15 years unrefreshed sleep/also, BiPAP rental?

[DigDugSlug]

I understand now. Thanks again!

[DigDugSlug]

I turned on EPR last night and didn't notice much of a difference.

This isn't telling us anything of interest is it?



Do I need to give it a few more nights or is one night enough to tell me that it's no better?

[Pugsy]

One night of any change is never enough to determine if something helped or not.
One month maybe.

I don't think the answer to your problem is going to be found in the machine settings but it hurts nothing to try.

[DigDugSlug]

thanks again for your help!

[ChicagoGranny]

I'm basically in a fog most of the time always feel like I need to sleep. Depending on the day, since I'm always home, I'll nap. ... But most of the time my eyes feel heavy and I feel like I have very bad jet lag.

CPAP helps us breathe. Sleeping is another matter. See this checklist:

- Practice good sleep hygiene (Google it and read several sources)
- Eat a good diet
- Have a regular, moderate exercise program
- Try to avoid daytime naps
- Practice total abstinence of caffeine including sources like chocolate (sigh)
- Review all medicines, vitamins and supplements you are taking to make sure none are interfering with sleep
- Use the bedroom for sleeping (and sex) only, and make sure the bedroom and bed are comfortable.
- Learn to appropriately handle emotional stress in your life
- Do not listen to your breathing or the sound of the machine as you are falling asleep.
- Distract your mind by thinking of a pleasant, relaxing activity that you enjoy. Thinking of sitting under an umbrella on a quiet beach with a warm gentle breeze works for me.
- Use CPAP software, such as the free SleepyHead, to make sure your therapy is optimized
- If you still don't feel or sleep well, make sure you have regular medical checkups to confirm there are no other medical problems

CG

I've been taking Venlafzxine for at least 4 or 5 years, maybe longer. Before that at various times, I've been on Celexa, Cymbalta, Cytomel, Abilify, Vyvanse and Adderall.

Were you diagnosed with depression before you were diagnosed with sleep apnea? Are you aware that we have a history of misdiagnosing depression when the underlying cause is sleep apnea?

[VinnieBarbarino]

Have you consulted a neurologist? There are some neurological conditions that cause fatigue that are unrelated to OSA and depression.

[DavidCarolina]

This happened to me also

Buy a bipap on Craig's

Use a full face mask

Learn to breathe deep through mouth

Don't use meds that Supress breathing

Get 9 hours a night

Make sure the air is cool, instead of heated humidity

[DigDugSlug]

I'm curious, why do you suggest a full face mask and cool air?

[lwieland11]

Dig -

I, too, have struggled for almost 15 years. CPAP, multiple pressures, BIPAP, Autopap, lots of tweaking of this and that, multiple masks and straps, 5 different doctors, 6 sleep studies and more. Although there were a few temporary successes here and there, for the most part, it's been a terribly frustrating struggle.

After a CPAP titration study earlier this year that was inconclusive, then a BIPAP study, it was determined that a BIPAP with a backup rate with a pressure of 17 would get rid of all my OSAs and centrals. So, I've been struggling to make that work for 7 months now. I have recently discovered a few things that are making a positive difference and I am encouraged by this.

1. Sleeping on my side has helped tremendously. I really do wake up feeling pretty good after 5-6 hours of sleep on my side. Not nearly as many
apneas on your side.
2. I found a good full face mask - Amara View - that feels not so bulky and uncomfortable. It is actually tolerable. It does leak a good bit if
you don't get the fit just right and that takes a nightly effort. But it's the best mask I've tried so far. So lightweight. Doesn't feel like I'm sleeping
with shoe on my face.
3. Medication - beware of the effects of medication. If you have any food sensitivities - lactose, gluten, sulfites, etc - those can absolutely
affect the quality of your sleep. For me, lactose is especially problematic. Many meds are coated in lactose for some reason. That had a
dramatic affect on my AHI...went way up. Know what is in Effexor and any other meds you take. They may be keeping you from a good
night's sleep.
4. Don't eat after about 6.
5. Exercise makes a huge difference in quality of sleep.
6. Stress(especially if you're anxious) can affect your quality of sleep.
7. Turning the TV and phone off an hour before bed helps. I have not mastered this yet. When I do it, it makes a difference.
8. Lastly, sharing your struggles here is most helpful. Hard to go through these struggles alone. Most of these folks are very knowledgeable and
willing to help. They have ideas that I've never heard from a doctor.

So, keep trying. And keep us posted!!

[DigDugSlug]

Thanks for your post lwieland11,

I actually sleep on my side every night and my AHI for the past 30 days averages out to 0.99. So, that's pretty good.

I admit that my sleep hygiene is not the best, but when I was first diagnosed and had excellent sleep hygiene and it didn't seem to make a bit of difference. So, foolishly, I've been lax with that now. I know I need to work on it.

It's really hard to exercise since I'm so exhausted all the time. At various times over the past 15 years I've worked with personal trainers, exercised regularly, lost weight and ate healthily, but it didn't make any difference at all whatsoever regarding my sleep. All the normal things that people and professionals have suggested over the years seem to do very little to affect feeling that I've slept at all restfully.

[lwieland11]

Dig -

Have you been tested for allergies? Untreated allergies can make you feel like you want to sleep all the time. Also, food sensitivities and intolerances can make you feel sleepy the minute you ingest the food you are sensitive to. Do you eat a lot of carbs by chance? That can also make you feel very sluggish.

[Midnight Strangler]

I'm curious, why do you suggest a full face mask and cool air?

Because it seemed to help him, and some people think what helps them will help everyone else.

He seems to be in Carolina which has a hot and humid climate. You seem to be in Oregon which has a cooler climate. Warm air from the humidifier may feel good to you, not so much in hot and humid Carolina. Everyone has to experiment with humidifier settings to see what works best for them.

As far as FFM, if you mouthbreathe or leak air from the mouth, you need a FFM or some way to prevent the mouthbreathing.