New to cpap (2 weeks)

[daisy56]

Hi, I am very determined to get this right and not waste any time. I have used mine all night from the very first night.
I am having facial swelling around the eyes each morning, that goes away within an hour or two. I know first thought
is to adjust the straps, maybe I have them too tight, but I don't... at all. Just wondered if anyone else had this problem?
Also, I'm having bad dreams as if I'm struggling. I didn't before the cpap machine. Not giving up, with or without bad dreams,
just wondered why I could be having these dreams, perhaps too much air pressure?

Thank you in advance, I know it can be tiring answering the same questions over and over for us newbies

[derek70]

Hi daisy. I've started using CPAP this week.
I'm still trying to set the right pressure to lower my AHI.
Are you keeping track of AHI, AI from your CPAP?

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

Welcome Daisy56!

I can't answer your questions, but there are many here who can. Remember to keep working at it because Sleep Apnea doesn't go away because we ignore it. Things will progressively get worse.

Don't worry about being a newbie or asking questions that have been answered many times before. We have all been there ( I am still there as well as I am a newbie too). You do have the right attitude to eventually be successful with your treatment.

John

[Roger2]

Hi daisy

I think about everyone here has probably gone through all of the symptoms at first you describe including myself. Most of the masks we use, utilize a soft material that fits to your face and making it too tight in many cases will make your face sore and probably cause leaks around the sides. I have only been on a cpap since May this year but from information I gleaned here you need to keep the mask clean as well as your face. Oils on the surface of your skin can cause the mask to leak and a disposable facial wipe tissue will really help in that regard. My wife buys those things for me so I am not sure which department in Walmart she finds them in.

This is probably not the most suitable forum to discuss your dreams as that is a very complex issue in most cases but unless it is causing a serious problem that continues beyond a month or so I would not be too concerned about it. The air pressure generated by your machine probably has little or nothing to do with that. Apprehensions or an undigested vegetable would be more likely the culprit.

pax
Roger

[daisy56]

Thank you to be 2bSleepy, I appreciate your encouragement. Derek70, I wish I knew how to check on all that. I have no idea. I have scrolled through my settings etc, but I don't know how to read this. I wish I would have asked more questions when they handed me the machine. I saw the AHI one day and then after I took my card into my Doctor and he adjusted the air pressure, I now no longer see my AHI, this is gone for some reason. ? ?

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

Daisy56,

Keep checking back to your post for the next few days as it seems (at least to me) that some of the forum members who are regular posters here, especially for us newbies, are probably away due to the Holidays.

On the bright side, from the short time I have been around here there doesn't seem to be much that someone here hasn't experienced, heard about, or know someone who has dealt with it, whatever 'it' might be. This is the right place for help and information!

John

[daisy56]

Thanks Roger, I appreciate your advice! No worries 2BSleeping, Im will come back and check later. I just signed up and
looking forward to learning more. Your right, its the Holidays too. Thank you for your concern 2bSleeping, that was sweet.

[cindjo717]

Hi Daisy I am fairly new, been on c-pap since mid Oct. I have the same machine as you do. If you highlight setup then simultaneously hold down ramp button and start button until you hear a few beeps. Then you're in and just go to setup if you're not already highlighted on there. Everything that I know, I learned from Pugsy and Ro and many other's here. I am grateful to them all for helping me and continuing to help me through this. It seems never ending to me, I have ups and downs, last night the darn mask was farting, whistling and burping for what seemed like all night long.. I felt like total quap today. So once again I took a good look at it and tried adjusting it this afternoon. Hopefully I got it right, I am pooped.

[daisy56]

WOW cindjo717 Thanks bunches!! I just returned from my machine and did exactly as you mentioned and I have the AHI showing again!! yay! Is there anything else besides the AHI, that I want to really check on often...since we have the same machine Im loving asking you! I'm sorry you had a bad night last night..I did too. The nasal piece is starting to quiver (shake)
Hard to explain..maybe I was snoring causing it to quiver, but it wakes me up. Its like a vibration? LOL, Doctor said I don't snore much at all though??

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

Hello Cindjo717,

Sorry to hear your having mask troubles. Only other hose heads would feel sympathy and see humor at the same time (mask farting, whistling, burping). Somewhere today I saw someone here suggest adjusting masks while laying in bed, with the machine on and at or near your higher pressure. I haven't tried it, but it makes sense to me

I hope tonight is better for you and you wake refreshed in the morning!

John

[cindjo717]

I could not use nasal pillow full face mask. The pillows would NOT stay put in my nostrils, they kept popping out. I really liked that mask too. I need a full face because I am a big mouth breather. I DO snore when I don't use c-pap. That is what made me go get a sleep study. My husband kept on poking me and waking me up saying that I was keeping HIM up! I really feel like I did not fall into a deep sleep during the studies. I wound up showing a moderate sleep apnea index and they set me on a 10 pressure which failed to work. So I had to do a lot of fixin on my own. It's not easy.

[cindjo717]

Hello Cindjo717,

Sorry to hear your having mask troubles. Only other hose heads would feel sympathy and and see humor at the same time (mask farting, whistling, burping). Somewhere today I saw someone here suggest adjusting masks while laying in bed, with the machine on and at or near your higher pressure. I haven't tried it, but it makes sense to me

I hope tonight is better for you and you wake refreshed in the morning!

John

I saw that post too about adjusting mask while laying down position. Did NOT work for me at all. The anti -leak strap was not put on the right way and I think that may have played a role. Sometimes when I clean my mask and then re apply my liner and hose, I put the leak strap on the wrong way and it doesn't work. Hopefully that was it and I changed that today.

[don56]

Daisy,
You might want to try a different mask. It took me around 6 masks to find one that I can live with. You have a great attitude and I know you will be fine. The mask is such an individual thing. It will get easier with time. And there are so many good people here that are willing to help. Good Luck.

Don

[SleepingUgly]

I am having facial swelling around the eyes each morning, that goes away within an hour or two.

Is it in an area where the mask touches? Is it actually swelling or more like indentations in the shape of the mask?

Make sure you're washing the mask cushion with a mild dishwashing liquid (or some swear by Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo).

Also, I'm having bad dreams as if I'm struggling.

Not sure what you mean about struggling... If you had little REM prior to this, you could be going through REM rebound. Otherwise, I'm sorry to say I don't know.

As far as what to look for in your data, ideally you'll get software to download your data to, where you'll be able to look in more detail at leak, AHI, etc.. If I recall, Respironics' LCD is not too helpful regarding leaks, and may just report time in large leak over a 7-day period or something. Software would be good. Your titration was just a cross-section in time, one night in a sea of night-to-night variability. So it's possible your pressure isn't exactly dead on right, and the data over time will hint at that, if that's the case.

[GumbyCT]

This is probably not the most suitable forum to discuss your dreams...

Not so.

Also, I'm having bad dreams as if I'm struggling. I didn't before the cpap machine. Not giving up, with or without bad dreams,
just wondered why I could be having these dreams, perhaps too much air pressure?

I am by no means an expert, but what this could be is that you finally reached a point in REM where you could dream but began to have events (apneas, etc.) which make you feel like you are choking? Is that what it felt like?

That could be a clue that either your mask is leaking or you need a bit more pressure. Using the software is the best way to sort all that out.

EDIT:
obtw - you can make a strap to keep the nasal pillows in place. I use knee-high panty hose 3pr/$1. Tie to fit your head, not tight but just so they don't leak.

And laying down with the air at your full pressure is the only way to get the mask to seal. Keep in mind your face will change shape when you lay down. Just don't over tighten the mask.