Stopped working ?

[adriang]

I started using a CPAP machine a couple of months ago. Consultant's review is another month away.

I got used to the machine and nasal mask pretty quickly, and after a week noticed an improvement - my most important symptom is that I can't concentrate, which means I can't work.

But the last 2-3 weeks I'm seeing all my symptoms return - inability to concentrate, ratty, impatient, jittery, depressed. Not really sleepy, but that was never a big problem most of the time, though ever since I started CPAP I've found it hard to wake up in the morning.

I do have a bit of stuffiness but it's not blocking my nose too badly, usually only one nostril. I can't tell whether it's making me mouth-breathe, but I don't think I'm snoring.

I spoke to the hospital, who told me how to turn up the machine pressure, but it doesn't seem to have helped at all. And I'm not happy blindly turning it up - if I have to wait another week to decide whether it's helping, I could be in a pretty bad state.

Should I push to have an oximeter test again ? Or buy my own ? Is there some other way I can tell whether it's working ? The CPAP is a REMstar 101M, it does have a few displays but I think they're only sufficient to show I've been using it, not to give me a score.

I know I'm probably being impatient but I was pinning a lot on this machine sorting out problems that I've been suffering for a few years, and after a promising start I'm starting to think I'm back to square one.

[ElleCee]

It is pretty unlikely that cpap can stop working.
Try to think of anything that may have changed that could affect your sleep pattern.
I went back to my clinic today and although I know I still need cpap I am not sleeping very well with or without it.
I have been waking every 45 mins throughout the night without cpap and every 1.5 hours when I do use it.
I was given yet another mask to try so am hopeful of a good night tonight, if not it is back to the drawing board.
The clinic is also going to lend me an apap for a little while to see what pressures I need because mone seem to fluctuate quite a bit and I am getting confused as to what pressure I should have my cpap.
Sometimes changing the pressure can take a few days to get used to so go with it and then if that doesn't work after say 3 - 5 nights I would call them back.
Good luck
Lorraine

[ElleCee]

My hopes were short lived !
I thought I might be sleeping right now but after being poked in the ribs by my husband for squeeling and farting I have given up with the mask, a least for tonight,Ooops, sounds like I was making the noises but I can assure you it was the mask leaking not me :-)
So, at half past 3 in the morning I am yet again wide awake.

[Tigers Fan]

Big R for you both! Suffering instead of sleeping is so painful!

If all your pre-CPAP symptoms return, you don't need any tests to tell you that your machine is not doing its job. If the clinic is less that helpful about your problems it is not doing its job, either.

You are right to be concerned about willy-nilly increasing pressure without an understood reason - even if that is what is actually required in the end.

Time to get assertive with your clinic, I reckon.

TF

[AmyLouise]

Hello,
I've just found this site and am having the same problem. The cpap worked so well and seemed to cure everything for me. I had extreme tiredness, lack of concentration, anger, etc, before and the cpap cleared it all up. However, now it's not having the same effect. I have become very tired again with no energy. I've just phoned the hospital to ask about it but it has gone to answer-machine.
All the best,
AmyL

[adriang]

update

I've now had another night on the oximeter and a hospital review. I wanted to know what what was really going on, so I set the pressure back to the lower, initial level before the oximeter test.

The records showed that I'd had no noticeable drop in oxygen level but I did have some episodes of increased pulse. The doctor suggested I go to an intermediate pressure (noting that higher pressure had disrupted my sleep in other ways) and may do a full sleep study again after a review in January.

So it's a slower process than I hoped, but at least I feel they're intelligent decisions.

In the meantime, I've ordered one of the cheap recording oximeters from ebay (£27). I'll report on whether it's any good. I'm not against getting something more fancy but only if I'm convinced it's worthwhile.