Top Topics
Others will be able to offer more, but for me it was the other way round. I had the same thing a few weeks ago, I was peeing 3 or 4 times each night, and read up on this. Nocturia, or waking up to go to the bathroom, is a symptom of sleep apnea. Counter-intuitively, the lack of sleep is causing you to go to the bathroom; going to the bathroom is not causing the lack of sleep (as long as you're not drinking excessively just before bed)! {According to one website I read, going into REM sleep stops you producing urine as the body becomes paralysed or something, but with sleep apnea you may not get into REM sleep as it usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to get into REM sleep. But like anything on the internet, treat with a little caution}.
After just a few weeks I don't have this problem any more. I've taken the advice on this forum around improving settings (I've not got it right yet) and am sleeping so much better and the nocturia has gone. I think that if you solve problem 1 then problem 2 will be resolved too.
Sorry about the time to get back. Life got in the way.
The mask is called an Easefit FMI. I'm currently on min/max settings of 10 and 20. 90% of 16/17. I've played around with pre-heating and humidity to get them as best as I can, but not sure at all if I've optimised this.
Last night's figures were: Therapy time 7.0 hours AHI 13.2 90% 15.5 Mask fit 55% I slept flat on my back with no pillows.
Sleeping on my side gives a lower AHI but lower therapy time as the mask inevitably comes off.
If there is no Goldilocks solution, I think I'm asking: is 7 hours at 13/15 AHI better than 4 hours at 5 AHI and 3 at 50 AHI? Should I just sleep on my back and take the improvement even if sub optimal?
As an aside, the therapy is working. I'm no longer falling asleep during the day; I'm less irritable and irritating; I've got a bit of colour in my skin again; I have cut down on the booze; and generally don't feel as wretched as I did. I've even started to exercise a little! I'm surprised that things have changed so quickly.
Hi all, hope someone can advise.
I've been using apap for a few weeks now and have got my AHI down as low as 5.1 with 7/8 hours of therapy. It was >50 initially. Good news!
Unfortunately this is only every other day. 1 day in 2 I remove my facial mask while asleep without realising until I wake up. This usually happens after either 2 hours or 4 hours. So far the impact has been minimal - I'm no longer having naps during the day - but I'm not waking up with that 'take on the world' vigour that I feel that I would if I could only keep the mask on.
As I said I am unaware that I'm taking it off. I'm sure that others have experienced this. I'm not sure if this is relevant, but my teeth usually feel very cold as the air moves over them, while my face feels hot in the mask.
Any advice would be most welcome.
Thanks in anticipation.
MR
Thanks. I've just finished my one hour afternoon nap and the numbers were quite different (mask fit 100%, periodic breathing 0, 90% pressure 9,0, AHI 5.4) I think that the mask was off for a lot more than I realised last night. I'll give it a few more days then check back in for further advice.
Thank you once again.
This is how the numbers look:
Therapy hours = 6.0 AHI = 40.7 Mask fit = 63% Periodic breathing = 17% 90% pressure = 15.0
Number of times went to toilet during night = zero!
I don't know what this actually means. Could someone please advise me on what the overall story is that these numbers are telling?
In terms of subjective experience: I didn't have any irritation with the mask, although it came off a couple of times as I moved around. I don't think that I removed it deliberately. There were no feelings of discomfort or suffocation. I was in a very deep sleep this morning, with mask on, when my wife woke me up. It took about an hour for me to get out of bed as I was so sleepy - sleepy as in still asleep, not tired from lack of sleep.
Once again, thank you in advance.
MR.
Thank you. You've been a great help. Using the link you sent me I've got into the Therapy setting and set it to 7 and 15 as you recommend. I've also enabled the humidifier. I've bookmarked the manual for future use.
One final question if I may - is it true that using CPAP means I won't have to go to the toilet 4 times a night? I read somewhere that entering REM sleep stops your bladder filling up. Is this true?
I'm in the UK. I had a sleep study just before Christmas and it showed that I wake up over 50 times per hour. Severe sleep apnea was diagnosed and I was told that I would be given a CPAP machine as a matter of urgency. Covid 19 has now hit and the respiratory clinic are devoting 100% of their resources to fighting this. They couldn't even give me an estimate of when I might get my CPAP. Frustrated, I've now bought a machine online from the US with the intention of ploughing ahead myself. (There was a bit of messing around as the CPAP machine came from the USA (2 pin plugs and 120V and I'm in the UK, 3 pin plugs and 240 volts) but finally I've got all the gear and intend to use my CPAP machine for the first time tonight).
So this is what I have: A Philips Respironics DreamStation A nasal pillow mask with cushioning (I researched this online and it may be better than the full face. Time will tell I suppose). All the cabling etc. I've connected everything up, adjusted the fit, checked for leaks and it seems to be doing what it is meant to.
Now the questions:
Thank you.
*I've been waiting six months now. I'm abusing alcohol to get to sleep and have put on maybe 20lbs since Christmas. I can't carry on indefinitely like this.
Thanks Bigugly I've just ordered a refurbished machine from your link for only $511 including delivery. I spend that each month on booze!
I hope that it will be as transformative as they claim.
Thanks for the swift replies. I know that the booze is bad news, but not sleeping is just so wretched that it feels like the lesser of evils.
The CPAP machines I saw for sale were about 3K. I cannot afford this but will look for a second hand or refurbished machine that I can afford.
Hi first post.
I'm in the UK. I had a sleep study just before Christmas and it showed that I wake up over 50 times per hour. Severe sleep apnea was diagnosed and I was told that I would be given a CPAP machine as a matter of urgency.
Covid 19 has now hit and the respiratory clinic are devoting 100% of their resources to fighting this. I don't even have an estimate of when I might now get my CPAP.
I've reached the point when I can't sleep for literally 5 minutes without waking in a panic (monitored by my wife). I have tried different sleeping positions, a mouthpiece (made me nauseous), hanging my head over the bed, sleeping on my front....everything I can think of. Now the bad bit. At the end of my tether I have started drinking a significant amount of alcohol, a bottle of wine plus a couple of whiskys, just to get me to sleep and can no longer sleep without it.
I would welcome any advice. I would like to give up alcohol but do not know of an alternative.
If it means anything, I do not consider myself an alcoholic but I am dependent on it for sleep.
Thank you,
