I quit EDIT, Trying again

[murph1031]

[quote="archangle"]If you sip some water, does the chest pain react at all as the water flows down your throat? Either get better or worse as water contacts parts of your throat, esophagus, stomach? If you inhale some cold air, does your pain react to the air flow down your windpipe?

Have you tried sleeping in a recliner? quote]

Recliner ? yes saddly I have tried this, but never on purpose.
As for the water, I will try this next time and see how I react, also the cold air.
Murph

[rested gal]

What is an ASV type machine ? I can't find it in the Wiki and my search comes up zero.
It's been mentioned a few times in this thread.
Jerry

"ASV: HOW DOES IT WORK?"
topic started by máirtín - Aug 04, 2011
JohnBFisher's excellent posts about what ASV machines are designed to treat, and why:
page 1: viewtopic.php?p=622360#p622360
page 3: viewtopic.php?p=624258#p624258
page 4: viewtopic.php?p=624970#p624970

[JohnBFisher]

What is an ASV type machine ? I can't find it in the Wiki and my search comes up zero.
It's been mentioned a few times in this thread.
Jerry

And ASV type machine is an machine that provides Adaptive Servo Ventilation (ASV) therapy. This therapy is used to help reduce central sleep apnea related events. A technical fact sheet on this therapy can be read at:

http://www.resmed.com/us/documents/1010 ... -sheet.pdf

There are basically two different reasons why central apneas occur.

The first basic reason is a physiological issue. The body does not work properly. For example, it can be in response to increased pressure, which in some people seems to confuse receptors in our body that indicates CO2 is at a level that should trigger breathing. (During sleep, the increase of CO2 - and not the lack of O2 - is what triggers breathing. So, if the body does not properly recognize the current CO2 levels, then breathing may not occur). There are two basic things that can confuse those receptors in our body. As I noted, for some people the increase in pressure can cause Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome (which includes central sleep apnea). The other primary cause that can confuse those receptors is cardiac problems. In particular, folks with congestive heart failure often develop a type of periodic breathing known as Chenye-Stokes Respiration (CSR). In that case the breathing waxes stronger and wanes weaker. This waxing and waning can come with a central apnea between them.

The second basic reason for central apneas is problems with the brain stem. Again, there are numerous issues that can cause this. For example, a tumor in the brain stem can cause problems with respiration. A traumatic brain injury might cause problems with the brain stem. A degenerative disorder might cause problems with respiration. Overuse of opiates can also depress the brain stem functions, including respiration. And so on. The point with this group of issues is that while the body properly recognizes the CO2 levels, it simply fails to initiate the effort to breathe. This lack of respiration is due to problems with central nervous system.

In either event, the key to "solving" this is to help sustain respiration (and exchange O2 for the CO2 in the blood stream). So, during a period of low breathing or full apnea, the machine increases the pressure - very rapidly - to sustain respiration. By doing this, it breaks the undershoot / overshoot cycle that causes central sleep apneas. Essentially as the body fails to breathe normally, the CO2 levels increase. This is the "undershoot" side of the cycle. Then eventually the body over compensates and hyperventilates. This is the "overshoot" side of the cycle. Unfortunately, this flip side of the cycle causes the body to blow off too much CO2. The result is that the respiratory drive is suppressed and we head into another central sleep apnea.

Thus, this undershoot / overshoot cycle occurs over and over and over ... unless it is broken by ASV therapy.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I thought others might want to know the reasoning behind the therapy.

[archangle]

Recliner ? yes saddly I have tried this, but never on purpose.

It's probably worth trying CPAP in a recliner. Sometimes things are different in a recliner, including breathing and stomach problems, especially GERD.

[murph1031]

Well I woke this morning with no pain, I usd an extra pillow, a small fourth pillow. I still had mask on when I woke at 4.50. I did however wake during the night and the mask was off me, don't remember taking it off or what time.
Murph

[JohnBFisher]

It's not unusual to take off the mask without realizing it. Even after 20 years I sometimes have that happen to me. The key is to hang in and keep at it. Then when you fall asleep the behavior will shift to normally making certain the mask is on.

[ameriken]

Murhp, I just caught the change in the subject heading, and congratulations. I'm glad to hear this, hang in there, we're all trying to make this work.

[murph1031]

Thanks for all the support. I have an appointment in 4 weeks with my doctor. I will discuss then about changing the mask, unless I go down there earlier. I think I may give this mask one last try. I talked to some one at an office my doctor has away from his office, this office is just for supplies and parts. He told me the problem with the smaller mask is losing air though my mouth. He told me its very important I sleep with my mouth closed. I must sleep with my mouth closed now because some mornings I wake up and it feels like my mouth is glued shut. Very dry, but then other nights I droll everywhere, (I know gross).

murph

[BlackSpinner]

Thanks for all the support. I have an appointment in 4 weeks with my doctor. I will discuss then about changing the mask, unless I go down there earlier. I think I may give this mask one last try. I talked to some one at an office my doctor has away from his office, this office is just for supplies and parts. He told me the problem with the smaller mask is losing air though my mouth. He told me its very important I sleep with my mouth closed. I must sleep with my mouth closed now because some mornings I wake up and it feels like my mouth is glued shut. Very dry, but then other nights I droll everywhere, (I know gross).

murph

That means you are opening your mouth - it gets dried out and glue like from the air.
The doctor has nothing to do with the mask, just like a doctor has nothing to do with which strips a diabetic puts on their glucose meter. The mask is for you to decide because it is you who must be comfortable and make the therapy work. A provider (DME) will let you trade in a mask within 30 days - this is decided and paid for by the manufacturer.

[napstress]

[quote="murph1031"]I am going to edit the title of this tread from "I quit" to "trying again"/quote]
YAY!

I agree about how the mask liner would help with the noisy leak. It's the plastic that contributes to that dynamic. Not only does the Pad-A-Cheek liner fill any remaining leaks, it is also fabric, which takes the noise out of the equation. The liner will absorb the drool, too, and dries fast in the air from your mask.

Re: mouth breathing: You might need a larger-sized mask. Mine is too small and I wake up with the bottom of it in my mouth. Your situation sounds similar.

It also sounds like you need a smaller-sized head gear. It is sold separately on cpap.com

[freshair]

Thanks for all the support. I have an appointment in 4 weeks with my doctor. I will discuss then about changing the mask, unless I go down there earlier. I think I may give this mask one last try. I talked to some one at an office my doctor has away from his office, this office is just for supplies and parts. He told me the problem with the smaller mask is losing air though my mouth. He told me its very important I sleep with my mouth closed. I must sleep with my mouth closed now because some mornings I wake up and it feels like my mouth is glued shut. Very dry, but then other nights I droll everywhere, (I know gross).

murph

The reason I wear a full face mask is that I am a combo breather, in other words I go both ways, breathing that is, breathe through nose and mouth,maybe i should have not put it that way, murph try the quattro fx mask,,,I think you'll be more comfortable with it....stay the course because you're getting a lot of support--FA

[MidnightOwl]

Murph,

I'm glad you're still trying.

If your elastic headgear is stretched out you can get some more time out of it by making a tiny fold in the back and stitching it with a few stitches. This will shorten it while not interfering with the way the straps fit into the mask. A tighter fit might help you eliminate some leaks.

I've also found a nasal mask (the half face mask) is easier to keep from leaking. Probably because there's less edge to leak. The downside of those masks is that some people end up breathing through their mouths which defeats the purpose. So if the adjustments you're making don't help you could try that. I think it's normal to have trouble breathing with any mask when they turn that pressure on for the first time during a sleep study - so I wouldn't assume that you'd have the same problem now.

I don't have any experience with GERD or swallowing air. I'm glad to see that you got plenty of suggestions on that already.

You shouldn't be feeling worse on this treatment. Once you get the snags worked out I'm sure you won't be anymore.

Midnightowl

[MidnightOwl]

And ASV type machine is an machine ....

...

Sorry for the long explanation, but I thought others might want to know the reasoning behind the therapy.

John's full explanation is above or here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67176&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... 45#p625704


I very much appreciate the explanation. Thank you for posting it.

Midnightowl

[carosan]

Hi Murph1031,

If you can't sleep with it....I would at least sleep on it (pardon the pun) before making such a weighty decision!

When I first tried the CPAP machine I had an "up the nose with a rubber hose model" (nasal pillows) which made me feel like I couldn't breath out & I really wanted to quit...
but since then I have used a F&P zest mask (over the nose) & now I am getting some really good zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's.

Having invested so much in a machine why not try a few more types of masks before giving up.

Good luck. I really hope you manage to sort things out.

[murph1031]

Again thanks for the support, pretty good night last night. Who ever suggested picturing myself laying on the beach with a cold one, hit the jackpot. I am really trying not to think of the mask, and I know its early (18 months with machine), but it seems a little better. The noise was bad, be be happy when the pads arrive so I can try them.
I have decided to stay with this mask until I see my doctor next month, because since my dry mouth is coming from sleeping with my mouth open, I may not need to change. I'm going to try and get a smaller strap, or sew this one up a little and someone else suggested.
I know my posts probably don't make for great reading, but having this forum really does help, I only wish I had used it a year ago, but saddly I'm the kind of person that hates to ask or even admit I need help.

Thanks Folks
Murph