Getting my first CPAP - any advice?

I am getting my first CPAP machine tomorrow. The DME representative is coming to my house (tomorrow!) to deliver it and set me up. I am getting a Resmed Autosense 10 Autoset (8-11 cm) with heated humidifier and Airfit F10 full face mask.

Do you have any advice for me on what I should ask or do when she comes?

Try on the mask while lying down - your face changes a lot then.

MamaGeek wrote:I am getting my first CPAP machine tomorrow. The DME representative is coming to my house (tomorrow!) to deliver it and set me up. I am getting a Resmed Autosense 10 Autoset (8-11 cm) with heated humidifier and Airfit F10 full face mask.

Do you have any advice for me on what I should ask or do when she comes?

If you sleep on your side, do you put the palm of your hand under your cheek? F10 didn't work for me because of that habit.
How has that particular pressure been established?

Try to tie the hose onto something solid, Like on the headboard, so you can not pull the machine off onto the floor.

Worry about keeping leaks under control, and using the machine. Do not worry about much else for awhile.

tan wrote: If you sleep on your side, do you put the palm of your hand under your cheek? F10 didn't work for me because of that habit.
How has that particular pressure been established?

I sleep with my arms crossed over my chest, like a mummy,haha! Pressure range was determined by in-lab titration study.

Your biggest problem area will be finding the right mask. I've been using nasal pillows for the last 6 or so years and for me they work the best.

Do you know that back-sleeping provokes more apneas? Sometimes a good machine/mask set-up can make that not matter a lot, but if you can do anything (foam wedge in behind, etc.) to not back sleep you'll be better off.

I'm doing exaactly the same thing tomorrow. DME tech is coming to my house and I'm getting the same device. Let us know how yours went

Julie wrote:Do you know that back-sleeping provokes more apneas? Sometimes a good machine/mask set-up can make that not matter a lot, but if you can do anything (foam wedge in behind, etc.) to not back sleep you'll be better off.

Yes, I've heard that, and before I got my diagnosis, I tried sewing a tennis ball onto the back of a tank top that I wore to bed for a while to see if that would help with my symptoms. It didn't help, though, and my sleep study confirmed that my sleep disruption event frequency is about the same no matter what position I sleep in.

This is probably just me, though, because I don't have apneas. I have RERAs - an extreme number of RERAs. My diagnosis is UARS, not OSA, but my titration study showed that CPAP was effective at reducing RERAs for me, so it's still the prescribed therapy.

I do appreciate the suggestion, though. While it may not apply to me, it may be helpful to someone else on these boards, and we all can use all the information we can get!

sonnet wrote:I'm doing exaactly the same thing tomorrow. DME tech is coming to my house and I'm getting the same device. Let us know how yours went

Will do!

purple wrote:
Worry about keeping leaks under control, and using the machine. Do not worry about much else for awhile.

Don't worry. Be happy.

Do use the machine every night.
Do keep leaks under control.
Enjoy a new rested life.

bwexler wrote: Enjoy a new rested life.

Oh, you have no idea how much I've been looking forward to that!!!

sonnet wrote:I'm doing exaactly the same thing tomorrow. DME tech is coming to my house and I'm getting the same device. Let us know how yours went

I posted a new thread about my first night, but since you asked specifically for that in this thread, I thought I'd respond with a link:
viewtopic/t106539/Report-on-my-first-ni ... -CPAP.html

How did yours go?