Hello from Maryland

Hi I'm Ed B and I've been on a cpap machine for a couple of years now.

I am excited to find a set of Forums around cpap machines and apnea. I have a couple of Forums set up myself for some volunteer work I do. I was even thinking of starting some around this subject! However I know I am better at starting the Forums than at participating / leading them.

As far as helath I am definitely better but not as good as I had hoped. I have trouble with opening my mouth even though I wear a chin strap. I also think I may not have enough pressure since I have lately wakened myself with snoring. Anyway I am looking forward to trading advcie here.

Hiya Ed B,

Welcome to the forum. Sleep apnea patients share quite a bit in common. The hose!!! lol

I think participating in a forum is such a great idea. Thank you!

Getting your pressure correct is perhaps an trial and error situation between you and your doctor. Persistance is the key, cause once you have it dialed in. you are good to go.

You may want to check out the Fisher Paykell Flexfit 431 Full Face Mask.

This mask works great for mouth breathing.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1410

Regards,

Titrator

I agree Forums are an excellent way for all of us (I take it the term Hoseheads is accepted here ) to share our experiences.

I have trust issues with profit making companies. Therefore I would like to learn from others who are personally struggling to get their devices and therapies to work effectively and comfortably.

I appreciate your suggestion and link on a full face mask but I left out the fact that I have a beard and find full face masks pretty confining. I am using a Mirage Vista mask right now and I really like it In reading the manufacturers site a little more thoroughly I found I had missed the tilt adjustment on that mask! I used that adjustment last night with good effect.

I am considering trying out Auo PAP since i have "severe" Apnea and a setting of 16cm. I am gathering that my pressure may be too high at times such as when I am going to sleep. I have the ramp feature but found that I falll asleep befor it ramps up and the lower pressure lets me snore myself awake. Last night I also discovered that I can change my ramp starting pressure. Setting it up to 12 from 8 seemed more effective.

That's what is going on with me. Thanks again for your input.

I completely understand your sentiment about commercial companies giving advice. I do work for the company, cpap.com, who owns this site, and I am involved in the running of this messege board.

I am very happy that my organization started this board. It gives people a chance to talk to each other.

I have severe sleep apnea. In my baseline study, I had an 2 apneas per minute with a duration of not breathing for 18 seconds at a time.

I used to have big dark circles under my eyes and what looked like a shiner under my left eye constantly.

Before I was diagnosed, I was working as a Corporate Technical Trainer for a broadband cable company called Charter Communications.

One day while teaching a new hire class of 25, I fell alseep in mid sentence. for a spit second, and ended the sentence with.. but you don't have to worry about that. When I looked at my new hires, they had a very odd look on their face like I didn't make any sense of the sentence.

While on a conference call with a Senior VP and the entire training organization, I fell asleep at my desk with a headset on. I woke up and heard the VP say, "Is that Ted snoring?". Needless to say, I was completely embarrased.

Finally my boss asked why I fell asleep at work. I told him that I must just be tired or burned out. He suggested that I see a doctor Which I did, and it has changed my life. So much so, that I have decided to spend the rest of my working carreer involved with sleep.

I am a very curioius fellow. I wanted to know about auto-paps and what differences there were between them, so I slowly bought almost every autopap on the market. Over at Talkaboutsleep, they thought I was a nut for spending the $2000 or so that it cost to buy the machines. But, I believe that finding what works best for you is so important.

I currently use a bipap. My pressure is 19cm on inhalation and 13cm on exhalation.

Luckely, I sleep well now, but it was a long road to get here.

Sincerely,

Ted

Hi Everyone
My name is Steve , Iam located in Melbourne Australia, I have been using a CPAP machine now for about 1200 hours and I find that Iam still getting used to wearing the mask and seem to be forever waking and readjusting it after I knock it off in my sleep , but I guess in time it will become part of my normal sleep process , its great to find this site and know that Iam not the only person in the world with apnea .
Thanks Steve