So Excited with last night!

[Kahfree]

Ok...so I took some advise to at least try to listen to the television while wearing the mask to get use to it. Since I have the Mirage Quattro mask, it has an adjustable dial at the forehead. I put my glasses on, then the mask and was actually able to wear them and see the television. I watched television with it on for one hour, then slid my glasses out and tightened the forehead dial again. At no time while wearing it did I lift the mask at the mouth and try to catch a breath. Instead, I just relaxed and took deep breaths. Yawning was hard wearing it, but I did it and each time I did, I had less fear.

I shut off the light, rolled to my sleep side and do not remember falling asleep. I did take it off again at some point, and again, I do not remember doing so, but I checked the stats today and compared it to the night before. Last night my AHI ws 5.2 and the night before it was 35.2 and my leak rate went from 131 the night before to 32 last night! I have a total of 66 % of nights used over 4 hours now compared to the 60% before.

I am really excited. I used the advise of (and I cant remember who told me, but I appreciate it) wearing the mask while resting, doing things, reading, etc. I hope tonight is even better to the point where by my Doctor visit on Feb 14, I will be 100% compliant and I never take it off during sleep again. Although, I do know that setbacks can happen...and I hope I can accept those setbacks with grace.

Kelly

[Hueffenhardt]

Congratulations! I am happy for you!

[Goofy]

Good job! It gets better and every once in a while you might still hit a bump in the road so don't get discouraged!

[bayourest]

stick with this forum too! I have no idea how anyone succeeds without the type of advice, support, and help that is available on this forum

[Kahfree]

Thank you everyone, and yes I will stay with the forum to help me and I hope that I can return that help when there are new people seeking advise.

[fuzzy96]

put one foot in front of the other , then repeat. baby steps at first soon you'll be off and running

[rested gal]

Kelly!

Good for you!!

Don't get discouraged if there are some, or even many, setbacks along the way and steps backwards. You're working it out beautifully and you'll "get there."

70% usage is, I think, the usual goal to keep insurance reimbursing for the machine. In other words, so that a person can keep the machine beyond the first month.

Now that you've got the hang of using your glasses with the mask on, I'd use the machine as much as possible for awhile while awake -- watching TV or reading until I got that percentage thingy up above where it needs to be.

[Kahfree]

Kelly!

Good for you!!

Don't get discouraged if there are some, or even many, setbacks along the way and steps backwards. You're working it out beautifully and you'll "get there."

70% usage is, I think, the usual goal to keep insurance reimbursing for the machine. In other words, so that a person can keep the machine beyond the first month.

Now that you've got the hang of using your glasses with the mask on, I'd use the machine as much as possible for awhile while awake -- watching TV or reading until I got that percentage thingy up above where it needs to be.

Question, does the machine know if I am sleeping or not? LOL nice way to trick them into keeping it paid for by insurance, although mine is being paid by me to the DME since I have to meet the deductible this year. Might be hard to do in the beginning of the year. Since I am paying the DME monthly for the machine, is that a rental? He said after 9 months the machine is mine. I wonder if I can pay if off anytime. I looked at the paper work and the total cost was 1295.00 and I put 300 down.

[rested gal]

Question, does the machine know if I am sleeping or not? LOL

If it has "SensAwake" maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.

Doesn't matter though ...I wouldn't think. As long as it keeps running and is sensing someone breathing in and out through the mask.

"Compliance" is tallied up when a person is using the machine. Whether they are using it while awake, asleep, taking a bubble bath, puttering around in the kitchen, having... participating in.... well, whatever!

Now that I think about it, usage might also get counted if a person was watching TV with no mask even attached to the air hose, much less to the person. Semi-blocking the business end of the air hose every few seconds with a person's hand might "change" what's happening in the airflow enough for the machine to assume a person is attached, even if there's no person's exhaled breath pushing against the airflow. Or maybe there would be a miniscule amount of pushing air back toward the machine, if a person dabbed the open end of the air hose at their hand every few seconds.

Hey, the reason no airflow was going back "from a person" to the machine was...golly gee, massive "mask leak." The kind of "detail" a DME never bothers to check anyway. And a detail insurance couldn't care one whit about.

I "wonder" entirely too much, sometimes...

Point is moot anyway, since you have to meet a deductible. Bummer.

A grand experiment was about to get underway, with someone (you? me?) as the good natured guinea pig.

[DreamOn]

Way to go, Kelly!!! Welcome to the forum, by the way. I read of your struggles in another thread. I didn't comment there because others had already given you some excellent advice, but I'm cheering you on in the background!

[HoseCrusher]

Here is another idea...

Turn the machine on before you decide to go to bed. It takes 15 - 30 minutes to warm the water up in your humidifier. If anyone asks just tell them that you are letting the humidifier water warm up.

[Cindy Lou Who]

Way to go, Kelly!!! Welcome to the forum, by the way. I read of your struggles in another thread. I didn't comment there because others had already given you some excellent advice, but I'm cheering you on in the background!

Yes, Kelly....Way to go I add my voice to "DreamOn" and others here. Please accept with grace any setbacks. Most experience them, especially when we started. Don't be hard on yourself. Suborn me struggled with a mask for three months before giving up and trying another. I have to learn the hard way sometimes, but fervently hope that doesn't apply to you.
Just fire up the computer, log in here and ask questions.
Welcome to what is possibly the best forum for xpap users on the Web.
Cindy

[newhosehead]

Hooray! That is real progress and I am happy to have a fellow "TV person" on the forum. Keep us updated!

Jeanette

[Hueffenhardt]

Question, does the machine know if I am sleeping or not? LOL

If it has "SensAwake" maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.

Her machine, the ICON Premo, does not have SensAwake. Only the ICON Auto has it.

[Big S]

Kelly, I am reminded of how I feel when I watch my kids opening their Christmas presents. It certainly brightens my day to start it off with posts like yours. Congrats and enjoy every breath.

Rested Gal, you are truly a gem!