Feeling Tired using CPAP

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 11, 2012 at 0:18

Mauro, this is alarming and thank goodness your wife has noticed your problems.  It sounds very much to me like your pressures are not set right to treat you, so the sooner you get back to your clinic the better.  Can you bring the appointment forward?  I would certainly try to by explaining what you've told us on here.

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Permalink Reply by Mauro Cipriani on January 11, 2012 at 0:27

Kath, thanks for the response.  I'm treated at Papworth and they are helpful so will try and bring appointment forward. 

 

I have been reading on net that Central and Mixed Sleep Aponea exists, worried that I may have one of those conditions.

 

I was refered by GP and only had a pulse oximeter test and then the other home test which had me all wired up.  This lead to diagnosis of OSA and issue of CPAP machine.  I mentioned to nurse on last visit of still feeling tired and am due to do another oximeter test.

 

I have also had problem grinding teeth as a result of mask, I now use a gumshield on lower teeth but results in trapped wind.  Have you or anyone any tips?  I use a Quattro FX mask so is difficult to sleep other than on side.

 

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 11, 2012 at 0:39

Firstly, the side is the best position for us to sleep on as we tend to have more apnoeas when sleeping on the back, and it's especially important to get on your side with the problems you're having.

Secondly, thank goodness you're with a good sleep clinic and I think they'll be concerned you're still have apnoeas from what your wife has observed.  If your pressure is not high enough this could be the sole problem and once it's raised it should take care of them.  The important thing is to stress what your wife has noticed.  The sleep study you had should have showed if you were having centrals as well, but it won't hurt to mention this.  Explain you need to drive, but you are feeling too tired to, and if at all possible try to keep off the road until you're sorted.  (I never drive if I feel tired).

Is your machine capable of showing you the results of your sleep?

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Permalink Reply by Mauro Cipriani on January 11, 2012 at 0:47

Thanks for response at such a late hour, it has been bothering me.  I always sleep on my side.  My wife has noticed problems if I role onto my back.

My machine is a REMstar M series, between visits at the sleep clinic they know how many hours on average I use it a night. I have not been shown any other functions other than the ramp up button.  I think they lock any other functionality.

I work for a building contractor and make regular visits to building sites which means a lot of early starts.  Whenever I feel tired I stop and either have a ten minute cat nap or stretch my legs which seems to do the trick and caffine of course.

Once again I appreciate the advice.  PS the hose lift and hose fleece I purchase from you stop the rain out thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 11, 2012 at 1:21

Great to hear the hose lift and fleece are helping you :)

Early starts must be excruciating with your problems :(

Great that you sleep on your side - best position for us all.

Knowing how many hours you sleep is not enough, so I hope the sleep clinic can get more information from your machine when you go.  It doesn't matter how compliant we are with the machines, it's the AHI (amount of apnoeas/hypopneas you're having) that is the crucial information that is needed.   However, at least they're going to do a pulse oximeter on you so that should help.  Hope you can get your appointment re-scheduled earlier.

Keep us posted Mauro and hope things improve very soon for you.

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Permalink Reply by Elianna Halsey on January 11, 2012 at 4:20

Hi Mauro,

I have complex sleep apnea, which is a mix of obstructive and central apnea.  If this is what you have a CPAP is not the right machine for you.  CPAP machines cannot treat central apneas.  Also, it is possible that you did only have OSA when you were issued the CPAP and have since develped central apnea as well.  It's good that your wife noticed this and you are looking into it. 

 

 
Kath Hope said:

Firstly, the side is the best position for us to sleep on as we tend to have more apnoeas when sleeping on the back, and it's especially important to get on your side with the problems you're having.

Secondly, thank goodness you're with a good sleep clinic and I think they'll be concerned you're still have apnoeas from what your wife has observed.  If your pressure is not high enough this could be the sole problem and once it's raised it should take care of them.  The important thing is to stress what your wife has noticed.  The sleep study you had should have showed if you were having centrals as well, but it won't hurt to mention this.  Explain you need to drive, but you are feeling too tired to, and if at all possible try to keep off the road until you're sorted.  (I never drive if I feel tired).

Is your machine capable of showing you the results of your sleep?

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Permalink Reply by Mauro Cipriani on January 11, 2012 at 21:58

Hi Elianna,

 

Thanks for the response.  I had been diagnosed with OSA and did not realise it could develop to other things.  I am waiting a call at bedtime from a CPAP nurse to phone to reun through increasing the air pressure of my CPAP machine, although if it is another type of aponea might not make a difference.

 

I still feel tired during the day even after using my machine for 5-6 hours, is this another symptom of the CPAP machine being ineffective?

 

Once again I appreciate the afvice the forum offers as you don't always realise the significance of issues that you have.
 
Elianna Halsey said:

Hi Mauro,

I have complex sleep apnea, which is a mix of obstructive and central apnea.  If this is what you have a CPAP is not the right machine for you.  CPAP machines cannot treat central apneas.  Also, it is possible that you did only have OSA when you were issued the CPAP and have since develped central apnea as well.  It's good that your wife noticed this and you are looking into it. 

 

 
Kath Hope said:

Firstly, the side is the best position for us to sleep on as we tend to have more apnoeas when sleeping on the back, and it's especially important to get on your side with the problems you're having.

Secondly, thank goodness you're with a good sleep clinic and I think they'll be concerned you're still have apnoeas from what your wife has observed.  If your pressure is not high enough this could be the sole problem and once it's raised it should take care of them.  The important thing is to stress what your wife has noticed.  The sleep study you had should have showed if you were having centrals as well, but it won't hurt to mention this.  Explain you need to drive, but you are feeling too tired to, and if at all possible try to keep off the road until you're sorted.  (I never drive if I feel tired).

Is your machine capable of showing you the results of your sleep?

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 11, 2012 at 22:17

That's good service from your clinic Mauro.  You should know yourself within a few days whether the raise in pressure helps.  If things don't improve then hopefully they'll do a further sleep study on you to see what's going on, which would pick up on whether there are any centrals happening.

Did you find you were better back in 2010 when you first got onto CPAP?  If so, then has anything changed gradually, such as your weight going up or down?  If your weight has gone down then the pressure could be too high now which can actually cause centrals.  If your weight has gone up then the pressure will probably not be enough for you now and needs raising.

Also, don't overlook other causes of tiredness, such as diabetes or hypothyroidism.  Due to the high link of these conditions with sleep apnoea, we should be checked for these too.  My GP checks me every year.

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Permalink Reply by Mauro Cipriani on January 11, 2012 at 22:53

Hi Kath, funny enough I have put on about 1/2 stone since 2010.  However my air pressure had been increased about 9 months ago anyway.  I have changed jobs receently which means early starts a few days a week so sleep pattern is disturbed, assume this wont help things. 

 

I did not realise that I should be checked for other possible illness's i.e diabetes etc.  Does age effect risk of other illnesses, I'm 31 does the fact that we suffer from sleep aponea put us at a higher risk?

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 11, 2012 at 23:18

It doesn't sound like it's weight-related if you already had your pressure raised, but it sounds like you've been having trouble for a while if they had to raise it and are considering this again.  Your change of sleep pattern will not help, but unfortunately that's life and we have to do what we have to do :(

I don't know about age being to blame for any of the other conditions as people suffer from these at all ages, but I'm sure things get worse with age.  I would have a word with your GP and get him to run these tests, then you could at least eliminate them.  Lots of other things affect our OSA too, such as drinking alcohol and eating 3 hours before bed.  Let's hope Papworth can get to the bottom of this for you so keep us posted please.

I forgot to mention the trapped wind you talked about.  Take a look at the Videos on this forum as there's one on this subject with tips to help.

Mauro Cipriani said:

Hi Kath, funny enough I have put on about 1/2 stone since 2010.  However my air pressure had been increased about 9 months ago anyway.  I have changed jobs receently which means early starts a few days a week so sleep pattern is disturbed, assume this wont help things. 

 

I did not realise that I should be checked for other possible illness's i.e diabetes etc.  Does age effect risk of other illnesses, I'm 31 does the fact that we suffer from sleep aponea put us at a higher risk?

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Permalink Reply by Elianna Halsey on January 12, 2012 at 3:15

Hi Mauro,

Although I have sleep apnea I am definitely not an expert on the subject, but I am a nurse and I agree with Kath that along with apnea there are other things to consider that might be making you tired.  Diabetes, hypothyroidism, anemia, heart problems, etc.  More than likely you can rule out heart problems at age 31, but the others are vaild possibilities that can be easily tested for at your doctor's office.  If an increase in pressure on your CPAP still leaves you tired I would definitely push to have some blood work done to test for the things listed above, as well as anything else your doctor can think of that has fatigue as its main symptom.
 Mauro Cipriani said:

Hi Elianna,

 

Thanks for the response.  I had been diagnosed with OSA and did not realise it could develop to other things.  I am waiting a call at bedtime from a CPAP nurse to phone to reun through increasing the air pressure of my CPAP machine, although if it is another type of aponea might not make a difference.

 

I still feel tired during the day even after using my machine for 5-6 hours, is this another symptom of the CPAP machine being ineffective?

 

Once again I appreciate the afvice the forum offers as you don't always realise the significance of issues that you have.
 
Elianna Halsey said:

Hi Mauro,

I have complex sleep apnea, which is a mix of obstructive and central apnea.  If this is what you have a CPAP is not the right machine for you.  CPAP machines cannot treat central apneas.  Also, it is possible that you did only have OSA when you were issued the CPAP and have since develped central apnea as well.  It's good that your wife noticed this and you are looking into it. 

 

 
Kath Hope said:

Firstly, the side is the best position for us to sleep on as we tend to have more apnoeas when sleeping on the back, and it's especially important to get on your side with the problems you're having.

Secondly, thank goodness you're with a good sleep clinic and I think they'll be concerned you're still have apnoeas from what your wife has observed.  If your pressure is not high enough this could be the sole problem and once it's raised it should take care of them.  The important thing is to stress what your wife has noticed.  The sleep study you had should have showed if you were having centrals as well, but it won't hurt to mention this.  Explain you need to drive, but you are feeling too tired to, and if at all possible try to keep off the road until you're sorted.  (I never drive if I feel tired).

Is your machine capable of showing you the results of your sleep?

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Permalink Reply by Mauro Cipriani on February 11, 2012 at 22:58

   

I thought I would update my recent discussion, I collected a pulse oximeter machine (? think I spelt this correctly?) from my sleep clinic last week for an overnight home test.

I went back to the clinic the following day for a check up and review of the machine with the CPAP Practitioner and it showed my oxygen saturation was normal but I still have a higher than normal heart rate whilst sleeping. The Nurse said this could explain the feeling of tiredness even though I'm using my CPAP every night, I know have an appointment with the consultant in a few weeks.

The Nurse said the consultant may decide to bring me in for an overnight sleep study, I wondered if anyone may know what other reasons could cause a high heart rate.

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