Any tips? First night w/ Remstar Auto C-Flex and Swift Nasal

Hi to all!

I just got a new mask (Swift nasal thing). Any tips for first night?? I see where some of you think to lube nostrils is beneficial. Should I just try it first and then adjust accordingly. Just don't want sore nose tomorrow!

I also told my Tech I hated not knowing what ( if anything) I was benefiting from using these things. I needed a machine with a card ,so at least I could see what was going on. Much to my surprise, he switched my Remstar C flex to the Remstar Pro 2 with card. I am going back to Sleep Dr in 2 wks to make sure I really need this. (Yes I could be in denial, but I really do have my doubts. ) I am 5'5
and weigh 135 and have never been told I seem to stop breathing by my husband. Went to Dr for excessive sleepiness..........
Thanks for help. Brea

Hi Brea,

I think the most important tip is to just relax. I find that the Mirage Swift mask helps you to relax too since it really does not need much in the way of adjusting and it stays pretty much where you want it (on your face and head). Good idea to lubricrate your nares with ky jelly or something similar. Then, adjust the barrel and the straps so they fit comfortably but not too tight.

If it helps any, a very large portion of people diagnosed with sleep apnea are of average weight. More women are being diagnosed now too. Women's symptoms, studies have shown, are also often different than a man's symptoms (e.g., soft snoring or none at all, small neck size, fatigue is most often described rather than outright falling asleep at the desk or wheel or wherever). Many have the familial type and inherited the tendency to get it.

I hope you have a restful first night!

FF

Thanks for the advice. I will take it and try to just relax with it.
I guess I'll know more in a couple of weeks when I finally talk to the sleep Dr. about my last test results. It just seems weird to me that I could have this. If I see a difference it will be worth it but still hard to believe so many people are diagnosed with it now. I was so sure I didn't.
Oh well, thanks again.
Will let you know how it goes!

I was (shocked) when I first found out I had it too! Now that I know a bit more about it, I can see the signs were there all along . Mine is familial. My daughter was diagnozed first (at 9 years old) and she needed was a tonsilectomy. My father has it, we think, 'cause he defintely has all the signs and two years ago he had a 4-quad heart bypass. Still, he refuses to believe it and won't get tested (sigh).

FF

Brea, I've never been overweight either, but am quite certain (based on lifelong snoring) that I have had OSA all my life. My symptoms were even milder than yours - or so I thought, probably because I grew up feeling that way and thought it was normal to not be a "morning person".

Also thought it was normal to get drowsy driving on long trips. Doesn't everyone get sleepy driving on a boring interstate highway?

Thought it was normal to be slow getting going in the morning, hitting the snooze button several times. Once up and about, I was fine. Or so I thought.

Several times a week I'd take a nap in the the afternoon for an hour or so. Nap left me groggy. I thought that was a normal feeling after a daytime nap.

The snoring - most unladylike; but hey, lots of people snore, don't they? That's normal too.

In other words, since I could function fine and never felt the overwhelming sleepiness or fatigue that others report, I had no idea that I could possibly have OSA. Once I got on cpap, I saw what "normal" actually felt like following a good night's sleep while BREATHING.

One caution, Brea... the disruptions to sleep while you get used to this whole new way of sleeping may leave you feeling even sleepier and worse for awhile - weeks even or months as you do these things:

1. Get the most comfortable mask you can. Or several to rotate between.

2. Spend as much time as you can digging into past topics on the message boards, looking for hints to make the whole thing more comfortable.

3. Remember that you're going to be playing catch-up for awhile, with a body that has to recover.

So, don't get discouraged if you don't see improvement quickly like some do. It's goes slowly for most. Keep working on comfort issues above all.

Mask, mask, mask, mask, mask, mask, mask. Probably the single most important key to being able to "do this."

First and foremost... a comfortable mask... then work on other issues that can interfere with good treatment, e.g. mouth air leaks, rainout, fixing the main air hose so it doesn't tug on the mask, dealing with aerophagia, etc. There are so many hints and tips you can find on the message board by asking questions and using the Search button at top left.

People (and doctors!) shouldn't be fooled by not matching the popular "profile." Or fooled by a "mild" diagnosis. Or by a study that found more hypopneas and few or no apneas.

OSA is an insidious shortener of life -- and of quality of life.

Rather than thinking, "This can't really be - maybe they're wrong", think.... "I can do this."

Once again RG, your words weave a wonderful aura of understanding.
You are an amazing person who can convey considerable wisdom in a few well chosen words.

Brea, As one of the now regular 'lab rats' here, I can tell you that all effort
you put into comprehending what RG tells you, is going to be one of the best investments you can make here.

RG can be thought of as 100% self taught but I also believe she listens carefully to us others and the newcomers and adds what we have to say to her already impressive pool of understanding of OSA and all that goes with it.

Point here is that OSA is an evolving process and what bothers us in the 1st week will probably differ from what bothers us at end month 1 and yet again from the issues we are dealing with at end month 2 and so on. What RG brings to us so well, is an actute awareness of our *individual* journeys down the OSA highway.

You are in good hands here.

Cheers

DSM

Brea,
Hi. Hope you're feeling well after your first night. Looking very much forward to hearing how you did. I have the exact same equipment you have, which helps make me very interested in hearing your report. Please fill us all in on the details. Hope it went well.

dsm, thanks for your much too kind words.

100% self taught? moi? heheh, I know what you mean, but I like to think of it more as 100% message-board-taught.

Couldn't have taken care of myself at all without the mind-boggling extensive library of great old posts to paw through on several message boards. Nor without some very wonderful people who were patiently willing to answer my beginner questions two years ago.

Others helped me...just like you (and too many others to name individually!) are doing so well for so many on all the apnea forums out there.

DMS,

She's very knowledgeable AND humble, too.

Ya'll are making me hungry. Thinking about "humble pie". And how many times I've eaten crow. With "egg-on-face" as a tasty side dish.

Hi to all my cpap friends!

Thanks for the help and kindness from others that have been down this road!

I used the Swift nasal mask last night with my new machine. I slept good (but that was never a problem!) but this mask is louder than the other one and took a few minutes to get over the surprise of it. I did the "nasal lube" and can tell nostrils are aware of this strange new device but it is not bad.
I will do it again tonight.

I wish I could say I can tell a difference but so far I can't.

I am visiting longtime friends this weekend and her husband is definitely a cpapper. He used to fall asleep watching football games and we would watch him snore and then catch his breath before he got his cpap machine. He said he could tell a difference after first use!

Anyway, I know everyone is different. Thanks, RG for your explanation and letting me know too, that you as well were not overweight and surprised as well. Did you ever wake up gasping for breath? I have not.

My plan for now is to use this machine until I go back to Sleep Dr in about 2 weeks. He will hopefully read the info on me and have firm opinion. I will make him give me an explanation on it. If I "really have this" I will buy the software and get my own readings(like I have learned about by my buddies on here do!!). Of course, I'm sure I will need more help!

I just want to be sure this is what is wrong before I do this forever!

Thanks again.
Brea (Doubting but not giving up)

Rested Gal writes:
And how many times I've eaten crow. With "egg-on-face" as a tasty side dish.

Well, certainly not on this site. You're pretty on-the-money with your track record here, as far as I'm concerned.

Brea,
First of all, you already know what I'm going to say, but it bears repeating. It's the lucky minority who feel relief instantly. I didn't for about a week to 10 days, which from what I've read is pretty good, too, and then haven't felt bad since. I have experienced the past two days of being more tired than usual, but I've been fooling around with my settings. Don't know if that's it or what, but we'll see. But if this is truly your problem, don't give up. Stay positive that it will work and it will. That one day when you do get that sudden realization that you feel better, that will be a day you won't forget. Also, sometimes it sneaks up on you with little things you may not realize, like lessening of fatigue, losing that needing to take a nap feeling at some point during the day or little things that are starting to fade away that used to be part of you. Sometimes you really have to think about it to realize that you truly are starting to feel it.

Next issue is noise with the Swift. What pressur are you set at? I found anything 10 and over makes louder noise and has caused greater leakage with the Swift. That may not be true for everyone. While I've had my settings at 6.5-10 for the past three nights, it's been pretty quiet except on inhalation. Some people on this site have taken tulle and inserted a small piece into the barrel to defray the noise. I haven't needed it, so I don't know how that works. Just food for thought.

Now, what is this about you using the CPAP machine but you don't know if you need it? Did I miss something here? Why would a doctor prescribe it for you without doing a PSG and knowing you need it? I didn't think insurance companies OR doctors would go for that type of thing. I must have missed a thread here or there.

In any event, hang in there and don't lose faith. The therapy truly works WHEN YOU USE IT.

Hi Brea,
You sure are getting LOTS of GREAT advice!!!!! I use the Remstar Pro2 Cpap with the Swift and Activa mask (not at the same time ). When I first got my Swift I thought it was the best mask in the world. Then I started having some leaking problems so I was really glad I had the Activa to switch to for a few nights. I'm still working on the leaks with the Swift (because I really do prefer the swift). I was frustrated that I was having problems after having so much success. Then I decided to start all over again from square one. I cleaned my swift with vinegar/water to remove all impurities. Then I loosened the headgear and adjusted it as though it were my 1st time wearing it. That helped alot. I had been tightening the headgear to try and reduce leaks and then started getting a VERY sore nose. Now I'm back to wearing it looser and I'm also using the large nose pillows.
My only advice to you is that you not "stuff" the nasal pillows up into your nose...it should rest at the opening of your nostrils...not jammed up into your nose. I switched to using the large pillows because I'm hoping the extra width will seal up the area around my nostrils to reduce leaks. When I first started using the swift, I thought it had to be jammed up high in my nose....that really hurts!!
Keep us posted on your progress because we really want you to succeed!!
Amy

Brea,
I forgot to mention that I've been using my cpap since July and I'm still fighting fatigue. Lori mentioned that you may not notice a drastic improvement but rather, small improvements that you might not notice at 1st. I'm still tired alot but I'm able to drive again without fear of falling asleep, I don't constantly fight to keep my eyes open at work, I'm exercising and starting to lose weight. So, while I don't feel drastically better, I am having success and that's all that counts. Like RG said, our bodies have been beaten on by OSA for a while and it's going to take awhile to reverse the affects.
Good luck, Amy

Amy,
Did your pressure increase? Since I've experimented the past few nights with my pressure, instead of 10 am using auto 6.5-10, and it hasn't gone up to 10 yet, the leak rate has dropped a lot. So has the noise diminished. The Swift for me seems to make more noise and leak more at higher pressure. I don't know if everyone is finding that, too, or not.
Are you on auto? Would be great if your software was working so you would know if your pressure had been running at higher numbers. Perhaps that is the reason for the sudden leakiness. Does it start out making noise and leaking? If not, I'll be it has to do with an increase in your pressure during the night.