Anyone stopped using their CPAP for a night? Whats it feel like?

[Purr3k]

I'm glad you've decided to continue. 

The effects on body of untreated apnea are well known - it greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke especially in the severe range (over 30 AHI). Apnea starves your body and brain of oxygen.

[Big Guy]

If I hadn't found this forum and became a member, I probably would have given up well over a year ago.

[SarcasticDave94]

I feel worse than terrible without a machine. Since I'm a rare case with complex Apnea and COPD/Asthma an ASV isn't working with me. A square peg round hole issue.

I guess I just loved fighting the Dr. McQuack and insurance so much, I didn't do fighting after the ASV fight. Round ten to go for an NIV with AVAPS, specifically the ResMed iVAPS variant.

[RayBee]

Big Guy...

It would be interesting to see how your O2 level fluctuates throughout the night without being on your CPAP machine. It might be an indicator that your apnea isn't as bad as originally diagnosed. I suppose, if your O2 level was good without therapy, that could explain why you feel good going off CPAP. And maybe you could get another sleep study to see if PAP is even warranted at this time.

[PajamaGame]

Count me in with the group with less dramatic, but insidious issues. I think my AHI was 25 or so when I started therapy six years ago. Still the difference with by CPAP was a clear improvement… I think it rescued my career, actually.

So like some here, I can go the occasional night without therapy, after all this time. It’s rare, maybe 2-3 times a year. Sometimes I’ll even wake up to find I’ve taken my mask off in my sleep (I’m guessing an itchy nose or something, I wear a full-face mask). Yes, I feel al little less than my complete self the next day, and get right back on the horse the next night.

[Ratchick]

@Big Guy, I forget - how long do you wear your mask for on average and is it every night? Of course, you possibly are just one of those folks with OSA without OSAS as IIRC you were only tested because of your cardiac arrhythmia rather than things like daytime sleepiness etc, right? Either way, it proves the point that, as rare as it may seem, someone CAN have severe sleep apnea but no day-to-day sleepiness, exhaustion, headaches, etc. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean it's doing insidious damage silently (which is why I was super glad to see you decided to keep up with it and improve your usage).

[Big Guy]

Not that long ago, I took a week or so off from CPAP therapy. I'm now back to using it every night. MyAir AHI #'s are good. Last two nights, it was 0.6. Prior nights results were 1.3, and I've been back on therapy now for over a week. 

I try to get at least 7 hrs. of sleep with my mask. There are numerous times when I don't remove my mask until I wake up for the day. I don't struggle with it, other than adjusting it thru-out the night every now & then.

[arttest]

I will do almost anything to sleep with my xpap. I keep a backup unit in my car. Sometimes I just lie down in the living room at night and blissfully fall asleep. No matter how brief the sleep is, my night is badly interrupted. Several hours without xpap, I'm not happy. I'll leave fun social situations when I've been offered a couch. I had a medical situation and could not use xpap for some months. I was given an emergency ok for an oral appliance and that helped. But I ended up with a root canal.

You  "my god im not sleeping 14+ hours anymore, and im starting to feel more energetic and less grumpy. It is pretty amazing."
WOW, amazing. Keep with it!

[tierdal]

i kinda wana invest in a secondary unit JUST in case - I could not IMAGINE not using it...even for a nap.

[SarcasticDave94]

A backup is a great idea unless you need NIV like me where it's a few thousand for the used refurbished ones.

So I'll summarize how things are without the right therapy machine in one word

VeryIncrediblyTerribleAndDisasterous!

I really felt a lot better when I fired the ducks at UPMC and WellSpan! FWIW the COPD I don't have is acting up again with the approaching summer humidity...