Thanks Robysue, Mary and Blackspinner, I do appreciate your suggestions. Robysue, you brought up a number of excellent points. And I'll definitely need to write all this down so I can present it to both my psychiatrist as well as sleep doc. And Blackspinner, I think it was you who suggested keeping ...

Thanks Blackspinner. I will do so. I've been on the same psych meds for many years. My sleep doc, whom I've only seen once (just changed docs), didn't make mention of my meds and their effects on the SA. But I will talk with him about that too in my appt this week. At the moment, I'm just totally fr...

Have a new wrinkle to add to the mix. I not only have central apnea, and OSA, but have bipolar d/o. If I don't get a good sleep 7.5 - 8 hrs/nite, say, don't sleep one night at all, or only a ragged hr in 8 on bipap, it sets me on a cycle where I just won't sleep. Not unless I take a sleeping pill fo...

It's terrific you found this forum early in your journey. I wish I had. I, too, would wake in a panic sometimes and rip my mask off, and then say the heck with it, sleep w/o it. But after being so wiped out when not using it, I quickly learned that if I woke up and had ripped the mask off, I'd go ge...

I tried gel masks initially, about 2 yrs ago, and couldn't get a good seal even when I stayed still. But I do switch back and forth to sidelying, so there was no way the mask would stay on without massive leaks. I eventually ended up with the Mirage Quattro, which leaves me with marks on my cheeks, ...

Yes, I am aware that the humidifier should last 8-10 hrs. I've been on bipap for about 2 yrs. The problem is that I sleep poorly, and go hours w/o sleeping while on the bipap. I then get up for an hr or 2 or 3, then go back to bed. If I actually am able to fall asleep then, I may sleep for 8 hrs or ...

Question: I am using the PR bipap ST with ok results, but still not great. Do you think that the ASV is worth my looking into? I see my doc next Thurs. Thanks. (I only just found this website today, and this is the first time I've ever heard of "ASV". This website is an eye-opener for me!

Thanks so much for explaining the difference to me. That sounds like it would be a much better system than what I have. I'll talk to my doc about it when I see him next week.

I know there are tons of alarms for the machine I have, unfortunately all of them were going off in a recent hospital visit. I guess what I should do is contact my supply company to see if they can set only 1 alarm, for humidifier empty. Seems logical to me that could be set and nothing else go off....

I feel very isolated, don't know anyone else personally who has sleep apnea. I'd find it very helpful if someone didn't mind chatting with me...

I'm guessing auto serve ventilation...but what does that mean? Does it mean it only gives you extra pulses of air when you fail to make any inspiratory effort due to central sleep apnea, or obstructive apnea? I have a PR bipap ST which provides 12 bpm because I have central apnea as well as obstruct...

When I fall asleep without my bipap, and miss a few hours with it I sure notice the difference! If I sleep all nite w/o it (which is exceedingly rare) I am absolutely no good. I can't go to work. I'm nonfunctional.

Thanks for the tip about boiling with baking soda. The instructions specifically said to avoid hot water, so I never would have thought to try that. But I will try it on an old mask. I have oily skin, and if I don't wash the seal daily, it leaks like a sieve

I haven't noticed any difference from before use. Do users typically find that it helps or hinders weight loss?

When only going for several nites (up to 3), I use tap water. I don't think that small exposure to minerals makes significant difference.