"You sleep in survival mode"

[Pugsy]

What are your pressure settings?
Are you using EPR exhale relief? If so at what setting?
Perhaps there is room to make it easier to breathe with the machine...it shouldn't be a fight where you think you have to do something that is unnatural to you.
Can you explain how it is difficult in more detail?

Taking the mask off to "get some good sleep" is a bad habit in the making so try to avoid doing that because bad habits are real easy to make and notoriously hard to break.

[Pugsy]

When you have time could you please add your equipment to your profile like I have mine added?
It will help us help you better.

[lucrezaborgia]

I meant that it's actually now more uncomfortable to sleep without the equipment then it is with the equipment which I find strange for only the second night. I feel compelled to sleep on my back with the equipment which is very strange as I'm a lifelong tummy and side sleeper! I wanted to snooze on my belly just for giggles but I think I'm up for the day.

I'd love to add my equipment but I don't see it in the list and I don't see how to add it with my mobile. I have the ResMed S10 for Her with xs Plo nasal pillows. My pressure is set to 5-15 auto. I turned off the ramp because it starts too low. It's so quiet! Very comfortable. My only issue wearing it on my sides or belly.

[lucrezaborgia]

The Dr put me on therapy mostly because of the overall work my lungs was putting forth into breathing at night not just because of my apnea events. I can exhale through the nose just fine but when I wake up my chest feels like it's been through a workout!

[Pugsy]

when I wake up my chest feels like it's been through a workout!

That's because it has been through sort of a workout. You are using some chest wall muscles exhaling against the pressure that haven't been used much. This should pass fairly quickly. Sort of like going to the gym and exercising....some initial muscle soreness that fades as those muscles get used to the workout.

I'd love to add my equipment but I don't see it in the list and I don't see how to add it with my mobile. I have the ResMed S10 for Her with xs Plo nasal pillows.

You are looking for the wrong machine...it isn't an S10 ...model name is AirSense 10
this would be your correct choice for machine and it's a machine/humidifier combo
AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her CPAP machine with heated HumidAir humidifier

I assume you are using the ResMed P10 and that's what I use...it's in the list under
AirFit P10 for Her Nasal Pillow CPAP with headgear

Please use the text option when you choose because the icony option gives us tiny pictures and we can't easily see exactly what is being used...and we like easy.

Don't be afraid to sleep on your side or your belly. There's no reason that you can't do it. You may need to experiment with different bed pillows or where you put the mask so it doesn't get too squished but it can be done.
People do it with full face masks and there's a lot more mask with those to get in the way.

Sounds like you are doing fairly well for being new to therapy and once you get the sleeping position ironed out (and you will get it ironed out eventually) it should be smooth sailing.
The chest wall discomfort should reduce with time as your muscles get used to the "work out".

[lucrezaborgia]

The equipment store is willing to sell me the heated tube for $50 is that worth it? I figured it could come in handy for the really dry WisconsinI winters.

[Pugsy]

The heated hose very well could come in handy during the winter...it allows for independent customization of both the humidity and the air temp. It does more than just prevent rain out. I like a constant level of humidity year round (and a lot of humidity) and I keep a cold bedroom in the winter so the heated hose warms up the air nicely or else I would get "ice cube nose" which is very annoying...but I don't care for that warm air in the summer so I set the air temp a lot cooler in the summer but the humidity to my nose remains the same.

Check with your insurance company as to when they allow hose replacement...typically at 3 or 6 months and you might be able to get one using your insurance. If not there may be less expensive (than $50) sources if we look.
Cpap.com has them for $40 right now and they often have free shipping (like now for Father's Day I think).
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... ve-10.html
I haven't looked to see what EBay sellers might be getting for that hose.

But check with your insurance first...heated hoses are typically covered and you could use your hose allowance to get one if you insurance covers it.

[lucrezaborgia]

Medicare won't cover a heated hose.

[Pugsy]

Medicare won't cover a heated hose.

Yes they will. Who told you they wouldn't? The DME people? They don't always tell the truth. Big surprise there.
See this chart for Medicare replacement guidelines..it's for 2014 but other than maybe a slight change in $ amounts the HCPCS codes and the replacement allowance are the same.
A4604 top line in this guide
http://www.resmed.com/content/dam/resme ... S_Card.pdf

[lucrezaborgia]

Maybe not for the rental period? My machine doesn't convert to a purchase for two more months. I will have to call my insurance company to see for sure. Wisconsin uses HMOs to manage Medicare.

[Pugsy]

For typical Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans...
Rental period or not the heated hose is a covered expense...they could have given you a heated hose instead of the non heated hose.

Now I don't know about HMOs because they are a totally different animal but usually HMOs for Medicare patients follow the normal Medicare guidelines.
Do call the insurance company directly though to find out for sure how they handle things. Don't rely on what the DME says because they don't know the ins and outs of all the different insurance plans out there.

You probably won't really need the heated hose until the weather cools and by then you should be past the normal 3 month allowance time frame.
You might not even need or want it then. If you keep your house fairly warm in the winter it may not be needed.
We have a forum member who keeps his house at 78 degrees in the winter and of course doesn't need a heated hose at all. I would be roasting at that temp .

[lucrezaborgia]

We keep our house at 58 at night. I also have asthma

[Pugsy]

You are likely going to want/need that heated hose air this winter. My house probably gets down to 55 at night in the winter and at those temps rain out is pretty much guaranteed...not to mention ice cube nose.
I have been on cpap therapy a little over 6 years now so several winters and the first ones were without a heated hose because back then we didn't have the integrated heated hoses that are available now. I fought rain out and ice cube nose all the time in the winter. It's so much nicer/easier/better now with the heated hose.
It doesn't have to hot or extremely warm...it just has to be warm enough to be comfortable and prevent rain out.
Sometimes people think "heated hose" and they think temps like a sauna and it's not like that at all.

Besides...everyone needs a spare hose anyway. Just in case something happens to the hose...like the cat or the dog deciding it makes a good play toy.

[lucrezaborgia]

Oops I meant medicaid, not medicare.

[Pugsy]

Medicaid is totally different. It's very possible that they don't pay for a heated hose because they may consider it non essential to adequate therapy. It varies by state a lot and often what they cover or don't cover makes no sense at all.
Though they paid for a top of the line APAP machine when often they only cover the bare bones basic no data brick.
Perhaps your lung issues affected things.
Do check to make sure though with whomever you need to check at the Medicaid place and there's always the chance that if the doctor specifically requests it as medically needed that it might be covered when otherwise it would not (if it is not a covered item normally).

Call and ask.

If it isn't a covered item under any circumstances at least you know you have options depending on what happens later when it turns cooler. A hose cozy might be all that is needed but unless you make your own the cost of a hose cozy is almost as much as the heated hose.