I stopped using the CPAP for a few nights. I had just gotten over a cold and still had some congestion and couldn't breath very comfortably with it. I will probably get the optional face mask for such occasions. You just can't have too many breathing tubes. I could also get an optional humidifier attachment for if I become too dry nasalwise. I am dried out sometimes, but not uncomfortably so.
I was really tired when I finally got that thing, so my first couple of times with it, I slept pretty soundly. The last couple of nights I have awaken the usual four times, but have usually fallen right back to sleep. I wake up feeling more rested, so that's a good thing.
Mind you, I don't think the CPAP directly affects my ability to sleep. It's only purpose is to keep me breathing at night. But I think the airflow soothes me and encourages me to breath deeply.
I lost a tooth implant. It fell out of my mouth and then fell out of whichever pocket I put it in. It is an old design and sounds, by what my new dentist told me, that it will be more trouble to replace than it is worth. Yet, it needs to be replaced.
Yet, I have at least two relatives with several missing teeth, and they seem to survive.
Like everyone else, my retirement fund is taking a beating.
I'm sinking into post-election ennui. I am very happy Obama won. I read the news--mostly online, since our local paper has basically become a propaganda tool for the Republican party. I think the 24-hour-a-day news cycle that we now have makes everything a little overwhelming and at the same time gets boring, because, let's face it, how much can really change every ten minutes?
I am basically old fashioned, news-wise. I think it works best when I just get a massive dose once a day and that stop thinking about these things for awhile.
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I've cut way back on my political reading now that the election is over. I need to reset the brain. I'll probably start back up again once Obama is inaugurated. Like, I need to follow his every move, or something.
Ah, the missing teeth look. Very sexy. May I call you Zeke?
I hope you can get back to comfortable CAPping soon. Some of us want you to keep breathing.
tohydrin- A new medication used for keeping the nasal passages moist.
Seeing how not breathing and snoring does keep one awake at night the CPAP does directly affect your sleep. Look: A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is used mainly by patients for the treatment of sleep apnea at home. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes narrow as the muscles relax naturally during sleep. This reduces oxygen in the blood and causes arousal from sleep. The CPAP machine stops this phenomenon by delivering a stream of compressed air via a hose to a nasal pillow, nose mask or full-face mask, splinting the airway (keeping it open under air pressure) so that unobstructed breathing becomes possible, reducing and/or preventing apneas and hypopneas. This has the additional benefit of reducing or eliminating the extremely loud snoring that sometimes accompanies sleep apnea.
Last night was a little rough. I woke up and had a little trouble getting back to sleeep. Again, problems, most of which weren't really problems, kept darting around my head. Eventually, I fell asleep again. Then I had a dream inwhich these people were trying to get into my bedroom, making a sssssssssss kind of sound outside my door. They managed to push the door open and I swung my arm to keep them away, waking myself up as I did so. I realized then that the ssssss sound was my CPAP machine.
I've had some strange dreams lately. I don't know if it's the machine or what.
Maybe it's the extra oxygen that's waking up your dreaming.
I bet you'll get used to it eventually and your dreams will settle down.
matena- a brain condition characterized by strange dreams, the result of using a CPAP machine.
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