Since I've gotten fatter and sassier, I have started snoring like a drunk sailor. Well that's how my husband describes it or tells people it's like sleeping with a chainsaw. I've even woke myself up snoring and I am so very tired all day, everyday. So after the kids video taped me and threatened to put it on youtube, I decided to have a sleep study.
Now I have a c-pap machine, woohoo. I've been using it for a week now but I'm still tired everyday. I was wondering if anyone who has a c-pap could tell me how long it took them to start feeling less tired, more rested or better?
I felt better from the very first day, but I had just had surgery to remove a tumor on my parathyroid gland, too, which was causing about half of my tiredness. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a week of two of catch-up time under normal circumstances. But sleep apnea causes problems that are a lot more serious than exhaustion - pulmonary hypertension and an enlarged heart, which can kill you in your tracks - so don't stop using it, even if the obvious benefits are slow in coming. If you don't feel any improvement soon, though, check with your doctor. That might not be the only thing that's causing your fatigue. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else. This thing has changed my life!
Both of my parents have CPAP machines and I believe they noticed improvement within two or so weeks. Id say if you aren't noticing anything within 2 or 3 weeks to talk to your doctor and see if you can change the settings or if you have something else going on as well.
I felt better from the very first day, but I had just had surgery to remove a tumor on my parathyroid gland, too, which was causing about half of my tiredness. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a week of two of catch-up time under normal circumstances.
But sleep apnea causes problems that are a lot more serious than exhaustion - pulmonary hypertension and an enlarged heart, which can kill you in your tracks - so don't stop using it, even if the obvious benefits are slow in coming.
If you don't feel any improvement soon, though, check with your doctor. That might not be the only thing that's causing your fatigue. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else. This thing has changed my life!
It's true that Cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart) and Sleep Apnea are often associated with each other, and yes...cardiomyopathy can certainly kill you in your tracks! I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy 18 months ago after I had a cardiac arrest in bed one night - COMPLETELY out of the blue. I was 31 years old, active, not overweight, no health issues whatsoever.
My husband performed CPR and kept me alive until the ambulance arrived...the paramedics couldn't shock my heart back into action, they were still trying to bring me back after arriving at the local hospital. Eventually they got me stable enough to be packed on ice (to limit brain damage) and flown interstate where I spent a month in hospital. My family were told I was in an 'unrecoverable state'...but that even if by some miracle I survived then I would probably be severely brain damaged/brain dead.
Amazingly I lived...no brain damage (although I think my short term memory is a little foggy now, but its minor). I now have an implanted defibrillator/pacemaker, and take a whole load of medication. Last week my cardiologist ordered a sleep study...I'm told there is a definite link between the two. I didn't have sleep apnea during my month in hospital, but may have developed it since.
Okay, so my story is not really relevant here, but I would like to say to everyone: LEARN CPR!! Do a first aid course! Encourage your family and friends to learn CPR too - you just never know when you may need it. My husband saved my life...he had done a first aid course for work just weeks before my cardiac arrest, never thinking for a second that he would actually NEED to use his new skills - now our four year old son still has his Mum.
Wow, Coral3, that's scary! I'm glad you're okay.
I read this thread with interest because my husband was just diagnosed this morning with severe sleep apnea. I've wondered if he had it ever since we got married, almost eight years ago, and I finally got him to go in for a sleep study after his dad was diagnosed a few months ago. I used to think only obese people had to worry about sleep apnea, but neither of them is even overweight, let alone obese.
I don't know how long it will take to get him fitted for the mask and everything, but I really hope it helps him sleep better. He has a crazy-busy life (full-time work + full-time grad school + 20 hours/week internship + wife and three little kids), so it made sense that he was always tired, but he is on summer break from school and internship right now and it hasn't gotten any better. At least now we know for sure what the problem is and can get some help!
Well I've been using the C-Pap faithfully for 14 nights and I'm still so very tired. I see my Dr. in 2 weeks and I hope I'm feeling better by then. I've had my heart checked and it's in good shape.
After I had the study the nurse called with the results, and I had several arousal during the night I never stopped breathing. I just snore. But she did mention something she found interesting, after I went to sleep with it took me 3 1/2 hours to get to a REM cycle. She said that was the deep restful sleep.
So I still don't get it, if snoring is what is making me so tired and keeping me from getting a restful sleep and the C-pap keeps me from snoring why am I not even the tiniest bit better?
So I still don't get it, if snoring is what is making me so tired and keeping me from getting a restful sleep and the C-pap keeps me from snoring why am I not even the tiniest bit better?
Snoring isn't sleep apnea. Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe, which creates those irritating sounds.
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but everyone with sleep apnea snores.
Sleep is disrupted by apneas (the cessation of breathing) or hypopneas (very shallow breathing) which occurs over and over again so that either you wake up with a start or move to a lighter stage of sleep from deep sleep.
The CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine is used to prevent both of the above situations from occurring.
However, if your mask leaks because it doesn't fit properly or gaps when you move in your sleep - its benefits will be greatly diminished.
And if you use a nasal mask or nasal pads and your jaw drops (so your mouth opens) this disrupts the continuous pressure so switching to a full face mask or adding a jaw strap would really help.
And if your pressure isn't sufficient to keep your airway open, that could also be an issue. (My prescribed pressure was initially 13. When I moved here, and was retested by a new doctor - he recommended a pressure of 8. Well, that wasn't going to work as I felt like I was suffocating, so we compromised at a pressure of 10 which still took some getting used to.
HTH
Thanks for your help Jan. I'm terribly claustrophobic and didn't do well trying the mask in the doctors office. I have the nasal pillows and they fit well. My pressure is set to fluctuate between 9 to 13. The c-pap supplier suggested using the delay button, which starts at 4 and after 40 minutes goes to the prescribed setting. After I read your first response I stopped using the delay button and found I fell asleep faster. If I have any leaks during the night I wake to make adjustments and if I open my mouth it also wakes me.
I'm keeping a journal of how I feel each day and I hope when I go for my recheck the Dr. makes adjustments needed so I can feel like a human again.
I've had my Cpap for about 3 months now. I had the nasal pillows the first 10 days, and couldn't sleep because I was so worried about opening my mouth. I tried the full mask, and have used it since. My only problem with it is I am between a small size and a medium. They gave me the Med, and I have to fiddle with the fit to close any gaps.
I also reduced my delay to about 15 minutes instead of more. I am ready to sleep when I get to bed, and also seem to settle more quickly when the pressure heads on up to the prescribed level.
My problem now with tiredness is that I have stayed up late for so many years trying to give my hubby time to go to sleep before I head to bed, that I haven't figured out a new early to bed schedule! At least I sleep for about 5 hrs now, instead of 2-3!
...but everyone with sleep apnea snores.
Really? Oh I hope so! My husband says I don't snore at all, he just *thinks* I stop breathing...but that could just be me breathing quietly so he can't hear (? - perhaps...I'm hoping!!) My Cardiologist did order a sleep study though, even though we told her I don't snore, so really I don't know what to think. 
Wait and see I guess. To be honest I don't really want to know if I have sleep apnea - I find the prospect of sleeping with a mask on for the rest of my life very daunting, more daunting than my heart condition.
Are there other treatments used for sleep apnea? or is sleeping with the mask the only solution?
I went for my sleep study last November. I was told by the doctor that I had 55 episodes per hour which means I stopped breathing 55 times per hour for at least 40 seconds or more each episode. I was depriving my brain and body of oxygen more often than I was allowing it oxygen. Getting those statistics were overwhelming, frightening and enlightening.
I've used my CPAP since early December and I noticed an immediate improvement after the very first night!! Now...I don't feel like I need to sleep all day. I don't fall asleep at a red light or nearly fall asleep while driving... and I am mentally alert all day long!!
I tell everyone who mentions they are always tired during the day to talk to their doctor.
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