Last night I only slept for 4 hours and 18 minutes, because I had to catch a red-eye flight from Orlando to Austin, TX. Both the night's sleep and the flight produced some interesting results:LOOKS LIKE I AM NO LONGER A NEWBIE.
For you Oldies & Goodies out there -- thanks for your help!
For you Newbies -- hang in there. Things do get better!
I began CPAP therapy on 11-23-11, with 100% compliance for 202 day, but with the same Newbie issues as most of you:
1. Machine: CPAP --> ASV
2. Mask Issues: Sore bridge of nose, leaks, pressure marks, mole skin, T-shirt liner and finally Pad-A-Cheek Liner. I went through: Nasal mask, Mirage Quattro Full/Face Mask, Swift LT, Swift FX, Mirage FX Nasal Mask, Mirage Quattro FX Full/Face Mask and back to Quattro Full Face.
3. Hose Issues: Hose cozy and hose hanger.
4. Pillow Issues: CPAP pillow and another pillow to discourage supine position.
5. Swallowing air: Fortunately not often and only once too much.
6. Air in my eyes with the Quattro FX. Bought special goggles - didn't help.
7. Problems with Doc and DME.
8. Numerous pressure adjustment experiments.
9. Obviously AHI Issues.
10. Etc., etc., etc.
After taming the mask, my next greatest challenge was the AHI:
THEN:
For the first few months I had an average AHI of about 10. So, 70 to 80 Events per night.
NOW:
6-10-12 AHI: .74
6-11-12 AHI: .95
6-12-12 LAST NIGHT:
AHI: ZERO
OAI: ZERO
CAI: ZERO
HI: ZERO
PB: 32
SNORE: 1
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After being up since 1:30 AM and being in my seat on the plane at 5:30AM with heavy yawning, I felt that I surely would be able to catch up on my missed Zzzzzz. But no, for the first time in 202 nights, I was . . .
1. Trying to go to sleep without hearing/feeling myself inhale and exhale
2. My tongue, lips, jaws, cheeks and even teeth felt odd - something was wrong
3. I wasn't conscious of my breathing pattern
4. My nose itched, but I assume because of a conditioned response, I didn't even try to scratch it
5. A three year old in a seat behind me was irritable because he couldn't fall asleep without his security blanket . . .
Then it dawned on me that I was a 68 year of man who could NOT fall asleep because I missed the "comfort" of my Quattro Full/Face Mask and Pad-a-Cheek liner.
