First steps.........

[GlimR]

Hi everyone........I am so glad to have found this forum and have been reading as much as time allows the last week or so. I've done two sleep studies over the last few months and in truth after the first I figured I'd go to the sleep doctor to go over the results and then pretty much blow it off. But what he showed me really hit home that yes indeed I do have this condition and I need to address it. I really want this to work for me. I got my machine yesterday and used it last night for the first time. I kept it on from 10 pm until 1:30 when my throat was so dry I couldn't stop coughing. I felt like I was awake quote a bit but did sleep some. I had the humidifier turned up from 3 to 4. I hated the resistance to breath out (am set of a high pressure of 14). I've read a bit about peoples adjustment period and that has been so helpful....made me feel like I'm not just bobbing along out here by myself. The nasal mask felt like it was leaking quite a bit. I have a back injury so have to sleep on my side. The highest pressure did wake me up but was nowhere near as bad as during the sleep study when it hit a high of 18 and I woke up thinking I was drowning in air. The rep that came here yesterday to bring the machine and start my education said she thinks a BPAP would be better for me but have to go this route first.

Just wanted to say hello and that I'm grateful you guys are here...and now will go back to reading, reading, reading!!!

Feeling like going to bed is a real mixed bag~

[JDS74]

GlimR

Welcome to the group. We all try to help each other.

It would be helpful if you could post your equipment information in text mode.
To do this, click on User Control Panel at the upper left and select profile, etc.

That said, with a nasal mask, one of the issues that can cause dry mouth is having your mouth come open while you sleep and letting the air blow out through your mouth.
This does two not so good things 1) it decreases the effectiveness of the CPAP machine and 2) it can cause your mouth to dry out.

There are chin straps that can help by holding your mouth shut but you will still need to learn to hold your tongue up to the roof of your mouth to block the air low. Some people find this easy to learn while others find it harder.

Some CPAP machines have a feature called pressure relief that reduces the pressure while you exhale and then bring it back up when you inhale making it easier.

A BiPap machine allows your therapist to set the difference at perhaps a wider range for even more comfort. I suspect from your comment about what was said, that they will switch you to one of those.

At this point, you need to be insistent on getting what is called a full data machine that records not only compliance hours but also many other parameters so you can see the effectiveness of the treatment. There are lists on his site that will help you know the difference.

Best wishes.

[GlimR]

JDS~
Thank you for the welcome~

I thought I had posted the equipment but realized I had one of the setting wrong. Do you think I could be opening my mouth without realizing it....I do usually breath through my nose unless sick. Weird because when I open my mouth while awake with the mask on the air comes out and makes that horrible garbled sound...yikes! A very strange thing, and a def. incentive NOT to open it! So many new things to get my head around.

[JDS74]

Yes, it is entirely possible you are doing so.
We don't usually hear ourselves snore, gasp, or wheeze either.

[Julie]

And it's more likely to happen when air is being pumped in artificially (so to speak .

[RogerSC]

You could consider installing Sleepyhead or ResScan to be able to download and post your sleep data from your S9 Autoset, and look at it yourself. You can look at things like leaks, and see if it looks like you're breathing through your mouth from the leaks graphs. Since this stuff happens while you're sleeping, it's really useful to see what the machine is seeing when you're sleeping.

Since you're reading forum articles here (a real useful thing to do), you'll see people's sleep data posted for comments, and there are threads where people talk about installing the software (Sleepyhead and/or ResScan). I have both installed myself, since they differ somewhat in how they present your sleep data.

Anyways, sounds like you're on the right track, asking the right questions. Keep it up and you'll be doing fine with it soon. It does take a bit of searching to find the right mask for you, and settle into a nightly routine. So don't worry about it, you'll get there.

[GlimR]

Thanks everyone. I will try to find the info on how to use the programs....the more info the better. Okay....so almost ready for night #2......set up in the recliner to see if that will help me be most comfortable for a few nights.....sweet dreams all-

[GlimR]

I tell you there is so much to learn, so much trial and error. Tonight is night #7 and it's been interesting!
I tried for three nights.......hours on the machine....3,7 & 3.......futzed around all night trying to minimize leaks
which wasn't working well so got almost no sleep....was sick on Friday from no rest and feeling like just let me go to sleep....if I die, I die.
Slept without it Friday night from 11-7.man did I feel better. Have used it every night since, averaging 4 hours but still not much sleep till I take it off.
Main issues for me are the leaking and the exhale pressure........high pressure is 14 and I'm okay with that except on the exhale when I feel like I am hitting a wall.
Had the DME gal come out today and she switched me from a Swift FX Nano to a Mirage FX for Her and raised the beginning pressure from a 4 (suffocation) to a 9 and that feels better. She says she thinks I will eventually wind up with a bipap if the same issues don't get resolved.

I am soooo looking forward to trying the new mask tonight. I want to comply....I want to feel better. Just wanted to thank everyone for your posts. I know you seasoned users have heard it all before but I feel like I am walking around in an alien world and this forum has been a lifeline~

[Pugsy]

Are you using the EPR feature (exhale relief) on your machine? If so what is the setting?
If not...turn it on and use it at 3 and see if the exhale is easier for you.

[purple]

Hi,

Ask what hoops you might have to jump through to get a bi type machine. Philips Respironics calls their version Bi-Pap, Resmed is VPAP.

Uh, let me say that another way. I now have a Bi l machine, where I have a far lower pressure on exhale and the whole process is a lot easier on me.

EPR that Pugsy described is a bit like that, but most Bi machines use a difference in pressure of at least five, and it functions a bit differently than EPR.

[GlimR]

Pugsy....it was reset yesterday and last night the exhale was easier.

purple~
the bi type makes so much more sense.

Last night was the worst.....the new mask seemed to start out great but then after awhile it would start to leak, I'd get it readjusted and then it seemed like the whole seal would just break and air would be whooshing out all over the place and loud................good grief........I am weary of this~

[GlimR]

Update..........The DME let my husband come down and exchange the mask I had for a new one...the Wisp.......has the three sizes to try which is good. We also went out tonight and bought a memory foam pillow that he is "modifying" for me.....cutting out a place for the mask to go...it's a start. I sleep on a memory foam pillow that I love but it's not working. I hate to buy an expensive cpap pillow and have it be too hard or too high..........onward and upward. Am determined to make this work~
btw..........slept for 2 1/2 hours this afternoon... dead tired~

Hoping for a better night.*keeping all possible parts crossed*

[GlimR]

I LOVE the Wisp!!!!! I know it's only been 1 night and this may be the honeymoon phase but there was not one leak.......it was as comfortable to me as anything strapped to your face could be. I slept with it for six hours!!! Psychologically it was a huge boost to think there really IS a light at the end of the tunnel~
Yup...yup...yup....*doing happy dance*