Just when I thought I did not need my cpap anymore

[Rsam]

A year and some change back I lost a bit of weight and felt I did not need my cpap machine. I felt OK I guess, could not really say honestly that I felt down or tired. Then I heard from someone that my snoring was crazy loud, I did not think I snored anymore so go figure. Well I thought I would dust off my cpap machine and give it a go again. immediately felt like a million bucks after it and everyday after now for a couple of weeks of using it nightly again. I'm guessing I have medium apnea on the spectrum, not enough to make me feel run down tired falling asleep everywhere, But enough to affect my REM sleep patterns so my sleep batteries never really charged fully. I wonder how many people actually need cpaps and don't know it.
observations:
easy measurable gains I feel are a direct correlation:
1. concentration levels through the roof
2. annoyance levels reduced when working with people
3. mood is much better overall, I'm still a dick, but a better one I guess

Not so easy to connect directly to better sleep.
1. I don't feel the desire to game that much on my computer. -- Weird that... been a gamer all my life. Never really have that many OK... what do I do now moments.
2. I noted from initial cpap usage that light sensitivity went away, I love sunglasses and could not bear to step out without them. Now sunglasses are kind of optional. I can confirm that the same sensation of light sensitivity went down when resuming using cpap from a long break.

I don't think I will ever take a break from mr cpap again. I just wish supplies were a bit cheaper and the whole prescription thing is really weird for me. Almost feels kind of like a scam.

[zonker]

so glad you came in to post this. in just my three years here, i've gotten tired of the number of folks you come in and claim they are okay now because they lost weight and don't need the machine anymore. i've always thought that their statements were strictly BS.

it's good to hear someone who tried without it, realized they were wrong and came back to it!

[chunkyfrog]

Amen!
Only when denial gives way to acceptance--can healing begin.
Congratulations.

[Rsam]

so glad you came in to post this. in just my three years here, i've gotten tired of the number of folks you come in and claim they are okay now because they lost weight and don't need the machine anymore. i've always thought that their statements were strictly BS.

it's good to hear someone who tried without it, realized they were wrong and came back to it!

I guess in my case the degradation of well being was so slight, a little bit each day or maybe even a week that I did not really make a cognitive connection that I was slipping. Then boom I used the cpap again and my batteries are fully charged and I feel just a jolt.

[Sheriff Buford]

There are a lot of skinny folks here on the forum..... I have always thought that weight wasn't a major player in whether a person had sleep apnea. Your response to your moodiness and concentration is normal!! The thing is, stay on the machine, probably for life. If you have any health issues, treating your apnea, will lessen you symptoms, if not do away with them. Sleep apnea can cause a bucket-load of health issues. Keep up the good work!


Sheriff

[Arlene1963]

I'm not overweight and have lost quite a bit of weight since my original diagnosis, but whenever I stop using my CPAP for even just one night the old OSA monster comes back with a vengeance! A couple of weeks ago I fell asleep without my mask on for a few hours one night and I woke up in a panic, sweating, heart racing (ah, I remember when I thought that was "normal") ... talk about a sharp reminder.

I'm never tempted to sleep without CPAP.

[jnk...]

It is great when the health problems that we CAN sense in ourselves help us to do the right thing, but the larger issue is for those of us who need to be on CPAP for the health problems that CAN'T be sensed.

I will always be thankful to the sleep doc who told me, "We all need to eat healthy and be active, sure. But I've seen your upper airway and trust me: You would need to remain on CPAP even if you were severely underweight."

[Stom]

There are a lot of skinny folks here on the forum..... I have always thought that weight wasn't a major player in whether a person had sleep apnea.

I think it is where you carry the weight that matters. Some people carry lots of the weight in their neck, which is why a neck over 17" is one of the many potential indicators of sleep apnea. But, of course, that doesn't limit sleep apnea to heavy people. But it is a rather understandable increased risk factor.

I think the OP's experience is one of the reason why ResMed's machine reports and MyAir are often less than useful. They just shows use hours, AHI and leak rate. they don't show how much treatment the machine is giving. With the clinical tools you can see all the flow limitations and snores and apneas the machine is responding to and the carrying treatment pressures, and that, yes, you really do still have sleep apnea. But with just the AHI, it can look like you are fine, so why bother with the machine any more.

[ChicagoGranny]

I think it is where you carry the weight that matters. Some people carry lots of the weight in their neck, which is why a neck over 17" is one of the many potential indicators of sleep apnea. But, of course, that doesn't limit sleep apnea to heavy people. But it is a rather understandable increased risk factor.

"It's not the size of the neck on the outside. It's the size of the airway inside the neck." - Dr. Mack Jones

[ChicagoGranny]

I wonder how many people actually need cpaps and don't know it.

2,137,456,403 at last count.

And another 50 million or so who know they need CPAP, but won't use it.

[jnk...]

. . . with just the AHI, it can look like you are fine, so why bother with the machine any more. . . .

Interesting. "This treatment is working so well that I should just stop using it"?

. . . ResMed's machine reports and MyAir are often less than useful. They just shows use hours, AHI and leak rate. they don't show how much treatment the machine is giving. . . .

Actually, hours, AHI, and leak rate show exactly how much treatment the machine is giving.

With the clinical tools you can see all the flow limitations and snores and apneas the machine is responding to and the carrying treatment pressures, and that, yes, you really do still have sleep apnea.

Interesting. "Let me look at all the stuff my machine isn't preventing in order to know I still have a problem, instead of adjusting my machine to make sure those things don't happen anymore"?

I learn new ways of thinking on this forum every day.

[Stom]

Actually, hours, AHI, and leak rate show exactly how much treatment the machine is giving.

If you define "treatment" as being attached to the machine rather than efficacy, sure. I'd say the stats don't clearly tell you whether you are benefiting from the machine or not. If you have an AHI of zero, did the machine do anything? You don't know from just that whether it did or not. Maybe your apnea is cured! Or maybe it is still terrible and the machine responded to all sorts of flow restrictions with pressure to keep your airway open.

[jnk...]

Efficacy of treatment is exactly what an AHI number represents.

When I use my machine, I breathe better and sleep better than many people who do not have OSA, which means I am better off than they are.

My wearing my glasses during the day gives me 20/15 vision. As long as I wear my glasses, I no longer consider myself nearsighted, practically speaking--only technically speaking, since I would be nearsighted if I took them off. But being able to see when I drive does not make me wonder if I still need glasses and should take them off to be sure. Just as breathing well and sleeping well at night does not make me wonder whether I should stop using CPAP.

[Stom]

Efficacy of treatment is exactly what an AHI number represents.

When I use my machine, I breathe better and sleep better than many people who do not have OSA, which means I am better off than they are.

My wearing my glasses during the day gives me 20/15 vision. As long as I wear my glasses, I no longer consider myself nearsighted, practically speaking--only technically speaking, since I would be nearsighted if I took them off. But being able to see when I drive does not make me wonder if I still need glasses and should take them off to be sure. Just as breathing well and sleeping well at night does not make me wonder whether I should stop using CPAP.

Not a bad analogy, but the second you take off your glasses you can tell you are still nearsighted. Not so with sleep apnea, because sleep apnea occurs only when you are asleep. So with a low AHI you can't tell from that metric alone whether you are being successfully treated or don't need treatment at all. The AHI is identical either way.

[jnk...]

OSA does not magically disappear. Except for formerly-nearsighted unicorns.