cpap still not working??

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
dandaman09
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:16 am

cpap still not working??

Post by dandaman09 » Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:06 am

i posted on here a few days ago about my experience so far. basically, i got the cpap 2 weeks ago and i got 1 good sleep in. than it went south for some reason. before the cpap i was sleeping well with chin up strips (keeping my mouth closed) but i got tired of buying them so i had a sleep study and it proved that i have apnea. i got the cpap and the first 2 times i used it where great. the pressure was 10. recently though its gone south and i cant figure out why. ive tried all sorts of pressures and put my cpap on auto, still, the sleep is ruff. my mask is not leaking. im thinking it might be that my body is not a mouth breathing type. even though my jaw opens, i sleep 10x better with my mouth closed. i have a full face mask but would a nasal be worth a try?? does the pressure keep your mouth closed?? do yall think the pressures just not correct??

User avatar
RicaLynn
Posts: 526
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:23 pm
Location: Western MT

Re: cpap still not working??

Post by RicaLynn » Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:37 am

I know others with more technical advice will be adding shortly, but I just want to remind you to breathe! Even without CPAP no two nights' sleep will be identical, fluctuations are the norm, and CPAP is a huge adjustment that takes time for many people. Those who experience consistent relief from day one are the exception, not the rule.

Additionally, stress about settings can interfere with your sleep quality. From the reading I've done thus far, pressure settings should be given fair trial of three or four nights before evaluating and/or changing, or you may never find the sweet spot. Keep watching, and don't give up!

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Backup/travel unit is an identical S9 AutoSet for Her w/Eson nasal mask

User avatar
kteague
Posts: 7768
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 8:30 pm
Location: West and Midwest

Re: cpap still not working??

Post by kteague » Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:04 am

Can you get real specific in describing your nights? Sometimes there are clues in the minutest of details. Examples: I don't sleep well vs I fall asleep within 5 minutes and wake again in 30 then I'm wide awake and can't go back to sleep OR I sleep well for one hour then toss and turn dozing restlessly for 3 hours before getting up. Also, jotting down your memories of each night may help you to see a pattern emerge that can give clues. When I came here the helpful advice I got came out of a detail I didn't even realize was significant.

Getting sleep that is good in both quantity and quality can be elusive. Sounds from your other posts like you are trying to address other possible contributors, and I'm guessing over time things will smooth out. Knowing your treatment is doing the job as intended is priority. Providing your body and the the best opportunity to achieve good sleep is sometimes all one can do while waiting for things to fall into place. your sense of disappointment and desperation for things to be good right now is understandable. You're sleep deprived. I can only suggest you not throw in the towel. If I allowed my early experience to define my future, I'd never have achieved successful treatment. When I'd done all I could do I had to just keep doing what I knew to be right. At some point I got the kinks worked out and began to get glimpses of what it could be like. those glimpses were both motivating and frustrating. but I did get there, and am so glad I persevered. Hang in there.

_________________
Mask: TAP PAP Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Improved Stability Mouthpiece
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Bleep/DreamPort for full nights, Tap Pap for shorter sessions

User avatar
ChicagoGranny
Posts: 14409
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:43 pm
Location: USA

Re: cpap still not working??

Post by ChicagoGranny » Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:17 am

ive tried all sorts of pressures and put my cpap on auto
Sounds like you are just taking wild stabs at the process now. Get the software, see what is actually happening at night (events, leaks, pressure swings) and then go about optimizing your CPAP process methodically. Plenty of people here to help.

User avatar
BlackSpinner
Posts: 9745
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:44 pm
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Contact:

Re: cpap still not working??

Post by BlackSpinner » Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:24 am

Changes to your pressure should be allowed to work for a week or more before making another change.
Get the sleepyhead soft ware and post your charts.

Also it takes time to over come bad habits and develop new habits - 2 weeks is barely enough.

Also practice using your cpap while watching a good show to let your body / mind get used to the fact that this thing is safe to wear.

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: Hybrid Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and Headgear
Additional Comments: Quatro mask for colds & flus S8 elite for back up
71. The lame can ride on horseback, the one-handed drive cattle. The deaf, fight and be useful. To be blind is better than to be burnt on the pyre. No one gets good from a corpse. The Havamal

User avatar
Therapist
Posts: 213
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:31 pm

Re: cpap still not working??

Post by Therapist » Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:39 am

im thinking it might be that my body is not a mouth breathing type
There is no such thing. Everyone is more healthy if they breathe through their nose. But some people have obstructed noses and have to breathe through their mouth.
would a nasal be worth a try
No. The pressure would leak out your mouth and the therapy would not work.
BlackSpinner wrote:
Get the sleepyhead soft ware and post your charts.
Do this. Otherwise we are just talking and making wild guesses.

You say you had a couple of good nights, so you are close to success. Don't stop now.

_________________
Mask
Additional Comments: Pressure 8 - 12. Without CPAP I would be unhealthy.
I am not a medical professional and I have no medical training.

User avatar
Pugsy
Posts: 63941
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: cpap still not working??

Post by Pugsy » Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:57 am

If you can normally breathe through your nose just fine...then a nasal mask might be worth a try...providing the mouth stays shut.
The pressure won't keep the mouth closed though. Doesn't work that way...sorry.

But you might find that you sleep better in general with a mask that doesn't require much adjustment or fighting. So unless you simply can't breathe through your nose with your mouth shut...then a nasal mask of some sort is worth trying.

Full face masks are handy when people can't breathe through their nose but you don't HAVE to mouth breathe with them if you don't need to. That's the whole idea behind FFM...ability to mouth breathe IF NEEDED but still able to nose breathe if able.

Please add your equipment to your profile so we don't have to guess at what you are using.
Don't know how? wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile

I took the time to go back to one of your other posts...where you said S9 AutoSet.
So SleepyHead or ResScan software can be used...let's use one or both and see if we spot something on the reports that needs improvement. Links with information about Sleepyhead are in my signature line.
While yes...we need to give it time...how about making sure that things look good on paper while we are giving it time? Just costs a little bit of time and energy to get a better picture of what is going on with you.

How to post images of detailed reports is discussed here if you don't know how.
Screen shot thread viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81072&p=737779#p737779
Also some example of what we like to see in that thread and my SleepyHead tutorial thread (links in my signature).
dandaman09 wrote: i sleep 10x better with my mouth closed. i have a full face mask but would a nasal be worth a try??
If you don't need to open your mouth...why are you? I might have a nasal mask you could just have for cost of postage depending on what interests you if your DME won't let you try one.

You won't ever feel very good if you are waking up often during the night for whatever reason or if you aren't using the mask 6 hours or more during the night. Heck, I feel like crap with 6 1/2 hours of sleep and my OSA is extremely well controlled.
Hours of sleep using the mask (those without the mask are a big no no) along with frequent awakenings will totally trash how a person feels the next day...
So start with the reports from the software and let's see if anything stands out there that is screaming "fix me" and then we go from there. Gotta start somewhere to try to figure out why you are sleeping so great.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.