07-20-2023, 07:28 PM
Therapy thread - sleep deprivation (canigetawitness1992)
Hi,
I'm currently using Dreamstation 1 APAP. My pressure is set 9.5-13. Adaptive FLEX setting is 2. Adaptive humidification is 3. Heated hose is set to 5.
For two years, I have been struggling with sleep deprivation, averaging about 5 hours of restless sleep a night. I took a home sleep study that confirmed moderate sleep apnea. I've been using APAP religiously every night, but wake up without fail around the 3-4 hour mark every night. What's strange is that my AHI numbers are low, usually 0-1 AHI, with maybe 1 obstructive event, and about 3 hypopnea events. When I wake up, I notice that I am clenching my jaw forward, like I'm desperately trying to get more air, but the machine says I'm not having apnea events at this point. I'm not sure what to do, I've brought it up to my sleep physician and she said she wouldn't change any of my CPAP settings and that my numbers look good. After the 3-4 hours of sleep with the CPAP, I try to fall back asleep with it on, but I wake up every 5 minutes. So about after an hour of waking up every 5 minutes, I take the CPAP off, and continue to sleep for maybe an hour without the mask. Upon waking, I am exhausted, my mouth is dry, my lips are chapped, my eyes are bloodshot. I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I'm really not sure what to do. I've tried many sleep medications and none have helped. I want to also mention that I have a TMJ disorder, and around the same time that I started having sleep problems, I began to have jaw problems. Actually, jaw problems came first. Loud popping/clicking of the jaw, jaw deviation, painless jaw spasms, and sometimes my jaw will be locked in the mornings. I have seen my primary care doctor, a TMJ specialist, ENT, and oral maxillofacial surgeon, all who say that my TMJ disorder is not causing the sleep deprivation. I did have a CBCT of my airways taken and I have a very small airway, large tongue, narrow upper palate, large turbinates, elongated soft palate.
I'm just not sure what to do. The sleep deprivation of only getting about 5 hours of sleep a night is causing a lot of physical and mental health problems. My blood pressure is up, my cognition is affected. I feel like I'm the walking dead. My gut is telling me that not enough air is getting through my nose to unblock obstructions I'm having at night, but if that were the cause, wouldn't I have a high AHI? And wouldn't APAP up the pressure? I'm also concerned that it could be my TMJ disorder, but the splint should be taking care of that.
Any advice on how to proceed medical wise is welcome & appreciated. There's got to be some sort of resolution to this. Thank you.
I've attached a link of pictures of a typical night for me in OSCAR. I hope they turn out clear and not blurry. I'm not sure how to directly post the pictures. When I try it says .jpg pictures not allowed. Actually, it's not letting me post any pics or links because I'm a new user?
I'm currently using Dreamstation 1 APAP. My pressure is set 9.5-13. Adaptive FLEX setting is 2. Adaptive humidification is 3. Heated hose is set to 5.
For two years, I have been struggling with sleep deprivation, averaging about 5 hours of restless sleep a night. I took a home sleep study that confirmed moderate sleep apnea. I've been using APAP religiously every night, but wake up without fail around the 3-4 hour mark every night. What's strange is that my AHI numbers are low, usually 0-1 AHI, with maybe 1 obstructive event, and about 3 hypopnea events. When I wake up, I notice that I am clenching my jaw forward, like I'm desperately trying to get more air, but the machine says I'm not having apnea events at this point. I'm not sure what to do, I've brought it up to my sleep physician and she said she wouldn't change any of my CPAP settings and that my numbers look good. After the 3-4 hours of sleep with the CPAP, I try to fall back asleep with it on, but I wake up every 5 minutes. So about after an hour of waking up every 5 minutes, I take the CPAP off, and continue to sleep for maybe an hour without the mask. Upon waking, I am exhausted, my mouth is dry, my lips are chapped, my eyes are bloodshot. I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I'm really not sure what to do. I've tried many sleep medications and none have helped. I want to also mention that I have a TMJ disorder, and around the same time that I started having sleep problems, I began to have jaw problems. Actually, jaw problems came first. Loud popping/clicking of the jaw, jaw deviation, painless jaw spasms, and sometimes my jaw will be locked in the mornings. I have seen my primary care doctor, a TMJ specialist, ENT, and oral maxillofacial surgeon, all who say that my TMJ disorder is not causing the sleep deprivation. I did have a CBCT of my airways taken and I have a very small airway, large tongue, narrow upper palate, large turbinates, elongated soft palate.
I'm just not sure what to do. The sleep deprivation of only getting about 5 hours of sleep a night is causing a lot of physical and mental health problems. My blood pressure is up, my cognition is affected. I feel like I'm the walking dead. My gut is telling me that not enough air is getting through my nose to unblock obstructions I'm having at night, but if that were the cause, wouldn't I have a high AHI? And wouldn't APAP up the pressure? I'm also concerned that it could be my TMJ disorder, but the splint should be taking care of that.
Any advice on how to proceed medical wise is welcome & appreciated. There's got to be some sort of resolution to this. Thank you.
I've attached a link of pictures of a typical night for me in OSCAR. I hope they turn out clear and not blurry. I'm not sure how to directly post the pictures. When I try it says .jpg pictures not allowed. Actually, it's not letting me post any pics or links because I'm a new user?
