Still tired with CPAP treatment. What is wrong?

by Ron Gronowski
(Traverse City, Michigan)

5 Reasons Why The Benefits From CPAP Therapy Are Missing

5 Reasons Why The Benefits From CPAP Therapy Are Missing

I use my CPAP machine every evening, but I still am tired during the day.

What is wrong?

Answer


If you're still tired after using the CPAP machine, then you most certainly have CPAP resistant syndrome or True Residual Sleepiness.

The science explains that there is a residual sleepiness in some patients with sleep apnea, which takes time to disappear (1).

You can help the residual sleepiness to diminish, by following the tips from this article.

At the end of the article, you'll also get a proven treatment for the most severe cases.

Now, the first step in your "treatment" is to understand the causes behind your tiredness:

3 Reasons Why You're Still Tired With CPAP:


The CPAP resistant syndrome exists in CPAP users who have:

  • hidden problems that directly affects CPAP therapy,

  • problems that are not connected with CPAP therapy, but affects the quality of sleep

  • no underlying issues - science call this situation true residual sleepiness.
Now let's examine each risk factor:

Causes That Directly Lowers CPAP Sleep Quality

1. CPAP Mask Leaks


Still Tired With CPAPInexperienced CPAP users almost always have this problem. That's why they are the majority who complain about fatigue, headache and sleepiness during the day.

If your mask leaks just a little bit, you're accumulating sleep debt. So fixing these leaks usually leads to a better quality of life.

Do not underestimate the air leaks!

Learn how to eliminate the CPAP mask leaks here.

2. Incorrect CPAP Air Pressure


Believe it or not, the CPAP titration study (where the CPAP is calibrated to the correct pressure that opens your airway) doesn't always show the correct settings to get good sleep (2).

I find the incorrect pressure setting in a lab a big problem. This means you may go home from the sleep study with a wrong setup.

It also means it's possible you don't get enough pressure to open your airways.

The result: tiredness, headaches, depression during the day.

Do you have a data capable CPAP machine? If so, you can track your therapy data to spot issues.

How to read your sleep quality report (for ResMed S9 Elite Users)

However, you need to know some medical terms to understand what the sleep data shows you (AHI, RDI, CSR, etc). It's better to check the data with your doctor.

What is AHI?

3. Mask Discomfort


Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to take some time to adjust to sleeping with a CPAP mask on your face.

It's not easy. However, if you struggle a lot to adapt to your CPAP mask, you'll get poor sleep.

Here are some examples of problems caused by sleeping with a CPAP mask:

  • forehead hurts,

  • feeling of claustrophobia and suffocation,

  • sneezing after you put the mask on,

  • dry mouth from sleeping with your mouth open,

  • waking up with nasal congestion,

  • sleeping in strange positions to keep the mask from leaking,

  • the airflow from CPAP feels to dry and unbearable,

  • and many, many more...
Do you recognize any of these problems? Fix them, and your sleep quality will improve dramatically.

Learn How to Make a CPAP Mask More Comfortable

Causes Not Linked With CPAP, But Hurts Your Sleep


1. Central Sleep Apnea


Central Apnea is a sleep disorder where the brain forgets to command your body to breathe.

Your CPAP is useful only if you have obstructive apnea, but is useless for the central apnea.

Learn How to Treat Central Sleep Apnea

Some people have a combination of obstructive and central events, which is a situation difficult to diagnose in sleep studies.

Again, you need your sleep data to see if you have unusual patterns in your sleep. Contact your doctor to discuss this problem.

How to Diagnose Mixed Sleep Apnea?

Your spouse can be helpful, by checking if you still stop breathing in sleep even if you use the CPAP.

2. Medications That Can Affect Your Sleep


The most common drugs that can make you feel sleepy during the day, are:

  • Antidepressants

  • Sedative medication

  • Medication that cause insomnia
It's not uncommon for patients with sleep apnea to take drugs for depression. However, these drugs have serious side effects that can affect your quality of sleep.

If you take medication, review them with your doctor, to check if they may interact with CPAP therapy.

For a full list of medications that can make you feel tired in the morning (even if you use your CPAP), read the Harvard report.

The Mystery of True Residual Sleepines


Only 10% of patients remain sleepy on CPAP, even after you exclude the other causes of sleepiness (3).

Imagine that after you struggled to find the perfect CPAP mask, adjust the CPAP pressure, improve your sleep hygiene, and your sleep data looks perfect, you are still tired during the day.

It can be very frustrating.

Being tired with CPAP is a mystery even for scientists. However, they may have some clues that can help explain this phenomenon:

Neuron damage from untreated sleep apnea


Scientists found that long-term exposure to low levels of oxygen in mice results in sleepiness during the day that persists at least several weeks after the oxygen levels are restored (4).

This observation prompted the scientists to ask whether the neurons from the sleep control regions of the brain are damaged from long-term hypoxia (low oxygen levels).

In other words, the longer you had untreated sleep apnea, to more damaged your neurons have.

My question to you is... Do neurons regenerate?

Depression and Obesity


A study from Grece showed that sleep apnea patients with depression are still tired even with nightly CPAP usage of 6 hours (5).

The scientists also observed that obese individuals also had residual sleepiness with CPAP.

Bottom line... If you are overweight,
it's important to lose weight - your sleep will improve.


Can The Residual Sleepiness Be Treated?


The good news is that the residual sleepiness will disappear in time.

An extensive study published in France (with 1047 patients) showed that 12% of patients using CPAP for more than 3 hours per night were still sleepy at the one-year follow-up visit( 6).

However, the sleepiness decreased significantly with longer CPAP use :

  • only 8.7% patients still had residual sleepiness using the CPAP 6 hours per night.

  • 18.5% patients still had sleepiness after using the CPAP 4 hours or less per night.

How Can You Treat True Residual Sleepiness?


If you don't want to wait for the tiredness to disappear in weeks or months of CPAP therapy, there is another solution: stimulant drugs that alleviate sleepiness (7).

It may be necessary for the doctor to prescribe Modafinil (Provigil) or Armodafinil (Nuvigil) as a stimulant (8).

These drugs have been proven effective over the years, where the patients experience increase wakefulness and daytime function.

However, the doctor has to be very careful with this prescription. If you don't wear the CPAP every night for 6 hours, with good sleep data, these stimulants can harm you.

You need to sleep enough with your CPAP, to get these drugs.

Hopefully, these tips can guide you towards answering your question.

Remy Thierry
Founder of Sleep Apnea Guide



References:


1. Gasa M, Tamisier R, Launois SH, et al. Residual sleepiness in sleep apnoea patients treated by continuous positive airway pressure. J Sleep Res 2013; 22:389–397
2. Huang HC, Hillman DR, McArdle N. Control of OSA during automatic positive airway pressure titration in a clinical case series: predictors and accuracy of device download data. Sleep 2012; 35:1277–1283.
3. Vernet C, Redolfi S, Attali V, et al. Residual sleepiness in OSA: phenotype and related symptoms. Eur Respir J 2011; 38:98–105.
4. Veasey SC, Davis CW, Fenik P, et al. Long-term intermittent hypoxia in mice: protracted hypersomnolence with oxidative injury to sleep-wake brain regions. Sleep 2004; 27:194–201.
5. Koutsourelakis I, Perraki E, Economou NT, et al. Predictors of residual sleepiness inadequately treated OSA patients. Eur Respir J 2009; 34:687–693
6. Pepin JL, Viot-Blanc V, Escourrou P, et al. Prevalence of residual excessive sleepiness in CPAP-treated OSA patients: the French multicentre study. Eur Respir J 2009; 33:1062–1067.
7. Dinges DF, Weaver TE. Effects of modafinil on sustained attention performance and quality of life in OSA patients with residual sleepiness while being treated with nCPAP. Sleep Med 2003; 4:393–402.
8. Roth T, White D, Schmidt-Nowara W, et al. Effects of armodafinil in the treatment of residual excessive sleepiness associated with OSA: a 12-week, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in nCPAP-adherent adults. Clin Ther 2006; 28:689–706.

Comments for Still tired with CPAP treatment. What is wrong?

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Oct 16, 2022
Rating
starstar 		Illogical non-science NEW
by: Russell

In the "Can The Residual Sleepiness Be Treated?" section, you say that "the good news is that the residual sleepiness will go away with time," or something to that effect.

You then cite a study saying that after 1 year of treatment, 12% of people still had it, noting that the percentage was lower in people who used their CPAP longer _per_night_.

At BEST, that citation says that PROBABLY your apnea-related sleepiness will go away in time. It says that 88% of people had no residual sleepiness after a year, but says nothing about how many of them had residual sleepiness of some form in the first place. For all we know, only 8% of participants were prone to residual sleepiness in the first place, and using CPAP for a year made MORE of them suffer from it. That's a remote possibility and just an example, but the point is that you can't conclude ANYTHING about residual sleepiness, at least not with any reasonable probability, from that study.

You may just be giving people false hope that, if they just keep slogging along with their CPAP, their sleepiness will improve eventually. I'd be hesitant to do that, but that's just me.
Dec 02, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		CPAP Therapy makes me very sleepy NEW
by: Anonymous

A year ago I was diagnosed with severe apnea off AHI =44 General and 73 suppine. However I started on CPAP only 7 weeks ago. Before CPAP, I had some problem falling asleep because of anxiety, but once asleep I slept right through snoring and apneas and woke up feeling fine. I use the CPAP 6-8 hours a night, set at pressure 7.5 or 8.5 and have AHI of 1 or 2.
Before using the CPAP, I exercised most days, never fell asleep at my computer, and felt quite chipper most of the time. I took a few naps during the day of zero to 10-20 min. for a total of 4-5 hours of napping a month. Now with the CPAP I take naps of 2-4 hours a day, and for a total of napping of 50-60 daytime hours a month. And sleep 6-8 hours at night too. I've tried 5 masks in 7 weeks, and many nights had a good seal. I often fall asleep at my computer. The Mayo Clinic has a list of symptoms of sleep apnea, and the only ones I had were snoring and occasionally taking a short nap. Before CPAP, just 2 months ago, I was chipper and energetic. With CPAP, I have not exercised at all, have no energy, I fall asleep at my computer, and feel incredibly tired and depressed. The person at the sleep clinic just says to keep using CPAP, and this advice hasn't helped me at all. Are the tests ever wrong, like a false positive? A friend tested as severe and a few weeks later she was retested as normal. I asked my doctor if I could have another test for a second opinion but he said no.
Sep 30, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Endless Sleepness DAVE
by: Patrick

Dave your post sounds just like me, I did not want amphetamines at my age and maybe you should check out a Bipap. What I didn't say I couln't wait to try so purchased used one on Ebay...I know I know but already knew I had apnea. Anyway it worked and now I'm making my claim with Drs notes and getting a brand new machine thru my insurance. Guess I need to sell a used Bipap and Cpap!!! LOL
Sep 30, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Still tired with Cpap...Not anymore!
by: Patrick

So I have been on Cpap for over 14 years and a couple years ago I started feeling unrefreshed and brain fog. Did another sleep study with a separate narcolepsy study and pretty much discovered what I already knew, moderate to severe apnea without cpap and almost no apnea with cpap.

Was given Provigil and that sometimes helped but rarely. I felt unstable almost a dizzy feeling and my concentration was horrible especially in the morning after waking up. They tried various amphetamines and again same result, I could almost fall asleep on them!

After 5 different Drs. and opinions I asked my cardiologist as to why sometimes I would awake in the middle of sleep and feel like I was gasping for air. He suggested that since my pressure over the years my pressure has gone up and may need Bipap.

Low and behold he was right! Seems the pressure would not allow me to exhale and I was fighting the pressure. Something that I guess never showed up in the sleep study!
Sep 23, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Seemingly endless sleepiness
by: Dave

I've been using CPAP therapy for well over 10 years and with few exceptions I am ready for a nap within a couple hours of waking on a regular basis. Once I am active I seem to be alright but if I sit down and relax a little, I'm done. Sleep comes quickly.

If I take a stimulant like Ridalin (sp?) it certainly helps but i'm trying to stay away from all pharmaceuticals so I haven't taken one in many years.

Even as I write this I am fighting sleep. I feel my work suffers because of my sleepiness to the point that I believe I've lost jobs because of my sleepiness which causes brain fog which contributes to poor choices amount other things.
Sep 09, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Total Frustration
by: Anonymous

I have been a CPAP patient for almost a year. I have spent quite a bit of money on masks and my SoClean machine. Right now I am looking for an inexpensive solution: mouth guards (not the thousands of dollars program), nose inserts, Breathe Right, mouth tape, chin strap, and 3 different masks.

I too am exhausted all of the time. And now my SoClean machine started blinking, and I didn’t understand (more confusion), and I woke up with a dreadful sore throat and more fatigue. Possibly from my dirty hoses, etc. I thought the system was self cleaning.

My masks have been a nightmare. I’ve had cataract surgery and the air howling into my eyes is causing more discomfort.

I’m investigating the various companies who make alternative devices. The little nose inserts, while not totally comfortable, do assist my breathing. And the saline nose spray helps. I wish everyone a true and rewarding solution!
Jul 26, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Heavy Breathing
by: Anonymous

I have been on CPAP for a year and a half. I find myself "breathing heavily" when going to sleep as well as when I wake up. Is this normal? I also am tired when I wake up.
Mar 19, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Sleep Therapy: Still in primitive stages
by: Anonymous

I have been using my C-PAP machine for about 6 months, and about half the time, perhaps more, I am so very tired from 10am to 4pm. I echo much that has been documented by others on this thread.

I just want to sleep so badly when the fatigue hits, plus lack energy and drive to do much. And my memory is not good without the good sleep I used to get when I was younger.

I used to play highly competitive sports and was valedictorian in my master's degree class. However, now I can barely keep a job! I belief that C-PAP treatment and sleep therapy is still in its primitive stages. Doctors seem to be clueless what we go through, especially with the side effects and continued tiredness. The technicians and doctors have never even slept with our machines even for just one night, and just know some basic information, but assume they are experts! For many of us, we still unresolved issues with our sleep and breathing which is not well understand by the medical community.
Nov 25, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Residual sleepiness
by: Anonymous

It looks as if the definition of successful cpap treatment leaves a great deal to be desired. If CPAP therapy itself induces insomnia... if excessive daytime sleepiness continues for years despite "successful" CPAP treatment... and if a person uses CPAP for all the time they sleep, but they aren't able to sleep for a full four ours every night and are deemed "non-compliant," it would appear that the AASM and general medical community doesn't believe you.
Jul 27, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Mild sleep apnea - exhausted!!!!
by: Anonymous

I found out last year that I had mild sleep apnea. I am a very light sleeper and I suffer from horrible nightmares. My doctor did a sleep study then sent me home with the mask and said have fun! I didnt receive the machine or hear from anyone until 5 months later.

I finally got the machine and it has ruined my life! I am about to be on mask number 3 in 8 months of treatment. The doctor didnt make a follow up with me but just sent me the results of the test. The test said I have mild obstructive sleep apnea with 7 events a night. However it does not address central sleep apnea but states that I had central sleep apnea episodes through the night. The test diagnosed me with mild obstructive sleep apnea only and left it.

I am highly claustrophobic and was told no full face masks. I have tried the mask that sits under the nose and it just kept falling off next I tried the nasal pillows. I can't stand them!

I have an asymmetrical face and one side of the mask constantly smacks me in the eye. It also rubs under my nose and has caused 2 sores. Despite having the humidity function, my nose is so sore every morning and occasionally bleeds from dryness. I also have seasonal allergies which makes it worse.

I have worn my mask consistently for 3 to 4 hours a night for he last 8 months. Apparently I am waking up and throwing it across the room because I can't stand it.

I am exhausted every day and feel like a zombie and the nightmares have never been so bad and frequent. It takes 4 hours just to wake up. There has to be a better way!!!
Jun 15, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Started out well but getting tired again
by: NekoTheSpook

I've been using a CPAP for approx. 3 years now. It was an uphill battle getting used to the mask and hose dangling from my face at night, and took me nearly 6 months before I got to the point that I wasn't ripping it off my face in my sleep. That said, I never did get super-energized using it, but I did only need 8 hours (as opposed to 12) and didn't feel as groggy and forgetful in the daytime (I'd say 75% improvement).

But in the past few months, I've had a sort of relapse. If I don't use an alarm clock, I'll easily sleep 12+ hours WITH the CPAP, and I'm back to being groggy and listless again. I've replaced the hoses, filters & mask on a regular basis, and the fit seems fine.

No new medications that I haven't been taking since Day One of using CPAP. Any thoughts?
May 10, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Still Tired
by: Patrick

Tom I also never feel refreshed after sleeping 8-10 hours every night with cpap. However as I'm sure you know if you do not use you most likely will have apnea events that are tracked in your machines sd card.

I asked my Dr.same question why do i need to use this darn thing if its doing nothing for me. Even though we feel like crap every morning or in your case 3,4 hrs of usage you are most likely not having apnea events that are detrimental to your overall health.

My card that they read shows I"m model patient for using my cpap regularly and almost no apnea events. They can give me no answer as to why I always feel fatigue and sleepy so they gave me diagnosis of Idiopathic Hypersomia.

Also tried stimulants such as Modafinil Provigil and also Adderall ..I can go to sleep on them. Also had Narcolepsy study and inconclusive....
May 10, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Feel no affect from CPAP
by: Tom

I've had a severe case of bipolar disorder for 50 years and can tell no improvement from using a CPAP but I don't sleep over 3 to 5 hours a night and sometimes not at all.

I have a good psychiatrist but I've had this pattern for 10 years. I don't see any reason to wear my CPAP. Is there any other treatment for sleep apnea. I literally can not remember when I had a good night's sleep and woke up refreshed.
Apr 14, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Never Rested by Patrick
by: Sue

You sound very much like me. Tried various doses of Modafinal over several months and didn't work. Then my doctor changed me to Armodafinal 250mg and I am a lot better. Perhaps you could try this.
Apr 10, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		NEVER RESTED!
by: Patrick

I have been using CPAP for over 10 years and for the first 7 or so I felt rested. Let me make this clear, I follow instructions...wear every night for at least 6-10 hours no caffeine or alcohol within 3-5 hours of going to bed no Tv phone off and my room is blacked out so no light coming in.

After the 7 years or so noticed slight dizziness and went and had another sleep study and told less than one event per hour virtually no apnea using CPAP.

So since I have great insurance they gave me the newest machine and off I went. After some time maybe weeks I noticed now with the unstableness I was feeling like I could go back to sleep after up for maybe hour or two..went back had another study for Narcolepsy and was told no conclusive diagnosis.

Since then tried Provigil and Adderall and can go to sleep on both of those! My memory is poor and feels like I cant live like this. I don't know who to see because all they do is look at sleep report that looks clean!

I don't want on Amphetamines for the rest of my life just looking for restful sleep so I can function. Anybody hear of something like this?
Dec 26, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		No one really cares
by: Anonymous

I been on this CPAP crap for a little more than 2 months. My machine is now giving humidity error. Has anyone had this problem? I discovered that the Doctors you go see really don't care what you are going through. That is truly the feeling I get from them
With that being said,it all falls on you to figure it out. They just want to deal with those who don't cause rifts. Good luck to all of you!
Oct 27, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Extremely Tired After Using CPAP for 1 Week
by: Anonymous

Started CPAP for mild OSA, I have chronic fatigue and while my snoring has stopped I feel like I have been run over by a truck each morning. Essentially worse then before I started treatment. This is potentially dangerous as I was very tired before and now its leaning towards the extreme.

I am having to consume a lot more caffeine/coffee then I have ever done just to function during the day time at work. If this continues more then another week I will have to stop Therapy as I'm worried I will get into an accident on the roads due to fatigue level and alertness. Its impacting my concentration needed for studying as well and my memory which is not great normally seems worse to me.

The mask I have is better then one I used in the past for comfort level but I literally want to fall asleep even when I take a shower in the morning.

Its taking me twice as long to get ready because of my exhaustion. I pray it gets better and feel for everyone else that is constantly tired too. We need a solution that works.
Oct 13, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		6 months CPAP, still tired even AHI = 1.0
by: Severe OSA patient

Age 36, computer programmer living in Europe, a former severe OSA patient. Pre-CPAP AHI was 50, for at least 10 years, Post-CPAP AHI is 1.0 since 6 months, but I still have all problems: low concentration, bad memory, low thinking speed, brain fogginess from 10:00 AM till 12:00 PM (noon), tired after 20:00.

I notice that if the evening before I tried to use my brain a bit instead of sleeping, then this morning's brain fogginess at 10:00 AM til 12:00 PM is high.

Extra health info: a bit worried liver functioning: high ALAT (around 100), a bit fatty liver. Probably there is a linking between fatty liver and OSA.

Doctors around me don't know enough about my body: Lung and ENT doctors don't understand that long untreated severe OSA can cause brain damage (white matter integrity), Liver doctor does not understand that fatty liver could be caused by OSA, GP doesn't know enough about the whole thing about OSA and suggests me to check for ADHD.
Aug 31, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Canada same case here tired even after using the CPAP machine
by: Sameer Ali

Dear all,

Its been a good 20 years since my sleep trouble started i dont remember when was the last i slept peacefully, I was detected with sleep apnea in 2007 i have been using automatic sleep app for the last 8 years and still cant sleep well though its not as bad as sleeping without CPAP.

Recently i got another sleep study done , the doctor said i had upper airway resistance syndrome not pure sleep apnea and the automatic machien doesnt treat that . i shifted to CPAP .

Its been 2 months since i used to get up every 2 hrs now i get up every 4 hours
but iam still very sleepy during the day the its a struggle to get out of bed every morning
il'l be very thank full to anyone who has been able to crack this problem . Please let me know what can be done
mail me at justraza@gmail.com

PS i dont have central sleep apnea
Jun 21, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Been on CPAP for 2 years
by: Marcus

So I am a 1% type. I not only have severe apnea, 100's of events per hour, but I have central sleep apnea as well, where my brain doesn't tell me to breathe.

I had to have 2 sleep studies just to get a reading that worked to open my airways and it took a very long time for me to get used to my BiPAP machine. I had to set three alarms a night for a year just to get 4 hours until one day, bam, I stopped taking it off. No, I have gotten both sides of the experience.

The residual sleepiness I get for sure. I still sometimes get very groggy at 10 AM and 2 PM, to where I fight sleep. I also can't stay up late on a random night anymore, it has trained my body. But also I cannot sleep as long.

I used to be able to do 10 hours on a Saturday. Now, it is 6 hours and I am awake. Now my energy level is higher overall for sure, my memory and focus are WAY up and so is my mood. I still think my body is getting back to normal. When I wake up I am groggy and it takes a while to go away, but if I get up right when I wake up, I will be fine in 10 minutes.

I now realize how bad my apnea was, as since I was a kid it took my parents waking me up 10 times, or have multiple alarms blasting to wake me up. I sleep so heavy I have slept THROUGH a fire alarm. Now when I get up it is a different groggy. A fuzzier than deep heavy grogginess. What is amazing is I don't FEEL rested, but I think that is because I was used to how I used to feel.

To truly feel best, I sleep 5 hours on CPAP and then get 45 minutes without one. But that is too complicated so I just deal with the CPAP sleepiness I get. Some days I feel perfect, some days more groggy, most just in the middle. No matter what, realize if you don't use the CPAP you are putting an incredible strain on your heart and lungs.

That is the other thing. I had a long-term (3 years) cough I couldn't get rid of. Went away after 3 months of full night CPAP sleeping. Worth it alone.






Apr 19, 2016
Rating
starstarstar 		This whole thing is just URRRRRRR!!!!
by: Katie Kae

I had a sleep study and found that I had severe Sleep Apnea, due to a combination of things. I am 26 and my resting heart rate should be 60, but my average was 86 with the highest going over 100.

I also don;t have enough oxygen getting into my blood cells, and of course I have Sleep Apnea itself. I got my PAP machine a little over 3 weeks ago, but I still feel tired. I am a hardcore stomach sleeper and sprawler. I'm getting a little used to it, but I feel more restless than ever. I feel like my movements are so confined.

A couple nights ago was the first time I was having issues with the mask. I felt so claustrophobic. Sometimes I wake up feeling rested, but it quickly turns to restless and tiredness. Which is hard when I need to sit at a desk for 8 hours, 5 days a week. Other days I wake up exhausted and with "raccoon eyes".

I'm overweight and am changing my eating and physical habbits; however, it's very frustrating that after everything with the sleep study and PAP machine, I still don't feel well rested...

Another issue I have, is the fact that I had blocked tear ducts when I was little. I had surgery to correct it, which made a clear passage from my nose to the corner of my eye. Now when then air pressure gets to 10 or higher, I have the problem of air going up that passage and creating air bubbles under my eyelids.

So then I'm forced to take the tube out, wait for it to shut off, then put it back on where the pressure is only 5... This whole thing is just URRRRRRR!!!!
Apr 08, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		still tired sfter 8 hrs sleep
by: Anonymous- Canada

I have been sleeping with the Mask now for 5 years, I am always tired and want to sleep. I don't drive because I am afraid I might sleep on the red light. I just checked with my CPAP provider and my episode per night are less than 5 which is good, but I am still tired in the morning and can fall asleep in meeting or even reading information.

Anyone experiencing this?
I plan to see my sleep doctor soon.
Mar 10, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Only 3 days and feel worse
by: Anonymous

I have been using CPAP for only 3 days. Have just awoke and looked up info and found this. I am so tired, my body aches and I feel so much worse than before I started this. All this can't be right.

I don't snore now but wake up (eyes open) more now than I ever did before. Still, I will carry on and see if it gets better or worse but by the sounds of the people on here I can expect no miracle.
Oct 07, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		yes still tired and want to sleep more
by: Anonymous

I run my machine on the highest setting. To me i say it needs more volume.
Oct 07, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		yes just want to sleep even more
by: Anonymous

Harder to get up now only a week into cpap use it all night. Makes to much noise if it leaks. Wife says I am quiet now no gasping snoring but I could sleep all day.
Aug 22, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		little to no sleep w/ cpap
by: Anonymous

Don't know if anyone covered this but I have been using my CPAP for mild OSA for a few months now it started out with getting regular hours of sleep but now I am no longer tired and barely get 5 hours of sleep. sometimes none.

Anyone else have this issue? and all you people off topic there's other forums for that bs.
Apr 13, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Cpap fail
by: Anonymous

I have been using an auto Cpap for almost five months now and have no relief. I did overnight pulse ox test it came back fine no evidence of leaks and recorded ahi levels are low.

I don't feel any better from before I started it, sometimes I feel worse. I am more groggy in the morning still get tired midday, almost really always feel tired. When I had to stop using it because of a sinus issue, I felt a little more rested. Any thoughts?
Mar 22, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Still feeling tired.
by: Devin

I've been on CPAP therapy since December 2014. it is now March 2015 and I would like to say CPAP has been the miracle cure but it isn't. right when I wake up I still feel really tired, and I noticed that I have raccoon eyes when I wake up and that is a new thing. I did not have racoon eyes or other problems before CPAP therapy. This is a minor thing to notice, but the easiest thing to notice when looking at me...

I've been to 5 follow up appointments with a sleep doctor who reviews my sleep data (the machine reports I'm getting 7+ hours of uninterrupted sleep each night) and the doctor praises the wonderful miracle cure of CPAP. The truth is not congruent with my sleep data and I feel extremely tired if not more tired then I did before therapy. I'm actually averaging about three hours a night that's Interrupted. I actually feel like I get more rest when I take a 20 minute nap without CPAP than I do a full night of sleep with it. As I'm writing this, I just woke up from sleeping all night and am fighting to stay awake to finish this post. My life is being robbed from me.

CPAP therapy is frustrating. I just want to feel better, get at least most of my life back and the doctor doesn't seem to understand how to help me at all.
Jul 22, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		CPAP experience
by: Anonymous

I started my CPAP nasal mask Feb. 2014 and still continuing with it.

I must say, my malaise is like it went away and feel so refreshed, however, the last two weeks even while being on the machine suddenly, I've been feeling a lot of fatigue and tired again.

My pressure is set at 12.

I've heard sometimes other medical conditions could contribute to the tired or fatigue while on CPAP. I have fibromyalgia which causes chronic fatigue and I am on BP meds. and going through hormone changes, hopefully, the fibro is the culprit.

I feel CPAP saved me from something that could have been far more worse off (before going on CPAP) because I used to feel quite ill a lot and sometimes like I'd die.
Apr 06, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Need bipap
by: Anonymous

My wife, an RN, reports " You snore through the
CPAP mask and it persists a while"...why?

Also, she has had to shake me to awaken me,
she almost started CPR as 1. I did not respond, open my eyes or breathe 2. my color was pale-maybe I was a bit clammy

We think a repeat sleep study is needed and I needed bipap, not CPAP, Nurse Pract friend agrees

The machine is Philips Respironics System On, purchased in 2013...? warranty? , will need to call preferred home care and ask

I should use smart card/...AHI stands for what???
smart card must be a data storage card that records your breathing during sleep, ? rate,
depth, periods of no breathing?, pressure,
and beginning low pressure which starts at 5.5 ramps up to 11.0..maybe will document need for bipap not cpap

who interprets the data card, RRT Resp Dept at Preferred Homecare, Sleep Study MD?

Lastly, this machine was exposed to organophosphates/pesticide (shockwave chemical spraying in our condo due to black mold, sewer water, etc)..and also Stachybotrys (toxic black mold which can cause brain damage)..was found in our bedroom...

we forgot to put in an insurance claim to have the CPAP replaced...mold/pesticide exposure happened in Aug 2012....it took us 6 mo to get all ins claims paid

no way to prove today machine is contaminated, except when my wife sleeps in the same bed she gets vocal cord spasms..continuous..due to damage from the pesticide (is permanent)

maybe take CPAP machine in and ask for bipap, kill 2 birds with one stone, need bipap and need a new machine

comments, please? thanks
Jan 09, 2014
Rating
starstarstar 		Waking up groggy
by: Michael

I have been on CPAP for nearly a year. Using Philips Resprionics with nasal pillow. I sleep say about 8 hours a night. I wake up about 2 or 3 times in the night. My AHI is around 4.5 and 90%pressure is about 11.5. However of late I wake up feeling groggy and feel as if I am not fully rested. I don't feel tired but feel somewhat "off". Doctor prescribed me Piroxitene 10mg but I still don't feel good or wake up feeling well rested. Can anyone offer any solution?
Oct 22, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		still very tired while using cpap
by: Anonymous

I feel like giving up on cpap. I am severely depressed due to quality of sleep. Use cpap regularly but it just keeps getting worse. Don't seem to dream anymore. Any thoughts anyone.
Jun 23, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Does anyone else wake up sore?.
by: Sal

Does anyone else wake up sore? Does it get better later on? I am not sure if it is because I don't move at all at night.. I wake up in the same position when I go to bed. I wake up stiff and with my back sore. I have been on my cpap machine for a week. I do wake up tired in the morning but I do notice I am not dosing off during the day like I normally would.. My friends have noticed too.. I have gotten used to my cpap machine. I was really scared at first.. Just seeing it and thinking it was going to make me feel clausterphobic. but I like it. Also I am glad I don't wake up 6 or 7 times a night like I used to.
Apr 16, 2013
Rating
starstarstar 		Sleep
by: Anonymous

I seem to sleep during the day,I have cpap michine my Dr. just increased the pressure,however. I still sleep in my chair in the day time.I had a second sleep not long ago.
Jul 24, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstar 		More than one reason
by: Anonymous

I had been sleeping deprived for over 35 years. The two years before the study I was waking 5 to 16 times a night to pee - because I was so restless during the night.

I finally had a sleep study done about 1 1/2 years ago and I had high hopes for some actual sleep. However, afterward, I was still feeling AWFUL in the morning. I would "sleep" for 8 to 10 hours and it would still take me 3 to 4 hours to become alert in the morning.

We finally discovered that it was my night time pain medication that was causing me to feel dopy and exhausted. The titration on my CPAP has been dropped just a bit and I am doing much better. Keep looking at all the factors in your life until you find the right one.
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		my answer
by: ApeaxSZ

I guess an important question here is, yes you feel more tired in the morning, but do you feel less tired throughout the day?

I just came to this realization that most mornings where I sleep a full night with the machine I actually feel MORE groggy in the morning than without it.

My theory, and I'm not doctor, is that because I actually got deep, restorative sleep that night my body is recovering from that and 'waking up'.

On nights where I take the mask off early in the night and sleep without it, I wake up feeling more alert. I think that because I don't ever reach the deep, restorative stage 3, 4 and REM sleep my body just stays more awake.

The difference for me is that although I am more groggy in the morning I feel MUCH more rested and alert after I wake up some.
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		any answer?
by: Anonymous

Have any of you gotten any answers about why you are more tired after CPAP? I have a mild case of OSA (AHA of 9.9) and have been using CPAP at a level of 10 since 5/5/09.

After the first month with no relief, I went back to my doctor (a neurologist). He scheduled me for a battery of blood tests and a brain MRI - everything came back normal. I told him I feel worse after sleeping with the CPAP, so he suggested I try in for two weeks without it to see if any difference.

Without the machine, I wake up 4-5 times each night, so I'm tired in the morning. With it, I don't seem to wake up at all, but feel MORE tired in the morning. So last night he scheduled me for another sleep study to check the pressure, to be followed by the MLST (nap test) today if the pressure was ok.

Well, they played with the pressure last night and got it up to 17, so they said I didn't need the MLST today. The tech said I got a good amount of sleep and a lot of REM, but I feel worse today than I have in the last 3 months.

At one point in the test last night, I had to ask them to turn the pressure down - I felt like I was suffocating, almost drowning with too much air pressure. Any insight would be helpful.
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Strange...
by: Echit

I have been using a CPAP for a month and really feel no difference. Hard to compare it to anything as the first 7-10 days were really uncomfortable due to getting used the the nasal pillows I use.

I do find I dream most nights (at least I remember some) which is more than I remembered previously, but I really do not feel the "way better" I was told I should feel when using the CPAP. I also do not sleep very long - maybe 5-6 hours as compared to the 7.5-9 I usually slept before. There is no way I can go that long now. Strange...
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Yep
by: Snorq

I started using a CPAP last week, and I'm more tired than I was when I wasn't using it.

The readings from the machine indicate that my breathing isn't stopping nearly as much when I use it, though.

So I assume the machine is doing what it is supposed to do, and I just need to get used to it.
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		funny situation
by: Anonymous

I found the problem--the wiring in my house was faulty so that the power to the CPAP was irregular. Thank goodness we found out before the wiring started a fire!

After the rewiring, the machine is quiet, gives me a strong flow of air and the mask has stopped that sucking bit.
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		you should look for...
by: Sleepy

Those who don't see success should look for mask removal, open mouths, mask leaks, non-detection of micro events, further underlying problems due to years of maladjusted hormones due to recurrent hypoxia from months or years of prior sleeping. It may take time for hormones to re-adjust.

I'd recommend a separate and simultaneous pulse oximeter test (you can usually borrow the equipment for free overnight). Just remember to turn the alarm feature to OFF, so it doesn't beep at you during the night.
Aug 27, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I had the same problem
by: Steve

My home care person said it takes 30 days for most people to report feeling better, and when I complained to my sleep doctor about feeling worse, he told me that people with mild sleep apnea seem to take longer to catch up on their sleep debt than people with severe apnea for some unknown reason. I don't know if it's true, but that's what he told me.

I've been feeling better for the last two days, and it's been almost a month for me. I also have mild apnea. I know it's hard while working. I have no sick time left at work, so everytime I call in sick I have to take the day without pay. But you definitely don't want to fall asleep while driving to work.

I was thinking if I wasn't doing well, that maybe I would stop and try it later when I had some vacation time and didn't have to worry about going to work.

Hope you feel better real soon. Hang in there and keep us updated on how you're doing.

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