CPAP Diary
Feb. 25th, 2007 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexxkayDay 13: Kept the mask on all night, but still didn't sleep terribly well. Woke after 9 hours, because I was hungry.
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Day 14: Everyone's suggestions from last post led me to experiment some with the strap settings. Very frustrating, and I gave up and took it off entirely after about an hour. Felt somewhat feverish at that point, might be coming down with something. It occurs to me that going through this while under so much stress from work is not optimal. But if I put it off now, when *would* I do it? I'm way too good at finding excuses not to do stuff :(
Got about 10 hours total, though the first hour didn't have much actual sleep.
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Day 15: Managed ~3.5 hours with the mask. Then had a bout of tossturn that left me frustrated with leaks, so I took it off.
Total sleep ~9.5 hours. Felt quite rested, though, and woke before my alarm went off. This may work out yet, if I can make it through the adjustment period...
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Day 16: Seven hours under the mask. Notably including some tossturn episodes in which I managed to keep the mask seal on without fully waking up. Didn't keep working all night, though, so eventually took it off. Total sleep 9 hours.
Incidentally, discovered a new failure mode. Certain types of slow leaks, when one is only half awake, sound remarkably like a mouse squeaking about nearby.
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Day 17: Only managed 2.5 hours in mask last night -- very bad leakage. 10 hours total.
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Day 18: Another bad night. 2.5 hours masked. 9 hours total, but woke up feeling sick. Mostly work stress, I expect... Ended up calling in sick.
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Day 19: Major progress! I figured out last night that there was an adjustable connector on the mask which, though I had never intentionally done anything with it, had somehow got badly out of true. Once re-adjusted, the severe leaking problems were gone! There are still occasional minor leaks, but nothing like what I had been dealing with.
Kept the mask on all night, and slept 11 hours. Woke up feeling, if not exactly perky, at least decidedly NOT sick.
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Day 20: Under the mask for 8.5 hours, then about .5 hours without.
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Day 21: All night under mask, 9.5 hours. Very vivid dreams the last two nights.
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Day 22: All night under mask, 9 hours. Slept poorly for the last hour or so, probably due to hunger.
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Day 23: 9.5 hours, all masked, alarm terminated.
Some leakage issues in the last few hours, I think due to dryness. Yes, the CPAP has a humidifier, but its tank only holds enough water for 6-7 hours of operation. I still have some hopes of reducing my sleep need down to that, but it hasn't happened yet.
Tonight will be interesting. It's Boskone, so this will be my first time trying the CPAP 'on the road'. We're only staying one night, though, so hopefully nothing *too* bad will happen...
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Day 24: OK, trying the mask at a con was over-optimistc at this stage. In my own bed, I can usually adjust it now without totally waking up. In an unfamiliar bed, with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kestrell snoring nearby, not so much.
4.5 hours masked, 8.5 total, alarm-terminated.
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Day 25: 10.5 hours of blessed sleep in mine own bed! Wore the mask for most of that, but don't remember exactly when I took it off, ~7 hours? Again, dryness was becoming an issue.
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Day 26: 7 hours under mask, 9.5 hours total.
I begin to grow discouraged. 9.5 hours is my baseline. The point of this exercise (from my point of view) was to reduce that. Whatever benefits the mask is giving appear to be *exactly* balanced by the annoyances. I'm not giving up yet, but I'm starting to consider it...
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Day 27: 9.5 hours of sleep total, masked: ? I woke up in the wee hours and it was off, though I don't remember removing it. maybe 4 or 5 hours?
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Day 28: *Not* a good night. Stayed up rather too late. Couldn't seem to find a mask position that wasn't simultaneously constrictingly tight *and* loose enough to leak a lot. After 2.5 hours, gave it up as a bad job. Total sleep 9 hours.
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Day 29: Had a much better day at work yesterday, so was more able to face the mask with a positive attitude last night. When I'm able to let the smaller leaks not bother me, things go smoother. Still, there's little to be done about the tossing and turning. 8 hours masked, 10 total.
I think I'm gonna give this until Day 40. If there's still no hint of improvement by then, I'm going to stop using it.
Plan B is to get a professional allergist to address *that* issue and see if he can help. Well I was planning on doing that *anyways*, once the CPAP thing had stabilized one way or another. In addressing chronic issues, I figured it was probably best to start by addressing one variable at a time.
The insurance plan at work is changing again on April 1, which is also right when we should be done with Bioshock. Methinks I should set up an allergist appointment for early April.
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Day 30: 9.5 hours, 6 masked.
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Day 31: 7 hours masked, 8 total. Don't feel fully rested, but I'm definitely awake now. Mildly promising sign...
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Day 32: 8 hours masked, 11 total. Averaged with yesterday, that comes to... 9.5. Sigh.
Got the straps reasonably comfortable, but after the humidifier runs out, the air eventualy gets cold and dry enough to be a problem.
---
Day 14: Everyone's suggestions from last post led me to experiment some with the strap settings. Very frustrating, and I gave up and took it off entirely after about an hour. Felt somewhat feverish at that point, might be coming down with something. It occurs to me that going through this while under so much stress from work is not optimal. But if I put it off now, when *would* I do it? I'm way too good at finding excuses not to do stuff :(
Got about 10 hours total, though the first hour didn't have much actual sleep.
---
Day 15: Managed ~3.5 hours with the mask. Then had a bout of tossturn that left me frustrated with leaks, so I took it off.
Total sleep ~9.5 hours. Felt quite rested, though, and woke before my alarm went off. This may work out yet, if I can make it through the adjustment period...
---
Day 16: Seven hours under the mask. Notably including some tossturn episodes in which I managed to keep the mask seal on without fully waking up. Didn't keep working all night, though, so eventually took it off. Total sleep 9 hours.
Incidentally, discovered a new failure mode. Certain types of slow leaks, when one is only half awake, sound remarkably like a mouse squeaking about nearby.
---
Day 17: Only managed 2.5 hours in mask last night -- very bad leakage. 10 hours total.
---
Day 18: Another bad night. 2.5 hours masked. 9 hours total, but woke up feeling sick. Mostly work stress, I expect... Ended up calling in sick.
---
Day 19: Major progress! I figured out last night that there was an adjustable connector on the mask which, though I had never intentionally done anything with it, had somehow got badly out of true. Once re-adjusted, the severe leaking problems were gone! There are still occasional minor leaks, but nothing like what I had been dealing with.
Kept the mask on all night, and slept 11 hours. Woke up feeling, if not exactly perky, at least decidedly NOT sick.
---
Day 20: Under the mask for 8.5 hours, then about .5 hours without.
---
Day 21: All night under mask, 9.5 hours. Very vivid dreams the last two nights.
---
Day 22: All night under mask, 9 hours. Slept poorly for the last hour or so, probably due to hunger.
---
Day 23: 9.5 hours, all masked, alarm terminated.
Some leakage issues in the last few hours, I think due to dryness. Yes, the CPAP has a humidifier, but its tank only holds enough water for 6-7 hours of operation. I still have some hopes of reducing my sleep need down to that, but it hasn't happened yet.
Tonight will be interesting. It's Boskone, so this will be my first time trying the CPAP 'on the road'. We're only staying one night, though, so hopefully nothing *too* bad will happen...
---
Day 24: OK, trying the mask at a con was over-optimistc at this stage. In my own bed, I can usually adjust it now without totally waking up. In an unfamiliar bed, with
kestrell snoring nearby, not so much.4.5 hours masked, 8.5 total, alarm-terminated.
---
Day 25: 10.5 hours of blessed sleep in mine own bed! Wore the mask for most of that, but don't remember exactly when I took it off, ~7 hours? Again, dryness was becoming an issue.
---
Day 26: 7 hours under mask, 9.5 hours total.
I begin to grow discouraged. 9.5 hours is my baseline. The point of this exercise (from my point of view) was to reduce that. Whatever benefits the mask is giving appear to be *exactly* balanced by the annoyances. I'm not giving up yet, but I'm starting to consider it...
---
Day 27: 9.5 hours of sleep total, masked: ? I woke up in the wee hours and it was off, though I don't remember removing it. maybe 4 or 5 hours?
---
Day 28: *Not* a good night. Stayed up rather too late. Couldn't seem to find a mask position that wasn't simultaneously constrictingly tight *and* loose enough to leak a lot. After 2.5 hours, gave it up as a bad job. Total sleep 9 hours.
---
Day 29: Had a much better day at work yesterday, so was more able to face the mask with a positive attitude last night. When I'm able to let the smaller leaks not bother me, things go smoother. Still, there's little to be done about the tossing and turning. 8 hours masked, 10 total.
I think I'm gonna give this until Day 40. If there's still no hint of improvement by then, I'm going to stop using it.
Plan B is to get a professional allergist to address *that* issue and see if he can help. Well I was planning on doing that *anyways*, once the CPAP thing had stabilized one way or another. In addressing chronic issues, I figured it was probably best to start by addressing one variable at a time.
The insurance plan at work is changing again on April 1, which is also right when we should be done with Bioshock. Methinks I should set up an allergist appointment for early April.
---
Day 30: 9.5 hours, 6 masked.
---
Day 31: 7 hours masked, 8 total. Don't feel fully rested, but I'm definitely awake now. Mildly promising sign...
---
Day 32: 8 hours masked, 11 total. Averaged with yesterday, that comes to... 9.5. Sigh.
Got the straps reasonably comfortable, but after the humidifier runs out, the air eventualy gets cold and dry enough to be a problem.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 02:47 am (UTC)John's model takes about an inch of water across a (?) 4x5" footprint, and there's still water in the morning (after 8 hrs.)
Vivid dreams are likely a strong indicator of success.
Are you turning out the lights at a regular time each night? Dull regularity can often aid in these things.
As for your deadline, not sure what I can say to that. John and Dsrtao felt they were caught up on their sleep deficits after about a week or so, iirc, but they didn't have the problems you've been having.
I think you may need to talk with the pros again -- this is not working well for you and there may be other options to try (different mask types, for example; I think there are 2 or 3 main styles, but they're rather different.)
Re: cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 03:36 am (UTC)- Head and neck positioning is important. On my back, I like to have no pillow at all. On my side, I double up the pillow so that I hang my face just at the edge, with the mask out in the air.
- Your mask is probably not adjusted well.
- The humidifier shouldn't run out in one night, even on the highest heat setting. My random guess is that you are leaking a lot.
Re: cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 04:58 am (UTC)My problem is not sleep deficits. My problem is that my baseline is 9.5 hours, and I really want more waking hours in my life. So far, I'm getting no traction on that front :(
Re: cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 10:41 am (UTC)Re: cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 02:48 pm (UTC)Google seems to agree with mine:. If I sleep until I wake naturally, I have no sleep deficit.
The fact that it takes me 9.5 hours to achieve that probably indicates a sleep "problem", or some sort of sleep "inefficiency". But as long as I *get* that 9.5 hours, I don't think it can properly be called a deficit.
Re: cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 02:56 pm (UTC)Expanded: if you were sleeping like a normal person, you might not need to sleep for 9.5 hours to feel rested. You might be fine after 8 -- or even less.
But it's clear that the cpap is not yet helping you sleep like a normal person. Hence the need to talk with the pros.
I hope these comments of mine aren't making you grumpy. I am concerned about you.
Re: cpap humidfyer
Date: 2007-02-26 04:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-26 06:04 pm (UTC)What kind of mask do you have? DSR has the full face, like a fighter pilot. My dad had just the nasal one, and had to switch to the full face.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-27 08:00 am (UTC)The humidifier running out issues are surely solvable - it shouldn't be hard to expand the tank, or to wake up long enough to pour more water in it. I rarely go more than 4 hours without waking up completely, but that may be unusual.
What part of your body is causing the apnea? I just spoke with someone this weekend who had a series of surgeries for his apnea: two RF treatments of his lower palate, and then the removal of part of his uvula, as well as a turbinate reduction. My turbinate reduction didn't do shit, but his uvuloplasty sounded pretty effective.
Unfortunately my apnea is nasal rather than palate, which is far more unusual and thus doesn't have treatments. But if yours is back of throat related, RF shrinkages are minimally invasive and sometimes effective. Also he told me there is a new treatment where they basically stick an angiogram catheter up your nose in order to widen the openings to your sinuses, so I may try that.
I assume you've tried the nasal antihistamine spray, Astelin? Didn't seem to help me much. What helps me the most are breathe-rite strips and dilute Afrin (dilute so as not to get too much rebound congestion).
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-27 04:39 pm (UTC)I find a definite difference between "waking up, then turning over and going back to sleep" and "waking up, getting out of bed, turning on the light, fiddling with mechanical devices for a few minutes, then going back to bed."
What part of your body is causing the apnea?
No idea. My guess would be nasal, just because I am chronically congested.
I really need to take more charge of my health care, and stop letting doctors treat me like a piece in an assembly line...
I assume you've tried the nasal antihistamine spray, Astelin?
Never even heard of it. Is it OTC? I am going to see an allergy specialist in April, regardless of how the CPAP business goes.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-27 09:38 pm (UTC)Astelin is prescription. It turned out that my nasal congestion was not all histamine related, since Astelin did not cure it. You may well find out the same thing.
You should try allergy shots, I hear they are fairly effective (though didn't work for me.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-27 10:22 pm (UTC)I do wake up enough to go to the bathroom (typically twice during the night). But, and I think this is significant, I can do it without putting on my glasses or turning on any lights. I can usually drop back off quite quickly afterwards.
You should try allergy shots
This seems likely. I was on some sort of allergy shots when I was a kid, and I gather they were effective then.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-01-26 01:05 am (UTC)cpaptalk.com
Besides learning lots and lots of details about how to manage the numerous fiddly problems that come up with CPAP, the most important thing I've gotten is the lesson: 1) CPAP is really hard to get used to for many people, it requires a lot of research, management, and experimentation. 2) If you do that work, and wait for months, CPAP works really well for most people, and transforms their lives.
I know you weren't looking at it as a quick fix, but 40 days is actually not that long for acclimating to CPAP and finding a mask/machine/humidifier/etc setup that works for you.
Also, I'm not seeing any output data from your machine here, like AHI. Machines, masks, and humidifiers have all advanced enormously in the last 6 years, including their ability to track data and tell you things. Unless you've fixed your airway some other way, and are bounding with energy, you might want to consider giving CPAP another try. Untreated sleep apnea does horrible things to the human body and brain over time. I can recommend books, machines, programs, etc...
(no subject)
Date: 2013-01-26 04:30 am (UTC)