Frustrated and Tired

I am a mouth breather and use the Amara View FFM. I've tried several other masks (3 FFM, 2 nasal pillows and all 3 hybrids) and so far I like this one the best. You have to be willing to experiment and find what works for you. masks are expensive if purchased new, but you can often find masks from other forum member at very reasonable prices. Once you decide what works for you, then start getting them from your DME.

Trying2sleep wrote:Ok, I will change it to C-Flex level 3 and try it tonight. Thank you!

I'm going to schedule an appt with my pulmonologist and ask him about the GERD situation. And I'm looking for cervical collars and better ways to raise the head of my bed.

What about the masks I was thinking about trying? Does the Hybrid type or FFM type work well for people who mouth-breathe/jaw drop? The chin strap with Eson nasal mask isn't working for me.

You could raise the head of your bed by using a couple of concrete blocks at the head of the bed or those new bed risers that people use so that they can store things under the bed, just use two of them at the head of the bed.

So far, I gave it a try for 2 nights on the Flex level 3. I don't feel like its making me keep breathing. I'm going to look at some info to help explain some of the sleepytime data because I don't know what it all means...like why on the AHI chart there's such long spans of time? I'm not worried about any of it, just wondering if it would show what's going on when I wake up.

During my lab titration I was told that I need to get to a higher pressure but each time they raised it my mouth blew open. So, it's at 8. What are users thoughts about trying to let my machine figure it out for me? Maybe I should wait?

I'm still getting insufflated. I'll definitely call the Dr tomorrow about it. I'm propping up on 3 pillows, getting uncomfortably full of air, burping/passing gas all night, waking up because I'm practically sitting up on all the pillows and its uncomfortable on my lower back...I end up moving to my left side and get some relief from the air pressure inside me (meaning it all comes out more!)...I hate this.

My jaw isn't opening, however. I'm waking up enough to notice that its still closed. I'm having small leaks wake me, with air blowing in my face/eyes. The chin strap is hurting my face and ears, waking me. I end up quitting after a few days because I can't tell if I get better sleep with or without using it!

Anyway, sorry to gripe...

It sure can be frustrating at times.

Your post reminded me, Trying2sleep, that I had a lot of trouble with bloating up with air when I first started on cpap. It gradually stopped happening and I can't say for sure why, whether it was a change of mask (just going from one nasal pillow mask to a different one) or whether my body adjusted to it in time. Interestingly, I had to go without cpap for a few weeks last year, waiting for my machine to be repaired, and when I started back on it again, the bloating happened again! I was so surprised because I had all but forgotten about it. It was not so bad that I couldn't ignore it, though, and it went away again after the first week.

I remember seeing a video a long time ago that demonstrated why a chin strap doesn't stop mouth breathing very well, the idea was that it's not the jaw that needs to stay shut but the lips and the jaw can be shut but the lips still open and allow mouth breathing. I'm not sure how accurate that was, maybe someone else has seen it or has more info on that idea? My husband has trouble with mouth breathing but the chin straps did not work very well and he felt like he had so much "stuff" on his face between the cpap and that, so he went to using tape. He uses the 3m Micropore paper tape with plenty of chapstick beforehand.

The stuff we go through just to get a nights sleep....

Don't lose hope. Everyone here, and I mean EVERYONE here has stories of issues trying to get settled in when starting their therapy. I spent a full month trying to get settled in, trying many masks, getting no sleep etc. I was a freaking zombie. I , like everyone else, felt that the cure was worse then the disease. I am three+ months in and I get a FULL 8 hours of sleep every night, my energy level is on the rise, etc.

Push through it, dig deep and get pissed off. You need to get good and pissed at the disease, not the equipment or the cure. Realize this WILL KILL YOU, if you don't get it under control. Push on your doctor, push on your DME, get SERIOUS about getting the cure.

Your life depends on it, your health depends on it.

I am 49 years old and I know for a fact that I will use this equipment for the rest of my life, which I hope will be a loooonnngg life, God's wiling.

Keep posting, keep reading and asking for help from the good people here. There are a LOT of wonderful people offering you free and pertinent advice.

Rich

Trying2sleep wrote:So far, I gave it a try for 2 nights on the Flex level 3. I don't feel like its making me keep breathing. I'm going to look at some info to help explain some of the sleepytime data because I don't know what it all means...like why on the AHI chart there's such long spans of time? I'm not worried about any of it, just wondering if it would show what's going on when I wake up.

During my lab titration I was told that I need to get to a higher pressure but each time they raised it my mouth blew open. So, it's at 8. What are users thoughts about trying to let my machine figure it out for me? Maybe I should wait?

I'm still getting insufflated. I'll definitely call the Dr tomorrow about it. I'm propping up on 3 pillows, getting uncomfortably full of air, burping/passing gas all night, waking up because I'm practically sitting up on all the pillows and its uncomfortable on my lower back...I end up moving to my left side and get some relief from the air pressure inside me (meaning it all comes out more!)...I hate this.

My jaw isn't opening, however. I'm waking up enough to notice that its still closed. I'm having small leaks wake me, with air blowing in my face/eyes. The chin strap is hurting my face and ears, waking me. I end up quitting after a few days because I can't tell if I get better sleep with or without using it!

Anyway, sorry to gripe...

Gripe away!!
Instead of trying to prop yourself up on the pillows you could raise the head of your bed by using a couple of concrete blocks at the head of the bed or those new bed risers that people use so that they can store things under the bed, just use two of them at the head of the bed. You won't feel it as much as actually propping yourself up.