Newbie: Hate Bipap machine so far won't use it...

[capers]

he did is adjust the machine to 7 inhale and 4 exhale, it seems a little better just in 2 minutes of trying it and I think it's also adjusted with a 10 minute ramp up. In my wildest dreams I could not see myself with a full face mask, I get paranoid and things go through my mind, like what happens if I loose power? Also full face mask you are completly 100% trusting the machine and I am sure the death rate is way less then 1% from malfunctions but I am way too paranoid to try that.

I. I can't see why you would need a bi-level machine with such low pressures.
2. Try disarming the ramp level completely, my level is 10 and ramp is disabled. The machine does perhaps take 2-3 seconds to reach full pressure and after the first night when I disabled ramp, I was much more comfortable.
3. Although I don't see the need for a FF mask since you don't report mouth breathing, your fears regarding FF masks are completely unfounded. All FF masks have a valve which allows full atmospheric pressure should the machine fail for some reason.

Regards...

[Slinky]

Wahoooo! You got a Resmed VPAP Auto 25!!!! I sure hope you get to keep it! Its a great device!!! I have its immediate predecessor, the Resmed VPAP Auto.

Try this: BEFORE NOON, press the Left and Right buttons and hold for 4-5 seconds. Hopefully, Efficacy Data will appear on the LED screen. If it does then it is just a matter of Left button to Enter, Right button to Exit, Up button to Return to the previous screen and Down button to Proceed to the next screen. You can NOT accidentally or intentionally change your therapy settings from this advanced/detailed patient menu. If Efficacy Data doesn't appear on your LED screen w/the Left/Right button press that ony means that access to that advanced/detailed patient menu hasn't been turned on. Some local DME providers won't turn that access on w/o the scripting doctor's express order to do so.

If access has been turned on you will be able to see your Leak, AHI and AI for the previous night, previous week, previous month, previous six months and previous year (once you've been using it that long). These PAPs have an internal, 24 hour, noon-to-noon clock. At noon the previous night's data is rolled over into the total averages.

It can be very encouraging and interesting to see your data each morning and know whether you are doing better or might need some assistance from your DME provider's RRT.

[jmelby]

In my wildest dreams I could not see myself with a full face mask, I get paranoid and things go through my mind, like what happens if I loose power? Also full face mask you are completly 100% trusting the machine and I am sure the death rate is way less then 1% from malfunctions but I am way too paranoid to try that.

All full face masks have an anti-asphyxia valve, meaning that if air stops flowing from the machine, the valve will be open and you will be breathing room air. You cannot suffocate from wearing a full face mask... this subject comes up frequently and there are sometimes misinformed responses. The other point often made is that if you lose power, the likelihood you will wake up from the drop in pressure is very high.

[lacakid]

I followed the advice of a few of you and called my "therapist" and told her that I wanted to try on various masks (full face) and she said sure come on in next week and we can try some. She knows that I don't really like the machine so I think now her motivation is to help me a little more and see if we can make this thing work. I'm 47 Male and weighed about 223 (5'10") 2 weeks ago, I heard off the Dr Oz he said that if you loose 1/10th your bodey weight generally you will improve your sleep apnea by 33% (in general). So I am bent on getting down even more to eventually 190 or 180 I'll see how it goes. So far in 2 weeks I have lost about 8 pounds. I am positive I had this before I was as heavy as I am now but not asssss bad as it is now. So if I can get my weight down maybe I would not be in severe sleep apnea mode just moderate and could use a dental device and of course after getting retested first or whatever else there is out there for Sleep Apnea.

I'm not there yet though so I'll try some more masks and see how it goes!!! Once again THANKS! to everyone for giving me their advice it's good to know I am not alone with this problem and to know other people have had the same feelings towards CPAP

I will try the BEFORE NOON thing tomorrow when it is before noon and let you know.....

Thanks,
Tom

[ozij]

Looks to me like the doc set the machine at the minimum settings in order to help you get used to the way it feels. Some people can start out at higher pressures -- others can't, and letting them get used to it gradually is a smart way of helping them eventually arrive at the pressure levels they need.

Nobody is going to make you like the machine -- ever. Whether you "like" the machine or not, is really not the issue. I hope, for your sake, that your experience will be similar to that of many of us: once the beginners' hurdles are overcome, and we experience the kind of relaxed sleep the machine helps us achieve -- we associate the "mask-machine" setup with comfort. It is a feeling you can't imagine now. When that happens, you discover one day that it is your own experience that makes you like sleeping with mask and machine much much better than without it.

[jweeks]

I'm 47 Male and weighed about 223 (5'10") 2 weeks ago, I heard off the Dr Oz he said that if you loose 1/10th your bodey weight generally you will improve your sleep apnea by 33% (in general). So I am bent on getting down even more to eventually 190 or 180 I'll see how it goes. So far in 2 weeks I have lost about 8 pounds. I am positive I had this before I was as heavy as I am now but not asssss bad as it is now. So if I can get my weight down maybe I would not be in severe sleep apnea mode just moderate and could use a dental device and of course after getting retested first or whatever else there is out there for Sleep Apnea.

Tom,

This kind of sleep disorder is far more correlated with genetics and age than it is with weight. You might be able to reduce the pressure a bit, or slow down how fast it gets worse, but don't expect any miracles from weight loss. There are some folks where weight is the issue, so it does work for some people. For the most part, the weight gains are as a result of the sleep disorder, not the cause of the sleep disorder. Also, don't expect a miracle from a dental device. Many are scams. Even the ones that work are very expensive, and you will still need sleep studies to calibrate them.

I would like to encourage you to look at the breathing machine as your friend that you need to get to know better. Sleep disorders have some very, very serious health effects. It can cause heart problems. It can cause depression, weight gain, and a raft of related issues. It can also cause you to have a stroke. You have heard of older folks dying in their sleep for no apparent reason? Often times they have a sleep disorder related stroke and pass away before anyone knows what has happened. You don't want to be one of these folks, but you will be if you don't cozy up to the machine. It is a very easy treatment once you get used to it. If you have to have a chronic disease, this is the one you want. Just consider what folks who have diabetes or kidney failure have to go through. This is far easier in comparison.

While Jules was a little blunt, he is exactly right. You are going to have to reach down deep within yourself and decide to face this issue head on. If not, then you really should make sure that your affairs are in order and that your family is taken care of. It would take a lot of stress off of them if you make your final arrangements in advance.

-john-