Morning Everyone

My_Dream · Post by **My_Dream** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:26 am

I'm new to this forum therefore let me introduce myself.

I'm male, 51 and living in Ontario Canada. I've recently been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea which I've already knew I had for most of my life, I just had no idea that while at the clinic I stopped breathing 85 times per hour. I've been using the ResMed S8 Elite with humidifier now for just over 3 months and although I'm more rested then I have been in years, I still wake up tired. I wear the nose mask that came with the unit and I absolutely hate it. My wife tells me that it sounds like I'm farting all night. Last time I was at the clinic (overnight hospital sleep) they had the setting at 8. That didn’t work well since my wife slept in the next room shortly after I feel asleep, she told me my snoring hadn't changed and I wasn’t more rested. I finally figured out how the change the settings, (I paid the $275.00 for free changes etc, but who wants to drive 1/2 hr to get your setting changed) and decided to increase it every night until my wife told me that my snoring was bearable which put me around 12. This setting has given me the best night’s sleep I've had in over 30 years, my only problem now is the mask leakage. Oh and I forgot to mention that I sleep on my stomache.

Whoops back to my introduction I'm glad I found the CPAP machine even though I hate the mask, but I do know that it's going to have to be a way of life for me.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, resmed, humidifier

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:29 am

Welcome to the best forum on the Internet, IMHO.

Your experience is unique to you, but as you read more postings you will find that there are others who have been equally frustrated with their treatment.

It sounds to me as if you may not have been getting adequate treatment due to mask leaks. The farting sound that your wife hears is most likely air escaping from the seal as you shift position during the night. A good fitting mask should not do that very often. Masks are the single most important thing to being compliant, I think most of us would agree. Why else do so many of us have a number of them in our drawer?

Another thing to consider is that snoring is not the end-all and be-all of apnea treatment. There may be some snoring at a proper treatment level for your apnea.

In other words, the point of titration is to treat your breathing for proper sleep, not to eliminate snoring. In the process, any reduction in snoring (and IMHO there should be some!) is a bonus.

Also, please note that there can be damage caused by improper pressures. There are a lot of great sleep professionals out there; some of them come onto the forum and help many of us with the inadequate results we have experienced.

It did take me a long time to start to feel better. The yellow light bulb link above (entitled "Our Collective Wisdom") has a lot of valuable information.

Best wishes and I hope that you get some great results from your therapy. You may wish to join us in live chat sometime. The link to enter is above, just to the left of the Yellow Light Bulb at the top of the list! Hope to see you there.

Karen

Woody · Post by **Woody** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:05 am

I too sleep on my stomach or did till I started cpap about 18mo ago. I wear
a full face mask and have learned to sleep on my side. I don't love sleeping on my side but it's something I just have to do.

Needsdecaf · Post by **Needsdecaf** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:59 am

I find that my Liberty works well for Stomach sleeping. But I'm a 3/4 stomach sleeper, the other 1/4 is side. Never straight stomach.

My_Dream · Post by **My_Dream** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:34 am

Thank for the quick reply as well as the warm welcome. My wife has determined that the "farting" sound is indeed coming from leakage in the mask. The CPAP machine has an alarm option that sounds when there is excessive leakage and once that option was turned on...........well let's just say I had to turn this option off since it kept waking me up. I wear full nose mask only and even just putting it on to get ready for sleep I'm finding it uncomfortable. I was told be my specialist that it sometimes takes up to three months to get used to the machine as well as the mask, well it's safe to say I don't have a problem with the CPAP machine but this mask.................well you can guess how many time I'd love to throw it across the room.
As for the settings, I'm told that OHIP or our insurance will only allow 2 sleep clinic's a year and the last one in which thy diagnosed me at 8, I found no difference in my sleep and my wife left the room due to my immense snoring so I've decided to increase it on my own until she was able to sleep with my snoring waking her up. I'm still not fully rested after 8 hrs sleep so I truly don't know how to find the right setting. The specialist change my prescription from 8-12.
For most of my life when ever I slept on my back I would have instant nighmare's. I quickly realised that this was a sign that I stopped breathing and found a quick way to awaken myself so that I could reposition. I now can't seem to program myself to sleep on my back due to this fear. As for the side, I tried and tried but just can't get comfortable in that position.

Thanks again for your suggestions and I will read Our Collective Wisdom when I have some time

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, Prescription

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, Prescription

echo · Post by **echo** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:50 am

If you're thinking of changing masks, the Activa is a really good nasal mask that seals really well and is a good starter mask for many. For me, it can sometimes accommodate partial-stomach sleeping too (together with the PapPillow). If you do decide to get it, you have to wear the straps as loose as possible - the seal sort of billows out.

For stomach sleeping, do a search on the forum - there a few good masks for that position. (I can't remember them off the top of my head, but I think the ones that are nasal prongs or pillows work well).

Also watch out for mouth breathing at the higher pressures - if the air is escaping out of your mouth at night, then the treatment is literally going out of your mouth. Your wife should be able to spot (hear) that as well. As for you, a really dry mouth will be the sign! There are solutions for that, so don't fret if you find out that it's happening.

Good luck! It will get better!

My_Dream · Post by **My_Dream** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:01 am

My wife has told me that she has never seen or heard me sleep with my mouth open at any point in time during the night. I have the heated humidifier set to about 2.5 and my mouth is not dry at all when I wake up.
I'm not sure our insurance will cover the cost of another mask or even this papillow you spoke about but I will look into it since I was told that the masks go for about $250. to $400.00 each.
Getting back to the mask leakage, in order to try to stop the mask leakage I have the straps so tight that it usually takes about 4 hrs every morning before the strap marks go.
Oh....how I long to finally have a good night sleep since I can't remember the last time I did.

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:14 am

Hello & Welcome, My_Dream! Glad you found this forum--SO much useful info and SO many helpful people here!

As others have suggested, the mask is key--I, too, have a "drawer full" of them. They don't cost $250-$400, though, if you purchase them from cpap.com. And, visit cpapauction.com for REALLY low prices on masks (you'll find new and used ones for sale there). Good luck!

"You are getting sleepy . . ."

echo · Post by **echo** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:16 am

You can get all the masks for MUCH less than $200 on cpap.com (the hosts of cpaptalk.com).

For example, the Activa is one of the more expensive ones at $130: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... allow.html

You can also try the cpap auction (http://cpapauction.com) to find masks at a cheaper price.

There was also a mask trading ring on this forum but I don't know where that went (or maybe it was replaced by the auction??).

p.s. You DO NOT need a prescription to buy masks online from cpap.com.

The papillow is $50 to $70 :
Full: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/papill ... illow.html
Mini: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Mini-E ... illow.html

Some people swear by it, I guess, but I bought one and didn't find it to be all that great (but I'm mostly back sleeping and the pillow was too high).

There's also the PillowPal (PM pjwalman) :
viewtopic.php?t=32606&highlight=pillow

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:33 am

For a stomach sleeper (or sleeping in any position, for that matter) I'd recommend trying this mask:

Aeiomed's "Headrest" nasal pillows mask.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1717&PAID=215

The headgear looks ridiculously bulky in pictures, but it's very lightweight and unobtrusive.
The picture shows the connector hose running down the back of the head, but if you hang the main air hose overhead, the connector hose easily goes straight up and stays out of the way.
LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

Some of us have removed the headgear completely and use our own homemade straps instead. Check out the Lab Rat Awards link to see how people modified the Headrest:
LINKS to Lab Rat Trophy awards
viewtopic.php?t=15104

One of the things that makes the Headrest so great for tummy sleeping is the position of the exhaust vent -- it's up at eyebrow level and vents straight up like a little chimney. It won't be blocked even if you burrow your face straight down into your pillow.

Several tummy sleepers have posted how well it works for them.
LINKS to HeadRest nasal pillows mask topics (same mask has had other names: Aeiomed Aura, then Headrest, then Invacare Twilight NP, then back to Headrest again.)
viewtopic.php?t=3098

A handy item to have ready, if you get a Headrest mask, is the leg cut off a pair of pantyhose tights ("tights"..not just regular pantyhose.) Tied around the head, the cutoff leg strap can be used to cradle the nasal pillows in a sling, to stabilize them better.

Using one or two homemade straps with the Headrest nasal pillows mask.
http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/aura-strap6ways.jpg

How to tie a flat knot behind head when using the leg cut off a pair of tights as a homemade strap,
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/doublestartknot.htm

Welcome to the board, My_Dream, and good luck finding a mask that works well for you. You're already thinking like a Lab Rat! "How can I make this work?"

Twilightcat · Post by **Twilightcat** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:53 am

Welcome to the forum, My Dream,

I just wanted to share my experience in regard to masks, in the hope it may help. A few months ago, I experienced frustration as I experimented with mask-after-mask. After reading the links by Rested Gal (above), I decided to try the Headrest (pillows mask), and I'm so glad. My search ended, and I love this mask. It's comfortable in any position, and works great.

I wish you well as your journey goes along.

Take care,
Twilightcat

Twilightcat · Post by **Twilightcat** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:03 am

P.S. Thank you so much, Rested Gal, for helping me and many others in so many ways!

Gratefully,
Twilightcat

gasp · Post by **gasp** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:27 am

Welcome!

As one of the masks in rested gal's post addresses, it's exhaust port functions even for stomach sleepers. It's so important that your exhaust port is unimpeded so the you are breathing fresh air.

I used to be a stomach sleeper and never thought I'd sleep on my side. It turns out I can sleep on my side and keep my mouth closed while wearing cpap : ) Glad you don't have trouble with air escaping through your mouth!

It took many months for me to say that I am no longer tired upon waking. Most of this time was getting used to the mask.

You may check with your DME to see if the mask you were given has a warranty provided by the manufacturer. I was able to try multiple masks when I first began and the DME worked with the manufacturers and their warranty so that I wouldn't have to pay for them after a short use. You have had yours a bit long perhaps as I think the warranty was 30 days.

Best wishes!

My_Dream · Post by **My_Dream** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:49 am

By the sounds of it I should read rested gal's link and will do so tonight when I have more time. I don't think I had any problems with mask leakage until my settings were higher then 10....at 11 and higher, it gave me lots of problems. I'm still wondering whether I should be at a higher setting but as it stands now I have to resolve my mask leakage problems before I change the settings once again.

I do know that I'm still tired when I have 8 hrs sleep and my wife still tells me that I’m kicking her several times during the night. I do believe I'm sleeping better since she tells me that I don't gasp for air anymore. At one point she told me that I stopped breathing for 70 seconds.

Just curious do many members change there own settings?

Mask	Humidifier

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