Help! I am about to give up

[carriea]

I need some help. I was diagnosed with OSA in August 2017. My ahi is 17 with air pressure of 5. As of today my average of wearing my mask is less than 2 hours. When I do have it on I can't sleep or I am only in a light sleep. I have talked to the therapists so many times I can't keep count. I have tried different masks. They have adjusted every setting on my device multiple times. I still cannot get used to this machine. I have tried wearing it during the day hoping to get used to it. Does anyone have any other suggestions before my insurance takes it away?

[Muse-Inc]

What is the issue? Is it the mask or is it the air blowing? Worries?

[LSAT]

You have a top of the line machine...The pressure of 5 is suspect. Is your machine set to fixed pressure?

[Wulfman...]

I need some help. I was diagnosed with OSA in August 2017. My ahi is 17 with air pressure of 5. As of today my average of wearing my mask is less than 2 hours. When I do have it on I can't sleep or I am only in a light sleep. I have talked to the therapists so many times I can't keep count. I have tried different masks. They have adjusted every setting on my device multiple times. I still cannot get used to this machine. I have tried wearing it during the day hoping to get used to it. Does anyone have any other suggestions before my insurance takes it away?

YOU.......need to take control of your own therapy......ASAP.
Learn all about your machine, the settings and how to change them.
If you don't already have a copy of the clinical guide for it, you need to download one. The sooner you learn AND take control, the faster you'll get your therapy working. Here's a link to download a .pdf file.

https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

Also, look at the links in LSAT's profile and download "Sleepyhead" software to see what's happening while you're sleeping.


Den

.

[yubaz]

Hope you can explain what doesn't work for you with the machine and mask you have. Every person and their journey with apnea varies. This site will provide good ideas but the more specific you can be about your problems the more help is possible. Sleepyhead is a wonderful tool, even I , the non tech one, can install and use it for helpful information about what is happening.

[CpapWife]

I agree. A range works much better than a set number.

There are a lot of tips to get used to it - aromatherapy put where the machine draws in air - e.g. lavender or something to help you relax, can make a big difference in the beginning.

Wear it when you get drowsy watching tv or reading can help.

Give more details, others have been there and can give suggestions.

[Arlene1963]

I need some help. I was diagnosed with OSA in August 2017. My ahi is 17 with air pressure of 5. As of today my average of wearing my mask is less than 2 hours. When I do have it on I can't sleep or I am only in a light sleep. I have talked to the therapists so many times I can't keep count. I have tried different masks. They have adjusted every setting on my device multiple times. I still cannot get used to this machine. I have tried wearing it during the day hoping to get used to it. Does anyone have any other suggestions before my insurance takes it away?

YOU.......need to take control of your own therapy......ASAP.
Learn all about your machine, the settings and how to change them.
If you don't already have a copy of the clinical guide for it, you need to download one. The sooner you learn AND take control, the faster you'll get your therapy working. Here's a link to download a .pdf file.

https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

Also, look at the links in LSAT's profile and download "Sleepyhead" software to see what's happening while you're sleeping.


Den

.

I completely agree with Den. Please take control of your own treatment and make it work for you.

[carriea]

I will try to explain the best I can. The mask is comfortable enough I just don't like the air blowing up my nose. Sometimes I wake up with my throat so dry that I can't swallow and then I start choking. I don't think I'm sleeping with my mouth open. The couple of times my mouth has open I have heard the air right away and then closed it. The ramp starts at 4 and goes to 5 after 45 minutes. It does not look like I have the option to change the pressure. I feel like when I have the mask on I'm looking at my clock every 15 minutes. It isn't until I take the mask off that I fall into a deep sleep.
I will try this sleepyhead software and see what is says.

I have tried the Swift FX nano nasal mask and it made me feel claustrophobic so I can't imagine wearing a bigger mask. I'm thinking of trying the Airfit P10 but I'm not sure if I will like the pieces up my nose.

[Arlene1963]

Hi Carriea!

Your ramp is set to 4CM and continues at that level for 45 minutes. Many, if not most people experience 4CM as very uncomfortable because it is so low. This could definitely be a reason why you are watching the clock in despair.

I also agree with LSAT that the pressure of 5 is suspect, unless it is a starting pressure for a range for APAP. If you could clarify if your machine is set to straight pressure (CPAP) or APAP starting at 5 after ramp, that would be helpful.

[raisedfist]

I would first change it to APAP, something like 5 or 6cm h2o as the min, and maybe 15-20 as the max. Then, I would buy a heated hose and let it control everything automatically at first, and see if that helps with the dry throat/mouth. They are nice to have regardless.

If you aren't already, only use your bed for sleep (and sex), so by the time you lay down you mask up and hopefully drift off without much issue. Don't face your clock or machine if at all possible. Just close your eyes and try to drift off into happy land.

The noise of air flow is the most bothersome thing to me in terms of therapy. I purchased a white noise machine, keep my room nice and cool with the A/C on (noisy window unit), and also sleep on my side with the covers up around me. It makes the therapy essentially muted when it comes to noise. This helps me a ton.

Oh and yeah with the P10 pillows, it gets so quiet sometimes that I've actually checked to see if my machine is even on. And that's at pretty high bi-level pressures.

[D.H.]

No matter what you've been told, it's possible to change the pressure, and it's possible to set to APAP!

While the interface that you have is called a "mask," the picture sure looks like nasal pillows to me. Since you report that the pressure in your nostrils bothers you, go back to a "regular" mask (I assume that you held on to all of them).

Try starting with 5 and set the max all the way up. You can leave it there unless you experience discomfort at the higher pressures or "Clear Airway" events that seem to be associated with the higher pressures. Not that leaks are only a problem if they annoy you or if they exceed the machine's capacity to compensate.

[carriea]

D.H - How do I change it to APAP? I have looked in the manual and can't find any info on it.

[Hopeful50]

D.H - How do I change it to APAP? I have looked in the manual and can't find any info on it.

Find the Home button and the big round knob on the front of the machine. Push both and hold for at least 3 seconds, and you will see the screen change. The top line becomes something like "Exit Clinical Menu." You're now in the clinical menu and can use the knob to scroll down and see many more options (including APAP and pressure settings). Good luck!

[chasingsunshine]

Sorry to hear you are having issues. I feel your pain. I wish I had some advice, but I still have issues with mine - but trying to work through them. All I can add is - WE CAN DO IT!!!

[Janknitz]

Once you re-set the pressure, you should turn off the ramp feature. Most people feel like the are suffocating from too little pressure during ramp, and that's part of the problem with feeling safe enough to sleep.

Now here's a strange suggestion. Do NOT try to sleep in the mask. Instead, put on a movie or some favorite quiet and relaxing music and just plan to watch, listen for a couple of hours. If you fall asleep, well there you go. Sometimes the anxiety about sleeping interferes with sleep. If you make it all the way through a couple of hours of movie or music awake, try leaving the mask on for a while longer and see what happens. Don't look at the clock or "try" to sleep in the mask, just see what happens when you le there. You may find yourself waking up several hours later.

Dry mouth is a pretty clear picture that the forced air is entering your mouth, whether or not you lose the lip seal so air pressure is blowing out of your mouth (probably more than you think). This can happen even in a full face mask, so you need to learn to deal with it. Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth. Now hold it there and plug your nose and try to breathe through your mouth. If you can't get air in or out in that position, you can learn to seal off your mouth from the rest of your airway and that will solve your dry mouth problem. How? Keep your tongue in that spot ALL DAY LONG unless you are eating or talking. Do that several days in a row and the habit will be born. It may then carry over to night time.