This forum has been a great resource as I attempt to learn as much as possible about sleep apnea.  I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about 3 months ago.  I was falling asleep at work and it started to happen while driving - scary enough when alone and even more so with my wife and 3 children in the car!  This prompted me to see my doctor.  He sent me for the sleep study and here I am.

My question has to do with time spent on my CPAP.  I have been using the CPAP approx. 40 days and am averaging 5 hours a night on the machine (based on my hour meter).  We have a baby in the house so it is rare to get a full nights sleep without getting up with the baby.  Should I consider 5 hours a night on the CPAP a success?  I feel pretty good in the morning and have had very very few instances of sleepiness at work or while driving since going on the CPAP.  My daugher gave me the best feedback when she said: "Daddy, when you wake up in the morning I can see your eyes".
Thanks in advance for your feedback.

welcome
I think you are doing well, it took me a full 3 months to get used to my CPAP and a lot of apnea sufferers are never able to get used to their machines

TPL wrote:

This forum has been a great resource as I attempt to learn as much as possible about sleep apnea.  I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about 3 months ago.  I was falling asleep at work and it started to happen while driving - scary enough when alone and even more so with my wife and 3 children in the car!  This prompted me to see my doctor.  He sent me for the sleep study and here I am.

My question has to do with time spent on my CPAP.  I have been using the CPAP approx. 40 days and am averaging 5 hours a night on the machine (based on my hour meter).  We have a baby in the house so it is rare to get a full nights sleep without getting up with the baby.  Should I consider 5 hours a night on the CPAP a success?  I feel pretty good in the morning and have had very very few instances of sleepiness at work or while driving since going on the CPAP.  My daugher gave me the best feedback when she said: "Daddy, when you wake up in the morning I can see your eyes". :-D
Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Hi TPL,

You can't fool kids !!
A rule of thumb, if you are getting and surviving on 5 hours of sleep and using cpap for that length of time each night then I believe you are compliant with your therapy.

Having a baby in the house knocks your sleep for six, so to manage 5 hours after only 40 days, I think you can give yourself a little slap on the back  :lol:

Sleep specialists have mixed views on this. My own reckons you need 6 hours+. Another I know reckons 4/5 hours a night is plenty. I think it really boils down to how much sleep you need each night. If you only need 4 hours sleep and use cpap for 4 hours then you are getting the full therapeutic effect of cpap, likewise if you need more sleep you should use cpap for longer.

Daniel


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

Hi-


  So far you are way ahead of me.  I'm still not making it through the night with my C-pap.

 Good Luck to you  - John

TPL,

I'd say you're doing OK.  Many of us struggle at times to be compliant (min. 4 hrs) for various reasons.  I've been on CPAP since the middle of May and have had a number of nights when I barely made it over 4 hours.  It wasn't until about a month ago that I got my overall average up to 6 hours.  I try to make up for some of the short nights on the weekends.  I found out that if I get too much less than 6 hours, I'm really dragging and more than 8, I'm "foggy".  So, if you can find some time to do some "make-up" sleep that may help out.....then try to somehow increase your nightly sleep time.  In any case, 5 hours with CPAP is definitely better than none.....or without CPAP.

Good luck,

DW