I've enjoyed reading this forum for a few weeks. I started CPAP, with spotty success, about six weeks ago. I have a Resmed Elite S8 CPAPing to 14 cm of pressure. Any help with these questions would be much appreciated!
1) I tried the nose pillows first and loved them right away, but after 3 nights I started developing sores inside my nostrils that really hurt when 14 cm of air blew on them. Any tricks on avoiding nose sores with this mask, because it seems to be the mask most everyone likes?
2) I moved to a nasal mask and had lots of problems due to my severe allergies. My upper nasal cavity became very sore during the night and I often ended up with 2-3 hours of CPAPing instead of full nights. Anyone else have bad allergies like to ragweed, dust mites, etc that had to adjust their CPAPing to accommodate the allergies?
3) A few days ago I bought a full-faced mask, thinking that mouth breathing may help alleviate my nasal allergy problems. I used the full-faced mask and could not get my breath out the small 4-5 holes -- felt like I was asphyxiated. Is there a trick to using the full-faced mask with a high pressure of 14 like I need?
4) Sleep position. I've never been a back sleeper but my doctor said it'd be best if I learned how to sleep on my back with CPAP. Anyone else try and make the transition from stomach sleeping to back sleeping?
5) I talked to him the other day about trading my S8 Elite for the Auto Resmed w/ APAP, to lessen the constant pressure on my sensitive nasal passage as well as being better able to exhale 14 cm of pressure. Will this be a better machine for me? The last thing I want to do is get a new machine and not have it work, but right now everything would seem better than my Resmed S8.
So, I'm trying to adjust to CPAP and get the right combo of machine/mask. This forum is a big help for me.
Newbie Questions for the More Experienced
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rested gal
- Posts: 12880
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
Hi walleyek,
It's a mystery to me why your doctor would recommend sleeping on one's back simply because you're using cpap. It really doesn't make any difference what position you sleep in if the machine is doing its job and is set for enough pressure to keep your airway open.
In fact, one of the main reasons the sleep study techs encourage a person to spend at least part of the titration night "supine" (lying on your back) is so they can be sure the pressure can keep your throat open during worst case scenario.... sleeping on your back.
So, if the pressure is right for that "worst case scenario", it should certainly be fine for sleeping in any other position you like, including side or tummy.
Finding a mask that suits your sleeping style can be quite a search though, as you're finding out.
With nasal pillows interfaces, many find that dabbing a bit of Ayr gel (found in the nasal products section of most pharmacies) or even KY jelly around and slightly inside the nostrils can help.
Better yet, rotating between several different masks every night or two can help relieve pressure points....as Jan in Colorado described in this topic:
Nov 07, 2005 subject: Becoming Frustrated page 2
I hope you'll be able to get your doctor to let you switch to an autopap. It may be that you won't need that constant pressure of 14 all night, or even much of the night.
Again, I wouldn't worry about trying to sleep on your back. There's nothing to be gained by that. If anything, that position would make it even more likely for "events" (apneas and hypopneas) to happen! Sleep in whatever position is most comfortable for you.
It's a mystery to me why your doctor would recommend sleeping on one's back simply because you're using cpap. It really doesn't make any difference what position you sleep in if the machine is doing its job and is set for enough pressure to keep your airway open.
In fact, one of the main reasons the sleep study techs encourage a person to spend at least part of the titration night "supine" (lying on your back) is so they can be sure the pressure can keep your throat open during worst case scenario.... sleeping on your back.
So, if the pressure is right for that "worst case scenario", it should certainly be fine for sleeping in any other position you like, including side or tummy.
Finding a mask that suits your sleeping style can be quite a search though, as you're finding out.
With nasal pillows interfaces, many find that dabbing a bit of Ayr gel (found in the nasal products section of most pharmacies) or even KY jelly around and slightly inside the nostrils can help.
Better yet, rotating between several different masks every night or two can help relieve pressure points....as Jan in Colorado described in this topic:
Nov 07, 2005 subject: Becoming Frustrated page 2
I hope you'll be able to get your doctor to let you switch to an autopap. It may be that you won't need that constant pressure of 14 all night, or even much of the night.
Again, I wouldn't worry about trying to sleep on your back. There's nothing to be gained by that. If anything, that position would make it even more likely for "events" (apneas and hypopneas) to happen! Sleep in whatever position is most comfortable for you.
In addition to what Rested Gal recommends, look into:
1. Heated humidification for you CPAP, and possibly also the Australian http://www.sleepzone.com.au heated hose (aka heated tube). Dry air at that pressure can irritate anyones nasal tissues.
2. Pollen or HEPA filters for your CPAP. They exist, and are a great help when you suffer from allergies.
O.
1. Heated humidification for you CPAP, and possibly also the Australian http://www.sleepzone.com.au heated hose (aka heated tube). Dry air at that pressure can irritate anyones nasal tissues.
2. Pollen or HEPA filters for your CPAP. They exist, and are a great help when you suffer from allergies.
O.
_________________
| Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed AirSense10 for Her with Climateline heated hose ; alternating masks. |
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rested gal
- Posts: 12880
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
ozij's on the money! I just assumed your machine has a heated humidifier, walleyek, but if not....heated humidification is a must for many. Some don't like it, but many report that heated humidification helps clear congestion and make treatment more comfortable whether they have allergies or not. And of course, if a person doesn't like heated humidification, the heat can be turned off. Add the Aussie heated hose to your heated humidifier, as ozij suggested, and the air can be delivered to you with more of its humidification still intact -- not lost in the form of condensation inside the hose; or worse, dripping out on your face.
In re-reading your post, walleyek, I thought of something about the machine you have in mind to get. If picking an autopap that could give a reduction in pressure when I exhale was important to me, I personally would choose the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex over the ResMed S8 Vantage auto. Here's why:
Breathing out against pressure is usually the most difficult thing for most people when using high pressures. Your prescribed pressure of 14 is a pretty good blast of air to try to breathe out against for most people. Hopefully by using an autopap, you'll not actually need 14 most of the night. But....if it turns out that you do, indeed, need 14 (and maybe even more from time to time) often or for long periods during your sleep, the REMstar auto's C-Flex feature can be set to give a reduction in pressure every time you exhale even while the machine is operating in autopap mode. The ResMed S8 Vantage auto's expiratory pressure reduction feature ("EPR") cannot be used when the Vantage is being operated as an autopap.
The ResMed S8 Vantage autopap's operating mode has to be switched to CPAP mode in order to use the EPR feature at all. In CPAP mode, the S8 Vantage would be, in effect, like still using your present S8 Elite.
The ResMed S8 Autoset Vantage with EPR can be set to operate in any of 3 modes:
1. cpap (no EPR)
2. cpap with EPR
3. autopap (no EPR)
EPR is ResMed's feature for reducing pressure each time you exhale.
The REMstar Auto with C-Flex can be set to operate in any of 4 modes:
1. cpap (no C-Flex)
2. cpap with C-Flex
3. autopap (no C-Flex)
4. autopap with C-Flex
C-Flex is Respironics' feature for reducing pressure each time you exhale.
Ideally, if you could trial both the REMstar Auto and the S8 Vantage before settling on one or the other, you'd have a better idea which suits you and has exactly which features you need. There's also a distinct difference in the way C-Flex and EPR work and feel. If I couldn't try both machines and had only one chance to guess right, I'd go for the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-flex - simply for the most choices of operating modes.
This next is a matter of personal preference, too...I'd ask for a separate heated humidifier rather than an integrated heated humidifier, with ANY machine I got. The separate humidifier can be used with brand of machine...wouldn't have to pay more each time for an integrated humidifier for a different brand. I like the Fisher and Paykel HC150 heated humidifier.
In re-reading your post, walleyek, I thought of something about the machine you have in mind to get. If picking an autopap that could give a reduction in pressure when I exhale was important to me, I personally would choose the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex over the ResMed S8 Vantage auto. Here's why:
Breathing out against pressure is usually the most difficult thing for most people when using high pressures. Your prescribed pressure of 14 is a pretty good blast of air to try to breathe out against for most people. Hopefully by using an autopap, you'll not actually need 14 most of the night. But....if it turns out that you do, indeed, need 14 (and maybe even more from time to time) often or for long periods during your sleep, the REMstar auto's C-Flex feature can be set to give a reduction in pressure every time you exhale even while the machine is operating in autopap mode. The ResMed S8 Vantage auto's expiratory pressure reduction feature ("EPR") cannot be used when the Vantage is being operated as an autopap.
The ResMed S8 Vantage autopap's operating mode has to be switched to CPAP mode in order to use the EPR feature at all. In CPAP mode, the S8 Vantage would be, in effect, like still using your present S8 Elite.
The ResMed S8 Autoset Vantage with EPR can be set to operate in any of 3 modes:
1. cpap (no EPR)
2. cpap with EPR
3. autopap (no EPR)
EPR is ResMed's feature for reducing pressure each time you exhale.
The REMstar Auto with C-Flex can be set to operate in any of 4 modes:
1. cpap (no C-Flex)
2. cpap with C-Flex
3. autopap (no C-Flex)
4. autopap with C-Flex
C-Flex is Respironics' feature for reducing pressure each time you exhale.
Ideally, if you could trial both the REMstar Auto and the S8 Vantage before settling on one or the other, you'd have a better idea which suits you and has exactly which features you need. There's also a distinct difference in the way C-Flex and EPR work and feel. If I couldn't try both machines and had only one chance to guess right, I'd go for the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-flex - simply for the most choices of operating modes.
This next is a matter of personal preference, too...I'd ask for a separate heated humidifier rather than an integrated heated humidifier, with ANY machine I got. The separate humidifier can be used with brand of machine...wouldn't have to pay more each time for an integrated humidifier for a different brand. I like the Fisher and Paykel HC150 heated humidifier.
Sleeping on your left side is the "healthiest".
The only reason I can think of for anyone to recommend backsleeping for anyone using CPAP is because you are less likely to dislodge the mask when in that position.
For sore nares (nasal openings) try a little AYR gel (available at WalMart and possibly your local pharmacy) or KY gel.
The above advice on heated hudification is also excellent.
The only reason I can think of for anyone to recommend backsleeping for anyone using CPAP is because you are less likely to dislodge the mask when in that position.
For sore nares (nasal openings) try a little AYR gel (available at WalMart and possibly your local pharmacy) or KY gel.
The above advice on heated hudification is also excellent.
The CPAPer formerly known as WAFlowers
7 posts
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