Hello, I was just diagnosed with sever sleep apnea about a week ago. I used my CPAP machine twice so far and have felt a slight difference in how I feel during the day....not exhausted. I have to use a chin strap with my machine and my question is this....are there any tricks that anyone has on how to keep that chin strap on my head during the night. I have far more trouble with that than with getting used to the machine. Any help anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Hello @StraightforwardGreenGoshawk3310. I have heard that some patients use hair pins/clips of various types to keep chin straps in place by clipping the chin strap to their hair. If your mouth-breathing is significant enough and you have not tried wearing a full face mask that allows you to breath through your nose or mouth, that may be something you can speak to your physician or equipment provider about. Best of luck, and glad to hear you feel some improvement during the day!
My name is Marjorie. I have severe sleep apnea. I have had it since i was a young woman. I chose to ignore it, then at the age of 63 I begin to go catatose watching a commerical. In this state I knew I was fighting to get my breath and could not. I would try to turn over ,but I couldn't because I seemed paralized. Finally I ended up in ER had to put a pacemaker in. I feel much better on the machine,but it is a battle I just got to the point i could sleep on it and i still stop breathing and my DR. wants to bump it up.I now learn its connected to hearing loss. Wow i just got fitted for hearing aids. I just wished i could get it together and sleep
Marjorie, what do you think would have helped convince you, way back when you first had it, that you needed to use the machine? We still struggle to find ways to convince people a lot of health issues result from sleep apnea and that until something better comes along the PAP is good treatment. Can you help answer this question? Good luck, sorry to read about another person suffering apnea's consequences.
I've had sleep apnea for years - using me cpap off and on. Now I'm Really trying to use it more - but these first few days I am so horribly tired throughout the day. Also - I am a rock and roll singer and when I get up after using the cpap I'm so dry and my throat is sore. I fill the reservoir at night but it empties before I wake in the morning - any suggestions on this?
Hi @AmusingDesertSandSpider1273. A bit more information may be helpful, so I'll ask a couple of questions if you don't mind. First, what kind of mask are you wearing (nasal, full face)? Second, have you considered checking with your equipment provider about the dry mouth and water usage? It may be that you are breathing through your mouth or have mask leak that is causing the humidified air to escape. In the meantime, there are a couple of mouthwashes that can be used for dry mouth. A quick internet search will help you identify those. I have also worked with some patients who live in dry climates that have reported a room humidifier has helped in situations like this. Most machines sense humidity and temperature, and the added moisture in the air sometimes helps regulate the water usage in the CPAP machine. Hope this helps!
Hello to you all,
This is Umut from Istanbul.
My normal ahi is 10.8 ( mild sleep apnea )
my supine ahi is 37.
If ı be able to preclude to sleep on my dorsal,it is almost 11.
I bouhght a bicycle and 've been cycling for 10 days.
it really works to lost weight and increase your lung capacity.
In fact,it doesn't help to cure apnea directly but it helps indirectly.
Also, ı 've been challenging for one year on apnea.
So, ı will share my treatment recommondations on the forum in time.
All ı need here; may ı play didgerideoo ,if ı have uppp surgery?
I hope that we will cure apnea over time by an exceptional treatment with the help
of medical science except of cpap.
Regards,
Hello @UMUTEJDER. Welcome to MyApnea.Org. Weight loss can definitely help improve sleep apnea, but it does not always completely resolve the problem. Congratulations on your new bicycle and cycling! As for playing the didgeridoo, you should consult your physician to see how long you should wait after surgery before playing. Hope this helps!
Hi ,My name is Harvey Shiffman DDS and i have been providing the Nightlase snoring and sleep apnea therapy to our patients since 2012 with much success. We also provide Mandibular Advancement Devices as needed. . Please ask any questions that you may have about Nightlase as i am the Developer of the protocol and training procedures in the U.S. and Canada.
Hi. I have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and I an angry and frustrated. I would love some feedback. Please tell me someone else has felt this way. I never had symptoms except snoring. i am not tired or foggy or forgetful. I sleep fine. All my family snored and lived long healthy lives-none of them was ever egged on by a spouse who hates snoring to get the sleep test. I am resistant to the use of a CPAP machine. I tried it last night, and could barely sleep. I was tangled in the all the junk, and I have a kind of claustrophobic response to things over my face, or even touching my face(even my hair) while I sleep due to years of having asthma attacks at night until it was under control. The machine while I was awake reminded me of having an asthma attack, and it was hard to breathe, so I became more and more anxious. The flow of air kept making me forget to breathe while I was awake, and I would gasp and strain to breathe, although I was assured I breathed while asleep for the few hours I got. The technician tried to tell me it would get better, but had to come in several times during the night to make sure I was untangled. I had tried to have an open mind about it, but kept waking up and just wept at how tired and miserable I was. I woke up tired and angry and in a terrible mood with a headache. Maybe I'm just a baby, but I feel all I am being told is -" you have sleep apnea, you can die without this treatment." I want to trust all this information, but have a hard time believing this will really harm me. Sorry to jump in, but I have been looking for information since this happened and this seems like a good place.
Perhaps you could relate some information from the sleep study so we could put this in perspective? What was your AHI? What were you low blood oxygen readings? These are the readings without a CPAP machine hooked up. More information is needed in order to make any type of intelligent response other than noting that the study when wearing the mask made you definitely miserable. You might also mention which type mask you wore. What pressures did the study prescribe?
I actually got very little information from the doctor. You people on this site are the first who told me much of anything. I was told only that I had apnea only for 90 minutes out of the last two hours of sleep, during REM. And that the number of times per hour was 28. I believe this is moderate. but when I was told this, the doctor's words were something like" you don't have to use a cpap, but you can die form this condition, have a heart attack or stroke" when I expressed concerns about wearing something on my face. I feel now that he was not telling me everything.
Hi @DiligentCrimsonJellyfish9090. Many patients, including me, struggled with the early days of CPAP treatment. There have been some posts from patients here on the Forum, and I have personally worked with many patients over the years who have shared stories similar to yours. As frustrated as you are, I do congratulate you on taking these first steps of getting tested and treated, and for persisting with your treatment. Many years of research have helped to establish links between sleep apnea, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and many other health conditions. There have even been studies that suggest a link between snoring and hearing loss (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12921130) and between asthma severity and sleep apnea . Regarding treatment, there are many types of masks available. You may find that you tolerate certain masks better than others. There are also things like CPAP tubing holders to help hold the CPAP hose up and out of your way. A quick internet search can help you find those. I usually recommend that patients practice wearing CPAP while not in bed and while doing some other activity such as reading or watching TV. This often helps adjust to the feeling of the mask and of exhaling against the air pressure. You may also consider talking to your physician about other treatment options if you truly cannot tolerate CPAP. Depending on the severity of your sleep apnea, you may be a candidate for an oral appliance or some other form of treatment (hypoglossal nerve stimulation, Winx, etc.). Best wishes, and thanks for sharing your experience! Please continue to ask questions and share your progress.
Okay, I know much of my problem is the very idea. I think someone would have to prove a link between my apnea to a direct and very serious health condition that is immediately impacting my life in order to get me to wear something on my face while I sleep. And while I am awake, no way. not for a minute or even a few seconds. Can't imagine it. it makes me shudder just to see pictures of people wearing the CPAP masks.
Hi. I've had sleep apnea since 2012. I've used my machine, with moderate success. Still have fatigue. My doc tells me I definitely have apnea, and has suggested strongly I continue to use it. I've accepted it as it is. My question now is: I will be travelling overseas in January. Any suggestions for travelling with a sleep apnea machine. I have a "travel CPAP", however, it is almost as big as the one I use at home. Suggestions would be awesome!
Hi @mightymouse. It sometimes helps to have a "travel letter" from your physician, should you run encounter any questions while traveling. CPAPs are pretty common these days, and I have not heard of many patients who have had problems traveling with their equipment. I would recommend making sure your travel machine is compatible with the voltage requirements for wherever you are going, and you may need to make sure you have an adapter that fits the electrical outlets at your destination. Finally, it is usually safer to use distilled water, which many manufacturers recommend anyway. Some hotels can arrange to have this available for you upon arrival. Hope this helps, and safe travels!
Hi @DanC121. Welcome to MyApnea.Org, and congratulations on 2 months of treatment! There are many reasons a person may still feel tired while using CPAP. Medications, other health conditions, and even environmental factors such as temperature, noise, or an uncomfortable sleep surface may contribute to feeling tired. Patients who sleep in a room that is too cold or too warm, for example, may arouse from sleep to adjust bedding but have no recollection the following morning of waking. Noise like traffic or a dog barking may also cause brief arousals from sleep that patients do not remember. However, they still interrupt the sleep cycle. Another thing to consider is whether your CPAP pressure is correct and your treatment is working properly. Your physician should be able to check the machine's data to determine whether everything is as it should be. I hope this information is helpful!
Perhaps you should take a look at your sleep study to see what was going on. The O2 levels are telling but it also has info on deep sleep vs light. The doctor responsible for your sleep study should be able to explain but perhaps your prescriber may not be able to? That was the case after my sleep study. I also found that my O2 levels were miserable without treatment and I was zonked all day long.
Hi, my name is Sheila. I was diagnosed with severe SA and have been on a CPAP for about 6 weeks now. I'm feeling just as tired with the machine than I was before even though I used to get up around 3 times a night and now I'm only getting up once. I've had a few issues with the hoses but got a hose holder that has helped a lot. I just don't feel like I'm getting good/deep enough sleep. I would love an oral appliance but my doctor says the CPAP is my only option due to the severity of my apnea.
Hi Sheila, and welcome to MyApnea.Org! Good to hear you are not getting up as often during the night, and hopefully, that will eventually help with your fatigue. It sometimes takes time to adjust to CPAP and to start to feel better. However, there may be other causes for your fatigue. Other health conditions, medications, and other things that may be causing disturbances during the night can contribute to your fatigue. It may be good to discuss the issue with your physician to see if there are other factors that can be considered that will help improve your sleep and reduce your level of fatigue.
Hi, Just dx in Oct 2015. Been on CPAP ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset for 7 months. Been thru 4 masks on my 5th. Need full bc mouth breather, tried & tried w nasal wisp which I prefer. Having trouble with no heat. Will get it replaced but has anyone had that happen? I put it on manual, temp on 81, humidifier on 4. It used to warm up. Thank you!!
