I don't think I've ever felt depressed about the CPAP. I was diagnosed years ago as being clinically depressed, then made some major life changes that offset most of the reasons for that, but still was tired, not sleeping well, up to pee several times per night, and had developed heart problems (atr...

You now realize exactly why nasal mask users NEED to keep their mouths closed. There's a direct connection between your nose and your mouth, and if your mouth is open, that's the easiest path for the air to follow. If you can keep your mouth closed, the nasal mask can work for you. If not, you'll kn...

My understanding of the reason that biomedical engineering checks outside equipment being brought into the hospital (and I think they do that with everything that comes into patient contact) is that they're looking for good grounding and/or double insulation. Your skin is actually a pretty good elec...

What good is a forum focused on respiration if you can't vent once in a while?

Michael, Don't give up. You've come to a great place for help. The questions you've already been asked by others are what folks need to know to make suggestions, and I'll bet that whatever you're struggling with, someone here has been through before. There are a lot of variables, so it may take a li...

We've used Skype with our kids for years, including the year our daughter was in school in Argentina (though that was voice only.) Bandwidth can be an issue. I'm using an old Creative Labs VF0250 webcam with my laptop. They're getting very inexpensive as better units come to market, but it's plenty ...

Debbi, I'm sorry to hear about your frustration, but we've all been there to one degree or another. It can take weeks or months to get all the bugs worked out, and then weeks or months more to 'catch up' on all the lost sleep. It sounds like you're using a nasal mask of some sort, i.e. one that cove...

Are you using the "Ramp" feature? I found that if it was set too low I felt like I couldn't get enough air.

I really like nasal pillows or nasal prongs. My current favorite is the Fisher & Paykel Infinity, but it's being phased out. The NasalAire II also works well for me, though I've modified it by shortening the tubes and making a custom headgear that puts the connection at the top of my head. It doesn'...

Can you tell where the whistle is coming from? If you put it on and let it run for a while, will it do it while you're awake? If you can localize the source of the sound, you can start troubleshooting. Is it a function of pressure, i.e. it sounds when the pressure is at or above a certain level? Or ...

My guess is that formally trained RTs have a lot of in-hospital experience, and a lot of the safety issues evolve from incapacitated patients. In that context, great care is warranted and I'd never suggest anyone tape someone else's mouth, but I've NEVER awakened mid-vomit. I've awakened ready to vo...

I'll second the motion on the Berlin Questionnaire. It's so simple that it's hard to believe how effective it is. Another possible symptom is frequent urination at night. I was up 4-5 times a night, vs. 1 after CPAP. I think it's because once awakened, we're trained to check the condition of our bla...

Gary: My HI is usually higher than my AI, but it's AHI that I track. I can appreciate your desire to understand it all, but it sounds to me like you're getting into it really well. I didn't grasp whether you're using APAP, and if so, what the range is. My experience was that it worked better for me ...

You've got to take responsibility for your own treatment. If your doctor is comfortable with this concept, you'll be in great shape (and probably be in the minority.) In some cases where the lab has had problem getting a good titration, users and their physicians have taken advantage of the APAP mac...

I think Snoregirl is right. I started out cleaning humidifier and hose weekly and the seal in my first humidifier chamber failed in about 8 months. I've had the second one about that long and have only had it apart 2-3 times. I still flush it out with soap and water or a dilute vinegar solution ever...