Frustrated after a rough night!!!

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
Bluebonnet_Gal
Posts: 293
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Texas

Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by Bluebonnet_Gal » Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:51 am

I took my mask apart to wash it thoroughly for the first time yesterday. I had no idea how many separate pieces make up the mask! At any rate, after reassembling it, I had to reattach the headgear and start from scratch with fitting it. I never got it fit "just right". Whether I tightened the straps or loosened them, it seems I always had a leak somewhere. I changed positions from side to back, back to side, kind of in between and finally went to sleep. I woke numerous times to either the feel or sound of air whistling between my face and the mask. I'm curious what my numbers will look like this morning. My husband is still asleep and it's still dark, so waiting to retrieve the numbers after he gets up in about an hour. I'm thinking that after I get my mask adjust "just right" again, I'm going to use a sharpie to mark the straps on the headgear as a guide for the future. Does anyone have any hints?

Also, I never got any responses to this yesterday. Any input about my report (see below) and how to get the most out of it? I'm very new at this and I really want to understand and take control of my treatment!

My card reader and software arrived in the mail yesterday. Now if only I could better understand the reports. I've posted a summary:

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u174 ... 0-2008.jpg

If anyone has experience with this software and any tips on how to get the most out of it, I would appreciate the help!

Gail

User avatar
hose head
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:22 pm

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by hose head » Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:06 am

good morning. I'm up after not being able to go back to sleep. Two mornings in a row I have to get up at 5:15 and my body thinks, it's time to get up.
It looks like your leak rate is too high. My leak rate hovers around .18. Do you have your mask set up in menu?

User avatar
Bluebonnet_Gal
Posts: 293
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by Bluebonnet_Gal » Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:35 am

hose head wrote:It looks like your leak rate is too high. My leak rate hovers around .18. Do you have your mask set up in menu?
Yes, I have my mask set up in menu - the DME did that for me. Perhaps I need to try a new mask? Except for last night, I don't think I've been leaking much. Perhaps I'm mouth leaking.

Gail

User avatar
rested gal
Posts: 12883
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by rested gal » Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:02 am

Bluebonnet_Gal wrote:I took my mask apart to wash it thoroughly for the first time yesterday.
Each person arrives at their own cleaning routine. Personally, I never ever take a mask (or humidifier water chamber) apart to clean it. I just feel there's too much chance that parts will not fit back together again quite as securely as they did straight from the manufacturer.

An occasional slosh or soak in soapy water or vinegar/water with the mask intact is sufficient for me.

I know, I know... the manufacturers, DMEs, RTs, etc. recommend taking them apart and scrupulously cleaning each tiny part. I think that's "CYA" policy as much as anything. As is the kind of "cleaning" schedule they talk about. A gentle swipe to remove skin oils from the cushion (or nasal pillows) surface that touches the face is enough, imho. I'm not going to take a mask apart.
ResMed S9 VPAP Auto (ASV)
Humidifier: Integrated + Climate Control hose
Mask: Aeiomed Headrest (deconstructed, with homemade straps
3M painters tape over mouth
ALL LINKS by rested gal:
viewtopic.php?t=17435

User avatar
nate fry
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:53 am
Location: San Jose, california

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by nate fry » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:02 am

What I do is lay the head gear down , stretch it out and attach. Then I take off the hose and go to the mirror and try to get all the straps even / get the top one close , then go to the bottom. Pull on them evenly and try to get a even pressure on your face. This will be simple after awhile. It's just like tying shoes, it gets easier.
Nate

User avatar
Mikosiko
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:19 pm

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by Mikosiko » Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:32 pm

Bluebonnet_Gal wrote:...

My card reader and software arrived in the mail yesterday. Now if only I could better understand the reports. I've posted a summary:

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u174 ... 0-2008.jpg

If anyone has experience with this software and any tips on how to get the most out of it, I would appreciate the help!
Gail,

Are you downloading the detailed data or just the summary?.... for the report that you published I believe that your are downloading only the summary data.
The detailed data and associated reports are going to give you more information.

Pay attention to the download screen... it has the option to indicate if you want summary (the default) or detailed data.

Miko

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: TITRATION=11... Current Setup(Min Press=10 / Max Press=18 / EPR=0)

User avatar
Bluebonnet_Gal
Posts: 293
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by Bluebonnet_Gal » Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:09 pm

Mikosiko wrote: Are you downloading the detailed data or just the summary?.... for the report that you published I believe that your are downloading only the summary data.
The detailed data and associated reports are going to give you more information.
I am downloading the detailed data. I just figured out how to compile it all into a report and posted it here:
http://www.box.net/shared/9punjfdmtr

From everything I've read on here, it appears I'm doing ok, but not great. I'd like to do great. I'm upping the minimum pressure for tonight to 10.

Anyone have any other suggestions how I can reach "Great"?

User avatar
Mikosiko
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:19 pm

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by Mikosiko » Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:27 pm

Bluebonnet_Gal wrote:From everything I've read on here, it appears I'm doing ok, but not great. I'd like to do great. I'm upping the minimum pressure for tonight to 10.

Anyone have any other suggestions how I can reach "Great"?
Looking your report your AHI/AI/HI (not that important) numbers looks very good to me... You have a real problem with your leaks... your goal # 1 should be minimize the leaks... they are too high... if you look the pressure graph it is coincident with your leaks peaks.

Miko

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: TITRATION=11... Current Setup(Min Press=10 / Max Press=18 / EPR=0)

THE HARD TRUTH

Re: Frustrated after a rough night!!!

Post by THE HARD TRUTH » Mon Dec 22, 2008 1:43 am

I think that a lot of the pro CPAP ,surgery and dental apnea appliance providers have tried to post on this blog because,lets face some facts here.We all know that we are dying of slow motion suicide with out treatment. And the bottom line from the heath care providers is MONEY ! They make the process for treatment to long ,to expensive and you have to jump through hoops to resove the problem.The doctors are in bed with the companies that make the equipment. What was the first thing that your doctor did after you first polysomnigraph.They signed you up for that worth less air compressor that fails 60% of the time and are making thousands of $ from the insurance companies. That is if you are fortunate to have insurance. The CPAP providers try to make you think that you are the problem. You must adapt to the CPAP, not the other way around.Lets look at the reasons that CPAP fails. The setting on the machine should be set to a standard that every patient can under stand, Like PSI not liters of H2O. My setting was 11 but I had to put 50 LBS of force on my straps just to keep tha mask on. Then there is the the breathing against the incomming pressure problem. It's like breating into a baloon all night long.You have to force the air out of your longs and it screws up your natural rythem. I am a jet aircraft mechanic in the air force and I know alot about the oxygen delivery sytem for the pilots.His oxygen regulator regulates how he breaths in and how he breaths out, It's perfictly natural. So why even try CPAP in the first place so you have to waiste 3 months proving that it dosn't work. They ought to quit making that damn thing and if they want to use positive pressure use a bipap.Then they have you again,the bipap costs twice as much as the CPAP.Then if that dosn't work then they want you to have surgery or a dental applience. I had a humidifed Fisher and Paykel and I have rhinitus. I cranked the setting on the CPAP to the max and with a room humidifier and my nose blocked completly off in 4 minutes.Then I went surching for a dentist to make me the device. The first dentist wanted $3,400 up front and the second one wanted $1,900 up front.So what did I do then. I made my own from 2 football mouth guards.It did work but you could not adjust the forward position of the jaw. Our problem is as simple as it is deadly.It's mechanical. And it's not rocket science. I have been working on solutions for 6 month's and now I have found one AND IT CALLED PURE SLEEP.iT WORKS AS GOOD AS A $3,400 DENTIST RIP OFF. Since the doctors know that we are dying to sleep why are they putting profits ahead of our health.enough is enough