I've got a cold right now, for about 5 days. I have my choice between a Swift FX (pillows), Mirage FX (nasal), and Mirage Quattro (FFM). I have not reached for the FFM. I can cough and even pop a cough drop if I'm wearing something over my nose or in my nares only. I think it would be very unpleasan...

Congratulations--hope the successful treatment is resulting in your overall feeling of wellness. I got basically the same pep talk myself last week. It's sort of freeing knowing I don't have anyone looking over my shoulder--I feel like I can take more chances with masks and the like since I'm the on...

Your machine is just cpap, not bi-level. You only need one setting, so that's why they crossed off the IPAP. Even if you have APAP, with a range of settings, it would not be IPAP-EPAP, it would just be expressed as a range (e.g. 8 to 11). If you were using an APAP machine, you would set the bottom r...

Robysue Doesn't seem like it takes an MD to figure out that 4-1/2 hours each night would leave you feeling worn out--even if you had 0 AHI and 0 leaks. I was lucky to have a great sleep tech do the titration (second night of titration) and come across the right settings for me. My friend Millie can'...

I had my first 30 day follow up today. I was not instructed to bring anything, but I had been keeping an Excel log of some sleep quality data including hours of usage, AHI, Leak, and a subjective measure of quality and daytime sleepiness. The PA was pleasantly surprised==she said she can 't remember...

Wow, if that is true, it will probably mean a boon to our hosts here. I've only been at this a month, and I wore out at least one set of pillows. If I have to pay for them out of pocket, you'd better believe my DME isn't getting my business at their rates! The mask I can live with, since I can only ...

This happened to me too. I'm 3-1/2 weeks into therapy. I started with a FFM, and no sore teeth. But I figured out how to keep my tongue pushed up against the roof of my mouth (and back of my teeth) and that's when the soreness started. It's better this week--I think because I'm more relaxed about sl...

Since I started therapy 3 weeks ago, I have consistently had AHI less than 1. Somedays I get 0. I haven't stopped the awakenings though. So for me, its still daytime drowsiness and fatigue. When I can finally sleep through the night (or at least mostly through the night), maybe I'll feel back to "no...

With my bipap, it takes about ten minutes for my breathing and the machine to feel natural and in synch...so although I've done both ways over the last two weeks, it seems easier to mask up, and then read to distract myself from the effort of breathing for a while. Once I'm breathing relaxed and nat...

I'm also one of the bipap users who went home with a bipap without trying cpap or apap first. During the titration study, it was a struggle to exhale against the pressure. I didn't get any quality sleep at all the first night. They brought be back again, and after a couple of hours of struggle, they...

With the Quattro, have you tried an anti-leak strap? That little extra support across the middle of my face helps me keep a seal. Pad-A-Cheek makes one, http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_AntiLeak_Strap.html but I just used my ResMed chin strap across the mask, just above the elbow, making sure it doesn't...

Prescriptions are required for cpap.com. Federal law requires them from any medical supplier. The only way to get around the prescription is to go second hand, like Craigslist. If you need bipap, you are looking at considerable more money. You can click on the equipment in my profile to see an examp...

I second the suggestion about the anti-leak strap. I've only been on bipap for 10 nights. I couldn't keep the mirage Liberty from leaking, despite mask liners, so I switched to the Mirage Quattro on Tuesday. I used mask liners cut from old T-shirt and had good luck except in the morning. I haven't h...

Skip your morning coffee that day! I made it a point to avoid all caffeine, stay away from hot & spicy food and keep things on a calm and steady basis. Wouldn't do well to schedule a sleep study on a day filled with stressful meetings and the like.

I feel your pain! I don't use Apria, but this week I called ahead to the DME and requested an exchange of the Mirage Quattro instead of the Mirage Liberty (this was my very first mask exchange). I sent in a complete mask system--headgear, mask, pillows, cushions, user's guide and DVD in a mesh bag. ...