Just got my Equipment - My Cpap Story

gerrys · Post by **gerrys** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:26 pm

I concluded two sleep studies and got my equipment today. Tonight will be my first night on my own, and I am a bit nervous.

My test did not go so great - I woke up freaking out and ripped off my mask. I think I know what claustrophobic people feel like. I finally psyched myself out and convinced myself I wasn't being smothered, and completed the test. Lord knows they weren't about to give me a valium!!

Anyways, they said I needed a machine that allows me to breathe against the flow of air. Thanks to this great site, I educated myself ahead of time to make sure I got decent equipment.

Turns out the guy was really helpful. I got a Resmed VPAP Malibu, HumidAire 2i, and a Mirage Quattro full face mask. He said this was a new unit and the first one he programmed. It had everything I wanted except software to track my treatment.

Any comments on this equipment would be great. I sure hope my first night goes OK.

Thanks.

LyleHaze · Post by **LyleHaze** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:33 pm

Welcome aboard!

I can't comment on your equipment, but I can encourage you to do this.
It takes some getting used to, but the effect on me has been well worth it. It's about health, quality of life, and about feeling better. I hope you find it all.

LyleHaze

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:40 pm

Well, it certainly sounds like you were treated quite royally. That Malibu is "the premium auto-adjusting bilevel device in the VPAP series" according to Resmed's website:

http://www.resmed.com/en-us/products/fl ... u=products

And the Quattro hasn't been available all that long as I understand it. So sounds like you got the latest and greatest!

Good luck and God bless!

PS: If you go back to your profile and allow for Private Messages (PMs) I can provide some more information for you that might be of interest.

gerrys · Post by **gerrys** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:04 pm

Thank you both for replying and the words of encouragement. I'm glad to hear it appears I was treated well. I thought the staff and technician at the sleep center were very compassionate and helpful as well.

Slinky, I couldn't really tell where to enable PM's, so I sent you one, just to be sure I had my profile working right. I'd love to hear whatever other info you have for me.

-Gerry

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:09 pm

Gerry,
Seeing as you've gotten a logon... then they are enabled. When you get one it'll show up on the top right corner... the envelope that might say that you either have no new messages or that you have messages.

gerrys · Post by **gerrys** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:01 pm

My first night was rough. I didn't get that smothering sensation - the exhalation relief worked well.

But I couldn't seem to fall asleep - after 5 hours I decided to remove the mask and try to get a couple hours before work.

I was really stressing on my breathing. I was conscious of every breath. I was almost managing my breathing, which left me stressed and unable to sleep.

Also, this machine is loud and disturbed my wife. Even though constant pressure machines don't work for me, I think it would be better for your bed partner. My wife described the VPAP as sounding like a respirator.

But we are both not giving up and will try again tonight!

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:48 pm

Can you get one of those large mouse pads to set your xPAP on? The type of padding can absorb a lot of sound. You don't want something so soft that the xPAP sinks down into it and prevents circulation. A square of carpeting might also work well.

I've seen others mention they found a lovely wood or wood appearing 2 drawer file cabinet, just the right height and their xPAP and humidifier sit in the bottom drawer. Others have nightstands w/a door and shelf and they keep their xPAP on the shelf behind the door. Both of those "fixes" help to absorb sound.

gerrys · Post by **gerrys** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:05 pm

Thanks Slinky.

The mouse pad is a great idea. I'll give that a try.

I figured someone may have already come up with some sort of hush box for these units. Something similar to what people use in their home theaters to reduce the sounds of their projectors.

If I have the time I may try to work up something that adequately ventilates the machine yet kills some of the sound.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:02 pm

Slinky wrote:Can you get one of those large mouse pads to set your xPAP on? The type of padding can absorb a lot of sound. You don't want something so soft that the xPAP sinks down into it and prevents circulation. A square of carpeting might also work well.

I've seen others mention they found a lovely wood or wood appearing 2 drawer file cabinet, just the right height and their xPAP and humidifier sit in the bottom drawer. Others have nightstands w/a door and shelf and they keep their xPAP on the shelf behind the door. Both of those "fixes" help to absorb sound.

(Mouse pads)
Not only sound, but if you have a night stand with a slick top to it, it will help prevent you from pulling your machine off the night stand if you should happen to roll over and reach the limits of your hose. Depending on the "footprint" of the machine and the size of the mouse pads, you might even need two.

Den

Bookbear · Post by **Bookbear** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:33 pm

A caution on the 'hush box' idea. The cpap must be able to draw in air for it to pressurize and send to you. If it's placed in a soundproof chamber it is highly unlikely it will be able to draw enough air. Any vent slots on such a box would obviously greatly reduce the effectiveness of the soundproofing. You would need to balance the sound proofing with adequate air supply.

I once had a very loud dot matrix impact printer at work that had a sound box. The box sealed well, you barely hear the printer. Too well, in fact... the printer routinely overheated and shut down since there was no longer enough air circulation.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:13 pm

I agree with Bookbear that you'd want to be careful that any "soundproof" box you fixed for a cpap machine doesn't make it overheat.

Here's an old, old, OLD topic that is still of interest in that regard:

http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/message-b ... php?t=3203
Jul 03 2004 subject: Question about noise reduction

gerrys · Post by **gerrys** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:13 am

rested gal - thanks for that link!

I do agree with Bear in that a completely sealed box would be a disaster. I was thinking of something people use to help quiet their projectors. Projectors get very hot, and if the bulb is not cooled properly it will explode. But built with sufficient ventilation, it is not a problem.

I'm not worried about the heat so much as Bear's statement that the machine requires airflow to produce airflow. I also don't want to void my warranty. so I think the question is "How much airflow is required?"

On another note, my second night was better, but still not a success. I didn't stress over breathing, and it felt more natural. But I only made it a few hours with the mask. I ended up taking it off so I could get what I perceive is "quality sleep" before work.

But this weekend its on! I've committed to keeping that mask on all night!

Thanks

gerrys · Post by **gerrys** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:04 am

Night 3 was pretty rough. I only kept the mask on for about 4 hours before removing it (those are pretty soft words, I actually ripped it off my face and threw it on the ground!)

Night 4, I apparently removed it without knowing. At 5 am my wife woke me up and made me put it on. I went right back to sleep and slept for 3 hours straight. That was the longest period I'd slept with the mask.

Night 5 was better. I can tolerate the mask on my face without stressing, and breathing is much more natural. But I still couldn't fall asleep. I removed it about 4 AM.

So I think I am progressing OK, mainly since the anxiety seems to be gone. Hopefully better sleep will follow...

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:20 am

Stay with it, GerryS. Rome wasn't built in a day. For some of us it took some time to adjust to this "beastie" we must now sleep with. Congratulations to your wife for making you put that mask back on!!! You were probably so groggy your mind didn't have the energy or wherewithall to fuss about that mask and so let you respond to the pressure and mask and SLEEP!!!

tillymarigold · Post by **tillymarigold** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:52 am

Slinky wrote:I've seen others mention they found a lovely wood or wood appearing 2 drawer file cabinet, just the right height and their xPAP and humidifier sit in the bottom drawer. Others have nightstands w/a door and shelf and they keep their xPAP on the shelf behind the door. Both of those "fixes" help to absorb sound.

Real wood amplifies sound. I had my room humidifier sitting on a table and it was so loud that I had to put it on the floor instead. It's much quieter now. That said, I do keep my machine on the top shelf of my night stand although I'm thinking of putting it inside. (My night stand has a door on the bottom and a shelf on top; I'd have to sleep with the door open but in any case the door is made of open-weave bamboo so it wouldn't block the air.) But it's really quiet, I don't notice it falling asleep although I do when it's really quiet in the middle of the night if I wake up.

GerryS, I would try watching some TV or reading with the mask on before falling asleep. For a lot of people, that helps to get them used to the mask before needing to worry about falling asleep with it on. I've been at it for a couple months but still usually fall asleep watching TV--I set the TV to turn off in 15 minutes and am always asleep by that time. It gives me something to concentrate on rather than OMG-there's-a-thing-on-my-face-blowing-air-at-me, will-I-sleep-well, should-I-try-to-stop-the-leaks-entirely-or-leave-well-enough-alone, etc.

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed VPAP Malibu

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed VPAP Malibu

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed VPAP Malibu

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed VPAP Malibu

Just got my Equipment - My Cpap Story

Just got my Equipment - My Cpap Story

nights 3,4 and 5