trouble adjusting - new to cpap

[pappywife]

Hello all! I'm the wife of a new CPAP user looking for some help for him. He's been using CPAP for about 2 weeks now. After the first night he woke up with so much energy that he said he didn't even need any coffee! That was on the nasal mask. The next few nights were terrible, and he wound up exchanging nasal mask for a full face mask because he was mouth breathing and he thought that would improve things. Now, after a few days on the face mask he still wakes up all night. He says maybe more pressure would do the trick? He hates the mask, and feels very tired all day. He wants to quit CPAP altogether. So I'm just reaching out to see if anyone has useful advice so I can try to help him! And try to understand the first night "high" that he felt. Thanks guys!

[Pugsy]

What is the brand name and model machine your husband is using?
Hopefully he is using a machine that has some data available that we can use software with to maybe spot something going on that is causing the less than desirable results.
Once we know which machine...we can advise further on software options.

[Julie]

Do you know what his prescribed pressure settings are?

[mahalo111]

Actually I had a first week "high" when I started using cpap a month ago. My laymen s guess is the brain getting much needed oxygen after being deprived for so long.

What I found is that it is very important to go to bed fully prepared and relaxed. Really take the time to adjust the mask just right on all the straps so that they fit just snug enough to make a seal. If the straps are too tight it will be uncomfortable. speaking of seals, it is critical to wash the silicone part of the mask daily with dawn soap preferably. If don't, you'll be up all night trying to adjust the mask to keep a seal as the oils from your skin are preventing this. You really shouldn't have to adjust the straps again once you get it right. Hope this helps. Cary

[pappywife]

It is a "Resmed" and the respiratory therapist said his pressure starts out at 4 and once he falls asleep increases to 9. Hope that helps! Thanks everybody!

[pappywife]

With Quattro Air full face mask

[Julie]

We need the FULL name and model # of the machine - Resmed is just the co. that made it (and 100 other machines of diff. years, models, types, etc.). You can get the model # from the bottom of the machine BUT first empty humidifier water if there's any in there because otherwise it'll wreck the machine if you tip it over! If your husband's using the ramp feature to 'get' to 9, ask him to try not to use it at all and just start out at 9... most of us did the same thing within a week of using machines. Also, his low # is just the machine's lowest measurable default thing, not a number (4) that anyone actually can breathe at, so we can also help in raising that to a more comfortable starter place.

[Pugsy]

There are several Resmed models...
what does it say up by the on/off button?
S9????
Escape, Elite, Escape Auto, AutoSet????

[pappywife]

Oh, sorry! Says "elite"

[Pugsy]

The S9 Elite is a full data machine with easy to obtain and use software.
Check out SleepyHead information in my signature...it works just fine with the S9 machines.

Using the software we can look for some big change in something between the first night which went so well and the subsequent nights....maybe something will stand out.
Gotta start somewhere trying to figure out what happened.

[paapywife]

But on the back and bottom it also says S9 and H5i. Sorry, not real sure which is model number. I appreciate ever ones help!

[pappywife]

OK, great. Will check that out right now. Thanks Pugsy!

[Pugsy]

S9 is general model...H5i is the humidifier model.
Respironics machines are the machines we really have to look at the bottom of the units for model numbers.
The ResMed S9 machines don't have model numbers that are easily identifiable on the bottom of the machines but they do offer easy to see mode names up by the on/off button...so no need to look on the bottom.

Elite...tells me which model machine. Don't need anything else.