rookie-struggling

[cpapper]

I've been on CPAP 7 nights now, and I hate it!!! However, this site has given me more information than sleep doctor or RT have, and it is helping. I have a hunch I have a lot of blow outs thru mouth going on, my husband is going to check it out tonight if he happens to wake up when I'm making a lot of noise. Last night, if I was making noise, he just poked me and it stopped, I asked him if tongiht he would see if I'm breathing with mouth open, if i wake him up with noises. I don't know if I have a lot of apnea or mild, or what. I didn't ask enough questions when I last saw sleep doctor about what was happening. I was surprised that I even had sleep apnea, maybe a little bit of denial going on. Didn't have classic symptoms- no snoring, not falling asleep in the day etc. Also, 5 years ago I had surgery for cancer of soft palate (tumor of saliviary gland), mayfe I need a CT scan to rule that out as cause of apnea because of a reoccurence. Anyhow, this is a great support group. Thank you hose heads, it's an honor to be part of your group.

[everson]

Hi Everyone, I'm not even a rookie yet, Im getting my cpap tomorrow and I'm terrifiedthat it wont work. Is it normal to have 45 events in one hour? Thats what they told me. I also didnt know that I had this, got high blood pressure and they suggested a sleep study. Can anyone tell me if their blood pressure went down after use of CPAP?
Help!

[GumbyCT]

Can anyone tell me if their blood pressure went down after use of CPAP?

Mine did, Yes.

But don't expect it to right away. Esp. if you are at the wrong press. on a straight CPAP.

Push for an auto that records so you can tell if the therapy is being effective.

Continue to monitor your bp & work with your sleep doc until your therapy is effective.
Good Luck,
GumbyCT

[AnneO]

I've been on CPAP 7 nights now, and I hate it!!!

cpapper, what exactly do you hate about it?
I've been using my cpap for just over 1 month. The air blowing up my nose doesn't bother me at all. The mask, on the other hand, annoys the s#@t out of me. I use a nasal pillow mask. I have trouble getting myself settled in: hose needs to be placed so it doesn't pull, mask keeps shifting, etc. But, when I wake up in the morning I feel better, so in spite of the little nuisance things, cpap therapy is really great as far as I'm concerned.

There are a lot of knowledgeable, helpful people in this forum. If you give specific examples of the things you hate about cpap, someone might be able to give you a solution.

Hi Everyone, I'm not even a rookie yet, Im getting my cpap tomorrow and I'm terrifiedthat it wont work. Is it normal to have 45 events in one hour? ... Can anyone tell me if their blood pressure went down after use of CPAP?

everson, I had the same fears. My sleep study showed that I was having 90 events an hour. The cpap therapy is working great. And yes, my blood pressure did drop a little after starting therapy.

[shippy]

What you describe is how most of us started out, my sleep study showed around 90 events per hour, went through the denial stage myself and like most here diagnosed with hypertension caused by untreated OSA I have been on the hose since Dec. 06 and there have been nights where i felt like ripping off that mask. But its a lifetime thing and when i think about the 1 min. and 11 seconds i stopped breathing during my first sleep study it don't take me long to realize i gotta keep on keeping on. Asked my Dr. last week if i could get off the BP meds and the answer was no. Keep hanging around here and read all you can, click on the yellow light bulb up above and your support group is here with all of these fine people here at cpaptalk.

Good Luck and hang in there

Dale

[NeedinZs]

Hi cpapper,

And welcome.

I most definitely would have that soft palate issue looked at again.
I have a friend that was also diagnosed with apnea, and awhile later they found out he had cancerous tumors in his throat, esophagus.

So, not to scare you, but just rule that out, so you can get on with your CPAP therapy.

Also, what type of mask are you using and have you looked up about mouth taping or Poli-griip strips on this forum?

Read all you have time for on here. It is MOST HELPFUL!

More specifically list what you are having the most problems with.

Wishing you the best!