Now I see what ya'll are talking about.

Bearcat42 · Post by **Bearcat42** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:31 pm

Well, I have been on the hose for a week now and what started out pretty well at first has now become a marathon in patience. I felt really well the first 3 days but since then everything has gone haywire.
Here are my number so far:
AHI Leaks Usage
12.5 43.5 6.24
8.6 47 7.06
8.5 49.1 6.48
6.1 50.2 4.24
0.0 0.0 4.1
2.3 60.9 4
0 0 0 - Feeling sick last night and didnt use the machine.

The last 3 nights I was in a motel and I did not have my hose hanger. That apparently does not work very well as I fought with the hose, mask leaks and strange pillows. I am thinking I need one pillow to use all of the time whether I am at home or on the road working. For some reason I am taking my mask off halfway through the night. Why is that? I have got my nose itching under control but I fight with my mask and just never can seem to get it "right".
I got back home today and my new hose cover from Padacheek was waiting for me. Cant wait to put it on. My card reader is supposed to be here too but I dont know where my wife put that.
So tonight is another night of tweaking to get that mask situation lined out. Wish me luck!!!

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:39 pm

Best of luck ... You are on the right approach ... get the mask issues ironed out before proceeding to tweak anything else.

Driver59 · Post by **Driver59** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:09 pm

When I travel I always take my hose hanger and my pillow. I have a homemade pap pillow that my wife's sister made for me, looks just like the ones available online. Once you get used to sleeping with one, anything else just won't do, especially a motel pillow. I figure trying to get a good nights sleep in a motel is difficult enough, so I always bring the things that make cpap easier at home. When I work out of town I am usually up at 4:30 and on the road by 5:30 am, so sleeping well at night is a necessity. When I got home Wednesday evening my new Intellipap Auto had arrived, so I will be taking it with me when I leave again Monday morning. As far as the mask leaks, the Quattro was great for me for about two months then started leaking like crazy. Couldn't get any sleep for fighting with the mask. The answer for me was the Mirage Liberty, I barely notice I have it on and it seals very well without having to over tighten. I don't know if it would take the pressures you are using on Bipap, but I'm sure you will find a mask that will give you the sleep you need. Just takes a little time and experimenting. Hang in there, it is worth the effort.
Don

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:20 pm

Mask issues were a pain for me for the first month or so, until I found a mask I could sleep with all night long. Try another mask.

Yes, you will probably have to drag along a hose hanger and pillow, until you reach the place where you don't need to anymore. I am at that place. For some reason, I can live with stupid flat hotel pillows. But I get cranky at home if I don't have the perfect height on my memory foam pillow. Go figure.

Good luck!!!!!! It DOES get better (PreemieRN is patting herself on the back right now for all the PM's she sent me back in 2007 saying this exact thing....).

Huggers,
B.

Marietjie · Post by **Marietjie** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:54 pm

Driver59 wrote: I have a homemade pap pillow that my wife's sister made for me, looks just like the ones available online

Hi, Please be so kind to explain to me what your homemade pillow looks like AND.....

Babette wrote:memory foam pillow

! I'm planning to buy a memory foam pillow - Babette, would you recommend a memory foam pillow (Tempur ?)

THANX ! ! !

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:54 pm

I don't recommend the Tempurpedic brand, unless you're rich and feel the need. I tend to buy whatever's cheap and on sale. The $12 memory foam pillows at Big Lots usually suit me fine. I've found them for about that at Ross, too.

Being in SA, you might not have those stores. They are "liquidator" stores that carry both off-brands, and overstock from department stores.

I like a firm, tall pillow. Mainly because I have very broad shoulders for a woman. It just suits my neck best. Your needs may vary.

Several people here have taken my advice, bought a cheap knockoff memory foam pillow, and sculpted it with their own custom cut outs. I recommend an electric carving knife for sculpting foam.

Good luck!
B.

Driver59 · Post by **Driver59** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:52 pm

Marietjie,
It looks very similar to the double edge pillow on the Papillow web site. I made a pattern from a piece of newspaper, and took it to my wife's sister along with one and a half yards of quilted material that I purchased at a local fabric store. She cut the material according the the pattern I made and sewed it together in about a week, working on it a little each evening. I had her put in a zipper on the top edge so I could stuff it when she was finished. Used four bags of sinthetic down filling purchased at a craft store to stuff it. Also with the zipper I can remove the filling to wash the case when necessary.
Don

plr66 · Post by **plr66** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:44 pm

Driver59 wrote:When I got home Wednesday evening my new Intellipap Auto had arrived, so I will be taking it with me when I leave again Monday morning. Don

Don, be sure to use your new machine at home for the next several nights, so you are confident that it will work well for you when you take it on the road. It may not behave in the same way that your current machine does.

Driver59 · Post by **Driver59** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:34 pm

plr66,
Have been using my new machine for the last 3 nights and I have to say I'm pretty impressed with it. Now the only problem is I don't know if I want to use it for travel or keep it for my every night machine. Thanks for your concern, I really appreciate it.
Don

Bearcat42 · Post by **Bearcat42** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 10:32 pm

Hey Don,
Does your truck have a sleeper? Mine is just a day cab so room is at a premium. I have two large boxes mounted underneath the back deck but they are for our bags, which easily fill up the boxes. I have had to keep my machine in my floorboard or on my winch control box so I am not sure where to put a pillow. I drive a western Star so thankfully the floorboard is very roomy.
I see you changed your avatar. Thats a good picture. Take care and be safe.

grandmma · Post by **grandmma** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:49 am

The last 3 nights I was in a motel and I did not have my hose hanger. That apparently does not work very well as I fought with the hose, mask leaks and strange pillows.

Bearcat 42, when I'm in a hotel room, I place the ironing board (so far there always is one, I've found) next to the bed / behind the side table, or whatever. I place the CPAP machine on the side table, and sling the tubing over the ironing board feet. Works every time.

I do leave myself a lot of tubing between the ironing board and the bed. I'm still always afraid I'll get clonked in the night by the ironing board, but never happens.

Either way, good luck with your therapy.

Driver59 · Post by **Driver59** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:06 am

I drive a Volvo day cab. I put my machine on the jump seat with the strap around the back of the seat to keep it from falling. I carry my hose hanger and my pillow in my suitcase. I have a small standup type with wheels that fits between the jump seat and the dash. Being diabetic I carry a small cooler with my food for the week and a gallon of distilled water for the humidifier on the floorboard. Not much room in a day cab as you know, so it's pretty well filled up 'till we get to the motel. All the drivers usually have dinner together as a restaurant, so I'll have a salad or something light then, but carry breakfast and lunch with me. Easier to keep track of my carb count and less expensive too. I have been thinking of trying Babettes idea of a memory foam pillow from Big Lots and trimming it with an electric knife to fit my needs. I could make it quite a bit smaller than the pillow I use at home so it would fit in my bag easier. You have seen my hose hanger, not pretty but breaks down to fit in my bag and works very well. How are you getting along with your machine? Finding the right mask can be a little frustrating, but when you do things should start to come together and you will get the sleep you need. Like the new avatar? The pretty one in pink is me, I have no idea who the old guy is!
Don

Bearcat42 · Post by **Bearcat42** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:23 am

Driver59
Well, there are two of us who ride in my truck so he has his stuff in there too. He carries 4 bags and I have been on him to cut back or reorganize to make more room. I have only one bag I keep it in one of the boxes, and my machine. I am doing okay I suppose with my M-series. I am still working out some minor issues. I havent taken my mask off in the last 3 nights so that is a plus. Leaks are minimal but my usage time makes no sense. The readout says it is around 4 hours but I know I am keeping it on longer than that.
On a side-note, what kind of stuff are you packing in your ice chest for breakfast and lunch? I am on a diet but eating while on the road is something I have trouble with. There are way too many mornings where we go to a convenience store for the days vittles, and that just isnt healthy as you know.

Driver59 · Post by **Driver59** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:06 pm

Two guy's in a day cab with all they need for a week is tough, barely enough room for one. The driver I usually room with is on cpap too and we keep our machines in the cab, but he just bought a water proof box to mount on the deck behind the cab to put his bag and cooler in. He is in a Freightliner day cab and it's not very roomy inside. I usually carry breakfast croisant sandwiches from Walmart and pop one in the microwave before I leave the room. Then I'll have turkey breast or ham and cheese on whole wheat for lunch. I make my sandwiches for the week Sunday evening and pack them in the cooler Monday morning when I leave the house it's easier than carrying a loaf of bread and the meat with me. When we get to the room I put the croisants and sandwiches in the fridge and put one of each in the lunch box every morning before I leave the room. I also like to carry smoked sausages or beef jerky for a snack in the afternoon. So far this has worked pretty well, but it does get a little old eating the same thing all the time and I'll stop once in a while and grab something. I'm just careful not to over do it. Glad to hear you are doing better with you machine, don't know why the readout would only show 4 hours. I check my numbers about once a week to see how things are going, but to me the real gauge for effective therapy is how I feel the next day. Sleep apnea does what it does sometimes even when treatment seems to be going well. Some nights I sleep like a baby all night and am tired the next day, other nights I may wake up several times but feel great in the morning. Over all starting cpap has been the best thing I've done in several years. Hope it just keeps getting better for you.
Don

Bearcat42 · Post by **Bearcat42** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:30 pm

Thanks for the advice Don. I was really interested in what you were saying about guaging your cpap success on how you feel and function the following day and I started to think about that. Even though my machine is telling me that I am getting 4 hours of usage I still feel pretty good throughout the day. I am not as tired, not wanting to sleep during the day, and I feel more energetic. I suppose that is a good sign. For some reason I have it in my head that I HAVE to have 7-8 hours of sleep to function and I believe that is my pre-cpap mentality showing.
But I still dont trust that data read-out on my machine because night before last it says I used for 4.24 hours but my humidifier was almost empty. Hmmmm...
I am going to get a cooler for my truck and re-do my approach to eating while on the road because I am tired of Conv. store "food". I sure do appreciate having a fellow driver here who has all of this wisdom to share, thanks!
David

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