advice for a newbie

[linmac]

Hi all,

I've been reading this forum since before my sleep study, and it has given me hope (especially the success stories thread), so thank you all!

I only have mild apnea (AHI ~7) but shocking sleep, never making into deep sleep at all. I think this might be to do with UARS (upper airways restriction syndrome) so figure cpap is worth a try. Even if it only deals with my 7 apneas, that will be a help. I'm beyond exhausted and pretty desperate!

so I got my cpap on trial yesterday. It's a a philips respironics with a humidifier. I wanted a resmed after all I've read here, but they didn't have one in stock so I'm starting with this beastie. I wore it all night - took me ages to go to sleep but once I got there I slept pretty well - actual flat spots in my vivofit sleep movement graph, which are pretty rare for me!

I woke with a sore throat and a feeling of pressure in my sinuses. I'm guessing the sore throat means I should dial up the humidifier a little, but I've no idea about the sinuses. Maybe it's just an adjustment phase?
I've also got lines in my face from the straps around the mask (it's a nose mask), and I'd really rather not go to work with those, so any tips around avoiding that lived-in & strapped-down look around my face will be gratefully received!

Thanks so much.

Linda

[BleepingBeauty]

Hi all,

I've been reading this forum since before my sleep study, and it has given me hope (especially the success stories thread), so thank you all!

I only have mild apnea (AHI ~7) but shocking sleep, never making into deep sleep at all. I think this might be to do with UARS (upper airways restriction syndrome) so figure cpap is worth a try. Even if it only deals with my 7 apneas, that will be a help. I'm beyond exhausted and pretty desperate!

so I got my cpap on trial yesterday. It's a a philips respironics with a humidifier. I wanted a resmed after all I've read here, but they didn't have one in stock so I'm starting with this beastie. I wore it all night - took me ages to go to sleep but once I got there I slept pretty well - actual flat spots in my vivofit sleep movement graph, which are pretty rare for me!

I woke with a sore throat and a feeling of pressure in my sinuses. I'm guessing the sore throat means I should dial up the humidifier a little, but I've no idea about the sinuses. Maybe it's just an adjustment phase?
I've also got lines in my face from the straps around the mask (it's a nose mask), and I'd really rather not go to work with those, so any tips around avoiding that lived-in & strapped-down look around my face will be gratefully received!

Thanks so much.

Linda

Hi, Linda, and welcome.

Glad you got some decent sleep with your trial machine last night. A sore throat in the morning can often indicate that you were mouth-breathing. With a nasal mask (just covering your nose), mouth-breathing is a no-no. Your therapy air is going in through your nose and out through your mouth, basically negating the therapy. You can try raising the humidity level a bit, but if you *are* mouth-breathing, that won't do much for the sore throat. Keep in mind that higher humidity often triggers more congestion; not for everyone, but for many. We're all different and have different needs re: humidity settings. Some people don't use a humidifier at all.

Sinus pressure isn't unusual and you may just need a little time to get used to the machine and its pressurized air. If it's really bothersome, then it's something to pay attention to and deal with.

As to strap marks, first make sure that the headgear (the straps) isn't too tight. The mask should almost "float" on the face so that the cushion (the silicone part of the mask) can properly inflate. There are also products available (strap covers) to make the straps more comfortable and cushion them against your face so you don't have those marks in the morning. See http://www.padacheek.com for those.

HTH