Very first night tonight!

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Dogpound
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Joined: Thu May 18, 2017 9:49 am

Very first night tonight!

Post by Dogpound » Thu May 18, 2017 10:48 am

I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea and was recommended to use the cpap. While waiting for it to come in I googled the face masks. Yikes. That increased my anxiety so stopped. Went in this morning for the demo of my new machine and face mask choice.

I never thought I was claustrophobic until these face masks! I could tolerate what seemed to be the least objectionable to me which was a pillow mask. They turned it on and I got my first experience of what tonight will be like. I have to say I'm nervous which is what made me search for other users and find this page.

It was the feeling of not being able to exhale properly that has me concerned. They said that feeling will pass after a night or two. We'll see.

I've been reading all the advise posted here from all the posters. Also enjoyed the success stories.

So I don't think i have any specific question other than hearing that exhaling does get easier!

I'm anxious about tonight but also curious to see if I sleep longer or feel any immediate effects in the morning. Not expecting anything but just hoping I'll be able to fall asleep with the mask on.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by chunkyfrog » Thu May 18, 2017 10:55 am

Exhaling against pressure may seem like more than it really is at first, because you need to get used to it.
You actually use far more effort to blow out a candle, if that is any help.

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Last edited by chunkyfrog on Thu May 18, 2017 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

rohdej
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by rohdej » Thu May 18, 2017 10:57 am

Don't let bed time be your first experience with it. Set it up and watch tv or read a book with it on. Put it on and don't sleep with it learn to trust it awake. it will make sleeping with it easier.

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LSAT
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by LSAT » Thu May 18, 2017 10:59 am

Most machines have an exhale relief feature. Once you get a machine...(hopefully an autoset model)...you can set the exhale relief to a comfortable setting.

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Julie
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Julie » Thu May 18, 2017 11:00 am

Hi and welcome. Exhaling against pressure usually occurs with higher settings, but if it's a problem for you, depending on which machine you get, there is usually a feature called Aflex or EPR, both of which can be set to relieve the pressure on exhaling.

Click on User Ctl Panel (tiny blue writing under main logo) and then hit Profile. Fill in (text plse, not icons) your equipment - the fullest info on machine and mask that you can... brand names won't do it as there are many models out there - and your pressure settings so whenever you post the info will appear under your notes and we'll have a starting place to help from - and please stick with one thread so we can follow the story. Tell us also if you're buying outright, through insurance or not, etc. etc. because what machine you get (can afford) can make a difference to tracking progress vs not being able to and it matters if you want some control of your therapy and ways to tweak it if necessary. Plus we can help with all along the way.

Dogpound
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Joined: Thu May 18, 2017 9:49 am

Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Dogpound » Thu May 18, 2017 11:26 am

Thanks! This is the machine I have:

http://tinyurl.com/lnfhvz2

It is through insurance for the next 10 months. Seems to be like a rent to own situation.

I will try it out again before bed, thanks.

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Julie
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Julie » Thu May 18, 2017 11:44 am

Any reason you didn't get an auto? They all 'do' plain cpap anyway, but plain Cpaps (like yours) don't give the option of using auto, which can make a big diff.

Dogpound
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Dogpound » Thu May 18, 2017 11:51 am

I don't know what that means.

The doc ordered it, cleared through insurance and this is what I got. I had no say in the actual machine. Just a choice of my face mask.

Most things are set to auto from explanations this morning. The machine sends logs daily to my doc. If he thinks settings need to be changed after a week he said they'd call and actually do the changes from his office.

I can go in and set certain things but will obviously try it as is from the doc first.

Golffor1
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Joined: Thu May 11, 2017 8:51 pm

Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Golffor1 » Thu May 18, 2017 1:21 pm

Dogpound wrote:I never thought I was claustrophobic until these face masks! I could tolerate what seemed to be the least objectionable to me which was a pillow mask. They turned it on and I got my first experience of what tonight will be like. I have to say I'm nervous which is what made me search for other users and find this page.
Don't let the mask scare you, and don't forget to tell your therapist if you don't feel comfortable with your sleep mask. i went from the Nasal mask with a chin strap to a full face mask until I found what I was looking for. I agree that you don't want to just try cold turkey, try watching TV or possibly reading a book. Before you know it you will be sleeping all night with the mask on.

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palerider
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by palerider » Thu May 18, 2017 1:49 pm

Dogpound wrote:It was the feeling of not being able to exhale properly that has me concerned. They said that feeling will pass after a night or two
it's times like this that a little perspective helps.

cpap pressure is measured in cm/h2o, that's centimeters of water.

most machines can produce between 4 and 20cm/h2o pressure. one cm is a bit less than .4 inches.

if your machine is at 10 cm pressure that's a bit less than 4 inches of water.

get a glass, stick a straw 4 inches into the water. blow through it. if you're able to make bubbles, you've just exhaled against 10cm of water pressure.

stick it 8" into a tall glass... blow, 20cm of water pressure.

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Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

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Bill44133
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Bill44133 » Thu May 18, 2017 1:55 pm

rohdej wrote:Don't let bed time be your first experience with it. Set it up and watch tv or read a book with it on. Put it on and don't sleep with it learn to trust it awake. it will make sleeping with it easier.
+1

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Hannibal 2
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Hannibal 2 » Thu May 18, 2017 3:53 pm

Welcome to the forum!
Good luck, we've all been there, you'll be fine.

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JustinR
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by JustinR » Thu May 18, 2017 5:36 pm

Hi all, off to get fitted in about 30 minutes myself for a CPAP trial!

It's a 1-month trial, I believe first 2 weeks is an automatic machine, second 2 weeks is a manual machine.

I had been holding high hopes for the benefits I would potentially achieve just over this weekend, however reading in this forum I've reduced my expectations.

I just really want to start feeling energetic and healthy again!

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Hannibal 2
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Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by Hannibal 2 » Fri May 19, 2017 12:30 am

JustinR wrote:Hi all, off to get fitted in about 30 minutes myself for a CPAP trial!

It's a 1-month trial, I believe first 2 weeks is an automatic machine, second 2 weeks is a manual machine.

I had been holding high hopes for the benefits I would potentially achieve just over this weekend, however reading in this forum I've reduced my expectations.

I just really want to start feeling energetic and healthy again!
Hi JustinR,

Welcome to the forum too, and to our world. Yes it will take some time for you to adjust, how much time varies from person to person. See if you can hold out for an Auto machine (APAP) or at the very least a full data CPAP, you will want to take some control over your own therapy.
Good luck and please start your own thread so that we can follow and help you independently.

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phindq
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Joined: Fri May 19, 2017 9:35 am

Re: Very first night tonight!

Post by phindq » Fri May 19, 2017 9:48 am

I started 2 nights ago. I too had a fair degree of anxiety when considering what sleeping with something strapped to my face was going to be like. Reading the forums helped, there is some great advice here.

I have to admit that I feel GREAT after 2 nights on CPAP. The sleep hasn't been great, I woke up often both nights, but I'm told that will get better. The nasal pillows were my first choice too and they've worked for me so far.

My wife told me today, "it's odd having you around in the morning, I like it". I've never been a morning person until 2 days ago.

Good luck and good sleeping!