I have been on CPAP since Dec and I have never had more than 4 hours a night sleep with it. In fact having 4 hours is a good night and I normally manage about 2 hours. I put my mask on to go to sleep - sometimes I get to sleep quickly and other times it takes a while, but when I get to sleep I only sleep for the longest 2 hours. I have no idea what wakes me, as when I do not use the CPAP I do sleep for longer, but yes, I still wake up. However, using the CPAP has made me worse sleeping, though I did get 2 good nights sleep when the sleep clinic gave me an APAP machine for 2 nights. I am going to see the specialist again soon but I am at the end of my tether with it all, and I know I need to use the CPAP as I am a nurse.
Kath has been supporting me and has been a great help, but I've still not managed. I've tried different masks, but I do not think it is the mask as I am ok with it. I have no leakage and I've even taken sleep relaxing tablets. In fact I have tried everything and I am not someone who gives in easy, but the last week I've stopped trying with the mask. I do not know why i am posting this really but you never know.... someone my have some other ideas to try .
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It looks like you answered your own question there.... you got 2 nights sleep when using an APAP machine. That would suggest that your pressures could be wrong and that you would in fact benefit from an APAP machine... Suggest it to the clinic. Also I think sleep relaxing tablets are likely to relax your throat and make matters worse.
Thanks Darryl. I am going to discuss this with the specialist. Not sure if I can get a apap on nhs and yes i would buy one if i know it would definitely work. I did stop taking the tablets - it was just a thing I had to try to see if it helped x
Hi Gina, the machine i was given (this Feb via NHS) when diagnosed is an automatic one with an attachable humidifier, i found it difficult to get off to sleep so i listen to an ipod with either relaxing music or hypnosis - this works for me.
I have found that when i started in Feb i had terrible trouble- i purchased some items from Kaths site and these made a massive difference and i was getting over 8 hours sleep. This was a big improvement given that before cpap i was sleeping very badly and dreaming every night (many times a night that i was drowning or suffacating).
However over the past couple of weeks my sleep has changed slightly, i do wake every couple of hours but manage to get back to sleep.i was originally sleeping for about 8 hours but in recent days i have been waking after about 2 hours with a feelling like the mask was going to come off. When htis happens i turn it off and back on again and use the ramp feature so its quite gentle getting off to sleep again.
I am also trying to keep a diary to see if i am doing anything different, does what i eat or drink before bed make a difference? i have recently returned to work following some sickness and now have to work to getting up to an alarm - whereas whilst off work i just got up when i woke- i am back to waking before the alarm now -i am just trying to an angle on if anything has changed in my daily routine that may effect the hours sleep i get
Anyway Gina just wanted to let you kow you can get automatic ones on the NHS, take care
cathy x
Thanks both Cathy and pete
i just hope the hospital say yes or at least give me a APAp to try again but for longer than 2 days so fingers crossed
the machine ive got at the moment only shows how much ive used the machine so the software would be no good x one day i may get some sleep
ginaxx
Pete Kemp said:
I've been on cpap for a month and also wake up every couple of hours and could not work out why. But having recently downloaded the wonderful free software called Sleepyheads, can now see that I wake up during the night when my AHI index,and correspondingly, the pressure from my auto-cpap machine, rise to a peak. My mask leaks seem to increase as the pressure rises too. If you haven't got it already, it would be worth your while downloading that software if you can, as that might help you see patterns that could explain why you're waking up.
Pete
My local NHS clinic told me that they can get me whatever I needed/wanted. I jokingly queried the cost, only to be told, "don't worry about that, we don't pay for it.....we invoice your GP each month!" I don't know how true that is....
I don't know how true it is either Darryl, but I do know that most clinics aren't as generous as your sadly :(
Darryl Milligan said:
My local NHS clinic told me that they can get me whatever I needed/wanted. I jokingly queried the cost, only to be told, "don't worry about that, we don't pay for it.....we invoice your GP each month!" I don't know how true that is....
What are your pressures set at Pete? The reason I say this is because sometimes they're the minimum and maximum are set too far apart. Some clinics just use the defaults, which means your CPAP, when you are having an apnoea, has a long way to climb up to treat you. The default settings are best used for titration (when the clinics are trying to fathom out what set pressures people need if they are then going to move them over to a CPAP with the same pressure).
Pete Kemp said:
I've been on cpap for a month and also wake up every couple of hours and could not work out why. But having recently downloaded the wonderful free software called Sleepyheads, can now see that I wake up during the night when my AHI index,and correspondingly, the pressure from my auto-cpap machine, rise to a peak. My mask leaks seem to increase as the pressure rises too. If you haven't got it already, it would be worth your while downloading that software if you can, as that might help you see patterns that could explain why you're waking up.
Pete
Gina, did you wake up a lot before you were ever put on CPAP?
Cathy, the software you're now using will help you identify some problems I hope. However, you asked the question on if certain things you're eating and drinking will have an effect on your sleep..... most definitely! I'm sure you're aware of alcohol within at least 3 hours, preferably 4, of bedtime. It's better to have a drink during the day than before sleep which is a hard one, as most people who drink like it in the evening. Eating a large meal within 3-4 hours of bedtime will also affect your sleep. If you like water before bed, it's best to only have a sip as any apnoeas will result in the juices of food or drink being sucked back up and could cause you to wake up (it's more detailed that this, but it's late and I should be in bed). Your body temperature also has an effect, and particularly if you're of the age where the per-imenopause is upon you. Let's see what the results from the software bring eh?
What are your pressures set at Pete? The reason I say this is because sometimes they're the minimum and maximum are set too far apart. Some clinics just use the defaults, which means your CPAP, when you are having an apnoea, has a long way to climb up to treat you. The default settings are best used for titration (when the clinics are trying to fathom out what set pressures people need if they are then going to move them over to a CPAP with the same pressure).
Pete Kemp said:I've been on cpap for a month and also wake up every couple of hours and could not work out why. But having recently downloaded the wonderful free software called Sleepyheads, can now see that I wake up during the night when my AHI index,and correspondingly, the pressure from my auto-cpap machine, rise to a peak. My mask leaks seem to increase as the pressure rises too. If you haven't got it already, it would be worth your while downloading that software if you can, as that might help you see patterns that could explain why you're waking up.
Pete
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