Insomnia

[Slumberseeker]

Hi new PAP user here.

I have been lurking and learning over the past month since going to a sleep lab and and being diagnosed with OSA and waiting for a machine.  Am impressed by how many knowledgeable people are in forum.

I have never been a good sleeper except for 1 year where sleeping was good cause of work schedule.  I have insomnia, and thought that was my only sleep problem.  I got my machine yesterday and used for the first time last night.  Experience was not great because I don't fall asleep.  Did not sleep much in sleep lab either but did better as sleep medication was prescribed.

Here is my question.  Does the PAP therapy have any effect on insomnia and how many members here, if any, are taking sleep medication and if so which one.  I took a trazadone after about 2 hours of trying to sleep but not much help.  Had to turn machine off after about 6 hours as our Golden Retriever had a seizure. Retriever is old like me but it was first his first seizure  ever.

Thanks for your input.

[Gumby Bunny]

http://adventures-in-hosehead-land.blogs...er_19.html

[Slumberseeker]

Thank you for the article.  I know I had insomnia for years.  Sleep hygiene actually got worse with time.  What I did not know was that I also had OSA.  Too early to tell if PAP makes insomnia worse for me but I have every intention of continuing with the therapy.

[TiredOne789]

Hi there!
Fellow golden retriever owner and lover here. Hope your pup is okay.

A book I've found valuable about sleep hygiene and insomnia is: "Say Good Night to Insomnia" by Gregg D. Jacobs, PH.D. It includes a 6-week hygiene sleep program and ways to change your attitude about sleep. He mentions sleep apnea saying it should be treated but does not go into great detail. He discourages using sleep aid drugs and goes into eye-opening detail about their effects on sleep and ways to stop using them. I checked this book out of the library and liked it so much I bought a copy on Amazon to add to my personal library.

[Slumberseeker]

"Tired One"  thank you very much, I just reserved a copy of your suggested book at the library.  My second night of PAP did better, as fell asleep sometime after midnight.

Our golden had another seizure yesterday afternoon and we spent the afternoon at emergency vet.  We have appointment with our vet later this afternoon but he was already having problems with his rear legs. 

I see you are from Virginia.  I grew up in Portsmouth.

Thanks for your reply.