Thanks to all for the encouragement.
I spoke with my contact at the sleep clinic last night - and after some discussions regarding my sinus issues and mask issues he has suggested I see an ENT to check out some of my sinus issues. There seems to be some blockage in my sinus cavaties that is preventing me from breathing freely through my nose. My regular doctor had already recommended that I see an ENT for some of my issues anyway and I got the name of a really good one from a friend. I have an appointment with the ENT on August 5. The sleep tech also encouraged me to keep working on wearing the mask and let me know that it does sometimes take time to get used to the mask and the pressure. He wants to work on getting me breathing better through my nose becasue that is the way we are supposed to breath at night and it will also alleviate some of the issues I am having breathing through my mouth.
All of you have provided me with some really good suggestions to try and I am going to work my way through all of them until I find what works for me.
Thanks again for all of the encouragement. It really helps.
Elizabeth
Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Ozij, that was a very interesting response. Thanks for the input. Makes sense.
I am going at this real slow also. Not just because of a sore nose but it has been holding me up. I saw my Pulmonary Dr. yesterday and finally got something to try to heal the sores inside. I wear o2 24/7 and so have to only use water based products for my nose. There are not a lot of ointments for that. This is not for moisture but to heal it. I am slowly learning and working at it a little better. My Pulmonary is the doctor that orders my sleep studies. I am instructed to not use my masks until I finish with the ointment. I believe it is 5 days and hope it works.
Best of luck to you taxcat.
I am going at this real slow also. Not just because of a sore nose but it has been holding me up. I saw my Pulmonary Dr. yesterday and finally got something to try to heal the sores inside. I wear o2 24/7 and so have to only use water based products for my nose. There are not a lot of ointments for that. This is not for moisture but to heal it. I am slowly learning and working at it a little better. My Pulmonary is the doctor that orders my sleep studies. I am instructed to not use my masks until I finish with the ointment. I believe it is 5 days and hope it works.
Best of luck to you taxcat.
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bdonahueweedman
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:11 pm
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Wow what a great thread. I too just posted lots of these same issues...I can't keep that damn mask on my face. I have the Quatro, and now we are trying the comfort gel nasal mask w/chinstrap, but same thing last night. A good pal here suggested a Hybrid, and thats what I'm going to try next. It was really great to see everyone saying "Me too....Didn't think I could do it either...was ready to quit...." etc. Thats how I'm feeling now. Just got dx'd a little over a month ago and still have no idea what all of the numbers mean...right now I'm just trying to NOT pull the mask off my face 10 times a night. My dream is to wake up with this thing still on with my face! Thanks for all the encouraging posts....this forum is the best! Beth
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Hi Elizabeth, welcome! I am also a newbie, having just had my second night on CPAP at home. I hope you'll be able to hang in there and conquer. From what I've read in many other discussions, there are a lot of people who have also struggled terribly in the beginning but eventually overcame and achieved good sleeps.
I hear you on the heat/claustrophobia thing. Last week I had my first experience with CPAP during titration at the sleep lab. I was grateful I was able to try out and get a bit used to the set up for a good period of time sitting up before heading to bed. First, it was really weird. Then, at some point, I started feeling overstuffed with air, or something, like I couldn't breathe. Then got a little dizzy, which I assume was the onset of hyperventilating as I was thinking too hard about the whole breathing thing. Had to consciously push my exhales out and eventually got a rhythm going. I had my cell phone handy so grabbed it and started browsing the web on it. Seriously, the distraction was very very helpful for me. Not thinking about the pressure from the machine allowed me to breathe more naturally. So I support the ideas of doing stuff beforehand, other than trying to fall asleep, when first going on the machine. Be it TV, on the computer, reading...anything that is interesting enough to take your mind off of breathing.
I didn't like the heat either, which seemed more noticeable in the study that at home. Totally contributes, imo, to that feeling of suffocating. I keep my humidifier on the low side and don't notice it.
When it was first confirmed I have sleep apnea, I was dreading the concept of being hooked up to a CPAP machine for life. However I made a mental decision to make best friends with it, as there were really no other options, and it would speed the adjustment period up. The last two nights I've repeated in my mind that I love my CPAP, It helps me be healthy and feel good, and we will have a wonderful and long lasting relationship. It would be easy for me to psych myself into hating and resenting it, but I don't want to go down that road. Mind over matter. Reading here regularly helps muchly in keeping a positive attitude.
Re: the neti pot - I find if my head is tilted too far forward/down, the solution gets "stuck" in the sinuses. Try looking up a little more, see if that helps it to run through better. (Too far up and it'll run down your throat - experiment to find that happy median.) When one of my sinuses is well blocked, I actually tilt down further to intentionally slow the solution down, let it mingle in there a bit before letting it drain.
Good luck, hope you keep reading and posting. Everyone here is awesome to help and see us succeed!
I hear you on the heat/claustrophobia thing. Last week I had my first experience with CPAP during titration at the sleep lab. I was grateful I was able to try out and get a bit used to the set up for a good period of time sitting up before heading to bed. First, it was really weird. Then, at some point, I started feeling overstuffed with air, or something, like I couldn't breathe. Then got a little dizzy, which I assume was the onset of hyperventilating as I was thinking too hard about the whole breathing thing. Had to consciously push my exhales out and eventually got a rhythm going. I had my cell phone handy so grabbed it and started browsing the web on it. Seriously, the distraction was very very helpful for me. Not thinking about the pressure from the machine allowed me to breathe more naturally. So I support the ideas of doing stuff beforehand, other than trying to fall asleep, when first going on the machine. Be it TV, on the computer, reading...anything that is interesting enough to take your mind off of breathing.
I didn't like the heat either, which seemed more noticeable in the study that at home. Totally contributes, imo, to that feeling of suffocating. I keep my humidifier on the low side and don't notice it.
When it was first confirmed I have sleep apnea, I was dreading the concept of being hooked up to a CPAP machine for life. However I made a mental decision to make best friends with it, as there were really no other options, and it would speed the adjustment period up. The last two nights I've repeated in my mind that I love my CPAP, It helps me be healthy and feel good, and we will have a wonderful and long lasting relationship. It would be easy for me to psych myself into hating and resenting it, but I don't want to go down that road. Mind over matter. Reading here regularly helps muchly in keeping a positive attitude.
Re: the neti pot - I find if my head is tilted too far forward/down, the solution gets "stuck" in the sinuses. Try looking up a little more, see if that helps it to run through better. (Too far up and it'll run down your throat - experiment to find that happy median.) When one of my sinuses is well blocked, I actually tilt down further to intentionally slow the solution down, let it mingle in there a bit before letting it drain.
Good luck, hope you keep reading and posting. Everyone here is awesome to help and see us succeed!
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Sandra, I am glad you made reference to the use of the neti-pot. I used one for the first time this week. I didn't do too bad and it ran out properly. However, went to do it again yesterday and must be doing something wrong and need to re-read the papers again. I am sure I just had my head the wrong way. I will note what you said. Thanks.
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Just thought I would post an update. I had my visit with an ENT yesterday. It did not go well. He only saw me for 5 minutes or so. Most of the time he spent lecturing me about my weight. He did not really answer or address any of my questions, and just took a very quick look in my nose. Did not discuss use of sinus rinses or anything. Did not explain very much to me about what he thinkgs the issues are. Wants to schedule me for skin sratch allergy testing and gave me a prescription for Flonase. I felt very dismissed by this doctor. I think I may end up going to see my regular doctor and see what they think and if necessary look into finding another ENT to see.
Last night was better with the machine. I managed 4.3 hours which is almost double what it has been. I shortened my ramp to 20 mintues which seems to have helped me get used to the pressure.
I still really want to try the Hybrid mask and see how I like that, but my contact at the sleep clinic has been reluctant to get me the prescription I need to order it from this site with the return isurance. Maybe now that I have seen the ENT he will let me do what I want. I know the sleep clinic only has the Liberty for me to try and I seem to recall that I did not like it when we tried it on the night of my titration. I had issues with the nasal pillows. However, they only tried the one mask and didn't have any different size pillows. I know that the Hybrid has different sizes to try which I think will make a difference.
I go back to see the Sleep Doctor in 2 weeks and maybe things will be a bit different with me and the machine by then. I am also getting a recliner for me to sleep in upright on those nights when my sinuses are really bothering me.
Elizabeth
Last night was better with the machine. I managed 4.3 hours which is almost double what it has been. I shortened my ramp to 20 mintues which seems to have helped me get used to the pressure.
I still really want to try the Hybrid mask and see how I like that, but my contact at the sleep clinic has been reluctant to get me the prescription I need to order it from this site with the return isurance. Maybe now that I have seen the ENT he will let me do what I want. I know the sleep clinic only has the Liberty for me to try and I seem to recall that I did not like it when we tried it on the night of my titration. I had issues with the nasal pillows. However, they only tried the one mask and didn't have any different size pillows. I know that the Hybrid has different sizes to try which I think will make a difference.
I go back to see the Sleep Doctor in 2 weeks and maybe things will be a bit different with me and the machine by then. I am also getting a recliner for me to sleep in upright on those nights when my sinuses are really bothering me.
Elizabeth
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
By the way I forgot to mention that I have turned the temperature down on my climate line to 65 and purchased some Biotene mouth wash to assist with the cotton mouth at night. This seems to have helped me some.
On another note I did try a nasal rinse and I still had issues. Some of the solution came right back out my nose, out my mouth like the instructions said, but I still had some run down the back of my throat. The instructions said not to swallow the solution, but when it runs down the back of your throat you can't really control that. Needless to say it made me sick within a 1/2 hour. I still got a bad sinus headache as well and it seemed to make my sinus drainage worse for the rest of the night.
Oh well, I am not trying that again. I do have to say that the Biotene mouth rinse has really helped me with my cotton mouth. I am not waking up as much.
\
Elizabeth
On another note I did try a nasal rinse and I still had issues. Some of the solution came right back out my nose, out my mouth like the instructions said, but I still had some run down the back of my throat. The instructions said not to swallow the solution, but when it runs down the back of your throat you can't really control that. Needless to say it made me sick within a 1/2 hour. I still got a bad sinus headache as well and it seemed to make my sinus drainage worse for the rest of the night.
Oh well, I am not trying that again. I do have to say that the Biotene mouth rinse has really helped me with my cotton mouth. I am not waking up as much.
\
Elizabeth
Re: Newbie - problems adjusting Help!
Here is an update on where things stand. I met with an ENT who turned out to be a real jerk. He spent most of his less than 5 minutes with me grilling me and lecturing me about my weight. He completely ignored any questions I asked, barely looked in my nose or my mouth, told me to schedule allergy testing and gave me a prescription for Flonase. When I went to pick up the Flonase he had also prescribed Atrovent but never even discussed this or why I would need this. Needless to say I am not going to see this doc again.
Yesterday I had my first follow up with my sleep doc. I am only averaging about 2 hours a night on the machine although I have had some nights where I managed 3 or even 4 hours. That said, when I am on the machine I have 0 AHI. Which is great considering he had in my report that I had an AHI of 64 from the study. He was very understanding of my bad experience with the ENT and suggested a different ENT that specializes in patients with sleep apnea and nasal breathing issues. He wants to get me breathing well enough through my nose to support a nasal mask. He firmly believes I will sleep better. He is also sending me to a separate allergist.
I have to go back to get fit to try the Liberty mask but depending on how that goes, I can also get access to trying the Hybrid mask as well. The staff at the clinic said that I have very small nostrils and were not sure if the liberty pillows would be small enough for me. He also prescribed me some Ambien to try to help me get more hours of sleep on the machine. I had my first 5 mg dose last night and I kept waking up during the night and the hangover this morning was terrible . with all that I somehow still only managed to get 4 hours on the machine. I took the pill at 10:00 pm and had a terrible time getting up at 6:30 am. I am going to try again tonight and take the pill earlier. maybe this time I will stay asleep. I may try increasing the dose to 10 mg over the weekend. I am hopeful that the ambien will help me actually get some sleep. I am tired of being exhausted all the time.
Elizabeth
Yesterday I had my first follow up with my sleep doc. I am only averaging about 2 hours a night on the machine although I have had some nights where I managed 3 or even 4 hours. That said, when I am on the machine I have 0 AHI. Which is great considering he had in my report that I had an AHI of 64 from the study. He was very understanding of my bad experience with the ENT and suggested a different ENT that specializes in patients with sleep apnea and nasal breathing issues. He wants to get me breathing well enough through my nose to support a nasal mask. He firmly believes I will sleep better. He is also sending me to a separate allergist.
I have to go back to get fit to try the Liberty mask but depending on how that goes, I can also get access to trying the Hybrid mask as well. The staff at the clinic said that I have very small nostrils and were not sure if the liberty pillows would be small enough for me. He also prescribed me some Ambien to try to help me get more hours of sleep on the machine. I had my first 5 mg dose last night and I kept waking up during the night and the hangover this morning was terrible . with all that I somehow still only managed to get 4 hours on the machine. I took the pill at 10:00 pm and had a terrible time getting up at 6:30 am. I am going to try again tonight and take the pill earlier. maybe this time I will stay asleep. I may try increasing the dose to 10 mg over the weekend. I am hopeful that the ambien will help me actually get some sleep. I am tired of being exhausted all the time.
Elizabeth