LOTSA QUESTIONS FROM A NEWBIE

[CPAPblows]

Looks like I just joined the wonderful world of Apnea/Hypopnea sufferers. Please help me figure this stuff out:

1. Should I try to use nose pillows or a mask? What are the upsides and downsides of each?
2. Do I REALLY, REALLY have to clean the hose, mask, and water reservoir EVERY DAY?!
3. My sleep study showed 2 Apnea and 44 Hypopnea episodes. At 220 pounds, I have a pretty big "spare tire." Do you think that if I went down in weight to, say, 190, that I could stop using this equipment?
4. I have a deviated sceptum, which makes fitting the mask difficult. If I had that aligned, and had my tonsils, adenoids and uvula removed, could I maybe stop using this equipment? Hope, hope?

So I'm 65 years old, and didn't snore when I was, say, in my 30's. I have ResMed equipment with a Mirage Quattro mask and a Swift LT Nasal Pillows System. I did the sleep test because my snoring recently kept me awake! Any help would be appreciated.

[jweeks]

So I'm 65 years old, and didn't snore when I was, say, in my 30's.

Hi,

That is the bottom line right there. OSA is highly correlated with age. Losing weight can help for some people, but since it is a structural issue, it might not help at all for you, or it might help, but not enough to get off of the machine.

As far as a mask goes, try each of the major kinds, and see what you are the most comfortable with. I find the nasal pillows to be comfortable, and the full face to be intolerable. Others find just the opposite. Face shapes and treatment needs vary so widely there isn't a single best solution.

As far as cleaning stuff goes, some people are very diligent about it, and others are less so. I am in the latter category. I prefer to try to keep things clean in the first place, and then replace stuff on a periodic basis. Do what you are comfortable with. I used to empty and wipe out the water tray on my M-series machine every day, but my newer S8 doesn't have an opening water chamber, so I refill it, and rinse it out weekly. So far, that hasn't killed me, so it seems to work OK for me. Do replace your filters, mask seal, and hose periodically, and do use distilled water at all times.

-john-

[ozij]

Looks like I just joined the wonderful world of Apnea/Hypopnea sufferers. Please help me figure this stuff out:

1. Should I try to use nose pillows or a mask? What are the upsides and downsides of each?

I used a nasal pillows mask, and loved it, for my first 5 years of therapy.
The upsides:

• These mask are the lightest of any
  They have very little surface touching your face
  You can scratch your nose
  Depending on the specific mask -- no pressure on your upper lip
  No pressure on your chin
  In my experience: easier to get a seal with

The downsides:

• The rush of air into your nose feels stronger than it does with a full face, hybrid, or nasal mask -- and may be irritating to some people - causing congestion
  As a rule, they tend to be noisier than the other masks
  Like a nasal mask -- if you tend to open your mouth when you sleep you have to either use a chin strap, or tape, or both -- or you may not be able to use a pillows mask at all. I had to give up mine because I could no longer maintain the proper seal between my nose and mouth.
  All masks may have "rainout", more so when your pressure is low; but nasal pillows mask are even more prone to it.
  Don't be surprised if after the first 2-3 nights your nostrils feel sore: the skin has to get used to the touch. My solution (with RT's agreement) was a night's break - it only took one, but that was a critical one to let my nose heal.

2. Do I REALLY, REALLY have to clean the hose, mask, and water reservoir EVERY DAY?!

Hose: No.
Mask: I found I get a better seal, and longer life for the silicon seal, if I clean the seal - every day with Dr. Bonner's liquid soap. I tried baby shampoo, and baby wipes -- the soap does the best job for me. I also clean my face with same before I go to sleep. Others' experience is different.
Reservoir: Depends on the quality of the distilled water you get and on your environment. If you do a search of the forum you'll find more than one poll on changing the water in your humidifier. Play it by ear. The variety runs from daily to once in 6 months....

3. My sleep study showed 2 Apnea and 44 Hypopnea episodes. At 220 pounds, I have a pretty big "spare tire." Do you think that if I went down in weight to, say, 190, that I could stop using this equipment?

It works for some, does not for most. As a rule, 95% of people who lose weight put it on again - and then some - within 5 years. Healthy eating is good -- I was convinced by Gary Taubes' "Good Calories Bad Calorie" that the culprit in many spare tyre cases is carbohydrates. You can hear him lecturing about it here: http://webcast.berkeley.edu/event_detai ... stid=21216 .

4. I have a deviated sceptum, which makes fitting the mask difficult. If I had that aligned, and had my tonsils, adenoids and uvula removed, could I maybe stop using this equipment? Hope, hope?

Septum, tonsils adenoids will help -- you may need lower pressure afterwards. which is also a great help.
Uvula: no. Keep away from a UPPP it does very little to help the upper airway collapse, and may make getting a good seal with the CPAP more difficult.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!
O.

[elena88]

Looks like I just joined the wonderful world of Apnea/Hypopnea sufferers. Please help me figure this stuff out:

1. Should I try to use nose pillows or a mask? What are the upsides and downsides of each?
2. Do I REALLY, REALLY have to clean the hose, mask, and water reservoir EVERY DAY?!
3. My sleep study showed 2 Apnea and 44 Hypopnea episodes. At 220 pounds, I have a pretty big "spare tire." Do you think that if I went down in weight to, say, 190, that I could stop using this equipment?
4. I have a deviated sceptum, which makes fitting the mask difficult. If I had that aligned, and had my tonsils, adenoids and uvula removed, could I maybe stop using this equipment? Hope, hope?

So I'm 65 years old, and didn't snore when I was, say, in my 30's. I have ResMed equipment with a Mirage Quattro mask and a Swift LT Nasal Pillows System. I did the sleep test because my snoring recently kept me awake! Any help would be appreciated.

here there little newbie! I like to call myself an "apnean"
I think its nice to have two masks.. a nose pillow mask, and a full face maske or hybred in case YOU have to breath thu your mouth.
I have the swift fx nose pillow mask.. some of us tape our mouths till we learn to keep our traps shut so the therapy pressure doesnt leak out
of our mouths..

No, you dont have to clean the hose and the water every day.. but certainly clean your tank once a week.
IN the winter when I used my humidfier, I gave it a quick rinse nightly when I brushed my teeth,a nd I rinsed my hose out in the sink too

Losing weight helps a FEW people, but usually its your darn tongue falling back into your throat that is the culprit. You have a lot of hyponeas,
so it might have been all that snoring going on.. hard to get restorative sleep with that happening.. quite disruptive

If you had your deviated septum fixed, you might be able to breath better, and if YOU have to use the cpap, the therapy would be made
easier if you can breath better thru your nose..

As for those surgeries.. eeek, I have heard they are very painful, and often do not work at least half the time, but ask a good ENT.
What exact resmed machine do you have?
I know you would like to wake up and think this never happened, I know I did.. but once you get things figured out, and you settle in and learn
about how all this works.. you will want to know how you are doing with your therapy. Youll want to download your data, or at least be able to
get what happened the night before off the screen in the morning of your machine.. I know this is a strange world, but this forum is the best on
the net, so welcome new "apnean!"

[CPAPblows]

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I think I've finally got a workable setup now. Used the Swift LT nasal pillow (no option for it in the equipment list) with a chin strap, and it worked OK last night. Almost feel like my old self, which was not that great to begin with!

However, I have been experiencing some unsettling sensations since starting sleep apnea therapy. Initially, felt like a blown-up balloon. Also, a weird kind of wooziness - sort of hyperventilated. Guess my body needs to adjust to normal sleep and oxygen levels.

[elena88]

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I think I've finally got a workable setup now. Used the Swift LT nasal pillow (no option for it in the equipment list) with a chin strap, and it worked OK last night. Almost feel like my old self, which was not that great to begin with!

However, I have been experiencing some unsettling sensations since starting sleep apnea therapy. Initially, felt like a blown-up balloon. Also, a weird kind of wooziness - sort of hyperventilated. Guess my body needs to adjust to normal sleep and oxygen levels.

There are several strange sensations when you first start....

mine were... pressure drove me nuts on inhalation and exhalation..
felt blown up like balloon
chest muscles sore from taking deep breaths..
swallowed a lot of air
all sorts of stuff, but it calms down after your body accepts that fact that you get to breath like a normal earthling now

[jdm2857]

There is a selection for the LT in your equipment list. It's listed under the full name "Mirage Swift LT".