Hey there,

I completed my sleep study last night with a CPAP and slept for just over 4 hours and then woke up and could not go back to sleep.  The technician said that my vitals were normal after a few occassions of not breathing for up to 30 seconds during my initial sleep study a few days earlier.

A little history, I have been suffering from fatigue, stomach problems and depression\anxiety for years and have tried drugs and such to no good relief so I decided to finally have the sleep test and results scared the heck out me with what has been going on all of these years while I was sleeping.

Of course, I expected to wake up this morning feeling relief from all of these symptoms but I guess that it will take time for my body to regroup after years and years of not breathing properly and not much REM sleep during those years.  

How long has it taken others to start to feel better after starting the CPAP?  Is it a gradual process?

By the way, I am awaiting a call from my doctor today to see when I get my own CPAP, the Snorkel one.

Thank you,
Aarondawg

It isn't unusual for reflux or GERD to run hand in hand w/OSA. USUALLY improvement w/CPAP therapy is a gradual process. Those who experience the miracle of restful, restorative sleep from the first night on are the vast minority.

In my own personal experience, my first 30 nights w/CPAP therapy were the WORST 30 nights of sleep of my life. BUT, then things gradually improved. It took close to a dozen different masks, three pressure adjustments, the loan of an autoPAP for 3 weeks, the addition of 2L of 02 supplementation w/my CPAP and a switch to a bi-level, then the cessation of the 02 supplementation to attain restful, restorative sleep.

It usually requires Patience, Perseverence, Persistance and a good Sense of Humor to reach good, restful, restorative sleep w/xPAP therapy. Lets face it, its not "natural" to sleep w/a mask and a device blowing air into your airway. Fortunately, my experience was an extreme away from the other extreme of instant success.

You've lost me when you refer to the CPAP you are gonna get as "the Snorkel One"!!!


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
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CrohnieToo wrote:

It isn't unusual for reflux or GERD to run hand in hand w/OSA. USUALLY improvement w/CPAP therapy is a gradual process. Those who experience the miracle of restful, restorative sleep from the first night on are the vast minority.

In my own personal experience, my first 30 nights w/CPAP therapy were the WORST 30 nights of sleep of my life. BUT, then things gradually improved. It took close to a dozen different masks, three pressure adjustments, the loan of an autoPAP for 3 weeks, the addition of 2L of 02 supplementation w/my CPAP and a switch to a bi-level, then the cessation of the 02 supplementation to attain restful, restorative sleep.

It usually requires Patience, Perseverence, Persistance and a good Sense of Humor to reach good, restful, restorative sleep w/xPAP therapy. Lets face it, its not "natural" to sleep w/a mask and a device blowing air into your airway. Fortunately, my experience was an extreme away from the other extreme of instant success.

You've lost me when you refer to the CPAP you are gonna get as "the Snorkel One"!!!

Hey there, thank you for responding and I am glad to hear that my stomach issues have been mostly likely caused by OSA.  I tried Nexium and others and nothing helped.  I even had an endoscopy and they found nothing.

Regarding the "Snorkel One".  The technician tried many masks on me last night and I like the one that resembles a swim snorkel that fits up one's nostils.  

I am hoping that my doctor calls me today so that I can get my CPAP shortly.

Thanks,
Aarondawg

Hi Aarondawg,
Again I'm 100% in agreement with Crohnie Too. I am pretty new at this (about 4 weeks now) The first 3 were the worst weeks sleep of my life and because I expected to feel better straight away " oh good a diagnosis now we can fix this..!!!" and I didn't -it got much much worse, I sufferesd horrible depression etc etc.. Anyway I trialled several masks and settings and machines and I am now getting GOOD SLEEP - yay -I feel like a new human being....the depression has completely gone too. It's still weird and I am a bit reluctant to put the gear on at night but I KNOW it's working. I'm sure It won't be long till I won't consider sleeping with out it because non compliance is just worse.
Anyway
Keep at it it is so worth persevering.

NB
My sleep specialist said that 4 hours sleep a night is acceptable, he said 6-7 was optimal. So even if you only get 4 hrs. for a while it's probably better than you were getting before.
Good luck with it all and keep us posted on your progress
cheers
Roz


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It came to pass - not to stay!

Thank you Shrew.

I found out today that I receive my CPAP tomorrow afternoon, I was squeezed into an appointment because I did not want to go the weekend without it.  I am excited but at the same time apprehensive.  Even after 4 hours of sleep last night on the CPAP at the Sleep Center, I felt a little more energy today, so I know that it works.  

I will provide updates on my progress in the coming weeks and hope to get some relief from my gasy stomach too. :)

Take care,
Aarondawg