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1 month in, some unexpected results - Printable Version

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1 month in, some unexpected results - KenG - 05-17-2017

From the 1st night with cpap and every night since I have AHI <1.0   No waking up with racing pulse and dreams of fighting bears and robbers. Recording pulse oxy shows me in mid 90s all night.

One surprise is that I now need a backup alarm to keep from being late for work. Before cpap, I usually beat the alarm up.  Now I am in danger of turning it off and returning to sleep. After this happened several times I got a 2nd alarm I have to get out of bed to turn off.  I haven't been this groggy on awakening since I was a teenager. I am alert during the day but feel like it would be great to slip off somewhere and get more sleep.

I wonder if my body is just trying to make up for lost years of whatever it gets during sleep ?

I have 1 month follow up with Doc this afternoon.

I appreciate this forum.


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - silversnore - 05-17-2017

I think that you will find that people acclimate to cpap therapy in varying time periods, some quickly-some a few months.  It is great that your therapy is working so well.  I encourage you to download the Sleepyhead software from the link on top of the page, it will give you the ability to really see what is going on with your therapy, etc.  You can also download the graphs, etc. to this forum, there are lots of experienced members that are able to help you with adivce.  Read Roby Sue's beginner guide to Sleephead to get in the swing.


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - Crimson Nape - 05-17-2017

Hi KenG - Welcome

It's good to hear that your days are improved.  This is probably silly to ask, but is going to bed earlier out of the question?  On your off day you may try seeing just how long you require sleep.

Good luck!


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - OpalRose - 05-17-2017

Yes, there is what we call "sleep debt", a cumulative affect of not getting enough sleep.

This will work itself out as you get used to therapy, and your body starts to recover from years of not getting enough sleep.

When I first started, I found myself sleeping 9 to 10 hours, which was a lot for me. Prior to CPAP, I was lucky to get 2 to 3 hours a night.

Now, I do really well with 7 hours.


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - trish6hundred - 05-17-2017

Hi KenG,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
It’s great to hear that you are noticing improvement with your sleep. As you catch up on your sleep debt, hopefully, you will notice even more.
Good luck to you and hang in there for more responses to your post.


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - Hydrangea - 05-17-2017

Sleep debt? Yikes! Maybe my debt will be paid off once I've been 6 feet under for a decade! LOL

KenG - I have had trouble hearing my alarm, due to sleeping so well, and also the white noise of my xpap machine. But it sounds like that's not what you're experiencing.

I, too, wonder if it would help if you'd go to sleep earlier. Maybe your morning wakeup is at a weird point in your new sleep cycle.


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - KenG - 05-19-2017

Thanks for all the replies.

Wife and I go to bed at same time so going earlier is not an option for me, however, the last 2 days I am getting past the groggy wakeup so I may be catching up.

Wednesday afternoon I had 1 month followup.  I expected sleep Doc but got nurse practitioner. She downloaded sd card and was happy with everything. She said its a good thing I needed 2nd alarm, my symptoms very common, and called it REM rebound.  Also gave me a printed script in case mrs Santa wants to get me a travel cpap.

This morning I actually got up and beat the 2nd alarm.


RE: 1 month in, some unexpected results - xxyzx - 05-19-2017

(05-17-2017, 09:00 AM)KenG Wrote: From the 1st night with cpap and every night since I have AHI <1.0   No waking up with racing pulse and dreams of fighting bears and robbers. Recording pulse oxy shows me in mid 90s all night.

One surprise is that I now need a backup alarm to keep from being late for work. Before cpap, I usually beat the alarm up.  Now I am in danger of turning it off and returning to sleep. After this happened several times I got a 2nd alarm I have to get out of bed to turn off.  I haven't been this groggy on awakening since I was a teenager. I am alert during the day but feel like it would be great to slip off somewhere and get more sleep.

I wonder if my body is just trying to make up for lost years of whatever it gets during sleep ?

I have 1 month follow up with Doc this afternoon.

I appreciate this forum.

go to bed earlier

set alarm to wake you up at same time 7x52
no sleeping in on weekends nor staying up late and not using alarm