feeling horrible and depressed

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:55 am

I have the cpap machine remstar M series plus c flex with heated humidifier and mask ComfortClassic Mask with Headgear. The first night readings of therapy was 6.4 second was 5.3 and it keeps getting lower and lower last night was therapy hour 7 day avg 2.06. So my therapy hours are total 12.9 Blower hours 40.4 . 2 sessions. I feel worse then when I started. Im so upset this is not working for me and I feel like giving up. I wear the mask all night. Do you think the machine is not working correctly? I started using the machine 6 days ago. Please help me figure this out. My doctor knows nothing about cpap machines. I woke up today and said I just give up. I know it sounds like I am feeling sorry for myself and I guess i am. This machine that I had to purchase on my own because insurance would not cover it is not working I guess. I should have purchased a machine with data information but my mistake and I cant get another. I feel depressed and defeated. I hope I can get some encouragement and hope from anyone. Thank you all!!!

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:06 am

I'm a newbie too, so i can't offer much more than words of encouragement. I, too, have felt like giving up at times, but you have to keep at it.

Are you sure your machine is set at the prescribed pressure from your sleep study? Is your mask comfy? Leaking?

I'm sure someone will come along with better advice than I can give.

My first 7 or 8 nights I couldn't manage more than a couple of hours a night. I would just throw the mask across the room when i get fed up in the middle of the night. The last two nights I am up over 5 hours.

It takes time to get used to it. I have heard people say it is normal to have trouble keeping the mask on for the first 3 weeks or more.

Wait, I just re-read your post: you wear the mask all night, how many hours are you sleeping? And your machine is saying that low of a usage?

I'm a little worried about that. Perhaps the machine is malfunctioning. Someone else have any ideas about what is going on here?

Jen

WindFlyer · Post by **WindFlyer** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:09 am

Check with your DME and see if you can rent a machine for a while until your insurance will cover another or you can buy another one. Most good DMEs should have programs in place for those of us (like me) who can't afford much. Mine even let me lower my monthly payments back when I was renting-to-own my CPAP.

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:18 am

If you bought your machine outright, surely it has some kind of warranty?

I would call whomever you bought it from and discuss the issue with them directly to see what they can do for you. That is assuming you got it from a dealer and not an individual.

Where did you buy it?

Jen

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:39 am

I bought the machine from cpap.com. It is set for 9cm. Im just so tired and depressed because this was my only hope right now to feel normal again. I have had sleep apnea for 2 1/2 years. I don't think cpap will refund me and let me purchase another machine. Thank you for writing me back. Kim

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:41 am

You don't have a data capable machine, so you don't know it isn't working! It can take a long time to feel better. Once you get the mask working(no leaks), and make sure you aren't mouth breathing or mouth leaking, and sleep with it all night, and naps too,it can still take time to feel the difference. You've only been at this for 6 days, give it time.

Brenda

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:54 am

Sometimes we are led to believe that majic is going to happen. Maybe it will, but not overnight, You have a sleep deficit to repay before you will start feeling normal. Many times doctors and dme's fail to tell us not to expect to be well the next day.
Many hospitals have sleep clinics once a week, where you can take your machine and mask in for checking. You should call around to local hospitals and ask about this. About a year ago I went in to local sleep clinic with machine and mask in hand. They let me try a new mask (Comfort Full) for a couple of nights and then let me keep it at no charge.
In my honest opinion when you can go to bed, go to sleep without even thinking about the mask and machine you will be on the way to good sleep health.

DON'T EVER GIVE IN!!

christinequilts · Post by **christinequilts** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:04 am

chriml wrote: So my therapy hours are total 12.9 Blower hours 40.4 ,

You've been using every night for a week? How many hours a night? Because something is not right if your therapy hours are 12.9 but blower hours are 40.4. Its been blowing a lot of air, but not a lot of 'therapy time'.

I'm not familiar enough with your machine to know if it would stop registering therapy time if you had a major leak...we'll have to get someone who knows more about your machine to answer that one. Do you happen to take your mask off during the night by chance?

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:07 am

There is a small pipe on the front of some masks. If your mask has one of these, is the cap on it securely so that air doesn't escape?

skjansen · Post by **skjansen** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:22 am

Hang in there...it gets better. I have been on CPAP for almost 3 years and still have bad nights occassionally. I know for a fact that if I sleep on my back my AHI will be over 5 the next day. I am using a wedge pillow or the Sonapillow and as long as I can stay off of my back my numbers look good the next day.

If I had to guess, I would say you are mouth breathing. I am not sure about the equipment you have but if it is not a full mask I would wager $$$ on the mouth breathing thing. You will never get substantially better if you are breathing thru your mouth. Also, if you have extreme OSA try to sleep only on your side and see if that makes a difference.

Good luck!

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:47 am

christinequilts wrote:
chriml wrote: So my therapy hours are total 12.9 Blower hours 40.4 ,
You've been using every night for a week? How many hours a night? Because something is not right if your therapy hours are 12.9 but blower hours are 40.4. Its been blowing a lot of air, but not a lot of 'therapy time'.

I'm not familiar enough with your machine to know if it would stop registering therapy time if you had a major leak...we'll have to get someone who knows more about your machine to answer that one. Do you happen to take your mask off during the night by chance?

Yes, I agree, something isn't adding up here! I'm very worried about this poor gal, so BUMP!

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:51 am

You make a strong case for APAP.

A plain Jane cpap CAN be proper for some people if the pressure is ideal, but this is pure guesswork without data.

It is analogous to going to an internist with lots of complaints and s/he guesses solely on the symptoms and does no lab work.

Nothing beats cold hard objective data- from the smart card- for an informed opinion and credible advice.

It is pure guesswork otherwise.

christinequilts · Post by **christinequilts** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:38 am

tomjax wrote:You make a strong case for APAP.

An autoPAP would only help once the major leaks (mouth leaks most likely) or mask removal in sleep are under control. The more I look at the numbers, let's assume a 'week' was 5 days & we have 40 blower hours- machine was ON 8 hours a night. But chriml only had 12.9 therapy hours, or a little over 2 hours of therapy a night. The best machine can only do so much, just like the best medications only work if you take them on a regular basis as dirrected, not just a quarter of the time.

I'm all for people getting better machines if they may be help, but IMHO, I would want to figure out why there is such a difference in therapy hrs vs blower hrs before giving up on a machine. Especially when chriml has purchased his machine out of pocket and doesn't have the option to upgrade easily.

chriml- I noticed you are using a ComfortClassic Mask. That is not one of the best mask out there- working on finding a better mask that fits your face best & is the most comfortable may help improve the quality time on CPAP. That, and getting mouth breathing under control ASAP.

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:44 am

Well I taped my mouth last night and thought I slept better but this morning I looked at the reading and it said 1.24 hours of therapy. Something is not right and I am so frustrated.I checked my machine and read set up directions again looked at the mask and still something has to be wrong. I bought it from cpap.com so i emailed them. Im not sure if they will replace my machine. Im so new at this and I don't know anyone that is using a cpap machine or knows anything about them. My own Doctor knows nothing about them. She told me just buy a basic machine so I did. I thank God for all you wonderful helpful people out there. I really am trying not to give up on this because I have been feeling mentally and physically sick for 2 years. So many people seem to do so well and know so much and I cant seem to get anything right. Thank you All! kim

tuna · Post by **tuna** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:25 am

Try taking your machine were your sleep study was done, they will be able to tell you if it is setup correctly as prescribed.

It's an option..

Don't give up yet!!

Joe.

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