well i got my CPAP machine

[Trickie Dick]

i have always had a hard time sleeping, so i went into this with a negative view to start with. i sleep in a recliner so i figured the face mask wouldn't bother me too much. well let me tell you i never figured the mask would bother me as much as it does. it has to be tight enough that no air escapes, but not tight enough to bother you that much.when i took the sleep apnea test, i took it at home because i refused to go and spend a night in a clinic with someone monitoring me. now that i have the machine, they wanted me to go to a clinic to see if the machine is set right and if it was helping meou . well guess what, i refused that also. so i don't know if it is set right or that it is helping me.

so now it is hit and miss to get the settings right for me. i am the thick headed Italian that everyone has heard of but never met. so i have to do this my way or no way at all. now the new larger mask is coming tomorrow, i am hoping that helps with my mouth drying out and that it might be more comfortable for me. i know how i am and if i can't get this to help me i will stop using it. i once cut a cast off my left wrist because i wanted it off and the doctor told me it had to stay on. so i am a very bad patient for most doctors. oh well it's my problem, and either way i will overcome it

The humidifier will help. You might try a Nasal Mask. I use the Respironics Nuance Pro Gel mask. I got it on Amazon. It goes in your nasal passages. It forces you to breath through your nose(or at least you should) If you do this and keep your mouth close then you won't have dry mouth. It's a little less restrictive also. It will take getting used to just like the others. I can't sleep now without mine but it took awhile. Good Luck

 

[Magdave]

They make chin slings to keep your mouth shut if using the nasal pillows.:thumbup:

 

[cptjam]

Gets better

Once you figure it out, it will become a blessing. Be patient! Joe

 

[cuznjohn]

i slept pretty good last night, only woke up 2 times. my question is how do you know it's working. if you wear the mask do you feel air pressure. when i put the mask on i don't feel like it is working. i breath normal and i don't feel any air pressure being pushed when i inhale. if i move the mask away from my face i feel air start to flow. i try on my own to stop breathing and don't feel the machine to start pressure to make me breath. how does it work to help you if you stop breathing.

 

[Bob Denman]

John,
I don't use one of them, but if you're not turning blue and gasping for breath; it must be working. nojoke
Seriously; is there a way to increase the rate of flow? You might not need it, but I can certainly understand the "comfort factor" of feeling some airflow... :thumbup:

I'm real glad to hear that you're making some progress with it! Keep it up! :clap:

 

[OldDog]

Mask seal and air leakage

i slept pretty good last night, only woke up 2 times. my question is how do you know it's working. if you wear the mask do you feel air pressure. when i put the mask on i don't feel like it is working. i breath normal and i don't feel any air pressure being pushed when i inhale. if i move the mask away from my face i feel air start to flow. i try on my own to stop breathing and don't feel the machine to start pressure to make me breath. how does it work to help you if you stop breathing.

If you hold your hand over the mask valve, you can feel some air escaping. This is normal and tells you you are getting pressure. I have the exact setup you have. I use a nasal mask. I get a sleep report every morning. So far doing great. This machine is much better than my old one. My "brain fog" is going away (sleep deprivation). I feel much better. Hang in there. It gets better.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

i slept pretty good last night, only woke up 2 times. my question is how do you know it's working. if you wear the mask do you feel air pressure. when i put the mask on i don't feel like it is working. i breath normal and i don't feel any air pressure being pushed when i inhale. if i move the mask away from my face i feel air start to flow. i try on my own to stop breathing and don't feel the machine to start pressure to make me breath. how does it work to help you if you stop breathing.

CPAP machine pressure is measured in cm of water column. For example, 10 cm ~= 4 inches. There is roughly 24" water column per 1 psi pressure, so 10 cm air pressure is about 0.15 psi, not very much! That's why it doesn't feel like there is much there, because there isn't! But it's enough to force your airway to stay open so air moves in and out of your lungs with ease.

The best way to tell if it's working is to look at your data. There are two programs you can use to graph the data from the machine, Resscan from Resmed, or Sleepyhead by one of the guys on cpaptalk.com. At a minimum look at the data on the machine screen each morning. If your AHI is less than 5, (actually any number well below your sleep test number) and your air leak less than 24, then the therapy is working. With the Resmed machines any leak above 24 brings the accuracy of the readings into doubt. My AHI during the sleep study was around 35. It runs below 1 most of the time with the CPAP, with my leak rates usually under 10.

Interestingly, one of the most common results of using CPAP is the reduced need to get up and go to the bathroom in the night. Something about low oxygen and high CO2 triggers a bladder response. With proper O2 levels that doesn't happen. I used to get up twice a night most every night. Now I seldom get up in the night, and usually that's from drinking coffee before bedtime!

 

[cuznjohn]

 

[Bob Denman]

:roflblack: :clap: :2thumbs: