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How to reduce my events while using my Cpap
Sleep Health | Last Active: Sep 22 1:16pm | Replies (132)Comment receiving replies
@johnbishop and @muffy, your wise words help a lot. It is so important for people to be patient - guess that's why we're called patients. Improvements are rarely immediate and that contraption will definitely take some time to get used to.
In lieu of having a stand, we've put the hose over the headboard. It is conveniently shaped to hold the hose in the position you suggest, John. Do you find that since you've become accustomed to the CPAP that you toss and turn less? My mom also moves a fair amount, but I think it might be the apnea waking her.
Muffy, thanks for giving value to words of encouragement from the caregiver. That is certainly going to be my role. She will be quick to think that she failed if it doesn't work right away, which is precisely why I'm looking for these tips. If she wears it even for an hour or two tonight, I will consider that the first success. We don't expect a 9 hour stint of sleeping like a log. Her major health issue at the moment is incredible fatigue. Knowing that this symptom may become worse before it gets better will also help her stick with it and give it the good ol' college try. How long was it before you started to see improvements in your tiredness?
Yes, that guilt thing or rather excusing yourself from guilt makes total sense to me, although we both know it's not logical. But I get it. Did you know that there is a Lung Cancer group on Connect here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lung-cancer/ I hope you'll share your experiences and wisdom there too.
Replies to "@johnbishop and @muffy, your wise words help a lot. It is so important for people to..."
@colleenyoung, I had mine over the headboard also but it was touching the floor and I wanted to get it off the floor a little without having the extra hose laying on the bed. I think the apnea does cause you to move around some too. I sleep on my sides mostly and have to keep switching when my knee starts hurting more...wakes me up. Another side benefit of the hose stand is when I roll over the hose stays above my head. I have friends that I have known a long time that use a CPAP and I never knew about it. They've all said it takes about a year to get the full benefit of using one.
Great advice from @muffy. I think you really have to be determined and make up your mind you will stick with it through thick and thin. When I went to my sleep study appointment I chatted with a man in his 50's that absolutely hated it and told me he rips it off at night and is angry that he is told he needs it. That kind opened my eyes a little bit that I had better be determined to make it work since it could possibly be a life saver.
Colleen, to answer your question about how long did it take before I was feeling less tired, I think at least 3 weeks. And I do want to second the importance of getting the right mask. I went through 3 different designs over a several week period and finally settled on a low profile one - Dreamwear by Phillips. It just cradles my nose with no prongs poking in the nostrils. I mostly am a nose breather, so I was able to use this one - not the case with with some of my CPAP using friends, though.
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It does take a while to get used to using the CPAP so a little use is still better than none. I did use mine the whole night from the beginning, but not everyone can.
A small adjustment can make a big difference in the mask fitting. Using some kind of background noise can help hide the sound of the machine though you do get used to it. As for how long to recover from the fatigue, it took a long time to get to the deficit in sleep so it takes a while to catch up. Expect at least 3 weeks to really feel anything and at least 3 months to get the full effect. Some people have felt an effect after one night, but I do not believe that is usual. Best of luck for your mother's health Colleen.