Seems like I have read stuff that says that if you sleep late you will feel more tired than if you get up when the sun starts peering in your windows.  Something about aligning the circadian rhythm of activity and the circadian rhythm of light.

I asked my psychiatrist recently and all he was willing to say was "some people feel more tired if they get more than 8 hours sleep."  He likes to stick by the science - being mostly a researcher.

I guess there are different results for different folks.  I feel better if I go to bed early and get up at the normal time usually, rather than trying to sleep late.

I guess I was just wondering if anyone had gotten any real medical answers as to why we are still sleepy after sleeping (does that make sense?)

My original titration study showed that my apneas (or actually, hypopneas) stopped with a pressure of 10, so that's what I started with. After a month with no relief, that's when the dr ordered the additional tests - to rule out any underlying medical issues. When they all came back normal, that's when he ordered the second titration study.

And since I can't adjust my own machine and have to wait for the full report to be issued, I guess I'm just going to have to be sleepy for a little while longer..........although I am still not convinced that raising the pressure will help anything.

hope you find an answer to the sleepiness!

what compound this problem is that the machine data is not reliable whatsoever- look at the post of about proof of the wrong Algorithm of the machine

my guess is that people look at the AHI number from the machine and they think it is OK because it is below 5 but if we consider that this number might not be reliable and it could be higher then that will open the door infront of the idea that the pressure might not be enough also, or at least we have to troubleshoot in that area

for me it helped great deal when I increased the pressure, but I still need to see when I reach full night with the machine with the new pressure and see how I feel

however this theory will means that either sleep study can some times be unreliable or the machine is unreliable or both (in some cases not in all cases)

as I said earlier so many people went to sleep study and came out with what later proved to be the wrong pressure

also the machine : "look at the proof of wrong algorithm post" for the person who was awake for an hour and half using the machine and the machine reported AHI of 6.6, which raised the question about reliability of these machine readings as false positive or false negatives (which means reading that you have low index while you still have high index, or reading that you have high index while you don't have)

hopefully my 2nd titration report won't take as long as the first one to be reviewed.......if so, it will be 3 - 4 weeks before anyone contacts me to re-calibrate the machine

What type of drs do you all go to for your sleep help?  I have an ENT and a neurologist

hopefully my 2nd titration report won't take as long as the first one to be reviewed.......if so, it will be 3 - 4 weeks before anyone contacts me to re-calibrate the machine

What type of drs do you all go to for your sleep help?  I have an ENT and a neurologist - should I see someone else?

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jpino9179:
in many cases it will make no difference in the treatment decision because it will all depend on the sleep lab doctor who interprets the sleep lab test, However if you go to sleep lab doctor himself (Which is my case) you will save some extra time that is taken to transfer the report between the lab doctor and your own doctor but that is only the best case scenario

the real deal in many cases is that if you still have a problem, the sleep lab doctor can readjust your treatment without another sleep study, because he is the one who can make this decision based on your test which he can read and reread, but any other sleep uncertified doctor will not be able to take such a leap because of the liability (or simply he doesn't know) , so if you have a complaint, his only option is reorder another sleep study-

even though, they are ususally reluctant to send you straight back to another sleep study, they ususally will investigate other areas based on their specialities first (neurology or ENT) and if all fail (which usually do) then and only then they will transfer you to another study.
so it is waste of time and many cases waste of money to have another study that could be saved if you are with the sleep certified doctor from the beginning.  someone who can read your sleep study and make a decision and doesn't depend on another doctor

both my ENT and neurologist are certified by the AASM (American Acad of Sleep Medicine)- I think that's the organization

Has anyone ever been told that another treatment option is tonsillectomy + weight loss? I still have my tonsils and they are enlarged. I had a doctor who was screening me for a clinical trial tell me that was an option...........

At this point, I think I'll do anything for a good night's sleep.

jpino9179 wrote:

both my ENT and neurologist are certified by the AASM (American Acad of Sleep Medicine)- I think that's the organization

Has anyone ever been told that another treatment option is tonsillectomy + weight loss? I still have my tonsils and they are enlarged. I had a doctor who was screening me for a clinical trial tell me that was an option...........

At this point, I think I'll do anything for a good night's sleep.

Yes but it's not a guarantee that it will cure it.  Tonsilectomy's are often performed in conjunction with UPPP too.  I read a post on these forums recently about a younger lad who had a Tonsilectomy that cured his OSA.  From what I have read though, there's still a chance you can develop OSA again later in life though.

I am strongly considering a tonsilectomy and weight loss as a possible method for improving my OSA but I don't expect to cure it.  If I could even cut my pressure requirements in half though, that would be a worthwhile improvement for me.  I've also taken up the didgeridoo in hopes that it will improve it :)  Although I have difficulty breathing through my nose and I don't know if I'll ever be able to master circular breathing which is one of the tecniques thought to help improve OSA.

ApexAZ : I tried the didgi when I was progressing in SA, and it cured my apnea for 3 months and I was static about it - I tried to advise others on the forum to try it and all the moderators jumped on me because I claimed it cured me, accusing me of being a liar and try to infuse false claims on the forum -

as my apnea progressed, the didgi couldn't cure me any more but from this experience it was obvious that the didgi can help by a large degree and I think if some people are borderline or mild apnea, it can cure them

but for the more advanced apnea, it will definitely lower your required pressure-
I never got a handle on circular breathing , I was just blowing in it regularly and still it helped me great deal

Thanks for all the input. I'll let you know when I get the full results from this week's sleep study........if all they tell me to do is increase my pressure, I think I'll look into the surgery. It just doesn't make sense to me that if I only have hypopneas that I should need pressure of 17 to correct it........but, then, I am not a doctor (nor do I play one on TV).

I think there is an article linked by one of the moderators on this forum about a study that suggests the didgeridoo can significantly reduce OSA.  I would agree that it is possible that it could cure someones mild OSA based on the results of that study although unlikely.  If I can get my pressure down then all the better.  Plus it's just a neat instument! :)

jpino best of luck to you.  I had mostly hypopneas too and need 19 pressure.  There is no link of the number of events to the pressure needed to eliminate them.  Everyone is different.  In fact someone with an AHI of 90 recently posted and their pressure was only 10.  I hope your sleep study goes well.  Let us know what happens!

Feeling very discouraged. Have used the pillows for 3 weeks.  First week, less sleepy days.  Second week, alternating pretty good days with very sleepy days.  Third week, every day is bad.  Same pattern when I started in May.  Used CPAP the 5 weeks.  Quit for 4, then started this second time.  My mouth is opening, so used duct tape on month last 2 nights.  Still bad days.  Will talk with the Home Equipment people tomorrow, but if the duct tape with the pillows doesn't work, why would the full face mask work better?

AnneN wrote:

Feeling very discouraged. Have used the pillows for 3 weeks.  First week, less sleepy days.  Second week, alternating pretty good days with very sleepy days.  Third week, every day is bad.  Same pattern when I started in May.  Used CPAP the 5 weeks.  Quit for 4, then started this second time.  My mouth is opening, so used duct tape on month last 2 nights.  Still bad days.  Will talk with the Home Equipment people tomorrow, but if the duct tape with the pillows doesn't work, why would the full face mask work better?

Maybe you're having an uncomfortable sleep, maybe the duct tape + the pillows are collectively keeping you from having a good night. Maybe you need your pressure "tweaked". Hopefully your DME will be able to shed some light.