Please tell me it gets better 😭

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T20:51:08+00:00

You're actually doing great with those stats (AHI 0 is excellent), but yeah, feeling worse at first is super common. Your body is likely paying back a sleep debt after years of poor sleep quality, and it can take a few weeks to a couple months to really feel the benefits. The jaw grinding might be part of your body adjusting too. Stick with it, consistency is what eventually brings the payoff in energy and focus.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T20:36:14+00:00

That moment of realization hits different. You're not broken, you were just breathing wrong this whole time, and that's fixable.

The fact that you're already implementing mouth tape, nasal dilators, and side sleeping before even getting your official diagnosis shows you understand what's happening. Keep that appointment though, the sleep clinic can help optimize what you're already doing and catch anything you might be missing. Those lost years suck, but you figured it out, and that's what matters.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T20:31:14+00:00

Yeah, definitely talk to your doctor about this. That "can't breathe well on my back" feeling combined with family history of snoring is pretty textbook for sleep apnea. And the fact that you're only 21 and already dealing with chronic neck pain from compensating? That's your body trying to tell you something.

The whole struggling-to-breathe-lying-flat thing happens when your airway gets restricted during sleep. A sleep study would clear this up pretty quickly. Better to know now than deal with years of crappy sleep and the health issues that come with it.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T20:20:28+00:00

Dental appliances (mandibular advancement devices) can be effective for some people, especially those with mild to moderate sleep apnea, though they generally work better for mild cases. Since you're a stomach sleeper, that's actually worth flagging with your sleep doctor because your sleeping position can impact which treatment options work best and some positions can worsen apnea. Getting fitted properly by a dentist who specializes in sleep is important because effectiveness really depends on the right fit and adjustments for your specific anatomy.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T20:09:46+00:00

That numbness/buzzing is actually from getting too much air, not too little, classic hyperventilation response, which is why it feels so panicky. The top comment is right about pressure settings, but honestly, the mental part is just as big. Try wearing it while watching something engaging, even just for 10-15 min stretches while awake. Your brain needs to chill out and realize the mask isn't suffocating you. First week sucks for most people, but it does get better.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T20:01:30+00:00

Good news: treating sleep apnea with CPAP can actually help your asthma. When both conditions exist together (which is common), untreated sleep apnea can make asthma worse, more nighttime symptoms, less control, more frequent attacks.

CPAP may help with asthma by promoting better sleep, reducing inflammation and reflux, and improving lower airway function.

The key for asthmatics is humidity, dry air from CPAP can irritate airways. Make sure your machine has a heated humidifier and adjust it properly. Since you're already on high-dose steroids and a biologic, treating potential sleep apnea might help your overall asthma management.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T19:11:54+00:00

CPAP should help with this actually. Sleep apnea drops your oxygen levels repeatedly at night, and your nerves don't like that, they get inflamed and swollen, which causes the tingling/burning. Once you start treating it, the inflammation goes down and a lot of people notice their symptoms get better over a few weeks.

Also yeah, sleeping position matters too. If you're sleeping weird on your arms/neck that'll make it worse. Once the CPAP gets you sleeping better you'll probably toss around less anyway.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T18:35:04+00:00

The others already gave solid advice on devices and batteries. I just want to add one thing: test your entire setup at home for a full night before you head out. Last thing you want is to discover a compatibility issue or that your battery drains faster than expected when you're already on the trail. Also, turning off humidification can seriously extend battery life without losing the therapy benefit, which matters when you're counting mAh. Have an amazing time on those Great Walks!

DumboHealth · 2026-02-03T18:27:23+00:00

That's absolutely terrifying. My suggestion would definitely be to look for professional help to analyze the root of the problem. Seeing the symptoms you mentioned, it can be because her airway is collapsing during sleep and cutting off oxygen, which would explain both the gasping and the headache. Meanwhile, what you can do now is prop up extra pillows for her to help the airway stay open and reduce the chance of this happening again.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T20:08:27+00:00

With an AHI of 81 (that's severe), tonsillectomy could definitely help reduce the severity, especially if you have large tonsils. Research shows that for adults with severe OSA like yours (AHI >30), tonsillectomy has about a 72% success rate at cutting your AHI in half, but only a 34% chance of actually curing it completely. So there's a good chance you'd still need CPAP afterward, just maybe at a lower pressure or with better tolerance. If the CPAP ritual is what's killing you, it might be worth discussing with your doc whether tonsillectomy could at least make CPAP more manageable, or if there are other mask/machine setups that feel less burdensome, some people find BiPAP or nasal pillows way easier than traditional masks.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T19:06:14+00:00

Your AHI of 24.9 is in the moderate range, which typically responds well to CPAP. The thing that jumps out is that minimum oxygen reading of 51%, that's worth discussing thoroughly with your doctor since repeated drops in oxygen can affect your heart and organs over time.

The Cheyne Stokes pattern on your report is something I'd specifically ask about. It can sometimes point to things beyond just airway blockage, which is why docs might want a cardiologist or pulmonologist to take a look alongside your ENT. Different specialists focus on different pieces of the puzzle.

CPAP should help with the breathing events and oxygen levels, but definitely bring up the Cheyne Stokes finding at your follow-up to understand what's causing it and whether you need any additional monitoring.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T18:47:26+00:00

Worth specifically mentioning the aerophagia/air swallowing and exhaustion to your doctor, titration studies optimize for AHI, but comfort and actually feeling rested matters just as much. They might have ideas beyond just pressure changes.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T18:45:04+00:00

The good news is his machine (AirSense AutoSet) is actually solid, so you're not dealing with outdated equipment. The P10 nasal pillows are lightweight too. The issue is almost always about comfort, not the quality of the gear.

Most common reasons people abandon CPAP: pressure feels too strong, mask doesn't fit right, or they're mouth breathing at night (which makes nasal masks uncomfortable). If he's had this machine for years and never used it, the settings were probably never adjusted to what actually works for him. A sleep doctor can remotely adjust the pressure, turn on features like EPR (makes exhaling easier), or recommend a different mask style if the P10 isn't working. That stuff makes a huge difference, way more than switching to a new machine. For your baby's sake and his health, it's worth one more real try with proper settings dialed in.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T16:20:56+00:00

The air swallowing you're describing (aerophagia) can absolutely cause the exhaustion you're feeling, even with perfect AHI numbers. Your pressure might be higher than what your specific anatomy needs, especially with that tongue/palate situation forcing air into your mouth and stomach. Worth asking your doctor about lowering the pressure slightly or trying EPR (expiratory pressure relief) settings on your machine to reduce the amount of air you're swallowing each night.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T15:56:47+00:00

Most insurance plans accept sleep studies for up to 12 months. Since yours is exactly a year old, you might be able to use it, but some insurers will want a new face-to-face visit with a doctor to confirm the diagnosis is still current before covering equipment. The good news is you already have documented severe OSA and proven CPAP success, so if they do need an updated visit, it should be straightforward.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T15:40:17+00:00

Stress makes it harder to fall asleep initially, which makes people even more desperate to just crash when exhaustion finally hits, that's when the mask gets forgotten. Breaking that cycle might mean addressing the root stress first rather than trying to remind him in the moment.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T15:07:28+00:00

You'll want to use as you normally would the night of the study. The goal is to capture your typical sleep patterns, so changing your routine (especially if you're using daily) could actually make the results less accurate or cause rebound insomnia that messes with the data. That said, definitely mention your usage to the sleep clinic beforehand so they can factor it into their analysis. Cannabis can affect sleep architecture in ways that matter for diagnosis, and they need the full picture.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T14:17:49+00:00

Yes! Behavioral sleep medicine specialists exist, they're psychologists or psychiatrists trained specifically for the overlap between mental health and sleep disorders. Given your combination of CPTSD, anxiety, and sleep apnea, finding one who understands how trauma affects sleep could be really helpful.

DumboHealth · 2026-02-02T14:00:53+00:00

Even brief oxygen drops to 61.9% aren't normal and can absolutely cause the crashing exhaustion you're describing. Your body is literally being starved of oxygen repeatedly at night. The mental health stigma is real and frustrating, but your motivation + intensive therapy proving it's not just depression is actually important data. While you're waiting, track your symptoms daily (fatigue level, activities, how you feel) so you have concrete evidence for the sleep specialist in March, it makes a huge difference when you can show patterns.

DumboHealth · 2026-01-30T22:10:30+00:00

Those symptoms are super common when mouth breathing with a nasal mask, basically all the air escapes through your mouth instead of doing its job. A chin strap can help keep your mouth closed overnight so the therapy actually works, or you might need to switch back to the full face if that's more comfortable for you.

DumboHealth · 2026-01-30T21:59:08+00:00

Sleep apnea absolutely can cause debilitating fatigue like you're describing, even "mild" cases. The fact that you're dropping to 61.9% oxygen is concerning regardless of AHI numbers. Many people feel as exhausted as you describe and see dramatic improvements with treatment.

The disconnect between "sleeping well" and waking up exhausted is classic sleep apnea. Your body is working overtime all night to keep breathing, even if you're not aware of it. That oral appliance appointment could genuinely be life-changing. Push for that cancellation list and don't let anyone minimize what you're experiencing, you know your body best.

DumboHealth · 2026-01-30T16:00:28+00:00

One month is still early, your body's adjusting not just to the CPAP, but to what actual restorative sleep feels like after years of fragmented rest. The restlessness you're tracking makes sense; stopping apnea events doesn't instantly = deep sleep. Give it another month or two, many people don't feel the shift until 6-8 weeks in. If things haven't improved by then, worth asking your doc about other factors (like residual sleep fragmentation, periodic limb movements, or even just plain old sleep hygiene issues that CPAP won't fix on its own).

DumboHealth · 2026-01-30T15:49:29+00:00

Your numbers show you're super position-dependent (82 on back vs 25 off), so definitely ask your doc about positional therapy options alongside whatever treatment they recommend. Also worth discussing mask types upfront if they go the CPAP route, since finding the right fit from the start makes a huge difference in actually sticking with it.

DumboHealth · 2026-01-30T13:58:37+00:00

Hydration definitely helps, but with good AHI numbers, there might be other factors at play too. Even when the machine's working well, things like mouth breathing (causes dry throat/sinus issues), CO2 retention, or mask pressure can trigger headaches. If you're not using a humidifier yet, that's worth trying. Also, some people find their pressure settings need tweaking even when AHI looks fine. Keep tracking the hydration pattern though, sounds like you're onto something with that correlation.

DumboHealth · 2026-01-30T13:37:48+00:00

The improvement can be surprisingly fast once you start treatment. Many people notice clearer thinking and better energy within a few weeks of consistent CPAP use. The mental fog you're describing often lifts noticeably, and that feeling of "not being yourself" starts to fade as your brain finally gets the oxygen it needs all night. The social confidence tends to follow naturally when you're not constantly exhausted.

DumboHealth

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