DanM

Hi @wiredgeorge. If you are happy with your treatment and doing well, then your decisions seems solid to me. If you develop any problems during your treatment, you can certainly reconsider an evaluation by an ENT or sleep physician. Best wishes!

Hi @wiredgeorge. Like other kinds of therapy, dental appliances are effective for some patients. There are many factors to consider such as the severity of the sleep apnea, anatomy of the patient and any existing dental issues. They work by helping to reposition the jaw to create a more open airway, and the appliances tend to be more effective in patients with mild to moderate apnea. CPAP is still considered the "gold standard" for treatment. If you want to explore dental appliances, your sleep physician may be able to refer you to someone he or she has worked with.

Congratulations to both of you, @WillingGrayArmadillo4841 and @wiredgeorge. Excellent progress all around!

Congratulations, @wiredgeorge! Sounds like your therapy is working really well! 92% for a low is impressive after a low of 72 during your sleep study. Best wishes for continued success!

Hi @AffableByzantiumChinchilla8261. Glad to hear you've found what works. The full face mask is a great option for people who mouth breathe and can tolerate the mask. For people with more minor or occasional mouth breathing, a nasal mask and a chin strap can work.

Hi @ToughScarletWaterBuffalo1267. I would not necessarily call it abnormal. When I use my treatment, I can do the same thing. The key for me NOT doing it anymore was to learn to practice breathing with my CPAP on and actually stay conscious of the air going into my airway. However, if you feel you have a different issue and are not able to overcome this, an evaluation by an ENT may be needed.

Hi Trace (@robot906), and welcome to MyApnea.Org. The symptom of not having the energy level you once had is an indicator that your CPAP pressure should be re-evaluated. It is not uncommon for pressure needs to change with time, age and weight change. Also, if you are now taking any medications or have other medical conditions that were not present when you were initially diagnosed and started using CPAP, those things may impact the amount of air pressure required to keep your sleep apnea controlled. I was diagnosed a few year prior to you and have had 2 in-lab overnight titration studies. My pressure changed slightly, but that slight adjustment made a big difference in how I felt day-to-day. I am now on APAP, which is the auto-adjusting version of CPAP, and my pressure varies slightly over time. I would encourage you to talk to you sleep physician about how you are feeling and see it may be time for a new evaluation. Best wishes, and keep us posted!

Hi @wiredgeorge. The National Sleep Foundation recently updated their recommendations on sleep time, and those can be found here: https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need. However, they are only recommendations. There are people we sometimes refer to as "short-sleepers" who don't necessarily need the recommended amount of sleep, and there are those who need more than what is recommended. Personally, I have to be absolutely exhausted to sleep more than about 6 hours. My experience when I started using CPAP was much like yours--less going to the bathroom and more dreaming. It also sounds like your AHI (events per hour) is well-controlled at less than 5. Congratulations and keep up the good work. It would be great to hear what you find out about your blood oxygenation during sleep.

Congratulations, @shadowfx78! Glad to hear you have persisted with treatment and are sleeping much better. Thanks for sharing your experiences with other members.

Welcome, Carol (@laurvan)! Welcome to MyApnea.Org, and I'm happy that you are persisting with your CPAP treatment! Some people feel the effects of treatment more rapidly than others, and some find the change more drastic than others. Hopefully, you will find that you are less sleep and that your energy level improves a bit with time. Weight loss is not always associated with CPAP treatment. Some people do lose weight because they feel better after having more consolidated sleep, so they have more energy and feel like they can exercise, take a walk, or do something that helps promote weight loss. There has been research that shows some patients actually gain weight while using CPAP. The APPLES study found no association between weight loss and CPAP and found some evidence of weight gain. Here is a link to the paper: http://www.aasmnet.org/jcsm/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=29161. Weight loss or gain is more commonly associated with other issues--lifestyle changes, medication, other medical diagnoses. I encourage you to talk to your physician about other factors that may potentially be contributing to your change in weight if you are disappointed by the change. Please feel free to share your experiences and progress here on the forum!