My First Two Nights

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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corvallisgrace75
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Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 7:29 pm

My First Two Nights

Post by corvallisgrace75 » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:26 pm

Hi Everyone,

I picked up my very first, brand new, shiny CPAP from the DME company on Tuesday. The therapist was great and very patient. I insisted on video recording everything. HA!

The first night was fine. I slept fairly well. Last night the nasal pillows really irritated my nose. It felt super dry. I pulled the thing out and said, "F it!" I'm hoping to do better tonight. Any suggestions for how to deal with a dry nose? Can I adjust the humidity? (I suppose I should do some more reading, eh?) I was also a bit congested.

There are several things that I'm curious to know from those of you who are seasoned veterans. How soon after starting the CPAP did you have a night of sleep where you woke up and felt amazingly rested? (Or are you still waiting for that night? Haha!) Do you generally feel like you get a good night's rest almost every night now that you use the CPAP? Are there any sleep habits that you changed to accommodate your CPAP therapy. For me, it would mean turning off the TV and learning to fall asleep without Seinfeld on in the background. Ha!

The first night I wore the device for 6.5 hours. I didn't wake up feeling any more rested than usual. Unfortunately, it is hot where I am and I have to sleep on my couch because it's the only place where I have AC. So my movement was restricted. I'm also a stomach sleeper, which doesn't really work with the CPAP. Ha! I also drank before bed and fell asleep to the TV. So...yeah, there's room for improvement there. Ha!

Any advice/experiences you'd like to share are welcome. Thanks!
Mask: AIRFIT P-10 4 HER/AIRFTI MAS FOR HER NASAL PILLOW
ResMed/S10 ELITE

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Pugsy
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by Pugsy » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:58 pm

Humidity is considered a personal choice comfort feature. You should be able to change it to suit your needs.
If you have it on an already low setting then increase it to help with the dryness and possibly the congestion.
Google "cpap rhinitis" and you will see what I mean.

Now some people find that too much humidity causes congestion but those people don't normally complain of dryness at the same time.

Humidity preferences are highly individualized with a wide range of what is normal depending on what the preferences are.

When you have time please add your equipment to your profile like I have mine. Depending on what equipment you are using you may have additional options to help with humidity and air temperature needs.

Welcome to the forum.

Oh...go to WalMart to the baby aisle and get some Lansinoh lanolin ointment/cream. Use sparingly on the nostrils at bedtime and liberally during the day to help with the tender nostrils. It works. Also don't over tighten the straps. Nasal pillows shouldn't cause extreme pain or rub the nostrils raw. At most maybe minor tenderness. Anything else usually points to incorrect nasal pillow size or the straps are too tight.

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corvallisgrace75
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by corvallisgrace75 » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:16 pm

Thank you so much, Pugsy! I really appreciate your input. I tried to add my equipment into my signature, but perhaps I didn't save it correctly? At any rate, I use the same mask as you do. Exactly the same. I also have the CPAP AIRSENSE Elite/ResMed AIRSENSE 10 CPAP Unit. My air pressure setting is 5.

I will definitely get some lanolin cream. The nasal pillows have not yet caused pain or made my nose feel raw. Yes, maybe some tenderness. My nose just felt incredibly dry and that was what was most uncomfortable. I was told I could use an Extra Small, and I've been using a Small. I haven't done anything to the straps. They seem to fit quite nicely and comfortably. I will definitely Google "cpap rhinitis". Thanks!
Mask: AIRFIT P-10 4 HER/AIRFTI MAS FOR HER NASAL PILLOW
ResMed/S10 ELITE

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Pugsy
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Location: Missouri, USA

Re: My First Two Nights

Post by Pugsy » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:09 pm

The equipment you use is in the menu choices but you have to make sure to click on the "submit" button or it won't stick.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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kaiasgram
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by kaiasgram » Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:27 pm

corvallisgrace75 wrote: I also have the CPAP AIRSENSE Elite/ResMed AIRSENSE 10 CPAP Unit.
Hi grace -- I'm not sure if you're saying you have two machines. The Airsense 10 Elite is a different machine than the Airsense 10 CPAP. They are both single pressure CPAP machines, but the Elite is a fully data capable machine and the CPAP is a brick (no treatment data).

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Machine: AirSense 10 AutoSet with Heated Humidifer + Aifit N30i Nasal Mask Bundle
Mask: Aloha Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
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tedburnsIII
Posts: 354
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by tedburnsIII » Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:20 pm

OP- What was your diagnostic RDI?
Machine - https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmart ... ducts.html
Setting: APAP, 10.5-14cm
Software: Proprietary
Mask- PR Wisp nasal (large); ResMed FX Nasal (wide);
Oximeter: CMS50D+

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Sheriff Buford
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by Sheriff Buford » Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:48 pm

No one has answered your question about when do you start to feel better. For me,it was around day 17 or 18. But that was me. Some folks never have that "ah-ha" day. Some folks experience a long-term gradual feeling better. Regardless, I would suggest you be sensitive to how your body responds to cpap therapy, and know you may be adding 5 - 10 years to your life along with feeling better.

Sheriff

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corvallisgrace75
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by corvallisgrace75 » Fri Jun 26, 2015 7:41 am

Sheriff Buford wrote:No one has answered your question about when do you start to feel better. For me,it was around day 17 or 18. But that was me. Some folks never have that "ah-ha" day. Some folks experience a long-term gradual feeling better. Regardless, I would suggest you be sensitive to how your body responds to cpap therapy, and know you may be adding 5 - 10 years to your life along with feeling better.

Sheriff
Thank you, Sheriff. That's interesting to know. I completely understand that for some, there may never be an "Aha!" day. I slept with the mask on for the entire night and woke up literally 10 minutes ago. 9.5 hours of useage and .5 awakenings per hour.

I'm still new to all of this. The mask is definitely the Airfit P-10 for Her with the nasal pillows. I think the unit is an Airsense 10 Heated Humidifier. That's as much information as I was given. Some of the signature lines have four or five lines worth of information. So it's a bit confusing to me. I think as time goes on, I will have a better understanding of the CPAP lingo. For now, I'm interested more in the experiences people have had, regardless of what equipment they're using. The advice about the lanolin was great!

Again, thanks for sharing your experiences about sleep habits, being in tune with your body after using the machine, and anything else you may want to share about your experience. Best, Grace
Mask: AIRFIT P-10 4 HER/AIRFTI MAS FOR HER NASAL PILLOW
ResMed/S10 ELITE

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Pugsy
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by Pugsy » Fri Jun 26, 2015 7:59 am

Model names are usually shown on the blower unit.
Choices for the AirSense 10 model series are...
CPAP
Elite
AutoSet
AutoSet for Her
which does yours say?

Or look on the back of the blower and just below where the hose attaches on the back for a silver sticker. On that silver sticker there should be a model number...5 digits with REF in front of the 5 digits...what is that REF number

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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corvallisgrace75
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 7:29 pm

Re: My First Two Nights

Post by corvallisgrace75 » Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:06 am

Pugsy wrote:Model names are usually shown on the blower unit.
Choices for the AirSense 10 model series are...
CPAP
Elite
AutoSet
AutoSet for Her
which does yours say?

Or look on the back of the blower and just below where the hose attaches on the back for a silver sticker. On that silver sticker there should be a model number...5 digits with REF in front of the 5 digits...what is that REF number
Hi Pugsy. It's an Elite.
Mask: AIRFIT P-10 4 HER/AIRFTI MAS FOR HER NASAL PILLOW
ResMed/S10 ELITE

yaconsult
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Location: "Silicon Valley", CA

Re: My First Two Nights

Post by yaconsult » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:09 am

Welcome, Grace!

Here is a pictorial guide to identifying the more recent cpap machines: http://www.apneaboard.com/cpap-machine- ... ine-resmed It can be a little tricky selecting the correct option in the equipment section of your profile - let us know if you need help finding the correct one.

I think you will find that your nose will get used to the pillows in a relatively short amount of time.

There is a large variation in the amount of time it takes people to see results. The most important thing is to be using cpap 100% of the time that you are sleeping. The next most important thing is using sleepyhead to make sure that the treatment is being effective and you aren't having any major issues or problems with leaks, pressure, etc. Then, it's just a matter of time and your body getting used to being on cpap therapy.

What were the results of your sleep study? If you like, you can add them in the last line when you fill out the equipment section of your profile as you can see in mine below.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: January 2015 Sleep Study Results: Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI): 80.2, Sleepyhead

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yippeekia
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by yippeekia » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:43 am

I am one month in, though in some ways I feel like a veteran because my father may have been OSA patient zero. Over the years I have witnessed his journey. I have spent the last six weeks learning as much as I could to better educate myself. Some of that time has been reading posts on this site learning from the generous veterans. I find the mix of cantankerous characters amazingly helpful. Their advice has greatly eased my journey.

I am sleeping much better. I am feeling much better. I am much more aware of my sleep health. I have had a couple of days that I was exhausted and sleepy after a night of mouth breathing. Once from letting the humidifier run dry and once for who knows what reason.

The mind is an amazing thing. I no longer can sense the pressure at all. I have to check to see if it is still on. And I hated it at first. I may have described my APAP, set at 12 as a leaf blower in the beginning. I followed advice found on these pages, mostly allowing myself time to get used to it and I now look forward to going to sleep with it. The main lesson I have heard from here is to be patient with the therapy, but proactive about dealing with issues.

One benefit is that my partner no longer has to get up in the middle of the night and sleep elsewhere to get a good night sleep. In fact, I am now teasing him about waking me up when he gets up to go to the bathroom! The amount of time spent cuddling has sky rocketed.

I know that I will use it every night for the rest of my time. My father is 74. I know it has saved his life. He struggled with falling asleep while driving. no doubt that he would have killed himself, or someone else by falling asleep at the wheel. I know that I am lucky to still have him around. I plan on being around for a lot longer too.

yaconsult
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Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:43 pm
Location: "Silicon Valley", CA

Re: My First Two Nights

Post by yaconsult » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:59 am

Hi, yippeekia. Thanks for making this post! Please consider adding it to the success stories thread here: viewtopic/t14494/Newbie-would-like-to-h ... lease.html That thread stays pinned to the top of the board to make it easier for new people to find it. Encouraging others is a great way to give back and pay it forward as you are doing here. You've done a terrific job of having the right approach and attitude toward cpap therapy.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: January 2015 Sleep Study Results: Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI): 80.2, Sleepyhead

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corvallisgrace75
Posts: 110
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by corvallisgrace75 » Fri Jun 26, 2015 10:32 am

yippeekia wrote:I am one month in, though in some ways I feel like a veteran because my father may have been OSA patient zero. Over the years I have witnessed his journey. I have spent the last six weeks learning as much as I could to better educate myself. Some of that time has been reading posts on this site learning from the generous veterans. I find the mix of cantankerous characters amazingly helpful. Their advice has greatly eased my journey.

I am sleeping much better. I am feeling much better. I am much more aware of my sleep health. I have had a couple of days that I was exhausted and sleepy after a night of mouth breathing. Once from letting the humidifier run dry and once for who knows what reason.

The mind is an amazing thing. I no longer can sense the pressure at all. I have to check to see if it is still on. And I hated it at first. I may have described my APAP, set at 12 as a leaf blower in the beginning. I followed advice found on these pages, mostly allowing myself time to get used to it and I now look forward to going to sleep with it. The main lesson I have heard from here is to be patient with the therapy, but proactive about dealing with issues.

One benefit is that my partner no longer has to get up in the middle of the night and sleep elsewhere to get a good night sleep. In fact, I am now teasing him about waking me up when he gets up to go to the bathroom! The amount of time spent cuddling has sky rocketed.

I know that I will use it every night for the rest of my time. My father is 74. I know it has saved his life. He struggled with falling asleep while driving. no doubt that he would have killed himself, or someone else by falling asleep at the wheel. I know that I am lucky to still have him around. I plan on being around for a lot longer too.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story, yippeekia! I love that the amount of time spent cuddling with your partner has skyrocketed. Awesome!

My goal is to wear the CPAP 100% of the time, obviously, and to feel more rested in time. I was initially diagnosed with 10 awakenings/hour. When I looked at the data for the past 3 nights, I saw that I'm averaging .5 awakenings/hour. I don't know why that makes me feel proud, but it does. It's very motivating, along with the other stories I've read here. As with many of the forums I belong to for various reasons, I try to learn as much as possible, but know When to Say When. Haha! Sometimes too much information in the beginning is more anxiety provoking for me than it is helpful. Just the way I am. It's part of the reason that I'm asking about experiences more than equipment at this point. But I am happy to know that if I have a leak, or something looks off, or I have any question about equipment at all, I can pose the question to the good people here.
Mask: AIRFIT P-10 4 HER/AIRFTI MAS FOR HER NASAL PILLOW
ResMed/S10 ELITE

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palerider
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Re: My First Two Nights

Post by palerider » Fri Jun 26, 2015 12:17 pm

corvallisgrace75 wrote:Hi Pugsy. It's an Elite.
if you want to select the machine in the equipment list, then it's this one:
AirSense™ 10 Elite CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier

a S10 is a small pickup truck

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