newbie needs help

[tiredNorlando]

of the two you mentioned, this one seems to be the best price with the best reviews. however I dont see anything in the description about being able to connect to a computer to retrieve the data.. https://www.amazon.com/DreamStation-Aut ... onics+cpap

[Pugsy]

of the two you mentioned, this one seems to be the best price with the best reviews. however I dont see anything in the description about being able to connect to a computer to retrieve the data.. https://www.amazon.com/DreamStation-Aut ... onics+cpap

It doesn't connect to your computer. It uses a little SD card in a slot to record the data to it and you pull the SD card and insert it in your computer and use the available software to read the contents of the card.
See this
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

SleepyHead software works just fine with the DreamStation. I can help you get Encore if you wanted but it's a PITA POS that doesn't show you anything you can't see on SleepyHead. Plus SH works with several operating systems and Encore is strictly Windows only.

For some examples of what you can see check out this thread
viewtopic/t103468/Need-help-with-screen-shots.html

If your computer doesn't have a SD card slot but has an USB port...all you need is a little card reader/adapter that will plug into the USB port and the other end you put the SD card in. Cheap generic will work just fine.

Trust me....I am very familiar with both the Respironics machines and the ResMed machines...the machine I linked to will enable you to do pretty much what you need and do it fairly easily.
I currently own slightly different models of both brands. I am a cpap hoarder.

You will need a mask...I might have one or two you can just have for cost of postage. Do you normally breathe through your nose just fine or do you have significant nasal congestion that you can't clear up so that you end up just having to breathe through your mouth.
Masks will require RX but there are ways around that too. Amazon sellers have a few...and on EBay we can buy the replacement parts and build a mask and often for less than online cpap mask sellers.

[tiredNorlando]

thanks for the info! I try to fall asleep on my side and breathe through my nose, but I wake up on my back and my wife says im snoring with my mouth wide open about to suck the curtains off the wall! I think I will purchase the dreamstation you mentioned, I guess the next confusing thing is trying to find a mask! I had no idea you need a prescription for that! I have seen a few on amazon but didnt notice it saying prescription required.. I would assume I need a full mask? the provent lets me inhale through my nose and I have to exhale through my mouth..

as I said, thanks again for giving me a hand!

[Pugsy]

Let me check to see what I have in the donations box (unwanted masks..minimally used but can be cleaned and in good enough shape to at least try to see if it works or not).

How do you breathe during the day? Through your nose??? or mouth?

You can get masks at Amazon without RX as far as I know. I don't know how or why the sellers don't ask for it but I don't really care.
Like who in their right minds would spend that kind of money on something if they didn't really need it.

I see that the machine won't be available until July 2 and I don't think anyone else on Amazon has one...gives me time to get the mask to you anyway.

I thought I was a mouth breather at night too...but during the day I always breathe through my nose. Come to find out the mouth breathing at night was habit from gasping for air from the apnea episodes. Once I quit having the apnea episodes the mouth breathing pretty much went away.
On a rare occasion I might do a little mouth breathing now but I don't care...it's never very much and never for very long and I just don't like full face masks...so I don't want to use one unless I have no choice...and I have a choice.

[tiredNorlando]

I always breath through my nose during the day, but at night I know I am breathing through my mouth because 1- my wife says so, 2 I wake up with crusty dried slobber on my lips. when you say mask do you mean the mask part or the head strap thing? I am trying to find out what else I need to buy online.
that would be awesome if you could hook me up with a mask or two to try.

thanks

[Pugsy]

Mask...headgear and whatever is needed with the cushion to connect to the long hose.

The machine will come with the long hose and SD card and filter (you can find them in bulk easily on EBay or Amazon).

You might be thinking about chin strap...to keep the mouth closed...sometimes they work well and sometimes not. They aren't supposed to be like vise grips but instead they are supposed to be gentle reminders to keep the mouth closed. Won't stop mouth breathing if someone is bound and determined to do it though.
Do this experiment...clench your teeth together...now part your lips ever so slightly and breathe in an out your mouth. Even with teeth clenched tightly together you can still breathe through your mouth.
Personally I found the chin straps annoying and they moved around a lot so I opted to tape my mouth shut. Did it for about 2 months I guess until I broke the habit of opening my mouth so much.

I will check my stash of unwanted masks to see if I have something you can try. I don't think I have any of the most recent full face masks but I might have an okay mask to try....at least get you started in the mask hunt. The mask is really the hardest part to this therapy IMHO. Finding the right one that suits your own personal preferences and needs that you like can be a challenge.
Will let you know later this evening if I have something suitable for you to try. It's a crap shoot on sizes but you gotta start somewhere and these things are expensive....you can quickly spend a small fortune.

[tiredNorlando]

yes I did try two different chin straps. they seemed to help somewhat, but they lost their elasticity after a short amount of time, and they hurt my jaw! I guess from trying to open my mouth all night

[Pugsy]

You might look at what Jay ended up using....just an idea.
The more the mask touches the skin the more area that needs to be kept sealed. More real estate touching the skin with a full face mask.
Nothing you use should cause pain though....if anything causes pain or rubs blisters or makes sores...it's either the wrong size, wrong fit or simply the wrong product for your face.

See this thread
down towards the bottom where he shows the Scunci thing
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=112758&st=0&sk=t&sd ... i#p1086296

[Pugsy]

Check your private messages. I have a couple of masks you can have. I just need where and to who to send it to.

[tiredNorlando]

Pugsy- I have sent you several private messages, I dont know if they are going through or not? I did order a brand new dreamstation auto pap last night
looking very forward to getting it and giving it a try!!
let me know if you got my pm
thank you!