First night...is this normal?

[Sleepy Yankee]

Last night was my first night on my machine at home. I have to admit that I didn't feel like I slept well at all. I don't believe it was any issue with the mask since it was comfortable and I didn't detect any leaks. I think it had more to do with the machine trying to compensate for the speed of my breathing (probably faster when I'm awake than when I'm asleep). I believe my prescribed pressure is 6 and the ramp is only down to 4. Will using the ramp help with what I experienced last night or is this just something my body will need to get used to experiencing?

I know this was only my first night on CPAP outside the Sleep Center, so I haven't lost hope that it will get better. But I AM disappointed with the results. Any advice from the CPAP veterans here would be MUCH appreciated.

[greatunclebill]

by all means, try the ramp. most people use it to help get to sleep, some don't feel a need for it. ramp is usually 4 so it's not far below your 6, but may be enough to help. 6 is a very low pressure so you shouldn't have much trouble getting used to things. don't worry about the first night. keep trying and see how you feel after a week or month.

[Tigger]

I have been on CPAP since December. My pressure level is set to 7. I had ramp on initially, but found that the air was not strong enough. I turned off ramp completely. I have been fine ever since. Good luck. as a recent newbee, it does get better.

[Kairosgrammy]

It mostly takes time to get used to. If you keep having problems with your current issue, it's possible that you would do better with it on straight cpap. Since the mask isn't an issue, you are way ahead of many. Just give it time and if after a week, you still feel the same way, try it in straight cpap. You can also download sleepyhead software if you don't have the software that comes with the cpap. Sleepyhead works just as well. Perhaps you need a higher setting and with an autoset, you can try that but you really do need the software to tell you what is going on.

Last night was my first night on my machine at home. I have to admit that I didn't feel like I slept well at all. I don't believe it was any issue with the mask since it was comfortable and I didn't detect any leaks. I think it had more to do with the machine trying to compensate for the speed of my breathing (probably faster when I'm awake than when I'm asleep). I believe my prescribed pressure is 6 and the ramp is only down to 4. Will using the ramp help with what I experienced last night or is this just something my body will need to get used to experiencing?

I know this was only my first night on CPAP outside the Sleep Center, so I haven't lost hope that it will get better. But I AM disappointed with the results. Any advice from the CPAP veterans here would be MUCH appreciated.

[cowlypso]

Are you using a flex setting (A-flex or C-flex)? If you are, that can sometimes make you feel like the machine is working against your breathing rate. You might try changing from one to the other, or turning the flex off entirely.

[idamtnboy]

Last night was my first night on my machine at home. I have to admit that I didn't feel like I slept well at all......
But I AM disappointed with the results. Any advice from the CPAP veterans here would be MUCH appreciated.

Don't fret. Almost anything is normal the first night!

[Sleepy Yankee]

Thank you all very much for the benefit of your experience. All of your comments were very helpful. Hopefully things just keep getting better!

[CruzTerri]

Just a quick reply, as you've gotten great responses. FYI - My pressure is 17 - I turned off the ramp within 3 days! I couldn't get to sleep because I kept waiting for something to happen.

[Kairosgrammy]

I'm impressed. Occassionally, I forget to ramp and I feel like I'm being choked because the air stream is so hard and mine is only 12. Weird thing is, I can get up in the middle of the night, take off the mask to go to the potty, and come back and 12 doesn't bother me. But it sure does when I put it on the first time at night. Amazing how different we all are.

Just a quick reply, as you've gotten great responses. FYI - My pressure is 17 - I turned off the ramp within 3 days! I couldn't get to sleep because I kept waiting for something to happen.

[Pugsy]

Try changing your Flex setting. There should be a Flex Demo option so you can easily test each one.
When I played with it I found that a setting of 3 made me feel like I was having to breathe too fast almost like hyperventilating. A setting of 1 made me feel like things were moving too slow.. and a setting of 2 was darn near perfect.

Flex response is base on your own breath flow and people breathe differently so the response is not always identical.. so try to find one that "fits" or seems comfortable with your own breathing rhythm.