I have no luck with CPAP!!!

jomac30 · Post by **jomac30** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:22 pm

woke up with sore nose bridge. It has 2 large pimples with white spots on them. I tried using my nasal mask last night because my CL2 direct seal seemed to leak. I made an appointment next week with a new DME for mask fitting. I told them I wanted something very small, maybe a breeze dreamseal. Now I don't know which type of mask to get because I sleep talk. After 14 months, I expect to be able to get some relief and sleep all night, but I woke up every 2 hours. I don't know if I need a different machine or just a better feeling mask.
Are there other people who totally failed on cpap? I'm really trying every night but nothing seems to work.
Feeling very frustrated that this isn't working for me and I don't think a dental device would be any good because I have crowns and implants. Also my pressure is too high for a dental device.
New type machine? New type mask? Both? Help!

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:26 pm

We can't always remember which machine your using, etc. You really need to go to your profile and fill it out and indicate what pressure you are at. It will save us from asking each time.

If you go the gray bar up at the top the profile is in the middle of the section. If you scroll down you will see where you fill out your equipment and it gives you a space for additional info.

What machine and what pressure? I know you have told us but many will not go back and check these out.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:34 pm

A new machine won't help you with sore nose bridge. You need a new mask ... and if you sleep talk, you probably should stick to a full face or hybrid type mask.

Finding the right mask is the hardest part of this treatment.

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:49 pm

jomac30

Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 75

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:01 pm Post subject: Delete Spam

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My original sleep studies showed some apneas but I really wasn't able to sleep very long. I think that's why they were repeated at different labs.
It said I had restless limbs.
In my latest sleep study it said my restless limbs stopped once I was titrated to 13.
I have Gerd but I take Omeprazole for it.
My machine is a Respironics M pro with C-flex. The humidifier is attached to it.
I send the smartcard to the DME whenever I get a new mask to see if iis working. The DME was reluctant to send me the data. They wanted to send it directly to my sleep doc, but I argued with them that the report is for me I wanted to know if cpap was working on my apnea.
Where is the least expensive place to buy one of those card readers? Do I just insert my smartcard into it?

Thank you

Are you completely sure that the restless syndrome is taken care of? Do you have a bed partner that can verify that you aren't kicking and thrashing all night?

Did you get the software and reader? That will help you fine tune your therapy. Without it you still aren't sure what is happening. I bet you still have a high leak rate and that is drastically affecting your therapy. Without the software and reader you can't be sure. Sending it to the DME occasionally doesn't allow for you to track trends in my own opinion.

Your pressure is moderate but not nearly as high as many here on the forum. I am on an apap set for a range of 8 to 12 and often hit the 12 mark. I don't use the ramp and have the c-flex set at 2. I work with one gentleman whose pressure is 16 and another co-worker whose hubby is at 19. I am glad I am not them. If you truly feel that you can not handle your pressure of 13, then you might consider an apap. If you have your original script you can purchase an apap from cpap.com with it. That might help but doubt if the insurance will reimburse you for a new machine just yet.

You may just have to accept that a full face mask is what you will have to deal with. If you are sleep talking and screaming and have been unsuccessful with mouth taping or polident strips you really don't have much choice. Even those mask are trial and error and you may have to try more than one out to find the one that is most comfortable.

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:53 pm

Oh by the way if you have GERD you may have to try different drugs with that.

I was taking Prilosec (what you are taking) and mine kept getting worse. I was on 2 a day, plus Reglan, plus Mylanta trying to control it.

Doctor switched me to Nexium and it solved except insurance won't pay for it so am now trying Prevacid and it is better and am off the Reglan and Mylanta, although it isn't as effective as the Nexium.

Snooze_Blues · Post by **Snooze_Blues** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:02 pm

Have you tried bending and adjusting your Direct Seal?

Have you tried the CL2 vertical "screw" adjuster and the "pinch thingie" angular adjuster?

I used a hand held mirror to help see all the angles so I could adjust all those things and get the nosepiece to seal its best, while I had the machine running to check for leaks. Have you tried something like this?

We all have different face and nose shapes and angles, but I found the Direct Seal to be SOOO much easier to fit and SOOO much better at sealing than the pillows.

One thing I've noticed about the CL2 is the back strap rides up on the back of my head a bit when I'm sleeping, which in turn causes the front of the mask to rise up a bit, creating extra pressure on my nares. If the pillows didn't fit just right, and they didn't for me, it had a tendency to push a part of the wider, flared portion of the pillow into the edge of my nare. That's what gave me the pimple and an additional "sore" there. It took a while to get the straps adjusted "just right", and I think it will help a bit when I cut my hair a little shorter back there.

PS. I feel for you. I also had a pimple on the mask contact area of my nose (between the nares) while using the pillows and it certainly did smart! That's what led me to the Direct Seal. My wife swears by camphor to quickly heal a pimple. You might give that a try, too. Just dab on liquid camphor with your finger a few times a day.

jomac30 · Post by **jomac30** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:26 pm

I updated my profile, but the info I added regarding my pressure and start date does not show up. I entered it in the block that says add to signature. Is there a different place to add this info?
I have an appointment next week with a new DME and I'm hoping my sleep doctor will try me on an auto with a-flex when I see him in a couple of weeks. Then I'll probably get the software to read my data.
What's the difference between the Respironics Remstar Auto M series with A-flex and the REsmed VPAP Auto? The prices are so different.
I was also looking at the Respironics BiPap Auto M series.
Would Bi-Pap be easier to sleep with than Auto with a-flex?
My pressure is 13 right now.

angimarie · Post by **angimarie** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:31 pm

I went to the quattro full face mask and could not be happier. it sounds like you need a full face mask if you are talking, you are breathing through your mouth.

-angi

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:56 pm

First you HAVE to get the mouth leaks under control.

If you ARE LEAKING out your mouth NO machine will help!!! Be sure and tell the doctor you are sleep talking and screaming as that definitely impacts treatment!!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:04 pm

Getting this therapy working isn't necessarily a matter of "luck".

The M Series Pro is a good, data-capable machine. You can get software and the card reader to find out what's happening. It's a very good investment.....and in my opinion absolutely necessary.

Den

rachie · Post by **rachie** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:08 pm

I've had my cpap machine and the same mask for about a year now. I still take my mask off during the night without being aware of it, and half the time I fall asleep without even putting my mask on. It seems like if I put it on before I'm really sleepy I get irritated with it before falling asleep and end up taking it off before I even fall asleep.

I wish I could be more compliant but it's so difficult. I can tell a difference for sure when I wear my mask for most of the night, so I really WANT to do it.

I'm going to try putting it on while watching some tv before I fall asleep (I have the tv on every night before I fall asleep and it is set on a sleep timer so it will go off after I'm asleep...can't seem to sleep without it), and maybe I will eventually get used to it.

I'm at a pressure of 13 currently. I don't know if it's the right pressure, but it's what I was prescribed so that's what I use. I kind of wish the insurance would agree to send me back to the sleep lab again so they can monitor me and I can be sure the pressure is right, but they aren't interested in that so I just trust it's correct.

I use a nasal mask. When I first got my machine, I tried several different masks at the DME and the full face masks made me feel way too claustrophobic. I don't have any trouble with my mouth opening during the night, so it works. I asked if I could try the nasal pillows but the DME and dr. both said that at my pressure I shouldn't use nasal pillows. After reading posts here of people at the same or similar pressure who do use nasal pillows I doubt that advice, but I have no way of knowing if that type of mask would be any more comfortable with me.

My point is, it's not just you! I still struggle with taking my mask off and just resolved after reading your post and the replies that I really need to try harder to be compliant.

I use provigil during the day, so that helps with the grogginess. I had been using 12.5 mg of Ambien CR at night, too, to sleep but insurance won't pay for it now. I think I'll ask the dr. at my next appt if I can get a prescription for generic ambien. It's not CR, but maybe it will help? If I could just fall asleep easier I think I'd be able to be more compliant...

Don't give up! The cpap really does help if you can keep the mask on!

SusanD · Post by **SusanD** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:33 pm

I tried about 10 masks before I ended up finally being able to sleep with the Breeze Dreamseal. The trick with the Breeze is that it has 4 or 5 separate adjustment points. I cannot sleep with anything else because I cannot stand anything up my nostrils or a lot of hard plastic and straps on my face.

You need to pull the lower part of the Breeze down so that it comes to the base of your head. Then push up from the front of the Breeze so that your head is sort of caught "in the middle". The mask part itself, will also move up and down, so adjust it where it fits over your nose and doesn't leak. Please note that when the plastic starts to "wear" it will leak so you will need a new "Dreamseal" part. I now sleep all night and if it happens to make a noise or "hiss" I automatically adjust it and keep on sleeping. I would really be out of luck if it weren't for the Breeze & the Dreamseal. I've tried the Comfort Curve (will not stay on my face since I'm a side sleepr), the Comfort Lite, Comfort Lite 2, the Activa (HATE THAT MASK -- like sleeping in a catcher's mask), the Flexfit 406, the Swift, The Mirage Vista, etc, etc.

Good luck and email me back if you need more pointers with the Breeze!

Susan D.

Mask

Additional Comments: I AM NEW TO THIS!