Oh My God What have I got myself into1?

Berniem · Post by **Berniem** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:08 am

Feeling discouraged and sorry for myself

Ok I'm about to start this thing called CPAP. I still can't remember what Cpap stands for no matter how many times I read it.
Had my first Sleep Eval about a month ago. A complete Disaster! Wired up like the bionic man with that thing blowing me in the face. Went to bed around 9:00pm Woke up around Midnight with the worse case of indegestion. Didn't have any Rolaids or Tums. Tech said that she had enough data for the next step (My God there is another step?) SO I went home at 1:00am, Woke up the whole family coming in.Thank god it was Sunday Morning.
Second Evaluation was to decide what mask to use and how much air the thing should blow in my face. Wired up again, hopefully there will not be a thunder storm or I would get fried and barbecued. Fell asleep for about a half hour. the tech would increase the pressure and I would wake up. She would decrease the pressure and I would fall asleep only to wake up again when she increased it again. Tried on the second mask this one just covered my nose instead of mouth and nose. Kept on feeling like I was going to sneeze. Never fell asleep with that one. Sat up at 1:00am took the mask off. Tech came in and said not to worry this happens a lot. (not too worry? Jeesh, how am i supposed to sleep for the rest of my life wondering whether I will stop breathing and check in to the Saint Peter Motel for the Eternally Dead!) Anyway went home At 2:00am, Hey I lasted another hour wonderful!
OK LAst night went to pickup my machine. Don't remember the name, REM...something. Got the full face mask and now I feel like I am piloting an F-16. Got checked out on the thing and told to go home put it on and watch TV for an hour. (So am I supposed to watch ER or Twilight Zone?) This would help me get used to the thing. Didn't put it on in bed last night, planning on doing that tonight. Hey am I nuts? does everyone go through this?[

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:16 am

Hi Berniem,

Berniem wrote:Hey am I nuts? does everyone go through this?

Can't answer the question as to whether you are nuts, or not. .
However, yes, everyone goes through some variation of what you've described. You'll like it here.

Regards,
Bill

DreamSeeker · Post by **DreamSeeker** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:24 am

Welcome to the forum Berniem. We've all been through that panicky feeling, brought on by not knowing what's happening. The members on this forum are very experienced and extremely willing to help answer any questions you have. As for the lightning fear, I have my machine on a surge protector, which I just flip off in the mornings.

Read all the posts pertaining to newbies, then read them again. You'll find the answers to almost all your questions there. The yellow light bulb is an encyclopedia of information. Good luck!

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:39 am

Welcome to the HoseHead Club, Berniem! Your sense of humor shines through your narrative, so I agree with NightHawkeye that you will like it here.

I can totally relate to your sleep study experiences, and feeling like the bionic man. I made it through the night by pretending that I'd been in a horrible car accident, grateful there was no pain to accompany the "life support". I dreamt of aliens, cruel sleep technicians, and public ridicule. I drove home at 5:30 AM with clump o' gunk all over my head, feeling like a strumpet coming home from a night's tryst!

The great thing is, there's this huge group of big-hearted people that will help you with every step of your journey - all you have to do is ask. The pot of gold at the end is a great night's sleep.

Good luck tonight, and let us know how you make out. Take dreamseeker's advice and read some of the hints to newbies. It really helps to have some fixes nearby on your first night.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:32 pm

Hi. Having a rough start is certainly no fun, but the end is more important than the beginning. The equipment won't always seem this foreign.

I'm guessing your titration results confirm that you actually slept enough for an accurate titration. Also, since OSA is often worse during REM, that you reached REM, and that some of your sleep time was on your back. Helps to be starting at a good place pressurewise.

Hopefully the equipment issues with soon be a non-event.

Kathy

jnickellrental · Post by **jnickellrental** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:13 pm

Everyone goes through this - listen it really really sucks at first - but give it a little while weeks maybe months and you will feel sooo much better. When I first started I was lucky to get 5 hours of sleep because of the cpap, but it felt better than normal - now I have no trouble getting 8 (schedule permiting!)

sleepyWI · Post by **sleepyWI** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:17 pm

I was lucky to get 2-3 hours of sleep at first. After 3 days I cried like a baby at 2 AM and then I found this place. As the others said...stick around...you'll like it here. I've been on cpap now for 5 months and I get 8 hours every night without fail. It wasn't easy. In fact it was damn hard but it was worth it. You can do it!

Tim

wirenut90 · Post by **wirenut90** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:43 pm

Hi Berniem, I went thru pretty much the same experience at the sleep lab and every night for the past week or so. You are the F16 pilot and I'm the space cowboy Captain Tom from Harry Chafin's song. This group is excellent support and every night I make it a little longer in space. Hang in there and don't give up. I'm Not. Don

Berniem · Post by **Berniem** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:25 am

Ok, Folks Thanks for the encouragement.
Tried the thing last night for the first time . put on the mask spent 20 minutes trying to get the straps hooked right . filled up the water thingy. went looking for the TV remote. Turned on the machine. hooked up the hose. Scared the Bejesus out of my 11 Y.O. daughter when she came in to say goodnight. realized that the above sequence was all wrong and needs to be rethinked.

Anyway watched 2 episodes of Star Trek with it on . Noticed that a party was beamed down to a planet and they were wearing masks that looked suspicially like mine. Hmmm! I wonder if they had humidefiers. I fell asleep with the tv on mute and the lights on. woke up about 12:30am took the mask off. turn off the machine and went back to sleep. Dreamnt my F16 was in a dog fight with a 747(hey It's my dream!) I figure I was "on the hose" maybe 2 hours. The Sleep Lady (is that the right term for the person at the sleep lab?) said to try it for a couple of hours at first and increase the time as I get used to it, (Yuh if ever!)
Because of my problems sleeping at the lab. they set the machine on the lowest level saying that they would increase the pressure in a couple of weeks. I am currently at level 4 and they will eventually increase it to 8 or 10. Reminds of the of the different belts in Karate. "Ok Bernie we are starting you on the white belt. then the blue belt, then the mauve belt. pretty soon you will be on your way to the taupe belt and eventually you can wear the florescent orange belt which is perfect for hitchiking and deer hunting."
Anyway I feel a little better hearing from you all. stay tuned.

Bernie

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:36 am

Berniem wrote:I figure I was "on the hose" maybe 2 hours.

Congrats on your first few hours. Take it slow and try to add some more time each night. Before you know it you will be sleeping though the night.

Berniem wrote:I am currently at level 4 and they will eventually increase it to 8 or 10.

Do you feel like you are getting enough air at 4? Many people feel like they are suffocating at 4.

dnelms · Post by **dnelms** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:38 am

I consider myself lucky because in the 14 years I've used CPAP I've never had any of these 3 or 4 hours nights that most go thru at the beginning. I've always had 7 to 10 hours each stretch. Also over that 14 year span there has only been 5 times that I have not used it. One of those times included a 3 day stretch when Hurricane Fran came calling on North Carolina and had no electricity to run it.

But here is how I look at it. I took it as no different than if a doctor told you you have high blood pressure and you need this surgery and these pills. Then take these pills until I tell you to stop, meaning years. I was told I had CPAP, I took it as I had a life threatening disease (which it is). Therefore it didn't matter how much I disliked the thought of sleeping with a machine each night for the rest of my life, I had to do it. It's part of my treatment, just like the person who has to take those blood pressure pills.

Give yourself some time, but try to tell yourself that you have no choice as to whether you can or can't do it, you have to do it. Try different masks as you get used to it and find a comfortable one, it makes all the difference.

Good Luck

Berniem · Post by **Berniem** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:48 am

Hey Mr Skinnerr now that you mention it I did feel a little like I wasn't getting enough air to breather. I thought it was just another one of the discomforts I had to endure. I was warned by the Sleep Lady not to mess with the setting, Hmmm. The upside is that I noticed my machine was a lot quieter than the the one at the lab. Maybe its becuase the setting was lower. Anyway I think I will E-mail her and ask about that.

Bernie

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:07 am

Hey Bernie! Congrats on your first night. It is a little scary for the kids , but just think of the leverage it gives you - imagine their horror if you picked them up at school wearing the mask? They'll probably do anything you ask if you threaten that!

I have my pressure at 10, with the ramp set to start at 4. After 2-3 nights, I stopped using the ramp because of the feeling that I wasn't getting enough air. That way I can get the seal right (most nights) too. So I agree that you might do better starting off at a higher pressure.

I wonder why your sleep lady wants you to take it a few hours at a time? Is that typical? Personally, I have no desire to wake up (EVER AGAIN) gasping for air.

Good luck, and stick with it! Keep posting your stories, they're quiet entertaining!

CrystalP · Post by **CrystalP** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:41 pm

I had to giggle. You sound just like me a year ago! It's hard to believe now but It gets comfortable. I hate the idea of trying to sleep without my CPAP now. A year ago if someone had said that to me, I'd have said they were nuts nuts nuts! Just don't give up on it.

sleepyhead63 · Post by **sleepyhead63** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:09 pm

Hey Bernie going through the same thing as you right now, I am just glad I found this site because I personally do not know anyone who has this problem so I felt alone for awhile but not anymore. My sleep study was also like you, the tech told me that I just made it by 10 minutes (required time for study) so at 4:00am I packed up and went home, couldn't take all the wires anymore. So we are not alone!

Oh My God What have I got myself into1?

Oh My God What have I got myself into1?

Re: Oh My God What have I got myself into1?

Rough adjustment

Yep