Suggestions please

sleepy one · Post by **sleepy one** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:31 am

I've been a hosehead for a year and a half now and can't seem to get a good nights sleep. I had an AHI of 30 at my first PSG and got a Resperonics CPAP machine. I've gone though 4 different mask now using the ComfortLite 2 (thanks to reading this board). No matter what I try I wake up at least once every night and can't seem to sleep more than 5/6 hours a night. I'm tired all the time and when I get home all I want to do is nap.

I'm working hard to deal with my apnea, I excercise everyday, and lost 60 pounds. The doc prescribed Lunesta, it helped though I still tended to wake up at least once a night. When that ran out she didn't want to provide more and thought I should try trazedone. This gives me insomnia and I can't get back to sleep.

I've kept sleep logs and get 4 or more hours of uninterrupted CPAP sleep about half the time. I'm seeing the Doc soon to go over the results of a recent PSG anything I should ask her? Anything I am missing?

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:43 am

Sleepy one-it sounds that you have lost a significant amount of weight-CONGRATS!! You probably need another titration study because of that and your pressure adjusted accordingly.Oh and yes aren't we all still searching for the perfect mask?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 12:31 pm

Thanks yes.

I'm seeing the doc because I'm hoping the pressure will be lowered and make it easier to deal with. Though, it is set faily low compared to some ( it is set at 13).

I'm thinking this doc is out of answers for improving my sleep but we'll see.

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 12:41 pm

No matter what I try I wake up at least once every night and can't seem to sleep more than 5/6 hours a night. I'm tired all the time and when I get home all I want to do is nap.

I experienced similar symptoms last year. I discovered my mouth was dropping open as soon as I dozed off to sleep. Therefore, the pressure from the xPAP was not doing any good. When I wear the CL2, I tape my mouth.

I'm not a medical professional, and this may not help you. But it sure helps me.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 12:55 pm

Good idea, but sorry can't use tape, I've got a beard.

I do use a chin strap though, I wonder if it is doing the job...

CollegeGirl · Post by **CollegeGirl** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:21 pm

Probably not, guest. Chin straps don't work for most people. Perhaps it time to either shave the beard (I know! blasphemy!) or try a full face mask. Perhaps the men with beards on the board will chime in with what is the least leaky (as beards tend to make full face masks leak big time).

mattman · Post by **mattman** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:29 pm

Comfort Select and Comfort Gel and the Swift all work very well for me with a full beard and moustache.

mattman

Sleepless_in_LM · Post by **Sleepless_in_LM** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:35 pm

Actually, this is what got me diagnosed with OSA over a year ago, and I still haven't got it licked. I just can't get a good night sleep. I wake up several times a night and never feel rested in the morning, even on CPAP. Still baffles me, since I kinda knew I had OSA and therefore sleeping was something I could always do without even trying. Although now, I think overall CPAP makes it more tolerable, since the sleep I am getting is better quality. For what it is worth, we went thru every sleep med in the cabinet and nothing worked, especially trazedone. When I finally went for my sleep study, my sleep Doc prescribed Clonazepam. It has worked better than all the others. I am told your body can build up a tolerance to it, but 1-1.5mg has been keeping me fairly human for about a year.

As for masks, I struggled with mouth breathing and was a long time taper, but I recently got a Hybrid. I love it. It took some time to figure out the sizing and adjustments, but things are getting much better. Not sure how a beard would work with it, but I never could get a chin strap to work either.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:38 pm

frequent weight changes, positional sleeping, getting older, waking up during the night all good reasons to be on a autopap vs. cpap.

is the awakening during the night caused from not enough or too much pressure? That you don't know with a cpap.

autopap delivers the pressure you need at the time needed, no more. If your current cpap is the Remstar you could get away with the Classic Remstar Auto and use existing humidifier with it, if you want AHI, leak and pressure information from the LCD then you need to go to the newer M series Auto which means you would also need a humidifier unless you already have a adjunct humidifier like a HC150.

You don't need any special prescription for the autopap, even your 1 or 2yr old script for the cpap you have would work. Just order it on-line and fax or email a copy of it.

greyhound · Post by **greyhound** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:50 pm

Anonymous wrote:Good idea, but sorry can't use tape, I've got a beard.

I do use a chin strap though, I wonder if it is doing the job...

You're right - with a beard, you can't tape. I'm in a similar situation and have been using poligrip strips on my lips. They help keep your mouth closed and there's no problem removing them in the morning.

rgelston · Post by **rgelston** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:22 pm

I have a short goatee and medium mustache and use a Fisher and Paykel 431 full face mask because I mouth breath with a nasal mask.

The 431 (and the 432 I'm now trying out) doesn't leak around the face hair at all which only contacts the mask at the bottom. Leaks tend to occur under the eyes and along my bare right cheek. Cheek leak tends to occur when I am on my back or my right side as I'm just relaxing into sleep and loose tone in the cheek.

I find itches to be very annoying! These tend to occur at the tip of my nose if it touches the inside of the mask, just inside a nostril (probably fluttering nose hair!), or along the margin of the mask on the inside.

puffing billy · Post by **puffing billy** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:46 pm

I have a full beard and I use the Breeze headgear.
I gave up on my CL2 as the medium pillows were too small and the large too big also I did not seem to get enough air from the mask.
The large Breeze pillows work and if my nose gets sore I swap to the medium.
I slept in late on Sunday and managed about 9 hours.

Billy

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:02 pm

puffing billy wrote:I have a full beard and I use the Breeze headgear.
I gave up on my CL2 as the medium pillows were too small and the large too big also I did not seem to get enough air from the mask.
The large Breeze pillows work and if my nose gets sore I swap to the medium.
I slept in late on Sunday and managed about 9 hours.

Billy

Hey Billy -

Is the ComfortFull headgear still working out with your Breeze?

I'm thinking about cutting off my ponytail and I may have to deal with the consequences.

- roberto

snufflepgs · Post by **snufflepgs** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:44 pm

I've had very good luck so far using the Ultra Mirage Full Face mask with a full beard. As long as my pressure stays below about 13, it stays sealed. Anything higher than that blows it clean off my face. I think one key is I'm keeping the small area between the "soul patch" and the chin whiskers trimmed, so the bottom of the mask is making contact with skin rather than hair.

In the interest of being thorough, I even tried taping a couple of nights with a ComfortLite 2. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. If there were some kind of water-soluble adhesive to use, that you could just wash off in the morning instead of ripping the tape off, it might be a viable solution.

sleepy one · Post by **sleepy one** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:04 am

Well it is 4 am and another lousy night of sleep. But, great advice thanks.

I'm going out this morning to buy poli grip strips and I'm getting a full face mask to try.

Thanks

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine:Resmed S7 Elite; Oracle Mask(YES! My DREAM mask!!)

Mask

Additional Comments: 7cm / GoodKnight 420G + Humid