Sleep Disorders Community

Hi J,

I have been using the CPAP for a couple of years and I am disappointed with the results. I don't feel better at all. It is hard to know whether the problem is with the treatment or if it is something else because I also have other physical problems that can cause fatigue.

In your case, it would probably be good to try it a little longer to see if it starts working.

Good Luck!

Pixie

My situation is very similar to your yours, only I'm not over weight. I've been on a CPAP for one week now and actually feel much much worse then before. I'm to the point where I can barely function anymore. I've had very little sleep in the last week. I have quit using it and have a apt scheduled with my doc for tomorrow to discuss options.

I'm 48 and weigh 160 lbs. I take Lisinopril and lovastatin daily. I'm also receiving allergy therapy.

I went and had a sleep study a few years ago and was recommended a CPAP mask. I simply could not wear it as I can't stand anything covering my face especially if it is blowing air on me all night. I also question the results of my sleep study as it was performed in a cold hard hospital bed with a noisy air conditioner in the window and about twenty cords glued to my head. Who can sleep comfortably under those circumstances?
I was also diagnosed with low T (156) I have been using the AndroGel pump for several months and do find a difference in mood and libido though not necessarily in sleep although it has not negatively affected it.

Some steps that i have taken that have helped me gain better sleep are

• I have stopped eating after 7:30 pm.
• I avoid sugar as much as possible and eat candy / cookies only once a week and only one item.
• I learned to breathe better and more deeply. I started attending Martial Arts classes and they helped teach me how to breathe better and more deeply. It is surprising how little of our lung capacity we actually use.I am not necessarily suggesting you take up MMA but it could be worth your while looking into something that will help train you to breathe better an deeper.
  

Hope this helps.

I began to use a cpap about a yr . ago. It took me forever for it to help me feel better. I had very mild apnia but I also had upper airway resistance syndrome. I have tried about a dozen masks. I just kept going back til I found one I could live with. then they discontinued it. The one I have now is too big and hangs over my lip. I threws it off last night and today Im so light headed whenever I stand up. I just wanted you to know that eventually I did begin to have much more energy but it took me several weeks, I think, I noticed nothing within a few days. I was still trying to adjust to sleeping with something on my face. I tried a nasal pillow first and that really hurt my nose. Im 45 and maybe 20 lbs. overweight. I just lost 8 and am hoping to lose the other 20. I was told my problems may be due to the fact my tongue is placed high...whatever that meanss. My husband has always had low T...even in his twenties, or atleast low normal. I do not think he noticed any difference when he tried taking the pill form of T

I love my CPAP!! I just got my 2nd one and have been doing this for 5-6 years. I am now 52 and overweight..not a little. When I did my sleep study way back then it was like a fish to water. No problems. I feel way better than I did to start but I am not sure how sudden the change happened. At first I might take the mask off in the middle of the night (normal) or something... working to adjust at home to a new device. I say give it at least a solid 2 weeks to get yourself adjusted to your new sleep device and sleep pattern. I tried one of those nose thingies but returned that pdq. The masks seem to be ever evolving and reevolving... (allsaints...hang tight. It will be back. I had one too big for a bit but worked with it... for what that is worth..kept getting in my eye so moved it over.) If things are not going smoothly in time, contact your doc or person that set you up with the machine....resperatory therapist. Good luck.

I was diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea in 2004. I received a CPAP Machine and used it well for four years. In 2008 I had another sleep study and progressed to a BIPAP Machine, which breathes in and out with you for a more natural routine.

It takes most people a while to adjust to their CPAP Machines and face masks. There are alternatives to the traditional mask however. You can request a fitting with a Respiratory Therapist to explore other options than a face mask. There are a number of these options available including nose pillows which only cover your nose and not your whole face.

The CPAP and now BIPAP Machines I have been using have returned my life back to me. I am slightly overweight, about 15 pounds, but I absolutely cannot sleep without my BIPAP Machine.

I used to work for a Medical Supply Distributor before I retired and we had a respiratory division specializing in sleep therapy. My suggestion to those who are having a difficult time with their CPAP machines would be to contact a respiratory therapy center and have one of their registered respiratory specialists properly fit you with a mask or other option for using your machine.

The machine I have now is very sophisticated and can tell me how many apneas I am averaging each night. Considering I had over 60 apneas, times when I stopped breathing during my sleep study, to less than 1 apnea now, I would have to say that this technology works.

I've been sleeping with CPAP for more that 10 years. I've had 3 sleep tests but was never told until recently that I am a mouth breather during sleep. The use of chin strap did not help because I still mouth-breathed with it. Ask your sleep specialist to review the results of your sleep study to see if you area mouth breather during sleep. If so, try a chin strap.
Some mouth breathers us 3M Micropore tape to tape their mouths shut during sleep. It works but there is a danger to consider. If you should vomit during sleep with mouth taped, you could suffocate. That's a risk I take because it's the only solution I know of and it gives me much better sleep.

There are masks available that do not cover your whole face, such as nasal masks. Go to a website, like CPAP.COM and view the variety of masks. You may find one that appeals to you.

Sounds like the same boat I was in. I have been on cpap for 10 months now and have noticed the difference. My blood pressure is under control and feel much better. I could not use the mask, If you are using mask and not happy with it,try the nasal pillows. I think they work much better for me. I would give it 2-3 months,it takes a while to get used to. This is what happened to me. Also have low T, try using the patch works much better. I didn't like the gel.
I am 55 and on several medications some the same as you and others for chronic pain. GoodLuck

One week isn't enough. Look for big improvemnts in energy and mental functioning after a few months. Add daily moderate exercise to flush your system with oxygen as you breathe deeply. Find a diet that helps you shed those pounds. Chicken, fish, steak once a week (all broiled) and green vegetables lightly cooked worked for me. Age 68 and on CPAP 16 years. I expect to see my grandkids graduate from college. They are in elementary school now.

I have been on therapy for about six years and can offer you the following comments. It took me much more than a week to see any benefits, but once you get everything right you will not be sorry.
A BIPAP machine is much more comfortable because it adjusts to the pressure you require.
If you are a mouth breather and do not use a full face mask you are wasting your time. I found a chin strap worthless. I currently use a ResMed Mirage Quatro mask. To stops air leaks I saw a suggestion on a blog about using Silicone Ear Plugs which you can mold to fit around the side of the mask.

Good Luck

Almost twenty years on c-pap, same with RLS. Five years with narcolepsy. Way, way overweight. I love my c-pap, my methadone and my ritalin.

I've been using a CPAP for 3 years. At first I hated it. They. switched me from a full face mask to just a nasal mask alone, which helped a lot. Even then it took a few months to see the benefits. Hang in there.