for the alarm to go off.  But almost every weekend, I have at least one day where I wake at my normal time, but end up falling back to sleep and bring my sleep total to 10 to 11 hours for the night!

Before CPAP, I would sleep that long.  But that was NOT normal for me prior to my apnea problems and the long sleep was one reason I suspected apnea might be my problem.  I was never one to sleep late until the last few years.   So, I guess my question is....after 5 1/2 weeks of treatment is this long sleep once a week still due to sleep debt? Or is this something I should be concerned about?  The AHI is usually still good on those long nights.

During the day I still tire out more quickly than I feel like I should....but not as quickly as before treatment.  And it's more that I feel I just need to sit down and take a break rather than feeling like I want to go to sleep.

I guess I'm just wondering if this is a typical rate of improvement and if I can still expect it to get better and if I will get past these 10-11 hour nights.   Thanks.
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#2
RE: New CPAP user
Congratulations on getting off to such a good start. We all respond differently so it's hard to predict how soon you will feel more rested. There may be events that don't show in your AHI that are disrupting your sleep. We can't tell without more information. I can say that starting with a minimum pressure of 4 is not optimal for most. I see you have OSCAR. Please post one or more daily charts. We may see some things that need to be addressed to maximize your comfort and therapy. See the links below for how to organize and post your data.
Download OSCAR

Organize Charts
Attaching Charts

Mask Primer
Soft Cervical Collar

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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#3
RE: New CPAP user
Hello, SouthernSleepy. Welcome to the forum. It looks like your treatment is already making a difference for you.

I agree with Melman that you need  to post some OSCAR charts. There are inks on information on what charts to include and how to organize them in Melman's and my signatures. Be sure to turn off the calendar, pie chart and right sidebar. It is also best to keep all posts regarding your treatment in the same thread for continuity.
Useful Links
Download OSCAR
Organize your OSCAR and SleepyHead charts
Attaching images and files to posts


Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies. Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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#4
RE: New CPAP user
It sounds like you’re off to a great start! Your long sleeps on weekends remind me of these sleep hygiene tips, especially the first:

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.

So if you can possibly drag yourself out of bed on weekends after 7-8 hours, that would probably be a good idea. And I hope your charts might suggest to the experts why you aren’t sleeping as long as you need to on weekdays.
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#5
RE: New CPAP user
It is quite reasonable that you will continue to see significant improvements in your ability to sleep longer and in your daytime alertness. There really is no typical amount of time. Some lucky people score big their first night, it took me a week or two to see any kind of improvement, but that was only on rare days. After a few weeks it got better. Better yet after a few months, and better still after a couple of years.

The important thing is to follow the advice you've been given in this thread about OSCAR charts. Optimizing your therapy will help you adapt faster and hasten your recovery.
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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#6
RE: New CPAP user
Thanks, everyone.  I will try to get a chart posted soon!
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#7
RE: New CPAP user
Your situation reminds me of my own, when I started on CPAP 2.5 years ago. My body has gone through various phases of adjustment, and the stage you're describing was just one of those stages.

I believe your body is waking up fresh and ready, earlier than you'd prefer, because it's feeling so rested. And you're taking breaks during your day because your body is doing more, now that it has energy.

My opinion is based on what I observed in myself - I believe that once your body gets used to believing it's going to get the consistent restful sleep you're currently giving it, then it'll go for more sleep. For example, for me, once I adjusted to CPAP therapy (around the point you're at), I started only being able to sleep about 5-6 hours, and then my brain could not let my body go back to sleep (I was too awake). But after a while (a month or more?), my body adjusted, and now I can get 7-9 hours of sleep each night (depending on when my dogs/kids/neighbors wake me up).

That's my long-winded way of saying I think what you're describing is totally normal, and that in time you'll get more sleep.

P.S. An eye mask really helped me. I'd put it on upon first wakeup, and it would give me another hour of sleep.
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#8
RE: New CPAP user
I'm finally back with a chart.  This is from last night.  My sleep patterns have already changed (now instead of waking too early, I wake in the middle of the night).  I really don't feel I am sleeping as well as I did last week.  Did not sleep as long on the weekend.   Here's the chart...[attachment=14141]
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#9
RE: New CPAP user
Your AHI is good but it could be improved with a higher minimum pressure. If you felt you were sleeping well and felt rested I would not suggest any changes. But that's not the case. Note that your pressure immediately goes up to 10 and doesn't drop below 6. A minimum pressure near the median, in you case 10.7 is usually most effective for controlling obstructive events you are seeing. An increased min pressure will also result in fewer pressure swings which may be disrupting you sleep. To be conservative, I suggest a min pressure of 9 for now and see if you feel better. You chart shows a consistently high leak rate. Are you aware of the leaks? They could be disrupting your sleep. Please see the mask primer (link below) for suggestions on how to deal with leaks.
Download OSCAR

Organize Charts
Attaching Charts

Mask Primer
Soft Cervical Collar

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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#10
RE: New CPAP user
Tried changing the pressure setting last night.   AHI is still higher than it had been a week or so ago.  But I really felt like I slept much better and didn't wake up a bunch during the night...
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