Hi,

I"ve been on cpap for a little over a month. I'm good about using the mask, and am more or less used to my liberty mask and resmed s8 elite machine. I use the humidifier. My leaks are minimal. I have a pressure now of 8, and my ahi is now around 1, with my AI at .1 or .2. So numberwise, things are looking good. My headaches, fatigue, and general achiness are also improved. When I'm asleep, I think I'm getting the actual benefits of sleep.

Here's the deal though. I"m still waking up a lot at night and I have no idea why. I usually make it okay for the first 3-4 hours, and then I can awaken almost every hour. and it's a bear to get back asleep. I was like this before cpap, so I don't think cpap is causing it, but it's certainly not helping it. It's worse at certain times of my monthly cycle. With my good ahi numbers,  I doubt apnea would be causing the awakenings???

Any ideas? I"d love to sleep through the night, or at least cut the number of awakenings down!!!

I have similar problems but cannot answer why.  All I can think of in my case is my sheer size (6'5" and 285lbs) and the fact that I have trouble getting and staying comfortable.

Do you have any other health conditions that could interfere w/sleep? Periodic leg movements? Restless leg syndrome? Naggy backaches? Interstitial cystitis? Abdominal cramps? Reflux? Nausea?

Do you have a good mattress? Are your blankets, etc. too heavy? Not warm enough? Too warm? Is your sleeping apparel comfortable or restrictive when changing positions during sleep? Do you have trains passing by or planes flying overhead? Heavy truck traffic on a highway nearby?

Did you ever receive a copy of the doctor's dictated results of your sleep evaluation and titration studies (1-2 pages) and/or a copy of the full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs (5+ pages) from your sleep evaluation and titration studies? They may contain information about additional sleep disorders than just OSA.

What xPAP are you using? Does it have EPR or C-Flex or A-Flex? Adjusting those settings might make the difference. Despite an acceptable leak rate is your mouth dry or sticky when waking? Or your nasal passages dry and irritated? You may need to turn your humidifier setting up a bit. Maybe your humidifier is providing warmer air, or colder air, than is comfortable for breathing. Do you use Ramp? Later in the night you might not need Ramp and the starting pressure is then too low for comfortable breathing. Or if you haven't turn your xPAP off maybe you NEED the Ramp to get back to sleep.


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

I think the only thing my sleep study showed was osa.

I do have chronic joint pain from a connective tissue disorder, but not sure that pain is the culprit. It can be hard to get comfortable again once I"m awake. Maybe hormones? I get really hot before my period , like I"m cooking from the inside. I check the thermostat, and it's 65, so it's me. Half an hour later I'm cold.

I see my sleep doc tomorrow and will ask. If it's hormones, then I think I"m stuck. I can't take oral contraceptives or any kind of estrogen because I have complicated migraines with wacky neurological symptoms, and hormones really up my chances of a stroke.

Maybe a Tylenol Rapid Release when you wake up during the night? That stuff really does work fast. At least for me it does. Thank goodness! Maybe a Tylenol before bed would help you sleep longer? (I can't "do" the NSAIDs due to Crohn's disease). Yup, I'd be discussing this w/the sleep doctor. Maybe there is something in your data that could help pinpoint the problem. GOOD LUCK!


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

Almost a year into CPAP and I still don't sleep through the night. Tried Requip, that didn't do anything. I have a really bad knee (arthritis) and it might be the pain of it that wakes me up, I don't know. The CPAP is working fine, so it's not that. Have tried so many things, but maybe it's just the way it is.


_________________
---------
ResMed S8 Elite / ResMed Quattro Mirage full face mask
Pressure 19
---------

Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.
Fran Lebowitz

I assume you've checked the data on your Elite and there are no clues there? You've got copies of your sleep evaluation and titration study reports and they revealed nothing? You've discussed this w/your sleep doctor and he has no suggestions to offer? Has HE looked at the data from your Elite?


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

I see him tomorrow, so I'll pick his brain. I don't think I've slept through the night in fifteen years!

Good luck and God bless.  And (((hugs))) too. I only went 8 years w/o a full night's sleep and THAT was bad enough!!!


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.