OSA - The right diagnosis

[CurryKitten]

First of all hello. I was glad to find this website and forum actually existed, as I've nobody else I know to discuss this with.

My background is that I've always known I've had sleep apnoea. I can go back 20 years or so when ihad to share a room with a work colleague. He reported me snoring loudly, and then occasionally thinking (thankfully) I was dead before coming "back alive" with a massive snort. My wife of 15 years has spent a fortune on ear plugs, and tells me about these apnoea episodes being quite regular.

But up until about a year ago, they didn't cause me any particular worry. Bt I found myself gradually getting more and more sleepy during the day. Or specially, the afternoon or early evening. I'd have real issues trying to keep myself awake in meetings at work, or even looking at a screen, and early evening sitting down to relax on the sofa with the TV on was the equivalent of a strong sleeping pill.

So I went along to my doctor, did the epworth sleepiness test, and was referred on to a sleep study. The consultant told me I was having about 10 episodes per hour, which wasn't especially high but as I was super sleepy the thought was I was far more affected by OSA than the average person.

I picked up my CPAP machine on Wednesday. Starting that night with the full face mask. This resulted in a sore throat, pain where it fastened around the forehead and a sore on the bridge of my nose, that burst and started oozing puss (yuk)

I couldnt wear it the next night, so after returning to the hospital on Friday, they sorted me out with a mask that went over the mouth, with nasal pillow (as I believe they are called). First try of this was last night, where I slept a bit, but had another very dry mouth and by 4.30am called it quits. Last night I managed to go until 6.30am.

So, its fair to say I haven't exactly got used to things yet, it's obviously a strange sensation, and I find it very difficult to switch my mind off in order to go to sleep. Whilst I wouldn't call the desire amazing, I have been less tired, but I'm not sure if it's anything to do with the CPAP machine.

What I think I've found is that my normal amount of sleep was about 5.5 hours (sleeping from about 1am to 6.30am). The night after I got the nose sore I slept a good 8 hours and felt good the next day. When I'm on holiday a getting a more normal sleep in, then we can't remember me dropping off during the day.

Again, this sleep pattern has been the same for about 15years. After 10pm I generally go and play video games. These really engage my senses and I find myself able to play for hours without feeling tired. What I'm wondering is if my gaming is giving me this false awake feeling late and I'm just not getting enough sleep because of it.

Weirdly, the amount of sleep wasn't really discussed in the consultations, and now I think about it it could have been an obvious cause of tiredness.

I fully accept I could be in denial about the whole thing. I mean nobody sees a CPAP mask, and thinks "awesome I get to wear that every night for the rest of my life". I do have OSA, but I'm just not sure if I'm on the right course of treatment.

Just wondering if anyone else has been through this or had the same thoughts, and what you did

[martin]

Hi, welcome to the madhouse. Takes a bit to get used to the darth vader mask (costume optional) but I think most of us have had problems with masks and all seem to have found slightly diff solutions. My first mask gave pressure sores on the bridge of the nose but switched sizes and types and all fine now. A humidifier can help with dryness/cold air/sore sinus issues and I found using one cuts down on the noise of the machine.

Guessing that the comp games don't help you relax to a quiet nights kip. Some of the games hype adrenaline which is useful when splatting aliens but not when exploring land of Nod , even some of the odder games leave you staring at a screen watching shapes doing whatever the shapes do. I stop using a comp about an hour before chosen sleep time to let my brain unwind.

Again it varies from person to person but i would say I get the same hours of sleep as i did before but the quality of sleep is way, way better. Some nights its a fight with the hose and leaks and everything goes wrong but most its sleeping like a baby. (Well a 50 year old baby with a weird scuba mask on , but you know what I mean)

Its a great therapy once you get used to it and although probs always seem to crop up it works pretty well. Have a look at the success stories thread.

There is quite a bit of advice on the forum for diff stuff and quite a lot of humour as well..........being a successful hosehead needs a sense of humour.

[symmit]

Firstly, welcome to the club. Persevere with the therapy as it can be very effective... You may want have to try several masks before finding what works for you.

I used to play a lot of computer games late at night too as my mind was alert and adrenaline pumping, I didn't want to go to sleep as I didn't enjoy sleep, now I look forward to it!

[Kipper]

Hi CurryKitten and welcome. I would agree that it is time to stop the video games - limit them to earlier in the evening, if you need the fix! I find that a gentle wind down, from about 9.30 works best for me (but I do not go to bed until about 11.30), after a mug of hot chocolate at about 9.00. If you machine allows, turn down the "ramp" control, so it is quieter whilst you try to get off to sleep, do not do up the straps too tightly, and keep the mask clean by washing in hot water with "Simple" soap every morning.