cpap sucks

[Lizistired]

Time out, let this thread die.
It's from Jan 2010.
If jmanotobese wants help, he/she should register, list equipment and start a new thread.

I am not obese I have a broken nose and thats what's given me sleep apnea over the years. I go in to discuss surgery and was given flo nase, obviously didnt fix my broken nose so now I have a cpap machine. I have to wear it for a long time for insurance purposes so I can eventually get my nose fixed. Havent slept good in weeks due to this bullshit machine that leaves me feeling sick, dried out, and in a nightmare everytime I wake up.

[drog]

If you aren't dedicated you won't be successful and it will always suck, and so will your quality of life. I've found turning this thing in to a hobby has helped (i.e. the data aspects, tweaking to perfection, etc.).

[chearyshe]

Well yes....if you're not dedicated you won't succeed. It's not---slap a piece of plastic onto your face, turn on the leaf blower, shut your eyes and go to sleep! It takes time to get used to cpap therapy and I envy the lucky few who have adjusted in a few days or a week!
I'm still battling with mask leaks...but I will overcome them (I hope). I made myself a home made mask liner and the reps from ResMed were AMAZED! They never saw such a thing...things like that always surprise me! we're advanced in technology, science, medicine and we've won our fair share of Nobel Prizes but a piece of t-shirt, cut in the shape of a toilet seat got major attention!

Chearyshe (in Israel)

[chunkyfrog]

It just won't work unless they can get over their stupid ANGER.

[neverbetter]

This man broke his nose and only has cpap until insurance will pay to fix his nose. How you you like to wear your mask or pillows over a broken nose?
Let's give this man a little support with suggestions to make him more comfortable. He's wearing cpap over a broken nose. Perhaps his Dr should have had a dental device prescribed.

[archangle]

Sounds to me like someone with apnea who is trying to blame it on something else. He thinks only obese people get apnea. He says he's had apnea from a broken nose for many years, presumably it's not still sore.

If a broken nose blocks your breathing, you'll probably open your mouth and breathe like allergy and cold sufferers do.

[Lizistired]

Time out, let this thread die.
It's from Jan 2010.
If jmanotobese wants help, he/she should register, list equipment and start a new thread.

I am not obese I have a broken nose and thats what's given me sleep apnea over the years. I go in to discuss surgery and was given flo nase, obviously didnt fix my broken nose so now I have a cpap machine. I have to wear it for a long time for insurance purposes so I can eventually get my nose fixed. Havent slept good in weeks due to this bullshit machine that leaves me feeling sick, dried out, and in a nightmare everytime I wake up.

[neurotony]

Hey guys,

Ok, doc sent me in for a sleep study because I have an enlarged heart. It functions normally and no sign of heart disease so he thinks apnea is the problem. I get diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. They give me the headgear and nasal mask and it starts to rub a sore on the bridge of my nose after the second night. I switch to the, not sure what you call it, the piece that has two holes that go right over your nostrils. That feels better but its still a pain in the ass. Everytime I shift or roll from laying on my back to on my side the seal breaks, blows air on my face and I wake up. Seems like I got more sleep before I was wearing the mask. Not to mention on top of the fact that I never really felt tired before I was diagnosed and the machine doesnt seem to do anything for me. It's only been a week since I've had this thing and I hate it. Im 31 years old, by the way, male and about 6ft 280lbs. My wife says I snore but I may go weeks or even longer without snoring. Ahhh..who knows. This blows! They're all qwacks, I guess thats why they say "practicing" medicine! Im losing weight now, down from 300. Im hoping I can chunk that piece of cpap crap soon.

This concludes my rant. Please pass the gravy.

Nick

Did your doctor ever offer you anything other than a CPAP machine? I didn't tolerate CPAP at all, but in my latest sleep study I slept like a baby with a Bi-level machine.

Don't just take the machine if you can't sleep with the CPAP, try a different type of machine. The users here are chock full of really incredible experience and use them for that. There are many types of masks. What kind of doctor would leave you with a "treatment" where you can't sleep when it's supposed to correct your sleep problems? It's totally counter-intuitive and if the Dr isn't open to exploring other options for you, find another doctor. You likely aren't getting much therapy if your "therapy" is triggering more RERAs (sleep disturbances) and a higher RDI than your apnea itself is. I'm really shocked at the anger presented here in some of the user's responses, especially when we've all had the frustration of acclimating to our therapy.

Why did you go straight to a machine? I feel that it's just what they do - shove a machine down your throat instead of trying to find the best therapy for your condition and for your lifestyle. I've been in control of my therapy from the moment I walked in the door and started with Provent and stated the machine will be the last option, not the first. Both of my Doctors have gladly agreed to work with me and we're running through the stages of finding the best treatment option that works for me. Provent has worked well for me so for, but not for everyone (search the forums).

Talk with your doctor, you may be a good candidate. You will not die from throwing out your machine - but keep it for now while you explore other options. I felt that the CPAP was killing me too - I was waking up with the fear and anxiety of being smothered on it. I hated that infernal suffocation machine (read my thread). But the Doctor tried a bi-level machine and a comfy mask and I slept like a baby. Provent has been my daily therapy and we all agree it's been therapeutic, but we did the study last week to determine if it's as therapeutic as the bi-level machine.

I just did a study with Provent and Bi-level and get the results tomorrow, I'll post them on my thread here:

viewtopic/t77392/A-new-apnea-patients-j ... ovent.html

[49er]

Hi Neurotomy,

I am interested in your situation because so far, I have been unable to tolerate the cpap machine. After initially thinking that perhaps I was making some progress in being able to sleep an initial block of 3 hours before waking up and becoming fully aroused, I am back to sleeping the hour at a time routine which completely makes for a horrible night.

Interestingly, last night, I slept without the machine using just a neck collar and didn't wake up once throughout the night. But this obviously is not going to be a permanent solution as I can tell, even with a chronic sleep dept, that that sleep was not adequate.

Yes, I am in control of my therapy but it is hard when this affects cognitive issues. One day, I literally tried to write down everything and I couldn't. So I do the best I can.

Anyway, my current sleep doctor wants to do a full scale study which unfortunately would be quite costly since I don't have insurance. But I am curious about your statement that you slept well on a bipap because I am wondering if I would do better on that machine.

What is it about a bipap that makes it more tolerable than a cpap? Is it being able to breath out at a much lower pressure? I have tried the smart flex settings on my machine but they don't make much of a difference.

Using provent is not an option since I have chronic nasal congestion.

As far as posters saying cpap sucks, I wish people would be more tolerant of those us who express frustrations. I have shed so many tears due to not being able to tolerate the cpap machine.

I am not one who worried about vanity or any similar type issues. When my first doctor said I had apnea, I was excited about using this therapy. I had no qualms whatsoever.

I feel the therapy has failed me big time and I am tired of the patient being blamed and being told that you need to clean up your sleep hygiene. Hmm, I drank more coffee than I have had in weeks yesterday and I went to bed when it was still light with the computer on (computer screen light turned off). All supposed sleep destroyers. And I didn't wake up fully aroused once.

By the way, before anyone accuses me of advocating drinking alot of coffee, I am not. I just think the issue of sleeping on the cpap is a complex issues and I am just tired of it being dealt with in a simplistic fashion by professionals.

Sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into a rant.

49er

[neurotony]

Hi Neurotomy,

I am interested in your situation because so far, I have been unable to tolerate the cpap machine. After initially thinking that perhaps I was making some progress in being able to sleep an initial block of 3 hours before waking up and becoming fully aroused, I am back to sleeping the hour at a time routine which completely makes for a horrible night.

Interestingly, last night, I slept without the machine using just a neck collar and didn't wake up once throughout the night. But this obviously is not going to be a permanent solution as I can tell, even with a chronic sleep dept, that that sleep was not adequate.

Yes, I am in control of my therapy but it is hard when this affects cognitive issues. One day, I literally tried to write down everything and I couldn't. So I do the best I can.

Anyway, my current sleep doctor wants to do a full scale study which unfortunately would be quite costly since I don't have insurance. But I am curious about your statement that you slept well on a bipap because I am wondering if I would do better on that machine.

What is it about a bipap that makes it more tolerable than a cpap? Is it being able to breath out at a much lower pressure? I have tried the smart flex settings on my machine but they don't make much of a difference.

Using provent is not an option since I have chronic nasal congestion.

As far as posters saying cpap sucks, I wish people would be more tolerant of those us who express frustrations. I have shed so many tears due to not being able to tolerate the cpap machine.

I am not one who worried about vanity or any similar type issues. When my first doctor said I had apnea, I was excited about using this therapy. I had no qualms whatsoever.

I feel the therapy has failed me big time and I am tired of the patient being blamed and being told that you need to clean up your sleep hygiene. Hmm, I drank more coffee than I have had in weeks yesterday and I went to bed when it was still light with the computer on (computer screen light turned off). All supposed sleep destroyers. And I didn't wake up fully aroused once.

By the way, before anyone accuses me of advocating drinking alot of coffee, I am not. I just think the issue of sleeping on the cpap is a complex issues and I am just tired of it being dealt with in a simplistic fashion by professionals.

Sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into a rant.

49er

The bilevel reduces pressure when you exhale so you're fighting the machine and then increases pressure on the inhales. It breathes WITH you not AGAINST you. I had such a nightmarish experience with a CPAP machine I would never, ever try it again. I never have nightmares, and that whole experience was me being strangled and waking up in a shocked panic as I couldn't breathe. I'm not sure why Bilevel isn't the standard they would try you on first.

Did you ever consider a dental appliance or the strips which harden the soft palate? I don't like the idea of the strips since I've never had any kind of surgery. I'd be interested to hear of anyone who has had them and their experience.

[chunkyfrog]

Unfortunately, many insurance companies FORCE the use of cpap for a
set period of time before they will even consider approving BIPAP or a vent.
To bypass this delaying tactic, you need the support of your doctor to push the appeal through faster.
--And that is if the insurance company will even consider appeals.

[49er]

The bilevel reduces pressure when you exhale so you're fighting the machine and then increases pressure on the inhales. It breathes WITH you not AGAINST you. I had such a nightmarish experience with a CPAP machine I would never, ever try it again. I never have nightmares, and that whole experience was me being strangled and waking up in a shocked panic as I couldn't breathe. I'm not sure why Bilevel isn't the standard they would try you on first.

I am sorry you experienced that and am glad that the BP seems to be working for you.

Did you ever consider a dental appliance or the strips which harden the soft palate? I don't like the idea of the strips since I've never had any kind of surgery. I'd be interested to hear of anyone who has had them and their experience.

I would love to use a dental appliance. Unfortunately, I suspect my apnea is severe even though the home study indicated moderate.

But there was a flaw in the scoring system as it assumed I was asleep during the entire time the machine recorded for 7 hours. I only got two hour sleep.

Anyway, the dental appliance has doesn't have a great chance of working if the apnea is severe. So I gotta get all of that sorted out regarding the sleep study issues.

What are the strips?

49er

[ThirdOutOfFive]

Humm. . . . I'm confused. My PAPpy blows.

[SleepingBearDoNtWake]

Ok it's late, and I am tired. I am not going to respond to you negative stuff at the moment we can talk about that later.
We need to have you put down the Model of your cpap or apap. The reason, you DME may have given you a crappy machine, if that is the case we need to get you a better one. If you don't do this ASAP you will be stuck and you don't want that.
When we know what kind of Mask you have we can talk about techniques that might help solve the problems that you are having.
So lets start with that, and try to work with us, as we only want you to succeed so that you might have a health life.
You are going to have some struggles, but with some support, you maybe able to leap over them fast. I know I did when I had a throat infection and could breathe so I had to use it. Then I was hooked, I put it on and it was no problem, when right to sleep. I was blessed by that, but I think most people will agree once you get used to it, it isn't a big deal, you put it on at night, and you don't even notice it anymore. So please go easy on yourself, and do those few things that I asked of you so we can start to see if you are doing something wrong that is causing you a problem.
We are hear to walk with you on your journey. You are lucky, I didn't have this several years ago when I first was on it.
Though this is not a mircle forum, but you will get support, trouble shooting tips, info about your machine and disorder, and maybe make a life long friend or too.
So in the End my Friend, you hold in there.

Peace,

Mike

[archangle]

Humm. . . . I'm confused. My PAPpy blows.

Maybe he stuck the hose into the air intake vent on the back. It does have a hole about the right size to stuff a CPAP hose into.

Would that be CNAP instead of CPAP?