RosaleeC, welcome, you need to get back on your CPAP, It takes some of us longer to get used to it than others. Each one of those 104 times per hour you stop breathing so much strain is put on your vital organs, your heart and brain. Also you wake up each time either consciously or subconciously in whats called the fight or fight mode so this puts pressure all over your body and you must be exhausted. Untreated sleep apnea cuases other illnesses like heart attack, stroke depression etc so the emphysema could be possibly caused by it. Please ask any questions but for your sake and your families get back on it.

RosaleeC,
You're the only other person I've found with an index of 104 who stopped over 500 times during their sleep study. My index was 104 and I stopped breathing 508 times. It took 8 months for me to adjust to CPAP, although I have yet to fully adapt to a mask.. After I changed masks several times and found a total face mask it was a little better. Total masks (not full face masks) I think kelp mouth breathers. The mask I now have is a ResMed Mirage FX. It's a small, very soft, flexible rubber mask that fits over your nose only. It helped me some. I am also a mouth breather. This video shows how to make a cheap chin strap that might help keep your mouth closed while sleeping https://www.soundsleepinstitute.com/video-how-to-make-a-home-made-chin-strap/ . I don't know if any of this would help with your emphysema. You might want to check with your doctor. I hope you find an answer soon.\

Best of Luck,
Mike45

I am a mouth breather and I use a Quattro FX full face mask for her. At first I couldn't get used to the mask until I saw someone on a video site that said if the air is blowing at the wrong angle move the mask up a little bit on your face until its only blowing on your nose. That little trick did it for me, I love my machine and mask now, it is nice to know that if I quit breathing that machine will make me breathe or wake me up. Good Luck and don't give up!

Thank you all for your responses. I had my first appt with my Pulmonologist on Monday (due to my emphysema) and he was great. He said I really needed to get back to using my cpap because my sleep apnea was so severe, but that we would address my other issues (possible pulmonary hypertension and auto immune disorder)then we would focus on finding what works for me with my cpap. I have a PFT on Monday to check my lung function.

I read on here about someone using paper tape and taping their mouth shut. It might be worth a try.

Now that you all are used to the cpap, can you tell a difference? Do you feel any benefits from it?

Rosalee, I'm glad your going to give it a try, some do the paper tape but I hate the idea and think it may make you feel worse but give whatever it take a go to make it work. I have had sleep apnea my whole 52 years and have only been on CPAP for 4 years and they have been the best 4 years of my life. CPAP literally saved my life and I can't sleep without my CPAP, I call my CPAP Silvie (Resmed S9 and Silver) before CPAP I would get 1-2 hours sleep per night and that was it, I was too scared to go to sleep as I knew I would die, now I sleep between 7-9 hours per night. I was diagnosied with depression, that has lifted, I had aches and pains all through my bodu and they have gone and basically I love life. This is where you need to get back to, keep us updated