New(ish) CPAP User

[tapeworm]

I am not new to CPAP, but I am brand-new to actually using it. I was diagnosed 3 or 4 years ago with severe OSA, with a pressure of 18, and given a Resmed s8 Escape. I hated it and refused to use it. It wound up falling off of a shelf and breaking. Finally I got fed up with feeling so lethargic and depressed, and having such a hard time losing weight. I had a new study done a couple of months ago, and as of yesterday I now have an AEIO Everrest 2, with a pressure of 15.

Any thoughts on this machine? To me it's very noisy :/ and the water tank/humidifier are so small!

My initial issue, the last time, was with the mask leaking, seemingly every time I shifted position or even blinked. The CPAP salesperson suggested Ultra Mirage full-face mask, and despite being clunky, it seems to work a lot better. So for now, I think I've got that taken care of.

I managed to get 2 straight hours in last night, and I gotta say, I woke up feeling pretty great, if not a little dizzy and disoriented. I fell back asleep without the machine and when I woke up this morning, as usual I had the the depression and fatigue. I'm excited to learn to use it all night :).

This morning, my face is a little itchy and bumpy, and the inner corners of my eyes are sore, and a little red, almost like I'm getting pinkeye. I don't think the mask is leaking, so I'm curious to see if that progresses. I am also not looking forward to filling the tank and cleaning it out every day. That might sound silly or lazy, but this machine is kind of difficult to take apart! I guess I'll get used to it.

Any tips or suggestions? How long did it take you to get used to sleeping with the machine? I am also interested in hearing "success stories" particularly about improved quality of life & mental health...so if anyone is willing to share or direct me to such a post, I"d appreciate it!

[harry33]

welcome
your delay isnt unusual
all new masks and headgear need to be soaked in warm (not hot) water with mild detergent to remove chemicals from manufacturing process, then rinsed and dried
with FF mask you need the humidifier working, be sure water level drops during sleep
2 hours sleep is better than many new users manage, be patient and have a positive attitude, the benefits take a while to become obvious, have daytime naps using CPAP if possible

tie the airhose to bedhead to prevent tugging on airhose to pull CPAP off bedside shelf, etc
if not possible, place CPAP on floor

remember, keep being positive about CPAP use

[Emilia]

That machine is now out of production.....no longer being made at all. Did you buy it out of pocket? If it was issued by a DME via your insurance, I would be returning it quickly within your 30 day window to do so. You really should have a machine that provide you with detailed, efficacy data with which to monitor your therapy and make adjustments as warranted. If you paid out of pocket, I'd be looking for a better machine to use full time and save this Aeiomed for a backup.

Keep reading and learning here.... it is a steep learning curve, but you will find many veteran experts among the forum members who can help you along the way.

Take a minute to go up to the User Control Panel (top left) -- > Profile ---> Edit Equipment and choose your equipment from the drop down menus and then choose to show them in TEXT. This puts your equipments at the bottom of each post you write so folks can help you if they have the same machine/mask, etc.