Newbie, in a weird place, looking for answers.

BananaTree wrote: My machine is an Escape Auto so I do have the computer chip recording capability, not that I've figured that our yet.

as kaiasgram says... any chance you can trade that nearly useless machine in on an autoset?

Thanks guys, I'm just back across the border again, and with with Internet! Yay!

So, I've been trying each night to sleep with the CPAP, but i"m having difficulties adapting to it. I seem to have to remover it about an hour into my sleep.

The MUCUS PROBLEM is not helping!

It's like tiny bits of thick mucus (I don't have a runny nose or a cold, and if I blow my nose nothing really comes out) get stuck right up between my upper nasal passage and my throat. I can HAWK it (kind of scrape it) which dislodges it, and suddenly I'm clear to breathe again, but it comes back all to soon. It seems like it's permanently there! I'm wondering if it's Silent GERD, and I have taken your advice @chunkyfrog. Thank you. It doesn't seem to be helping YET,but I'll give it a few days.

So far, my thoughts about what is causing the mucus is either:

Silent GERD
Hormones (Peri Menopause) drying out my nasal passage and causing thicker mucus
Histamine reaction.

It seems to be worse after I eat, and before bed. I'm actually quite clear in the mornings.

Anyway, long story short... the mucus is preventing me from breathing with my CPAP. I quite often wake up almost 'woosing' out of consciousness, with numb arms/body, knowing that my throat is congested with the mucus - it's not a lot, and a 'hawk' gets rid of it easily, and I'm clear again, but I think I have a really narrow airway. I have had mask leaks, I've felt like I haven't been able to get enough air, or expel enough air, and I've felt like the mask is far too tight on my face. Who knew it would be so difficult!

I've read that a full face mask might be better for me. So perhaps that's the way forward...

In the meantime I'm experimenting with a really simple low histamine / GERD type diet to see if it prevents the mucus, and I am persevering with the mask, even though each night I seem to have to take it off about an hour into sleep. I wouldn't say it has done anything to solve my breathing difficulties by any means, and if I'd have know that it wouldn't BUST through the mucus blockage I perhaps wouldn't have rushed into buying one. It might end up being a very expensive mistake. But one that I made on my own. And only because I'd reached the end of my tether, and didn't know what else to do! Incredibly, since the mucus appeared my throat closures have been much less! Go figure!

This is certainly a journey I wish I wasn't on, and the sleepless nights and the tired days add up, after a while. I want desperately to love my CPAP, but it's just so damn difficult to sleep with it.

BananaTree wrote: So, I've been trying each night to sleep with the CPAP, but i"m having difficulties adapting to it. I seem to have to remover it about an hour into my sleep......It seems to be worse after I eat, and before bed. I'm actually quite clear in the mornings...... I have had mask leaks, I've felt like I haven't been able to get enough air, or expel enough air, and I've felt like the mask is far too tight on my face. Who knew it would be so difficult!

Hello. Yeah, some of us do get off to a rough start. When that happens it's discouraging. When I was several months into treatment I quit, but couldn't quit for long because waking up in a panic and short of breath with my heart pounding was too scary. I knew I had to figure this out and make it work. Sounds like you're making some good efforts toward addressing the "clogs" at night. What is your humidifier setting? Everyone's tolerance to humidity (or lack thereof) is different. For me, if my air is too humid or warm, I'll get all choked up on drainage. Maybe your humidification just isn't quite dialed in yet. Do you have the problem even when not on CPAP? It is encouraging that you wake up clear in the mornings. I'm thinking some mask and maybe settings tweaking will help your treatment be more tolerable. The feeling like you can't get enough air or expel enough air should be able to be addressed. Is the feeling of not getting enough air when trying to go to sleep? If so, I'm wondering if you're using the ramp feature and it is set too low. Just to be clear, after you take the mask off an hour and a half into sleep to clear your throat, are you able to sleep through the rest of the night with the mask on and no more incidents? I'm sorry but I don't know your story. You were formally diagnosed with OSA, right? If so, giving up on figuring this all out is not a viable option. It may feel like an easier route in the here and now, but you don't want to reap the consequences later. I doubt many find this easy in the beginning. But I for one am so very grateful for the support and encouragement I received here that enabled me to finally succeed. Good luck sorting things out.

Your "mucous" issue sounds a lot like GERD. In my experience, if I fall asleep without CPAP I'll have reflux even if I'm sitting fully upright (others well tell you to raise the head of the bed a few inches but that never worked for me).

In my case CPAP helped a lot, I never have reflux on the machine. So you may find improvement once your settings are optimal.

Good luck!