New Guy - CPAP first week questions

JohnnySouth · Post by **JohnnySouth** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:53 am

Hello everyone from Houston!. I am getting my second sleep study Saturday night - with the CPAP - diagnosed after sleep study a few weeks ago following lab reports indicating hypoxia (and reports from my partner of apnea episodes all the time).
I really struggled during the ten minute CPAP "show and tell" during the first study so I am trying to hold on to a good attitude about the necessary positive benefits to help me relax and get through it and get used to it! Reading your posts has been very helpful and I am sure I will have a lot of questions moving forward.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

capt · Post by **capt** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:56 am

I hope that your study will allow you to get the best solution for your problem. Take care and all the best!

idahogal · Post by **idahogal** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:29 am

I can understand what you are going through. The sleep studies are hard to get through expecially when you know you have OSA and this is all formality. It is really worth it though. I had my studies done very quickly and the tritation left me feeling 10 years younger. It was a bitter sweet thing though because I now knew how good I COULD be feeling and was anxious to get my prescription which took another 2 weeks. I started cpap 2 days ago and the first night was a struggle but last night was wonderful and I feel so good today. Hang in there it is well worth the wait. Keep us posted.

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:03 am

Good luck, get the tests youo need and the results and then lay the good questions on us. You ARE taking a big step in the right direction and welcome to our world.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:10 am

All of the above. Also, if you have insurance, know what they cover, if they require you to "rent" a machine for a month, or if they will buy outright, and what deductible/co-pay you have. Sometimes you can actually save money by buying online instead of going through an expensive DME.

Then, before you let the DME or Doctor pawn off an "obsolete" machine off on you, check here with this forum.

Once you know what pressure you need, we can help recommend some good units for you. We are unbiased (we don't make a profit at your expense). . Many of us different machines, and we can direct you to a good one - or give you a couple of very good choices.

Do your research here, before you accept a second rate unit.

Good Luck.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:59 am

Thanks - what a great help to someone who knows nothing and now has so much to learn. Glad I won't be re-inventing the wheel on my own.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:34 am

The second study on Saturday night went very well - I utilized the nasal pillows mask and was actually very comfortable and slept most of the night from about 10:45 on - started waking around 5:00 am. The tech said he found a pretty reasonable pressure that worked - not too high - so now I await the consultation and prescription and a machine of my own I guess. Again, the information and attitude on this Board ..Incredible!
I know there are many more quetsions to come regarding the machine, etc. and I look forward to learning from everyone.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:45 am

JohnnySouth, glad it went so well for you. You seem to have a good attitude and that's so important in getting started as a "hosehead". Welcome to our world.

Just remember to read the suggestions made to newbies, and have a very good idea of what machine you want. And it sounds like the nasal pillows worked well for you - so you probably want to stay with them rather than a mask.

Masks are the most difficult aspect of therapy - finding one to suit you.

When you get all set up, please update your "profile" with your equipment. You can also add your pressure in "additional comments". That sure helps the forum if you ask future questions.

Good Luck

deedster · Post by **deedster** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:22 am

Welcome to a fellow Texan! I'm in Arlington.

If you are near a Tom Thumb/Randall's they have distilled water (which you will need for the humidifier) for $.50 instead of the usual $.99. Don't know how long it will be on sale, so I stocked up on 6 gallons. I use about a gallon a month. Your mileage may vary.

JohnnySouth · Post by **JohnnySouth** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:33 am

Thanks for the suggestion!
I finally received my machine yesterday (though not the humidifier yet) so I made it though a pretty good first night - kept it on 5.5 hours but awoke often - I have a pressure of 10 and ramped each time for 20 minutes - I wonder if I was waking up to the pressure of 10 and should just start there? Also, awoke one time with my mouth WIDE open so I will keep an eye on that! Still, a pretty good first night I thought - and have to think it will feel better the more I get used to it AND with the addition of the humidifier.
I have a silly question - do you guys power off your machines completely each day? As in unplug them? Or just leave them in the off position? Or does that even matter at all? That seemed like such a dilemma to me this morning for some reason- lol - as I fretted/worried over cleaning my mask and hose, etc.
I am such a creature of habit and I cannot wait until ALL OF THIS becomes routine.
I really appreciate your shared experience.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:09 pm

I see no need to unplug the machine, and the lights keep it a little warm, and that helps to keep mosture out of the works.

idahogal · Post by **idahogal** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:16 pm

I also keep my machine plugged in. It makes it a lot less hassle at bedtime. I turn on my humidifier and then go take my shower so everything is ready when I get out. I also have to apply a thin layer of jelly to the insides of my nose. My husband calls this buttering my nose. So the less I have to do before crawling in bed the better. Good luck and keep us posted.

JohnnySouth · Post by **JohnnySouth** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:52 am

Thanks for the replies! I left the power on this morning without any worries - lol.
Second cpap night was last night.
I received my humidifier yesterday and believe it really helped last night. I awoke fewer times and kept the mask on the entire night pretty comfortably.
My bedmate indicated that the machine/system was louder last night - could that be the humidifier aspect - OR - I am wondering if I had a bit more leaking noise?? Also heard what was described as several short snorts - like a big snore that got cut off.....but I don't think I had any big problems with mouth breathing....still - any advice or thoughts would be appreciated???

Seems to me I did VERY well from about 11:00 pm to 4:00 am and I'll take it!

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, CPAP, Power

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:17 pm

JohnnySouth wrote:Also heard what was described as several short snorts - like a big snore that got cut off.....but I don't think I had any big problems with mouth breathing....still - any advice or thoughts would be appreciated???

Seems to me I did VERY well from about 11:00 pm to 4:00 am and I'll take it!

It probably was mouth breathing, but maybe you're not doing that often enough to worry about yet.

Yes, you're off to an absolutely great start! You have a super attitude, and you're doing your message board homework!

Brent Hutto · Post by **Brent Hutto** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:27 pm

rested gal,

Talk to me please about mouth breathing versus snoring.

I had a somewhat unhelpful titration study a couple weeks ago and got the results from the sleep doc yesterday. The technician increased pressure to stop my snoring (although I was still having some apneas too) but stopped at 9cm because of what she interpreted at "central apneas". The sleep doc disputes that interpretation but at any rate the "snoring" got worse at 9cm than it had been at 5cm.

Here's the thing. After getting up and going to the bathroom at 1:30AM I was very uncomfortable for the rest of the night. The lingering memory I have of the study is the feeling that my tongue was being forced out of the front of my mouth. I could almost swear that I remember being awakened at least twice by the noise my mouth made when it popped open and the pressure vented with a big snort.

Surely the technician didn't see those mouth-venting eruptions and think she was seeing snores (and yes I know your name's not Shirley). If I was getting arousals from fighting to keep my mouth closed and that same thing was interpreted as snores then maybe I just plain old wasn't tolerating the pressure. At any rate, I did almost as bad on 9cm pressure [see PS] as I did with no CPAP at all during my diagnostic study a month before.

P.S. Let me back off that exaggeration. I had RDI=26 and AHI=23 in my diagnostic study. At 9cm pressure (3-1/2 hours sleep time) I had RDI=13 and AHI=8 so it really did help a good bit.

Mask

Additional Comments: cpap pressure: 12

Mask

Additional Comments: cpap pressure: 12