Constantly Exhausted

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on October 26, 2012 at 18:55

So pleased that you've realised the importance of using the CPAP equipment for all sleeps Stephanie, even though it doesn't come without problems.  It sounds to me that if you're getting better sleep when the mask is so tight, this is probably because you're not having loads of leaks so are consequently getting better therapy.  However, it's not really good to have it fastened so tight, so perhaps you need to consider if you have the correct mask, or size.  I wouldn't worry about the electricity problem though, as the exhalation port will see you're ok.

What machine do you use, and are you able to check your AHI readings from it to see if your treatment is efficient?  If it's not, then that could be why you're still waking up exhausted.  Also, are you having plenty of hours sleep too, as although we're on treatment, we still need to get the correct amount of hours in?

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 26, 2012 at 20:03

Hello Stephanie,

Welcome to the forum. Hope you will find the support you need here.  I saw from your page that your machine is an S8 Escape, which probably means you can only get basic information about how many hours you have used it. I sympathise with you about feeling uncomfortable with the mask. Good advice from Kath about checking the fit.

I have had sleep apnoea for a long time and I've tried loads of masks. Took me a long time to find any I was happy with.  I think on your page you said you were using a full face mask, so my favourite might not be any use to you. I use a Sleepweaver, cloth mask, which is very light and comfortable to wear, but at the moment they only make nasal mask versions.

If you haven't already tried them, you might find using mask liners helpful. I often used them with masks I had before I went over to the Sleepweaver.

Hope you can get to be more comfortable soon.

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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on October 27, 2012 at 6:47

Stephanie, first of all you have to put the fear of the electricity going off out of you head, first , what is the likely hood of it happening and secondly, you would wake up if you did. I use the same mask and have the same Resmed CPAP, but and autoset, the model above yours. Can you get any readings from your machine, you need to see what is happening so you can see why you are still exhusted and foggy. Have you had a follow up sleep study or your pressure retested? I can't really help with putting the hair up but maybe some of the other ladies can give some suggestions. You obviously know you have to use it, it is just a matter of getting the other things right so it is as comfortable as possible. Kath any suggestions on the hair issue? Lisa touched on mask liners, do you use them, I think there are great for marks and also reducing leaks and you may be able to loosen the straps a bit. Also, I always have my hose coming from above my head not by my sides, if you have a bedhaed try draping it over or you can buy a hose lift or make one yourself. Try these few tips first. 

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Permalink Reply by Bill Thomson on October 29, 2012 at 8:14

You can get basic information about hours of use on the S8 Escape in the patient menu, accessible when you switch the machine on. If you need more data, you can access the clinician menu - not generally available to the public, but it's not a particularly well-kept secret, and my current sleep clinic told me how to do it. This will allow you to try different pressures as well, but if you do change anything make a note of the original setting so you can go back to it.

Best of luck; it is mostly a case of persevering with the mask. But it's true that some masks (and even some machines) don't suit everybody.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 29, 2012 at 14:43

Bill is your S8 an Escape?  Other machines in the S8 range give detailed information, but as far as I am aware, you will not be able to get much more information than hours of usage from the Escape. I used to use an Escape on a fixed pressure, but as you said, Bill some machines don't suit everybody. I have been using an Autoset machine for some time now and find that works much better for me. I have far fewer problems with leaks and get a far better sleep.

Stephanie, as Terry and Kath have said, don't worry about the electricity going off you will still be able to breathe. Hopefully, the mask suggestions that have been posted will help you get more comfortable with your mask and let you get a better sleep. If you still wake up feeling exhausted, I would go back to your sleep specialist .

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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on October 30, 2012 at 0:09

Stephanie, following on from Bill and Lisa, I'm fairly sure the Escape is pretty much the basic in the Resmed range, I use the Elite in Autoset mode and is much more data capable, I also use software called Sleepyhead so I can graph and chart pretty much every breathe I take during the night but don't think it runs on the Escape. I think learning more about SA and being able to basically diagnosis any changes in my slepp has helped me. I had a follow up sleep study 18 months after being diagnosised and was able to tell my sleep specialist that I need to increase my pressure from 12 to 15, the sleep study proved me correct. I was on 12 but hitting that a large percentage of the night, not I hardly ever hit 15. The more you can learn the better, Kath may know more about the Escape but unfortunately it is now an older model.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2012 at 1:06

Terry, I envy you the amount of information you can get using the Sleepyhead software. Unfortunately the Sleepyhead software cannot be used with any of the machines in the Resmed S8 series. I like my S8 (Autoset Spirit 11), but I wish it was an S9, so I could use the Sleepyhead software.

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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on October 30, 2012 at 1:30

Lisa, I suppose it all comes down to timing, unfortunately looks like you will have to wait to you are due for a new machine. Not sure when yours is due, they do last a long time and if you are getting the benefits why change.

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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on October 30, 2012 at 5:05

Just in case anyone wants some light reading, the Resmed manual has a table of machine that can run Resscan and Sleepyhead software, it also describes how the data is read. It's not much use if you can read the data on your machine though.


http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/documents/product/resscan/clinical_...

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Permalink Reply by Bill Thomson on October 30, 2012 at 9:03

Yes, you are right, the readable information given by the S8 Escape is limited to number of hours, and number of days. I'm away from home so don't have access to my manual - I'm sure more detailed information is available, but that must only be if you download the machine data, and have the software to read it. As you say, it's not accessible directly from the clinician menu.

So an average use is easy to calculate, and by keeping a record of hours you can see how many are used per night. Still, that's more information than I could get from my previous machines.

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on October 30, 2012 at 9:36

Yes, I think it's ridiculous the way machines like the 'Escape' + others we get supplied with can only give even the clinicians the usage, pressure + mask leaks Why we're not encouraged to see how we're doing is beyond me, as if we were diabetics we would be expected to check our own glucose levels!  (Rant Over!!).

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2012 at 12:22

With you on that Kath. If we are interested in knowing how we're doing and want to know more, we should be encouraged in that.  

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