[Treatment] Consistently getting <4 hours of sleep after several months

[snoor]

Thank you again.

Next time I see my provider I will mention the Central Apneas and my experience thus far with therapy.

I've always assumed there was more I could do on my end to make the therapy effective or that I just have to get used to it. But after appx. 2 years (even though I have generally improve) it always feels like a battle. Discussing it online has helped me understand some of the concepts involved in sleep therapy and makes it easier for me to communicate my experience with it (to my provider). Initially I felt like I was just babbling trying to describe how things 'feel' to my sleep doctor. But now I think I will be able to provide better feedback and by consequence get better therapy.

[snoor]

Additional Note:

I don't know if there's any logical explanation, but now that I am looking back at my OSCAR data I notice a trend across the few nights that I get >4 hours of uninterrupted rest (peak at 8 hours). All of variable are the same (Sleep Rx, Humidity, etc.) excluding the bedtime. All of the 'ideal' sleep reports have a start time at or a little before midnight. I'll see if I can emulate this consistently leading up to my next doctors appointment and make note of if it actually helps me feel better.

I also noticed a general deterioration in sleep duration after changing my Trigger sensitivity to Very High. I'll change it back to High and see how I feel.

Thank you all for the feedback and discussion.

[Deborah K.]

I agree completely with Dave.  Go to your regular doctor, not a Pulmonologist.  My husband went to a Pulmonologist and found her completely useless.  My Nurse Practitioner (NP) prescribed my first machine and my regular Doctor prescribed my better one once I went and talked to him and explained why I needed a bilevel rather than an autopap.  It's clear that you need a Resmed 10 ASV machine, so don't take no for an answer.  Any qualified medical professional can prescribe a pap machine; a Dentist, NP, PA, Dermatologist, etc.

[SarcasticDave94]

A quick follow-up, don't be too concerned about whether or not your doctor isn't certain on settings on the ASV. We will help with that as soon as you post you have one.

Default pressure in my suggested mode ASV Auto is EPAP 4-15, PS 3-15. Any IPAP that you may see on your current machine or OSCAR will be hidden on the ASV, (during setup), dependent upon the sum of EPAP and PS in an at that moment basis.

[Sleepster]

but if I take off my mask I fall right back to sleep (poor rest). I try to put my mask back on but just feel to anxious and end up staying awake or taking it off again.

That's your problem. You're sleeping while not wearing the mask. This interferes with your adaptation process, and you appear to be stuck in a place where you are unable to adapt.

Make a commitment to wear the mask whenever you sleep, every time you sleep. This will be rough at first, but you will eventually adapt and be able to get some better sleep. Gradually things will improve.

When you sleep without the mask you are putting your body through hell, making it wake up coninuously so you can breathe. Your body never gets used to the idea that it's okay to sleep and breathe at the same time, so it is constantly on edge, prepared to wake up whenever necessary. Wearing the mask for a few hours isn't enough to convince your body it's okay to sleep and breathe at the same time. You have to wear it for weeks or perhaps even months. And then forever afterward.

Meanwhile you are abusing your body, increasing the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The data you post is of little diagnostic help because there are periods of time when you're sleeping and no data is being generated because you're not wearing your mask. We can't see that data because it doesn't exist.

In short, you are causing your own problem by sleeping without the mask. You simply have to commit to the practice of not sleeping when you don't wear the mask. It will be difficult, perhaps very difficult, at first; but it will get easier as you adapt. It's your only alternative to a miserable sleep-deprived life and a risk of a stroke or an early death due to cardiovascular disease.

[snoor]

Thank you for the feedback.

That is something I'm constantly taking into account. After using the machine for awhile I know how easy it is to psyche myself out of sleeping with it. But after so long struggling with it I do believe there may be other factors playing a role in my struggles with compliance.

I will try my best to adhere to regular usage and report my findings here and with my doctor.

Here's my sleep data from last night. I managed to sleep through the night after adjusting my bedtime. However, I did notice an increase in my AHI.
           

[snoor]

Additional Information:

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