How long until I feel the benefits of CPAP

[apeisach]

i was prescribed a CPAP machine because even though i sleep 7 to 8 hours per day, i wake up tiered and feel tiered during the day. i was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea, waking up 20-30 times per hour ( i never felt this ). since i use the machine, i do not wake up in the middle of the night 2-4 times to go to the rest room, dont snore, but other than that i have not noticed a difference.

how long till i feel better and less tiered???[/u]

any recommendations wether i should use the humidifier on the machine or not?

thanks

ap

[tillymarigold]

Some people feel better right away, some don't realize it until they look back over the past several months and realize they've gradually been getting better.

It takes about 3-6 months to pay off "sleep debt," but many people find that even after that, they still need to get healthy--for example, if they haven't been exercising as much as they should have.

Not getting up to pee means your kidneys are getting a rest they really needed.

[aroche]

Not getting up to pee means your kidneys are getting a rest they really needed.

And the path to the bathroom gets some as well!

personally I noticed that I wasn't as tired all the time right away, but I wasn't sleeping much at all in an 8 hour night so I was probably a drastic case. I have talked others that have said that they noticed right away, but also others that took a long time to notice anything. I think the best way to put it is... it depends on your situation.

[pdean44]

I am close to one month in now on my therapy. I would say that i feel improvements. From what I read for most they are gradual. I believe I am in that category. I have a feeling it will take a few months for me and some tweaking on my machine to get where I need to be. Time will tell.

[kteague]

Yes, everybody's recovery is different. Using the machine every night, all night, provides the support needed for the body to progress without dealing with continued assault. You don't say how long you've been doing this. The tricky part is knowing when to just keep doing right and wait for results, or recognizing that something is not right. The fact that you are sleeping thru the night without potty breaks is a good sign. If you could go into your profile and add your equipment it could help you get more targeted answers. If your mask is not a full face mask, you'll want to be sure you don't mouth breathe or let air escape out of your mouth once asleep. That's one sure way for the treatment to not be able to do its job.

Hope you start seeing more results soon.

Kathy

[JStaggie]

You didn't mention how long you've been on CPAP therapy, but the fact you are no longer getting up multiple times each night to go to the bathroom is a good indicator that the therapy is effectively reducing nighttime arousals related to apnea.

I've been on therapy for just about 3 weeks, and that is one of the first changes I noticed too. I thought I was just getting to the age where I wouldn't sleep through the night. I think I'm less tired during the day (most days), and I feel more alert, but I'm not sure if that's a placebo effect this early or if it is real. I've adapted very easily, sleeping through the night since day one on CPAP and current average just over 8 hours a night. My biggest issue right now it that I seem to have an occasional mask leak problem when I shift positions while sleeping.

[purple]

I was told that when the heart feels stressed, as it does during episodes of sleep apnea, then the body tries to help the heart out by sending a message to the kidneys to get rid of fluid, hence everyones comments about not getting up to go at night is a good sign. Surprised no one here mentioned the idea of having a machine which records data, and then you can have the data on the card analyzed to tell you whether your treatment is going OK. Someone did mention that some of us open our mouths while sleeping and allow the air to escape. Also some of us will partially twist the mask loose and air escapes and thereby the value of the treatment is limited. Which is why someone asked to know your machine, because they wanted to know if it was data capable, which allows doc to evaluate if your treatment is going like it should.

[DaveMunson]

Soon I bet. It took me a month and a half to pay my sleep debt.

[pdean44]

I work swing shifts so not sure when or if i will ever really pay off that sleep debt. I am hoping i will to some degree.I do believe i have been experiencing suttle improvements. A little less tired during the day. Sleep a little longer most of the time. A little more energy. Any improvement is more than I had before. I wear my mask always. If i am sleeping it is on. Pretty much resigned myself from day one that I will make it happen. A nose mask and a cold has been a challenge as a few times i felt like i was suffocating. Woke up and cleared my sinuses and went back to bed put the mask back on. This has been a learning process for me and I am a cpap noob. I will keep asking questions and reading the forums here looking to get it all working right.