I usually have mine tucked under my right arm, with plenty of slack leading up to my face. I'm a side sleeper, so I've found this arrangement keeps the hose from pulling on my mask when I turn to my left side (I sleep on the right side of the bed). Before I go to sleep, I tend to pull almost all of ...

A whopping 3 months, and counting! I seem to be one of the rare individuals who had no problems adjusting, slept wonderfully right away, and has continued to do so ever since. I recently got stranded two hours from home in a hotel room sans machine. I hope it never happens again! Woke up every hour ...

Someone asked about this before. I had limited time and wasn't able to post the response, and now I'm too lazy to look up the post so I'll answer it here. The question was, why does solution drain out of my sinuses long after I've used a netti pot? The answer has to do with three things - pressure, ...

Thanks for posting this. I'd hate to see my husband lose his beard, but if that's what it takes... This is precisely why I suggested he use nasal pillows. I'm concerned that even a nasal mask will have leaks from his mustache.

Changing jobs, and therefore changing insurance companies, at the start of the new year. I'm only a few months into my CPAP therapy. My current insurance is renting my machine until it's eventually paid for. But what happens when my new company comes along? They specifically state they need to prior...

The husband is getting a sleep test, yipee! He snores on both inspiration AND expiration, and I've heard him flat-out stop breathing many many times, so interested in what his results are. I recommended he try a nasal mask or nasal pillows because he's got a thick, full, fluffy beard. But I'm a litt...

I also have severe allergies. I was amazed at what a difference my cpap made, and I attribute a lot of that (allergy-wise) to the simple fact that my machine is feeding me filtered air. My dogs still sleep with me. My machine is so quiet they were only curious about it, then ignored it when they dec...

Let me see if I can clarify things for you: Leaks - This is air that leaks from under the seal of the mask. It's hard to say without your specific mask listed (please do that, btw), but most masks have vent holes. To help find yours, try turning your machine on, holding it against your stomach or le...

Because of the nature of XPAP, which utilizes air at a higher pressure, even those on oxygen typically need lower amounts in order to maintain saturation. I agree with the other posters, get your XPAP optimized first. Once it is working well and you are experiencing fewer events, then worry about th...

Still relatively new to the boards, but one of my first posts was about a patient of mine. She was struggling with using her bipap, and I'd tried everything I could think of to help her. Asked here for ideas, got a few, but unfortunately, wasn't able to get much in the way of results. I kept trying,...

Try a good room humidifier and close the bedroom door to keep the humidity in during winter. I'm also noticing that my water tank is dipping much lower than before since the heat has been on. If the air the machine is pulling through is drier, it's going to take more moisture to meet the levels you ...

Understand and sympathize with your situation, but you're playing a dangerous game. It's never a good idea to self-diagnose and treat, not even with the great support you have here. There are just too many serious conditions that can mimic some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Among them are heart fa...

Let me try to put your mind more at ease. Those type of devices measure oxygen levels by reading blood flow through your finger. Therefore, the only thing that it is measuring is the level of oxygen that is currently circulating through that particular finger. Anything at all, from a clot, through t...

You talking my current mask, or the one you're suggesting as too tight? I wondered if I was over-tightening it, but it was blowing in my eyes. Maybe I just need to look into an entirely different mask. Unfortunately, a FFM is pretty much always going to be my gold standard (orthopnea, big time!).

A little food for thought: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16512691 In a nutshell, there is a condition (I am a sufferer) in which the lining of the airway actually collapses, restricting air flow. It's similar to asthma in that the airway itself is constricted, but rather than being caused by co...