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+--- Thread: Frustated!!! (/Thread-Frustated)
Frustated!!! - jesseaarroyo - 09-19-2012
Hello Everyone, I've been using my CPAP machine since Feb 2012, I can honestly say that it has not done a thing for me. I'm still waking up tired, sleepy and with no energy. I'm waking up congested, runny nose and coughing as if I have a cold. I'm ready to just turn it in and find other options. I'm wondering if the settings are correct and if so, what's taking so long to at least feel somewhat normal. Can someone please let me know if I'm doing something wrong. I've tried to explain this to my Dr. and all he says is to give it time. Hopefully someone can help and advise me. Thank you all for your time and have good nite.
RE: Frustated!!! - PollCat - 09-19-2012
jesse! A lot of the newer recipients of this therapy tell me it takes time to become adjusted - I myself never had that problem. But the adjustment time in your case seems extreme. My experience with the machine you were given is not the best: I tried two of them for about 30 days total and couldn't get a decent night's sleep as the machines were too noisy! The DME and Respironics finally gave me credit for the 'bad' machines and i got the S9 instead.
As for your situation, some questions: Are you sleeping through the night - i.e. not waking up periodically? Are you a mouth breather? Are your nasal/sinus passages blocked? Is the humidifier heater turned on?
RE: Frustated!!! - zonk - 09-20-2012
You have the REMstar Plus. That one doesn't record efficacy data such as how many times you stop breathing (AHI) just how many hours used each night. So we cannot to be sure if the machine is controlling your apneas. Now it would different scenario if the machine is data capable like the S9 AutoSet or PR System One Auto than it record efficacy data and through the software the doctor can check the data and figure out whats going on with your treatment. Play with the humidifier, too much can cause congestion but everyone is different. Talk to your doctor about the congestion, might prescribe some medication or just Neilmed Sinus Rinse which is recommended for CPAP users.
Not using CPAP is not good idea
RE: Frustated!!! - trish6hundred - 09-20-2012
Hi jesseaarroyo, First of all, WELCOME! to the forum.! CPAP therapy can take LOTS of TIME and PATIENCE. Though it's very frustrating for you, I just encourage you not to give up and Hang tight for more suggestions.
RE: Frustated!!! - Dawei - 09-20-2012
Welcome to the board, Jesse! Every time I visit my sleep doc, along with looking at my numbers, he always asks me how I've been feeling. So, even though your machine can't give either your sleep doc or you number info on AHI, leakage, etc., etc., my guess is that your sleep doc IS interested to know how you have been feeling. When you tell him how badly it's been going for you, that should catch his/her attention and lead to an investigation of what's going on with your congestion, tiredness, etc. One possible result could be that he/she might put you on a machine that adjusts pressure to your changing needs during the night. That will provide him/her (and you) with info that can aid in improving things. An idea that worked for me was to suggest to the doc that he put me on an S9 AutoSet machine as a loaner to get some sleep data. He agreed.
RE: Frustated!!! - Dawei - 09-20-2012
Jesse--You didn't mention when the last time was that you saw your doc, but it seems to me that the seven-plus months you have had your machine is certainly long enough for the initial adjustment (or lack thereof) to have taken place. One other thought that comes to mind is what type of doc you have been seeing? While, the sleep medicine sub-specialty is available to docs in seven different (main) specialties, my impression is that the best fit for a sleep doc is probably those who are pulmonologists. Just my opinion, of coarse.