New to the Group I got a Question

GeeTeeTAG · Post by **GeeTeeTAG** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:15 am

Hi,

My name is Therese and I was diagnosed in late 2006. I am 46 years young. I have yet to be able to sleep all night with the mask. I can get maybe 4 hours of sleep. You can see my specs on my profile (I hope) I think my insurance company got me a crap machine. I myself bought the Ultra M. Shift II, I have tried two others, this one is the one that makes the 4 hours, and it is quite. I now have my hose hanging above to avoid the twisting or pulling of the hose. I am frustrated because I am worried that if I do not get this worked out; something bad may happen. Plus it would be nice to sleep all night with out waking up.

Got any suggestions?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:46 am

Welcome to the forum, Therese.

I see you managed to get your machine listed in your profile.
One other thing that might help is if you could add your machine's pressure setting to that area where you listed your machine.

If you could tell us what seems to be causing your sleep to be interrupted, that might give another clue.
Mouth-leaking or mouth-breathing is usually suspect in situations where a user has a nasal mask and complains about their therapy not working or has quit working or other things along those lines. Too much pressure or too little pressure can also present problems with sleep quality and quantity.
Mouth taping or using Polident adhesive denture strips to seal the lips shut at night is what quite a few people do when they use nasal masks.....or they get a full face mask.

Be sure to click on the yellow lightbulb (above) and read "Our Collective Wisdom" (if you haven't yet).

It sounds like you've been innovative with your "hose hanger".

Best wishes,

Den

markinOz · Post by **markinOz** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:19 pm

Hi,

Yep we need more info. Describe what you think maybe waking you up. The more information you provide the more chance someone might have the solution.

I just bought a new machine and I am breaking it in now. On the third night and not quite getting it yet.

Good luck. Don't give up.

jdavis123 · Post by **jdavis123** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:34 am

Also, how long have you been using the CPAP? It's hard to sleep 8 hours without waking up once, but are you not able to fall back asleep?

GeeTeeTAG · Post by **GeeTeeTAG** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:05 am

Sorry it took awhile to find my paper work. My S6 is set at 5 cm it was at 8 cm but at my second sleep test the doctor change it to 5. At first I thought it was because I did not have a humitfier, then I thought it might be the mask was not a good fit. The one I have now I have those felt covers and that helps. But I can manage about 3 - 5 hours.. last night 2.5. I am not sure what it is to be honest. But I have gone through this for 3 years. I was diagnosed in 8/05.

It sad to say in order to have the machine on most of the night I have to have a sleeping pill but that defeats the purpose.

If anyone has this type of machine or suggestion please send them.

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:07 am

I'm so sorry to hear you're still having problems. I don't have that machine, but the first thing I notice is the lower pressure of 5. Now, I'm not telling you to go against what your doc said, but for most of us around here, 5 is just too low and makes us feel like we're not getting enough air.

Do you remember if you started having more, less, or the same problems after you were changed to 5 for your pressure?

What happens when you wake up?

Does your waking having anything to do with: leaking mask, noisy machine, moisture in your mask, feeling like you're not getting enough air---or you just wake up and don't really know why?

When you wake up, is your mouth really dry? As Den mentioned, you could be leaking/breathing air out of you mouth while asleep, which means all or most of the cpap air is going out of your mouth instead of down your throat where it should be. A dry mouth with a nasal mask can be an indication of that. (Wearing a mask that covers both your nose and mouth eliminates this, as well as taping or using Polident between you lips.)

Pam

mellabella · Post by **mellabella** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:10 am

Any pressure lower than 7 can make folks feel like they're suffocating in the mask!

Also, your pressure is so low that you'll have to consider whether or not you're leaking out through your mouth (ever since I was retitrated to 13, the pressure is significant enough that it pretty much glues my tongue to the roof of my mouth, creating a pretty good seal....when I was down at a pressure of 7, though, I absolutely needed a full face mask).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:19 am

I feel the same on both pressure, cant get pass a few hours. I feel like the machine is a waste of time. But I know I need it.

No noise, or air leakage. My mouth is not dry. Sometimes the nasal pillows are moist. It just not comfortable to sleep. I wouldnt even know how to adjust it.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:34 am

Anonymous wrote:I feel the same on both pressure, cant get pass a few hours. I feel like the machine is a waste of time. But I know I need it.

No noise, or air leakage. My mouth is not dry. Sometimes the nasal pillows are moist. It just not comfortable to sleep. I wouldnt even know how to adjust it.

Like pulling teeth ...

What exactly is it that bothers you, that is uncomfortable, that wakes you, or keeps you from sleeping?

Does the mask itch, or hurt, or pinch?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:39 am

it does'nt hurt or pinch, what bothers me is all of the above. Uncomfortable if my head moves to the side which awakes me and keeps me from sleeping.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:22 am

Gotcha. You've got a hose management problem.

Try routing the hose from above your head.

Rested Gal's LINKS to Hose hangers and other methods of managing the main air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

O.

mellabella · Post by **mellabella** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:26 am

I think she said she's already doing this.

Your other possible problem might be your mask (the Swift, right?). The barrel is so large that many folks report it shifts uncomfortably for side sleeping. Also, the fact that the hose protrudes from one side instead of up the center can cause trouble for people sleeping on both sides throughout the night.

Does this sound like the problem?

This IS starting to feel like 20 questions, on our part....any more detail you can provide would be wonderful.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:29 am

How much did your CPAP titration cost you out of pocket after insurance?

Is this the only sleep lab and local DME supplier your insurance is contracted with?

Since you can not seem to pin point WHY you can't get more than 4 hours sleep w/your S6 I'd say that the first place to start is to send a written request to your sleep doctor/sleep lab and ask for BOTH the doctor's dictated report (1-2 pages each) AND the full scored data summary w/condensed graphs report (5+ pages each) from BOTH your sleep evaluation AND your CPAP titration studies. They are a part of your medical records and in the USA you have a LEGAL RIGHT to these copies under HIPAA.

The next step would be to call your insurance company to ask what local sleep labs and DME CPAP suppliers they are contracted with. Hopefully you have the option of more than one of each!

You may well have more options than you think regarding finding a COMFORTABLE mask that is relatively leak free, a local DME supplier w/a lenient mask exchange policy and quite possibly even a new titration at a better sleep clinic w/a better sleep doctor and mayve even getting a better xPAP.

Needsdecaf · Post by **Needsdecaf** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:43 pm

Anonymous wrote:it does'nt hurt or pinch, what bothers me is all of the above. Uncomfortable if my head moves to the side which awakes me and keeps me from sleeping.

I found that the Swift II was AWFUL for side sleeping, regardless of how I positioned the hose (free, side, over the head).

The Opus is much better, provided you can get it to work.

I like my Liberty quite a bit now.

One thing I noticed is that I rarely sleep completely through the night. There's always something that wakes me up (usually the wife, I think she may have mild OSA but try telling her that!)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:33 pm

Thank you for all of the advice, and just so you know i have the hose hanging and i have the hose attached up and over so there is no pulling from side to side. Also i have felt to make it comfortable. I did contact the medical place today and let them know I need my machine double checked etc. My insurance does not pay much - in fact I bought my mask since I am aloud one mask a year and what they provided was really bad. I am sorry that this seems like twenty questions but I did put my machine info and as much information I can to get advice. If I knew the exact pin point of the problem I would' nt have ask the question.
Thanks anyway.

New to the Group I got a Question

New to the Group I got a Question

CPAP

Cont.-Question on S6 & Ultra Mask