Hello all! Yes, I'm a newbie. Was just diagnosed with OSA two months ago after my girlfriend noticed I stopped breathing when I slept. Up until then, I had no idea. What I did know was that I was tired all of the time, my brain felt muddy (that's the only way I could describe it) and I was pummeled by 2 or 3 terrifying migraines a week (most of them came in the morning -- shoulda been clue #1!).
Anyway, did the two sleep studies, one on my own and one with cpap/bipap. After a prescription and a struggle with a DME, I have a Respironics BiPap M Series Plus (the kind without software, etc.) with a heated humidifier and a ComfortFull 2 FF mask (large), which is basically the set up I had during my last sleep study.
For the first couple of nights, it wasn't bad. I had already had the FF mask on during the study and it didn't seem to bother me. The first day after, I felt somewhat replenished.
Since then, my subconscious seems to have taken over every night. For a string of five nights in a row, I have awoke to find the mask sitting neatly on the bedside table, the machine turned off from its "auto off" feature. My favorite was, one day I had watched the Respironics DVD on the mask and it said one way to take it off was by disconnecting the ball joint at bottom of mask, leaving only three other straps attached, so it could come off easier. The next morning, would you believe I had taken the mask off in that exact way while I was asleep?
Now, it seems that I'm getting at least three hours of therapy a night before the mask comes off, not sure why that is, but that's what machine says.
I apologize in advance, because I'm sure this topic has come up many times here. If there's a particularly good thread that may help me, I'd appreciate any direction you could point me in.
But I'm still wasted and tired every day, and no matter what I do, I can't seem to get my inner me to accept the mask in the way my conscious self has.
If it makes any difference, my scrip pressures are 15-8 on the BiPap (with a ramp of 11-4).
Powerful subconsciouis!
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sleepysteve
- Posts: 5
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- Location: West Chester, Pa.
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Powerful subconsciouis!
I have not yet begun to procrastinate.
Others may laugh if they want but if you are a religious person have you tried prayer. I am on my second CPAP the first time I tried one four years earlier I could not take it. I opted for surgery instead.
When the apnea came back I knew this was my last chance, I knew how close to dying I was before the surgery. You know some people will fall asleep at stop lights? I fell asleep at stop SIGNS!
I don't pray often for things for myself but i prayed that i could adjust to the mask and machine. For me it worked, checked my hours and i have over 10,000 hours of sleep while on the CPAP.
Was it the prayer or just convincing my subconciuos that I needed it, you get to choose, but it did work. Others I have helped adjust have gotten the same advice and are now living happy, healthy and awake lifes. Give it a try, it can't hurt.
When the apnea came back I knew this was my last chance, I knew how close to dying I was before the surgery. You know some people will fall asleep at stop lights? I fell asleep at stop SIGNS!
I don't pray often for things for myself but i prayed that i could adjust to the mask and machine. For me it worked, checked my hours and i have over 10,000 hours of sleep while on the CPAP.
Was it the prayer or just convincing my subconciuos that I needed it, you get to choose, but it did work. Others I have helped adjust have gotten the same advice and are now living happy, healthy and awake lifes. Give it a try, it can't hurt.
always a hosehead, almost a hoser.
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DreamSeeker
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:28 pm
- Location: Texas
I am ALL for prayer myself. I've gone ahead and said one for both of you.
In addition, one solution I've heard here is to put your mask on and while looking at your clock say to yourself three times:
"I will not take my mask off until 00:00 am."
"I will not take my mask off until 00:00 am."
"I will not take my mask off until 00:00 am."
Then Physically touch the clasp on your mask still looking at the clock and say again three times:
"I will not unhook this clasp until 00:00 am."
"I will not unhook this clasp until 00:00 am."
"I will not unhook this clasp until 00:00 am."
I know.. I know.. it sounds corny, but it does work for some people.
Another suggestion I have heard is to put the mask on during the day while you are watching TV for a while to help you get used to wearing the mask.
Another option is to disable the auto-off. The whooshing sound may wake you up enough to realize you need to put the mask back on.
There is also a Mask alert in the setup of the Respironics that will beep when you take the mask off.
Good luck, and definitely don't give up. It will get better. I too occasionally find that I have neatly removed my mask, and turned off my machine.
In addition, one solution I've heard here is to put your mask on and while looking at your clock say to yourself three times:
"I will not take my mask off until 00:00 am."
"I will not take my mask off until 00:00 am."
"I will not take my mask off until 00:00 am."
Then Physically touch the clasp on your mask still looking at the clock and say again three times:
"I will not unhook this clasp until 00:00 am."
"I will not unhook this clasp until 00:00 am."
"I will not unhook this clasp until 00:00 am."
I know.. I know.. it sounds corny, but it does work for some people.
Another suggestion I have heard is to put the mask on during the day while you are watching TV for a while to help you get used to wearing the mask.
Another option is to disable the auto-off. The whooshing sound may wake you up enough to realize you need to put the mask back on.
There is also a Mask alert in the setup of the Respironics that will beep when you take the mask off.
Good luck, and definitely don't give up. It will get better. I too occasionally find that I have neatly removed my mask, and turned off my machine.
_________________
| Machine: DreamStation Auto CPAP Machine |
| Mask: AirFit™ N20 Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Humidifier: DreamStation Heated Humidifier |
| Additional Comments: Started PAP on 1/16/07. - Typical 90% pressure ~ 10 cm H20 |
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Guest
Prayer is not necessary. You simply program your subconscious to NOT take off the mask before your intended wake time. I've given the instructions for this so often here that my fingers are falling off, but I'm happy to do so! Here's a thread in which I give 'em:
viewtopic.php?t=20187&start=0
That thread also contains an account of how the person with the problem tried my technique, and experienced excellent results and came back and thanked me. That was nice of them!
Read up, and try it. All you do is have a little talk with yourself before bed each night.
viewtopic.php?t=20187&start=0
That thread also contains an account of how the person with the problem tried my technique, and experienced excellent results and came back and thanked me. That was nice of them!
Read up, and try it. All you do is have a little talk with yourself before bed each night.
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Guest
Actually, I'll just repeat the instructions here, for your convenience:
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Simple solution: before going to sleep, touch your mask and look at your clock radio. Say 3 times, "I will not take off this mask before (intended wake time)". Then say to yourself, "If I want to take off the mask, I have to look at the clock. If it's before (intended wake time), I WILL NOT take off the mask." Then do the first phrase 3 more times. Be looking at the clock the whole time.
This reprograms your subconscious, in a sense anyway. When you wake up at night to take off the mask, you'll look at the clock, see it's not time yet, and leave it on. You will usually remember NONE of this process, but it does occur. Weird but interesting, no?
It sounds silly, but it works, it really works (for most folks). Try it! It eliminates the problem. No drugs, no expenses, no hassles.
If you have enough mental power during these not-remembered nighttime episodes to be able to cleanly remove and neatly arrange a mask next to you, you ALSO have enough mental power to run the "subroutine" you've programmed into yourself for such situations. You want to take off the mask, but you remember that in that situation, you must look at the clock. You do. It's before your intended wake time. You don't remove the mask, and you go back to sleep. You have no memory of any of this, of course, but the next morning, the mask's on your face, not on the sheets next to you... so you did indeed follow the directions you "planted" at bedtime.
Doesn't hurt to try it, does it? And I've people come back here with the typical response of "OMG it worked!" and such. =) Might take a few nights to start working, so stick with it.
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Hope that helps.
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Simple solution: before going to sleep, touch your mask and look at your clock radio. Say 3 times, "I will not take off this mask before (intended wake time)". Then say to yourself, "If I want to take off the mask, I have to look at the clock. If it's before (intended wake time), I WILL NOT take off the mask." Then do the first phrase 3 more times. Be looking at the clock the whole time.
This reprograms your subconscious, in a sense anyway. When you wake up at night to take off the mask, you'll look at the clock, see it's not time yet, and leave it on. You will usually remember NONE of this process, but it does occur. Weird but interesting, no?
It sounds silly, but it works, it really works (for most folks). Try it! It eliminates the problem. No drugs, no expenses, no hassles.
If you have enough mental power during these not-remembered nighttime episodes to be able to cleanly remove and neatly arrange a mask next to you, you ALSO have enough mental power to run the "subroutine" you've programmed into yourself for such situations. You want to take off the mask, but you remember that in that situation, you must look at the clock. You do. It's before your intended wake time. You don't remove the mask, and you go back to sleep. You have no memory of any of this, of course, but the next morning, the mask's on your face, not on the sheets next to you... so you did indeed follow the directions you "planted" at bedtime.
Doesn't hurt to try it, does it? And I've people come back here with the typical response of "OMG it worked!" and such. =) Might take a few nights to start working, so stick with it.
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Hope that helps.
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sleepysteve
- Posts: 5
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- Contact:
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DreamStalker
- Posts: 7509
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So does it also work if you look at the clock and say 3 times “I will become rich today!” or do prayers work better for that … and do the planets and/or moon have to be in correct alignment for either method?
He he he … just funn’in with y’all.
I do hope you manage to get used to keeping that mask on though … some things just take time.
Best wishes!
He he he … just funn’in with y’all.
I do hope you manage to get used to keeping that mask on though … some things just take time.
Best wishes!
President-pretender, J. Biden, said "the DNC has built the largest voter fraud organization in US history". Too bad they didn’t build the smartest voter fraud organization and got caught.
Steve......Once I consciously KNEW that I was going to die early because of my Apnea/Hypopnea problem, there was no problem convincing my sub-conscious to go along with the program.
My blood pressure was going above 200 at various times during the night....and when I finally took the trouble of actually measuring it immediately after waking (in the middle of the night), I didn't just walk....I RAN to the first sleep clinic I could get into.
I realized that I was VERY close to having a stroke....which could leave me a vegetable......if it didn't kill me. I learned that I was on the verge of developing congestive heart failure.....and sustaining major kidney damage.......all because of blood pressure that was out of control.
Do a little reading about the dangers of Sleep Apnea.....check your blood pressure with an electronic monitor (available cheap at all drug stores).....and convince yourself that you're going to be in big trouble if you don't get serious about your condition.
Then......."sit down" with your sub-conscious and convince it of the danger you face.
I predict that your sub-conscious will gladly go along.....and stop playing tricks on you in the middle of the night.
Gerald
PS: If you're bothered by having to get up in the middle of the night to pee, make a "deal" with your sub-conscious. Tell it that you won't bother it with getting up to pee....if it will let you wear the mask all night long!
My blood pressure was going above 200 at various times during the night....and when I finally took the trouble of actually measuring it immediately after waking (in the middle of the night), I didn't just walk....I RAN to the first sleep clinic I could get into.
I realized that I was VERY close to having a stroke....which could leave me a vegetable......if it didn't kill me. I learned that I was on the verge of developing congestive heart failure.....and sustaining major kidney damage.......all because of blood pressure that was out of control.
Do a little reading about the dangers of Sleep Apnea.....check your blood pressure with an electronic monitor (available cheap at all drug stores).....and convince yourself that you're going to be in big trouble if you don't get serious about your condition.
Then......."sit down" with your sub-conscious and convince it of the danger you face.
I predict that your sub-conscious will gladly go along.....and stop playing tricks on you in the middle of the night.
Gerald
PS: If you're bothered by having to get up in the middle of the night to pee, make a "deal" with your sub-conscious. Tell it that you won't bother it with getting up to pee....if it will let you wear the mask all night long!
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Guest
Well, crappy and inaccurate ones are available cheap, yes.check your blood pressure with an electronic monitor (available cheap at all drug stores)
If possible, invest the money necessary to get a higher-end unit, something like a good digital full-automatic Omron with IntelliSense, for example. You might pay $150 or so, but the result is dependability and high accuracy over a wide range of conditions.
.
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sharon1965
- Posts: 1232
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:59 pm
- Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada
sleepysteve
i did the same thing for a while, but eventually you do stop doing it...the telling yourself before going to sleep thing really does work...it worked for me! one day soon you'll wake up with it on and voila, no more stealthy removal in the night
best of luck!
sharon1965
i did the same thing for a while, but eventually you do stop doing it...the telling yourself before going to sleep thing really does work...it worked for me! one day soon you'll wake up with it on and voila, no more stealthy removal in the night
best of luck!
sharon1965
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got...
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sleepysteve
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu May 31, 2007 8:33 am
- Location: West Chester, Pa.
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Gerald: I'm well aware of the potential problems -- I did a lot (too much) research before I even went in for my sleep study. So I'm definitely on board with the program.
Everyone, thanks for the pep talk! I'll try the clock radio thing and stay with it. The funny thing is, and this is going to sound strange, but in the time before I go to sleep, I actually enjoy the sensation of the air going in and out through my FF mask. I know, I'm a weirdo, huh?
Everyone, thanks for the pep talk! I'll try the clock radio thing and stay with it. The funny thing is, and this is going to sound strange, but in the time before I go to sleep, I actually enjoy the sensation of the air going in and out through my FF mask. I know, I'm a weirdo, huh?
I have not yet begun to procrastinate.
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sleepysteve
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu May 31, 2007 8:33 am
- Location: West Chester, Pa.
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Well, I tried the talking to the clock thing AND I prayed.
Unfortunately, however, due to circumstances beyond my control, I didn't get to bed until late. However, I was wearing the mask when I woke up after 4:45 of sleep or so.
However, because I got to bed so late, I'm still sleepysteve today. As my grandmother always said -- sometimes you can't win for losin'.
Anyway, thanks to all for all of the great advice. I'm just going to keep talking to my clock and praying for awhile, and hopefully I'll be able to keep the thing on my head!
Unfortunately, however, due to circumstances beyond my control, I didn't get to bed until late. However, I was wearing the mask when I woke up after 4:45 of sleep or so.
However, because I got to bed so late, I'm still sleepysteve today. As my grandmother always said -- sometimes you can't win for losin'.
Anyway, thanks to all for all of the great advice. I'm just going to keep talking to my clock and praying for awhile, and hopefully I'll be able to keep the thing on my head!
I have not yet begun to procrastinate.
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DreamStalker
- Posts: 7509
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:58 am
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... and not forget it is a full moon tonight toosleepysteve wrote:Well, I tried the talking to the clock thing AND I prayed.
Unfortunately, however, due to circumstances beyond my control, I didn't get to bed until late. However, I was wearing the mask when I woke up after 4:45 of sleep or so.
However, because I got to bed so late, I'm still sleepysteve today. As my grandmother always said -- sometimes you can't win for losin'.
Anyway, thanks to all for all of the great advice. I'm just going to keep talking to my clock and praying for awhile, and hopefully I'll be able to keep the thing on my head!
... should be your lucky night!
President-pretender, J. Biden, said "the DNC has built the largest voter fraud organization in US history". Too bad they didn’t build the smartest voter fraud organization and got caught.
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neverbetter
- Posts: 712
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It never fails to bother me when people with sleeping disorders tell me they fell asleep at every light, stop signs, etc.
Why the hell were you still getting behind the wheel? To kill us? To kill someones son or daughter? When you know your going to fall asleep every time your car is idling , how in the world can you risk everyones life like that?
Please, people, if your slept dept is not under control and your still falling asleep at the wheel, you have a responsibility to not drive just like someone drunk shouldn't drive.
You know who you are. That's why were here.
Why the hell were you still getting behind the wheel? To kill us? To kill someones son or daughter? When you know your going to fall asleep every time your car is idling , how in the world can you risk everyones life like that?
Please, people, if your slept dept is not under control and your still falling asleep at the wheel, you have a responsibility to not drive just like someone drunk shouldn't drive.
You know who you are. That's why were here.