Have you ever forgot to use your CPAP machine?

[kona0197]

A few nights it's been happening. I will crawl into bed, watch TV, and fall asleep while forgetting to put my mask on. And I only have a few weeks left to get some serious time in using the machine or my DME will take it away because my health plan needs to see 80 hours on it in a month. Running out of time!!

[Julie]

I wonder if you're keeping it in a place where you can avoid seeing it? There's no way I can miss mine and I actually have to move the mask out of the way of my usual sleeping spot to get settled. And are you using it for naps (should be, of course)?

Maybe make a point of watching TV somewhere else and only sleeping in the bedroom, at least til your routine's established.

[PST]

Sure, it has happened to me. But I always wake up rather soon (thank you, sleep apnea!) and then I put the mask on and go back to sleep.

I assume the problem is not forgetting altogether; it's thinking you'll put it on before you actually go to sleep. It is pretty hard not to notice the big machine sitting by the head of the bed. In that case, there is no reason not to put the mask on right away even if you intend to read or watch television before sleeping. The sleep purists say not to do either in bed -- get them over with and then go to bed. But it can be hard to change all habits at once. You need to do something, so masking up first thing seems like a reasonable solution.

[Lazer1234]

Yes, once. But how I felt the day after, so I'll never forget .......

[apw5746]

A few nights it's been happening. I will crawl into bed, watch TV, and fall asleep while forgetting to put my mask on. And I only have a few weeks left to get some serious time in using the machine or my DME will take it away because my health plan needs to see 80 hours on it in a month. Running out of time!!

Get rid of the TV! The bedroom is for sleeping, and hanky panky only. Period.

With regards to using or losing your machine. Wear it every waking minute you can. Watch TV, away from the bedroom, wearing it. That's what I did this last time in order to get 120 hours. Social security paid for it, so I had to abide by their guidelines.

apw

[chunkyfrog]

Yes, totally agree! The machine knows if you are breathing, but not whether you are awake.
The compliance hours are arbitrary, but were never meant to prevent you from getting therapy,
especially when you are trying. Using the machine while watching TV is still practice!

[HerbM]

All good advice above.

A lot of people recommend no TV or even reading in bed, and if you have an insomnia problem that makes a lot of sense.

However, if you have no significant insomnia issues, then you could compromise and make a different rule: "In bed, wear the mask -- No exceptions."

The other choice is to just give up TV (in bed) until you have your hours.

FYI: I just put 90 hours on my machine in 11 days and it was all "sleep time" (i.e., trying to sleep not just practicing). There are two messages here:

1) You can put 80 hours on a mask in 10 days without going crazy.
2) You would need to be very serious and make no exceptions

If you add in those non-sleeping hours of just using the mask while awake then you can do it if you are committed to succeeding -- as long as you start early enough with that commitment to have enough PHYSICAL HOURS left.

To steal a phrase: JUST DO IT!

[islandboy5150]

Never forgot. In fact I go into a bit of a panic if there is a power outage, or anything that prevents me from masking up and pushing air.

[library lady]

apw5746,
How many hours does Medicare require for compliance? I don't actually know the required number, and I started Cpap last Monday, the 3rd. Since Friday the 7th I've had it on all night every night (6-8 hours each night), so I don't think I'm in danger of noncompliance. My appt to find out if I "qualify" is a little over a month away... but I guess I don't know the exact requirements. I did read the sheet, but I don't have a copy of it to refresh my memory. I don't yet have the knowledge to check my stats from the SD card, or the software that reads it... or how to interpret what the results say.

[squid13]

I've never forgot to use my machine. When I go into the bedroom I do my nightly stuff,wash face , brush teeth and take my bedtime meds., mask up and hook up and go to sleep.

[kona0197]

Maybe I should clarify a few things. My bedroom is actually the front room. I do turn off the TV at night. I was just so tired I dozed off without putting on the mask and it was 6 inches from my pillow. And I do wear the mask every chance I get.

[HerbM]

Well then, since you "wear the mask every chance" you should be fine.

But do consider putting it on for SURE if you are starting to feel a little sleep in front of the TV.

If you are dropping off to sleep with NO WARNING that is more of a sign you might need it.

To the question of how much is compliance, it varies, but I believe the Medicare is the common one where you need "4 hrs/night for 70% of days in any 30 day period" -- so out of 30 continuous days in your 3 month check flight you need 21 of those days to be 4 hours or more.

Noon to noon.

It sounded like the OP had an "80 hour" rule instead. This is much easier on those having trouble with compliance than 4hrs of 70% of 30 days, but not primarily because it is 4 hours longer.

The real issue is if someone waits too long, or has rough periods of repeating non-compliance it may not be possible to find a 30 day interval with the required 21 days.

Easiest and probably best for continued treatment is to just start out by doing the 21 days at the beginning. Not only will this speed the therapy benefits, it will remove the worry.

[Woody]

I am ashamed to say that in the 5 years I have been using my cpap
I took 2 naps without it but that was in the first month I had it And
I have never taken it off at night. But it was hard getting used to wearing
that FF mask must have taken me a whole 2 or 3 minutes !

[LSAT]

OP....You have been screwing around with CPAPs on and off for 7 years. Grow up and wear it!

[Bill44133]

NO.. never..