RuthArt Therapy Thread

[RuthArt]

I've gone back through the posts and I don't see anywhere that Pugsy mentioned
me getting a different machine. When I was first on this Resmed in November,
I was doing really well, then all of a sudden the mask was leaking and I was having
many OSA and CA events.
I want to be strong and get through this, but I feel so weak and unable to cope with
this and an upcoming surgery which can't be done unless I get the OSA under control,
especially while on my back. I hate going to bed and think if I stay up later and later,
I'll finally be worn out enough to keep the mask on.

[RuthArt]

New mask - AirFit N20, tech says it won't leak....it leaks!!
And now I snore during the leaking. But my hours on the machine
are good and the AHI is awesome..but the snoring wakes me up.
That's as disruptive as OA and CA (except I am breathing at least!!)

Oh Pugsy.... I just bought the Bleep Dreamports, but I can't seem to line them
up, what's the secret?? I've watched the videos but they always end
up pointing away from each other and I can't get them to connect to the
hose piece. Can they be connected to the hose piece first then attached to
the nose?? I really want to try them.

[Dreaming1]

Rotate the tape out toward the ears to change the angle of the dreamports themselves. Leave the paper on the back of them while doing it until you get the port straight down. Stuart always talks about getting them as parallel as you can. I have two friends I turned onto using it and all of us have the tape going a different direction out at the ears to get good alignment under the nose. Did you watch this video? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L-pRVlAo6Ic. Calling Stuart is a good option too.

[RuthArt]

Yes, I had watched that video carefully...that's why I'm struggling...I think getting the clicks in
is a big problem for me. But I don't think there were leaks until the pressure went up to 13?
I'll keep at it until my 2 weeks of ports are gone.

Night of March 3, I started out with the Bleep, I thought I had it connected right.
Wore it from 12 to 1:30 am, I think I may have slept (when I zoomed in on the
breathing, it looked normal) but I don't remember why I woke up. I think I noticed
leaking and tried to re-attach the clips to the ports, but that didn't work and I
gave up on that and put on the N20. I wonder why I had so many Clear Airway events
and there were many that didn't reach the 10 sec mark. It all happened when I reached
13 pressure. And, it looks like all the big snoring was while I was on the Bleep.

I did well on the N20 (except for all the large leaks and noise from air trying to get
past my mouth taping, I don't think there is anything that will keep air in my mouth
if it wants out!) I don't like having to put tape up around the bridge of the nose
because the tape (micropore) sticks and made a huge blood spot under my eye. (I'm
on blood thinner so more sensitive I guess) even moistening with water didn't help
much during removal...just have to go slow and keep the tissue taut.

[Pugsy]

The centrals are more reflective of your being awake and fiddling with the mask than anything else. Ignore them.

Call Stuart...maybe he's got some hints to help you with the connections.

The ports are pretty forgiving when it comes to angles. It's rare that I have them perfect. There's always one side that wants to go out at some sort of weird angle it seems like. I actually angle the more narrow end of the adhesive towards the top of my ear. Most of it ends up on my cheek and not so much up the side of my nose.

After I attach the ports I put the palm of my hand under the hose and try to breathe in and out. If I can't...the ports are attached correctly but if something is not quite secure then I can usually move some air and maybe even hear it. Then I reattach them....and test with palm of the hand again.