Removing one pillow. Wow!

Hunter1 · Post by **Hunter1** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:34 am

Have been a cpap user for one month with mixed results.

For years I have slept with two pillows. I recently tried removing one pillow and found the results off the chart. What I mean is that I feel so much better than before.

My theory is that two pillows was causing my air way to close off too much. In other words, my neck had a larger bend (kink) in it and my air way was restricted.

When one is trained in CPR, one is instructed to place patient on their back and tilt the head back. Apparently this opens the air way. Very simple technique but it works.

Anyone else out there with an experience like mine you would like to share?

Hunter1

vdol52 · Post by **vdol52** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:39 am

That would do it. I have noticed that I have most of my events when on my back. I start out sleeping on my side with few events, and eventually end up on my back and voila, bring on the apneas.

Victoria

momadams · Post by **momadams** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:59 am

When I first got my instructions from the RT, she suggested sleeping with just a neckroll exactly for that reason - opens the airway. I find that I do less air swallowing in that position also.
Shari

drummergirl410 · Post by **drummergirl410** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:06 am

Ive also used two pillows and some nights it does seem like too much. I'll have to try switching to one.

Hunter1 · Post by **Hunter1** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:49 am

Also want to let you know I no longer have my mask blow off or leak air.

Hunter1

nightingale · Post by **nightingale** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:02 pm

I am getting ready to order a CPAP Sleep Aid Pillow based on a recent posting, in hopes it will help eliminate mask leaks.
Also, my RT told me when using CPAP I would not have to worry about sleeping on my back because the CPAP would be preventing the apneas--is this not the case?
This has now been almost a year of frustration-- have not found a FF mask that does not leak, and have tried them all--have high hopes for this pillow!!

nightingale

SisterShotgun · Post by **SisterShotgun** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:25 pm

I too now only sleep with one pillow. There was one night when one of my boy's needed a pillow because his got wet after it spent the night outside near the sprinkler (Don't ask, I have no idea how or why children do the things they do)
So, I gave him one of mine. I slept so well, then went back to two pillows and didn't sleep so well..

I finally gave my second pillow to my husband and now just use the one. I get a better night's sleep.

RAINSUX · Post by **RAINSUX** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:33 pm

Ditto for me, except that I want from a big fluffy one to an old squashed one. My AHI immediately went down. I usually sleep on my side, and I try to stay on the edge of the pillow, letting the Swift hang off the side.

Sam

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:19 pm

Hunter1

After the sleep study and while waiting for the cpap machine, I tried the same position from mouth to mouth lifeguard training as used for CPR. Laying on my side and pulling the head all the way back improved my quality of sleep until the machine was delivered. You feel like a dinosaur fossil, but as the years slide by I'm not bothered by that if it allows some sleep. It is good to get some use from that training without the drama of the original intent. I hope you have the smooth transition to cpap benefits I enjoyed with little issues with leaks and a quick return of wide awake days. Good luck and take the sleep meds if they drag you back for another study.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:28 pm

My ex boyfriend made me "shorten" my tempurpedic pillow. Swore I snored less. I had a couple of slim foam pads underneath it to raise it fit my neck comfortably (I have really broad shoulders for a chick). It took me awhile to get used to the shorter pillow, but I'm doing it now just fine.

Finding the perfect height in a pillow is a constant dance between the neck pain and the constriction of the airway.

Cheers,
B.

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