Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mary Z on November 4, 2010 at 5:51pm

If you've been taking the percocet for a while and it helps you to sleep I see no harm in continuing with that low dose. If you wanted to try a tylenol pm with 1/2 perc that may work. Sorry you're having such a bad time of it. But about the perc, again, since you're taking it for neuropathy it might be best to continnue as you have, especially if it helps you sleep on the machine.

Permalink Reply by Melinda Hertel on November 4, 2010 at 7:16pm

Doctors sometimes prescribe sleep medications to help people get over the anxiety of wearing a mask to bed. I know that the physicians I work with will do that. However, where a narcotic and Tylenol is concerned, you should talk to your doctor about it first.

This is one recommendation we have for our patients trying to adjust to using CPAP: Use a mask that doesn't interfere with your vision, like nasal pillows or one of the full face masks that doesn't have a forehead support sitting right between your eyes, and turn the CPAP on while reading or watching TV. The idea is for you to do something enjoyable while wearing the CPAP so that your brain learns to forget that it's there. You might even fall asleep with it on.

I'm sorry you are struggling with it--it is a very common problem!

Permalink Reply by Bex on November 5, 2010 at 9:16am

Thank you for your suggestion, I may try that.

Permalink Reply by Bex on November 5, 2010 at 9:22am

Mary Z said:

If you've been taking the percocet for a while and it helps you to sleep I see no harm in continuing with that low dose. If you wanted to try a tylenol pm with 1/2 perc that may work. Sorry you're having such a bad time of it. But about the perc, again, since you're taking it for neuropathy it might be best to continnue as you have, especially if it helps you sleep on the machine.

Permalink Reply by Bex on November 5, 2010 at 9:29am

Thank, it is so nice to not be alone with this. I am sure my hubby is tired of my trials. :0)

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Donaldson on November 6, 2010 at 9:35pm

I can relate to how you feel about the mask. I was single when I started c-pap. I thought a lot about how would I "introduce" a new girlfriend to what I had to do to myself to sleep at night. Talk about not being sexy. Well, I considered how I felt before c-pap and how much better I felt now, so that made me think that they will have to accept me as I am. Well I met and married my wife and guess what. She ended up on c-pap as well after we were married, so the bedroom suddenly became "even ground" You will adjust to it over time. Your partner will accept it and will probably be happier that c-pap will help you have a longer healthier life.
There is one thing that you could try to sleep better. Try some Melatonin. It is a natural over the counter sleep aid. It is the chemical that your brain produces while sleeping. I've used it myself when I've had trouble sleeping and it works very well with no side effects.

Permalink Reply by Bex on November 6, 2010 at 11:23pm

Thanks, I imagine that it might make it easier when I see the positive effects of using the machine. Right now I am still tired during the day. My hubby is A-ok with the mask, but I feel the need to put a blanket over my head when the light comes on. :0)

Jeffrey Donaldson said:

I can relate to how you feel about the mask. I was single when I started c-pap. I thought a lot about how would I "introduce" a new girlfriend to what I had to do to myself to sleep at night. Talk about not being sexy. Well, I considered how I felt before c-pap and how much better I felt now, so that made me think that they will have to accept me as I am. Well I met and married my wife and guess what. She ended up on c-pap as well after we were married, so the bedroom suddenly became "even ground" You will adjust to it over time. Your partner will accept it and will probably be happier that c-pap will help you have a longer healthier life.
There is one thing that you could try to sleep better. Try some Melatonin. It is a natural over the counter sleep aid. It is the chemical that your brain produces while sleeping. I've used it myself when I've had trouble sleeping and it works very well with no side effects.

Permalink Reply by Chris on November 11, 2010 at 5:36am

Hi Bex

You really aren't alone on this one, and I am glad to learn that I am not either. The mask makes me feel like a creature and the awful thing about it is that it's in the bloody bedroom. My wife assures me repeatedly that she doesn't look at me differently and that I am just as sexy to her as I ever was but it is hard to believe because she could just be being nice. I feel like I have some kind of body dis-morphia, like I got ugly overnight.

Having said that I have been on a CPAP machine now for just over a month after spending the last couple of years in a haze of exhaustion. My memory has come back, my sex drive has come back, I don't hate everybody because of tired moodiness and I haven't fallen asleep at my desk in a month now. It has made me a new person and my wife is overjoyed that I am back to my energetic amiable old self. It is a rubbish price to pay for a normal life but I suspect that I my feelings of ugliness are a much bigger deal to me than to my wife. I just keep reminding myself that the positive so far outweighs the negative.

In terms of trouble getting to sleep. I found it hard in the first couple of weeks also because of anxiety and so got a prescription from my sleep specialist neurologist for Stilnox (Zolpidem), he said that it was one of the better sleeping pills for apnoea. I only needed half a tab and I was out like a light and I only needed to do that for about 7 days and then I stated to get used to the machine. He also said to me that if at any time in the future it took me longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep that I could take one. He did say to me that if you use any drugs for sleep purposes that the effect will start to wear off after 10 pays straight because you just acclimatise and then they just stop being effective but if you came off them after using them for too long you just get rebound insomnia.

I have been warned by lots of people about combining sleep aids with sleep apnoea so if I were you I would consult my physician. Self medication like you said can be dangerous and may be making things worse.

Permalink Reply by Bex on November 11, 2010 at 8:41am

That is hilarious! I totally enjoyed your post - we must be kindred spirits.

Permalink Reply by Lisa B on November 23, 2010 at 10:35pm

Bex,
Like Jeffery, I prefer Melatonin to over the counter sleep aids... on the rare occasion that I take something.
My husband uses CPAP and was so embarrased in the beginning that he only put it on in the dark. He loves it so much now that he thinks I want to snuggle with his Darth Vaderness. I am glad for how much better he feels, but the best he gets with the CPAP on is a have a great day kiss on the forhead when I leave in the morning.
I have not had a sleep study, but have had extreme sleep issues in the past. I now wear an Oral Systemic Balance device and sleep great.
Check out the discussion posted by... Carol Hostetter's discussion 'Oral Systemic Balance (dental device)' Carol, Carl and Lisa's(me) stories my lead you to check further on this topic. There are many dental devices out there, but Oral Systemic Balance or Biology is different and only provided by OSB certified dentists. I see Dr. Quinttus at Rahn Dental in Dayton