[CPAP] New User-trying to understand, need help!

[helgakadebj]

  OSCAR_helgakadebj_Summary_2022-12-04_2022-12-11.csv (Size: 1.5 KB / Downloads: 10)
  sleepstudy.pdf (Size: 544.91 KB / Downloads: 7) [attachment=46380]

Hopefully my 2020 Diagnostic Polysomnogram results are attached along with my last results from OSCAR.  My challenge seems to be getting to sleep.   Two hours later I am still tossing and turning.   Any help in different setting would be great.

[mesenteria]

Helga, if you are able to relax with the apparatus in place and functioning, then any sleep deficit has to do with your mind, possibly your sleep 'hygiene'. 

If you can lie in bed and tolerate the mask in place, and breath well, then falling asleep has nothing/very little to do with your inability to fall asleep.  You have unresolved issues, conflicts, too much screen time, not enough exercise, poor eating habits (especially carbs before bedtime, or alcohol), could be medications or an underlying condition you haven't mentioned yet....if you see where my thinking is going. Your mind is ruminating about something, probably, you might have too much air in your stomach and need to burp...I can think of all sorts of ways to be kept from falling asleep.

Would you consider posting a properly formatted OSCAR chart of at least two days, each at least three days apart? The instructions are in the black marquee above, where it says OSCAR.

[helgakadebj]

Thank you for your comments. I believe that I have good sleep habits and have explored many "pieces" of your listed items. I will try and follow up to send the 3 day apart Oscar to see any further comments....all while I will take what you have suggested and let it be consumed....

At this point, I am invested in making this work for all of the right reasons. Yes, it may even include getting out to walk or drop down on the yoga mat. All of whatever is left for me in this life, I am trying to make it all for the right reasons. Unfortunately, a blown out knee needs medical attention.....grrrr! Will make the best of what is in front of me. Thanks for your support. Want to understand about sleep apnea.
It is like "greek" to me....and I don't have the capacity right now to consume. I will trust that it will come together

[quiescence at last]

welcome helgakadebj

stick it out. nPAP intolerance is one of the most common reason people give up. all the other things you are doing will help resolve non-apnea issues with getting to sleep.  sorry about the knee.

knock out drops are not something you'll want to include in every day plan, but you can discuss with your physician for the short term.

settings on the nPAP machine can make the extra air assistance more comfortable.

QAL

[mesenteria]

I agree with the previous poster...stick it out.  Your determination might just be your biggest ally here. 

I recently had an ablation of my left atrium to isolate the pulmonary veins.  It was a unique and singular experience in my life because I have always been healthy and active, and had not been infirm and in hospital since my early childhood.  I found I was sleeping poorly in the two or three weeks that followed, and complained about it to my GP. I asked for a sleep aid to get me over the bad spot.  Until then, I took a single tablet of melatonin perhaps once a week over the previous five years, which worked reasonably well (about a B-).  He seemed reluctant, and agreed to prescribe five tablets of Zopiclone.  When he learned that I was relying on it only every fourth day or so (and was willing to tough it out the intervening nights), and when he learned that a paltry quarter-tablet was all it took to help me to get a decent night's sleep, he immediately prescribed another 14 tablets.  That was on the 14th of September.  I still have nine full tablets left many weeks later.

My point is that, your mind will probably allow itself some ease if you give it a bit of aid, some assurance, that you are in control and can still stand a bit of a friendly hand on your shoulder. Zopiclone is very effective, even in small doses, and will give you at least another couple of hours of rest each night you resort to taking it.  But even better, at least for me, is that it helps you to fall asleep quickly.

Helga, sometimes you have to break a bad cycle, and sometimes it takes a bigger hammer than what you have been using.  When my heart acted up and I had to go to the ER six days after my ablation, they didn't fool around and give me a mild anti-arrhythmic like flecainide or sotolol.  No, they started me on the biggest hammer there is, a toxic drug called Amiodarone. It worked. Inside of eight weeks I was off it and have been mostly AF free since then.  I know of its toxicity before they prescribed it, and I challenged the internist.  His reply was not that it was the biggest hammer, but that it was the right hammer.  For me, and for my cranky heart that was already trying to recover from the invasive catheter ablation procedure, it was the right thing to do.

You seem to need some help.  I think you should request it.  Promise to go easy on it and to spread out the prescription for as long as you can.  That may help the GP to agree to issue you with what you need.

[quiescence at last]

Also, given just one night of OSCAR results from Dec 11, if this were my chart I would either eliminate the ramp, or set the ramp pressure to 6 and the EPR to 1 which will give me a higher EPAP right off the bat, and would more effectively counter the obstructive apnea (OA) at 11:15 and at 3:35. Also, 45 minutes of Ramp duration is pretty darn long.

QAL

[helgakadebj]

Thanks for all.   This is great.   Love the support regarding the possible need for bigger hammer.   I have done a Zoplicone one night a week or so ago....but should have done only 1/2    Had a great sleep but groggy next day.   Will explore smaller dose.  I, too, have used various prescriptions to support when needed.

[helgakadebj]

Tried to change settings to your suggested ones.  But my resmed settings must be different.  Ramp time changed from 45 min to Auto.
Changed pressure to 6....    Still challenged falling asleep despite taking 1/2 Zoplicone (I know that's crazy cause it usually works immediately)
Two hours in I had water in my mask??   Too much humidity??  Took off mask and wiped it down, and read for a bit with mask on...
Somewhere in there I think I lowered the temperature cause it seemed too hot??   Hopefully I can add the whole mess of stats from OSCAr for you to peruse.

Appreciate whatever wisdom anyone can provide.   debj