can this possibly get better????????

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:14 pm

If it feels like it's too much air, either ask your doctor to drop the pressure to a lower setting and work up,.......or........do it yourself......

http://www.cpap-supply.com/Articles.asp?ID=130

My philosophy is that whatever air you're getting is more than you were getting pre-therapy.

Also, see if you can get that machine upgraded to an Elite.....it'll give you nightly statistics.

EVERYBODY should be able to monitor their own CPAP therapy. It's no different than people who have Diabetes......they're able to monitor their own glucose levels.

Den

yorkiemum01 · Post by **yorkiemum01** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:22 pm

Thank you Den, that is helpful information, do appreciate it.
Looks like I need a real education in this CPAP treatment in order to truly
understand if I'm benefiting from the product. As much as One would
like to be pro-active in their care, the clinicians certainly don't encourage
education as my RT came in, set CPAP at one level that I wasnt provided information on how to bypass. Just said 'level is set for you, no adjustments needed'. Night # 7 is approaching, and I'm determined not to
let this machine beat me!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:25 pm

Keep that attitude.

"Baby steps".

It's YOUR therapy. It's really not that hard to do.....just find the right combination (and a machine that will tell you how you're doing).

Best wishes,

Den

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:42 pm

We all struggle in the early weeks. My biggest problem was mask. My facial geometry made full face masks impossible and I tried all but one on the market. Then I tried a bunch of nasal only masks until I found one that works for me. If you want to try some masks less expensively, try cpapauction.com. Read reviews here and at cpap.com for ideas. Finding the right mask can be expensive if your dme isn't helpful, but the result is worth it. And practice helps too.

jen

yorkiemum01 · Post by **yorkiemum01** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:36 pm

To be honest, the mask itself is 'tolerable'...and even the ramping
feature I can manage. Its once full pressure kicks in that it all falls apart for me. Only going into night 7, so maybe with time (as most posters here are telling me), it should improve. Can only hope (and pray), as sleep
deprivation is an AWFUL feeling!! Lying awake watching hour by hour go by frustrates me to no end. Taking one night at a time, but certainly appreciate all the support I've found here. Thanks all! Yorkiemum

mbrown · Post by **mbrown** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:44 pm

I have been on APAP since Jan. 9. The first week was tough getting use to all of it, but now there is not a problem. My symptoms are getting less and less each day and I enjoy the sleep I have been getting especially the last couple of weeks. However, last night was not a good one - not sure why but they happen now and again and I am expecting a good night tonight. We just have to stay positive and expect the best! We just have to keep telling ourselves that our apnea is really a silent killer that we have to protect ourselves from. When we think of it in a life or death situation, I hope we all choose therapy and life!

Also, as they have said here, the right machine with the right settings (I prefer APAP on C-flex 1 with a pressure setting of 9-13 cm) with the right mask makes all the difference in the world.

Stay with it and keep trying - You will get there!

yorkiemum01 · Post by **yorkiemum01** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:48 pm

Not meaning to sound ignorant..but what is APAP?

mbrown · Post by **mbrown** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:55 pm

APAP is an auto cpap machine. I set a range of pressures on it such as 9-13 cm. Therefore, the machine starts out at 9 and stays there unless I need more pressure to attack the apneas. I usually spend most of the night at 9cm with some time at 10 and an occcasionaly 11cm.
It also can be set in regular Cpap with a constant pressure if you desire to do it. I prefer the variable pressures myself.

I have a Repironics M-series APAP with C-flex and A-flex. The machine is very quiet and I really enjoy it.

Does your machine have A-flex or C-flex? I really like c-flex the best as it gives you less resistance when you exhale which I really like.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:58 pm

yorkiemum01 wrote:Not meaning to sound ignorant..but what is APAP?

It's an Auto-adjusting/titrating CPAP machine. It can be set for a range of pressures. In the lower part of your post, there's the word "APAP" in blue type. Click on it and it'll take you to the CPAPopedia and give you a definition. That's true with many other words on the bottom of posts. Click on them and find the meaning.

Den

RiverDave · Post by **RiverDave** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:58 pm

yorkie,

APAP is an a type of positive air pressure machine that allows it to be set to a range of pressures in which the machine will operate (as opposed to CPAP, which is a single, fixed pressure). Check the lightbulb (Our collective wisdom) at the top of the page for the topic APAP vs CPAP.

yorkiemum01 · Post by **yorkiemum01** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:05 pm

ok..thanks. Guess you can gauge i'm still in the learning process of this
condition. My father is on BiPap, and he swears by it, but I wasnt familiar with the APAP term. Trying to become an educated consumer, and this
forum is extremely helpful. Thank you all so much.

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:06 pm

yorkimum,

It would be helpful if you put your equiptment into your profile so we can see what you have.

Autopaps are more comfortable for some. Not everyone seems to need them. The biggest mistake people make with an apap is to leave it set at 4-20 when their prescribed pressure is 16. They spend the whole night with the machine zooming up and down and not really taking care of their apnea. I'm on an auto bipap (basically a more expensive machine for people who cannot tolerate regular cpap for various reasons). I like to set my machine for a lower limit of a couple of cm below my required pressure and the upper limit a couple of cm above the max pressure I usually use.

If you continue to have trouble adjusting to your pressure, an autopap might be the way to go. Convincing your dme you need it is a different story, however. You may need your doctor to write a scrip for it in order to get what you need.

Jen

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:09 pm

Also, did you know that if your ramp is not long enough, you can probably make it longer by going into the clinicians mode in your machines menu? I believe that the collective wisdom has an article about how to access those menus on the different machines. If you are afraid to do that, take it back to your dme and ask them to do it for you.

Jen

yorkiemum01 · Post by **yorkiemum01** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:14 pm

Think i now have my profile set with machine and such. Thanks all!

Alisha · Post by **Alisha** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:00 pm

I have my pressure set at 11 also. We are all different, but using the ramp did not work for me. The pressure increase after I am asleep wakes me up. If you should decide to try sleeping without the ramp, you might want to wear the mask with machine blowing at full speed for a few minutes before you put your head on the pillow. Plus I pray a lot!

Regards,

Alisha