Posted by Chris O on September 6, 2012, at 16:02:43
In reply to Re: Anyone using/benefiting from CPAP? » Chris O, posted by jane d on September 5, 2012, at 3:14:58
Jane:
Great to hear CPAP helps you sleep through the night. There is hope! For me, it's just not happening. I'll answer your individual questions below.
"Just how much are you sleeping each night?"
I don't sleep for more than 1 to 2 hour blocks at one time. So, I'll fall asleep (fitfully) for 1 to 2 hours and wakeup. Then, I'll repeat the same thing three or four more times. This pattern has been going on for a really long time, 10 to 15 years at least.
"Is it different from before you started treatment?"
Yeah, that's tough to answer. In some ways, I think the CPAP is working. For instance, I sometimes feel less headachy or less out of it even if I sleep fitfully all night on CPAP. But I'm just not sure how different this is than sleeping without the CPAP. The CPAP hasn't allowed me to sleep steadily for many hours in a row, so I don't know if it's really helping. And when I sleep without it, I might feel like I am asleep more, but then when I get up, I feel completely crappy, like I have barely slept at all.
"Why did I raise my pressure, etc.?"
Well, they put me at a pressure of 10 (with a plus or minus 2 prescription if necessary) after the test. The doctor said that was just an average pressure number for most people. I tried it for about three weeks and felt like I kept waking up all the time, so went up to 11. Another 3 weeks the same, so I went up to 12. Also, I did the titration study in between. It showed my ideal pressure as 11 (with 95% clearance, or something like that), and 12 as 100% clearance. Yes, a professional did the adjustments for me.
"...waking for another reason such as anxiety."
Perhaps this is the case. I have a very severe anxiety disorder. It's a kind of chronic worry, PTSD, GAD, and depression combined. It's mostly from my mother, my family. It's a lifelong condition as I was raised by someone who was mentally ill. I'm off medication now, after many SSRI failures. I will probably try a TCA or Nardil in the coming weeks.
I'd like the CPAP to work. I was thinking of asking for an in hospital study (if it's possible, probably not with my insurance) so that they could watch me and see what's going on. It just seems like such an effort asking for these things. Even when I have insurance and get treatment, little changes.
Thanks for responding.
Chris
poster:Chris O
thread:1024801
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120830/msgs/1025007.html