On the very day that Dr Robson Capasso told me that CPAP was no longer necessary, I stopped cold turkey. I did consider easing myself slowly, but impatience got the better of me. Anyhow, it has been 11 days since the big lifestyle change.
It’s safe to say that things have worked out alright. In terms of sleep, things have stayed relatively the same. Even without the CPAP, I have encountered no trouble falling asleep and no additional fatigue during the day. I continue to sleep between 9 and 10 (with my Posturepedic Outlast + AllSett neck roll and my head slightly raised), wake up at 4 (and lower my bed + remove my neck roll), and get out of bed at 8 (to start my day after lounging in bed for roughly 30 minutes).
As for Flonase (aka “fluticasone propionate”), it has integrated smoothly into my daily routine as well. I spray each nostril twice immediately after waking up and don’t think about it for the rest of the day. It’s hard to say if it is really helping, but it is definitely not hurting.
In terms of sleep, the last change I’m considering is wearing a chin strap again. This was recommended by the doctor as a way to break my habit of mouth breathing at night. I have plenty of straps from my CPAP days, but I’m a little reluctant because they can be a bit uncomfortable (and hard to mount on my own due to my limited range of motion). For now, I’m going to try my various straps on and off until I find a setup that works easily.
PS: mouth tape could also be an option for preventing mouth breathing at night
