3 months in and still exhausted

[SkipperH]

It's been around 3 months using CPAP and I'm very frustrated. I have not had a decent night sleep yet. I'm always tossing and turning wrapping the hose around my neck. Actually ripping the house off the mask during sleep. Not only was I dx with sleep apnea, I was dx with periodic limb movements as well. My Neurologist started me on Mirapex when I told him I wasn't having any success. Tried that for about a month then he said to boost the dosage (two nights so far) and I think I'm moving around more than ever. Can anyone relate?

[Julie]

Hi, one problem you could resolve quickly is to rig a hose holder - either a hook and loop or something similar to attach it loosely to the headboard or wall, or else the ceiling. Some people use a version of an IV stand to do the trick (can't remember the name of it now, but I'm sure someone else will). Once the hose is free to swivel, away from the bed, you should have more success there. Do you mind if I ask what your pressure settings are BTW? It does happen that some MD's, being rather conservative, tend to start patients off at a low setting based on your sleep study, but very often we find a little tweak just to 1-2 higher numbers is helpful (you need to try it for a few days, of course, to get a fair picture). Do you use the ramp feature? Sometimes it just seems to get in the way of sleeping, rather than helping, and most of us don't bother with it at all after a short while.

[Julie]

Hi, one problem you could resolve quickly is to rig a hose holder - either a hook and loop or something similar to attach it loosely to the headboard or wall, or else the ceiling. Some people use a version of an IV stand to do the trick (can't remember the name of it now, but I'm sure someone else will). Once the hose is free to swivel, away from the bed, you should have more success there. Do you mind if I ask what your pressure settings are BTW? It does happen that some MD's, being rather conservative, tend to start patients off at a low setting based on your sleep study, but very often we find a little tweak just to 1-2 higher numbers is helpful (you need to try it for a few days, of course, to get a fair picture). Do you use the ramp feature? Sometimes it just seems to get in the way of sleeping, rather than helping, and most of us don't bother with it at all after a short while.

[SkipperH]

Hi Julie, I tried the hose trick before, may be I need a different rig. I think my setting was 9 and I do use the ramp up feature. Can I actually change that pressure setting myself? Why would the ramp up matter?

[Bert_Mathews]

It's been around 3 months using CPAP and I'm very frustrated. I have not had a decent night sleep yet. I'm always tossing and turning wrapping the hose around my neck. Actually ripping the house off the mask during sleep. Not only was I dx with sleep apnea, I was dx with periodic limb movements as well. My Neurologist started me on Mirapex when I told him I wasn't having any success. Tried that for about a month then he said to boost the dosage (two nights so far) and I think I'm moving around more than ever. Can anyone relate?

Let me put in a GREAT Plug :
http://www.pur-sleep.com/products/prodD ... rch=&page=
Bret <SleepGuy> put these together and I & Others have found this is GREAT on ANY Mask or hose setups the tension is right!
On vacation or sleeping in different places THEY are easy to move and setup! CozyHoze Boss
also
If you are a mouth breather or don't like your hair after the straps EAT it all night the papCAP™ Cotton Chinstrap is also GREAT item to ad with the other CPAP supplys!

BERT

[Julie]

Hi, well the ramp starts you off at such a low setting most of us can't breathe until it reaches 6-7 anyway, and it can be discouraging (not to mention masochistic . It's not as if your prescribed setting is <15, etc., in which case a little ramp would be understandable. But if you're only at 9 to begin with (most of us are somewhere around 10) then try just not using it, and maybe you'll at least feel you're getting some meaningful Rx from the start. And of course you can change the pressure - we all do. If you have a Clinician's Manual, it will tell you how to do it, but if not, let me know and I'll give you some tips.

[SkipperH]

I have the manual that came with it but not a Clinician's manual. I can set the ramp to 7 or 8. How do you change the pressure settings on my CPAP machine?

[Muse-Inc]

Skipper, I'ce had a different experience than the others who've posted so far. I used ramp in the beginning and I still do. I had my ramp changed to 6 as my full pressure was 11 in the beginning. I fell asleep within 5 mins so set my ramp time for 5 mins so I was asleep when it goes to full pressure (I still find exhaling against pressure disconcerting and unpleasant) -- I'm asleep and don't notice that change. While I found my intial ramp of 4 wasn't enough air after a fw wks of decent sleep, it was fine in the very beginning to ease me into CPAP therapy.

[Pugsy]

I have the manual that came with it but not a Clinician's manual. I can set the ramp to 7 or 8. How do you change the pressure settings on my CPAP machine?

Do you use C Flex?

Be careful with any changes....Here is how to get to where changes can be made.
1. Hold down the <- -> buttons while plugging in the power on the back, wait for 2 beeps, release buttons.
2. Press the + key. <- -> buttons move to next field, -/+ keys decrement/increment