Pressure Too High?

[Missyb0o]

Well, I finally got my new mask to try. RT called and said she would bring it out Weds. and instead, mailed the stupid thing while not returning any of my phone calls. I got it on Saturday. Tonight is night 2. Previous questions relating to equipment issues are now bringing me to this one: How do you know if the pressure is set too high? New mask is the same as the other. Loosen the headgear so it "floats". Check. Pressure builds and then immediately gets too tight again causing face pain, swelling, and now puffy cheeks over the side of the mask. I have tried the facial relaxation techniques prior to putting the thing on. New mask leaks considerably less air but still very painful. I am on week number 4 of only 3.5 hours of sleep per night. This morning, I noticed another strange thing. I woke up with my belly distended like I was nine months pregnant and had excess air and gas all day. Allergies are kicking up with the gorgeous weather we have been having so I am going to bed completely congested in my nose. So it is open mouth sleeping all night. Is this normal? I want to say that it is not and I am going to call the sleep doc later. Issue number 2 is that I feel like the mask is making me hyperventilate. I feel like I should be taking a breath every time the air rushes in. It seems to be coming in faster than I normally breathe. As I lay in bed relaxing last night trying to sleep, I noticed that my whole mouth is filling with air like those commercials of the dogs or kids in a wind tunnel. My lips are completely pulled away from my teeth and my mouth is completely inflated. This leads to the severely dry mouth and sore throat. I am still trying to keep an open mind about the benefits of the CPAP but to be honest, this is the worst sleep I have ever had! Any suggestions?

The new mask is the gel blue ff.

[Chikorita]

That does not sound like fun. Wiser people will be able to help you with your questions. I want to encourage you not to feel defeated and not to give up. It is difficult and some days are really bad. I've been struggling for a while and today I have had a good day. Please hang in there and give it more time. There will be solutions to many of your concerns but I'm too new to offer anything but encouragement at the moment.

[sol]

I don,t use your mask, maybe a mask liner might help
swallowing air is called aerophagia when air goes to the stomach instead of lungs. sometimes change sleeping position or raising head of the bed might help
Your machine don,t have expiratory pressure relief (EPR) which the machine drop pressure on exhale of different levels settings (1,2,3) 3 provide most relief
Icon have a feature can turn on called SensAwake which the machine lower the pressure when senses that you,re awake, completely different than EPR
Bilevel machines provide a lower pressure as you exhale, reducing the likely hood of swallowing excess air
Speak to your doctor for best solution for you, might choose to lower prescribed pressure. What are the machine setting

For congestion try sinus rinse (just saline solution) an hour or so before going to bed
If humidity set high ... turn down or if low .. turn up. Everyone is different, some get congested on high while others on low setting
experiment and find what works best for you. Are you using ThermoSmart

[sleepstar]

Do you own your machine or is it a trial machine? Can it be swapped?
It definitely seems like EPR could be of use for you. It basically drops the pressure down when you breathe out so it's easier to breathe. Might help with bloating too. It isn't on the icon unfortunately - but are you on a trial where you can use another machine?

What do you have your humidifier set on? The icon machine you have has a great humidifier that should be help with nasal problems. Do you know how to increase the temperature and how to put "super humidification" on?

[sleepstar]

Also - you mention your breathing doesn't feel right.
Keep in mind that the machine doesn't breathe for you - you control your breathing. All it's doing is blowing a constant pressure of air. It's not changing and it doesn't change when you breathe. You're in control of your breathing

[Missyb0o]

Thank you all for your kind words. My doctor called the RT and lowered the pressure. If that does not help then after 2 days they are going to discontinue the SenseAwake feature and put me on an auto setting where the machine will decide what pressure I need and when. Right now the pressure has only dropped .25% My insurance rents the machines for 13 months and then I have a buy-out option. I will just be starting month 2 next week. :/ For the bloating and gas, they (the doc and the RT) have decided my pillow stack is too high and to take one of them away. It seems that when my chin drops to my chest is when I swallow all of the air. But on the upside, if I have been doing that, then my new mask is doing a great job with no air leaks! As far as the breathing and feeling like I was hyperventilating goes, I may be prescribed something for anxiety as I am doing it myself trying to keep up with the machine. Told yet again "you are too high strung and need to learn to relax." Easier said than done. Congestion is congestion. My humidity level is only on 2. It started on 1 and I was plagued with nosebleeds. On 3 and I couldn't swallow. Trial and error. Last night I fell asleep before dinner. Slept from 4pm-1am. Got up and went downstairs, ate a bowl of cereal and took my RLS meds. Fell asleep on the couch from 3am-845am. Something has to give. I am obviously exhausted. No mask either.



Missy