Using CPAP but still tired/not sleeping. - Sleep Disorders Message Board

pinkpixies · 03-29-2009, 07:34 PM

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a few months ago and I've been using my CPAP, which only has a fixed pressure of 5 (I'm told that's low?) but I'm still tired constantly...I've been going through periods of extreme insomnia where I won't sleep for up to 2.5 days and/or go weeks with sleeping under 3 hours a night. Then I crash and don't want to get out of bed for days. It's driving me crazy...when I don't sleep, I get extremely paranoid, my memory is awful...I forget that I've just done things. Like I'll go to rinse the conditioner out of my hair but there isn't any in my hair and I'm not sure if I've even put it in yet or if I've washed it out...and I'll have to start all over and shampoo again (I've done that at least 3 times recently!) I don't know what to do.

bethsheba · 03-30-2009, 08:38 AM

Although sleep deprivation can cause memory problems as well as mood problems, you are still experiencing these problems despite cpap treatment which suggests that your problems with sleep may not be "sleep" related.

Some of the posters on this board have found (after a considerable amount of time and after seeing doctor after doctor after doctor) that their sleep problems were caused by something else...but these people also one or more other issues...examples?

cracking and popping joints
muscle and bone pain (knees and jaw is common)
thyroid problems
sensitivity to cold
sensitity to sounds/light
headaches and migranes
feelings of pins and needles
zaps, jolts, feelings of electricity
problems with balance/gait
bladder and urinary tract infections, yeast infections
ibs, acid reflux
skin conditions, dry, scaley, rashes, acne, constant itching
sleep apnea and other sleep problems

These people found that their symptoms went away or lessened when they were treated with antibiotics for the bacteria b. burgdorferi and/or its coinfections.

If you have one or more of the above symptoms, you might want to consider the possibility as residents of New York are at high risk for this condition.

pinkpixies · 03-30-2009, 01:01 PM

I have all those symptoms. O.O What exactly is it?

bethsheba · 03-30-2009, 01:21 PM

pinkpixies,

There are a few conditions that can cause multi-system (muscle/skeletol, urinary/reproductive, neurological/sensory, etc symptoms). I can't diagnose you but I can tell you that a few of those symptoms are somewhat unique to a bacterial infection b. burgdorferi (Lyme disease) and/or its coinfections...joint clicking and popping, jaw/facial problems, and the electrical/buzzing/humming/vibrating feelings, for example.

ALS, MS, chronic fatgue syndrome, lupus, and a few other conditions that cause multi-systems problems but they can be misdiagnosed as Lyme or Lyme can be misdiagnosed as one of those condtions. Please be aware that MOST doctors are not knowlegable/experienced enough to id and to treat lyme...and we do not have reliable tests.

Bethsheba

PS Out of curiosity, what did your sleep study reveal regarding REM sleep, etc?

pinkpixies · 03-30-2009, 01:41 PM

I slept a total of 2.5 hours in the sleep study and woke up 55 times.

I had an ANA done last year b/c of the protein in my urine and the chronic pain and such but it came back normal. I'm waiting for my ob/gyn to call me back right now b/c I've been having a burning sensation *down there* without infection and it's driving me crazy. It hurts to pee most of the time for months now. I've been using this jelly stuff she gave me to help maintain the ph balance but it's not really working.

Joint popping isn't normal? I've had that for as long as I remember. And I have recently been diagnosed with IBS after a colonoscopy found nothing that would cause the constant diarrhea. I take medication for diarrhea and acid reflux. This is just too weird...