First Night!

[Janknitz]

Another Kaiser person here. You can learn more than Kaiser will teach you in the class here. The class is basically meant to try to talk people into trying out CPAP, and you are already past that. And I second contacting Medical Records to get a copy of your sleep study. I remember the sleep techs that pushed me to CPAP the day after they saw my results (very severe OSA) said they couldn't release the results until the class because a doctor had to review them, but this data belongs to you. Ask for the complete report, not the summary.

It's good that you are doing this during a school break because it is sometimes challenging to learn to sleep with the mask on, and you may have some time with worse sleep until you get the hang of it. By the time law school classes star up again (next week, or do you have a longer break?) you should be sleeping better--you are highly motivated and your analytic mind will help with problem-solving.

You may find yourself craving sleep at first. I don't believe that years of sleep apnea "sleep debt" can be made up for, but your body will really crave the peaceful sleep you can get when treatment is optimized.

Nice to see someone with a great attitude.

[Pugsy]

Water usage depends on multiple factors.
Setting on the humidity. Setting of 4 is a middle of the road to low setting. We wouldn't expect a lot of water usage for a 2 or 3 hour trial.
Ambient bedroom humidity. The higher the ambient humidity in your house...the less water you will use.
Pressures used.
Length of time the machine is used.
Amount of time in large leak.

You still get to control humidity delivery with a non heated hose. Just just can't control the hose air temp.

Where do you live and what is the ambient humidity?
Do you find that if you take a hot steamy shower that your nose really opens up or you get a lot of congestion?

[BuckarooBanzai]

Hi Miss E, thanks for the support!

Janknitz, I totally agree with you about the Kaiser educational course - and their courses, in general. That's why the sleep tech allowed me to move on and skip the class. But I definitely need to get a copy of that report. I'll ask for a copy at my phone appointment with Sleep on 1/20.

I'm definitely craving sleep. I hope the nasal congestion clears up to the point where I can sleep with this little guy all night every night. I really do want to be settled into a healthy sleep pattern by time Spring Semester begins on 1/10.

I must say, I was so very relaxed while wearing my elephant nose last night, it was almost like a meditation session.

Pugsy, thanks for filling me in on the humidity controls and water usage. I've been searching online for this information. Not even the Resmed site 'library' has this info. I live in Sacramento, CA, so this is supposedly a very dry climate, although we've had (what is for us) a LOT of rain lately. My windows are kept closed and I run either the a/c or the heater 24/7. Right now, I'm running the heater. But it doesn't turn on very often because my apartment is well-insulated and keeps the place a nice 70 degrees except during the dead of night. The outdoor humidity low/high is 70%/94%. Tomorrow: 62%/95%. Saturday: 48%/85%. But, again, this is for us a very damp time.

I will pay more attention to the shower steam effect tonight, when I shower again. I am generally congested these days as I am still getting over the turbinectomy (ten days post-op). Also, I'm doing NeilMed Sinus rinses two or three times per day, and that introduces water into the region. And, I am prohibited from using my steroid and antihistamine nasal sprays right now. So, I might just have to wait to figure out the humidity issues after I've fully recovered from surgery.

Oh, and one other question: Last night, about 2.5 hours in when the machine was at 8.5, I pulled off the mask because I was uncomfortable. What would have been a better solution? Turn down the pressure? Take it off auto and set it on something like 7? Turn up the humidity?

[Pugsy]

Oh, and one other question: Last night, about 2.5 hours in when the machine was at 8.5, I pulled off the mask because I was uncomfortable. What would have been a better solution? Turn down the pressure? Take it off auto and set it on something like 7? Turn up the humidity?

By all means wait until the nose surgery is well healed before making final determinations about nasal mucosa humidity needs.

I don't know why you were uncomfortable unless it was just the congestion itself which could be coming from any number of causes right now since you are still post surgery.
Not to mention you are also using a full face mask if I remember right???? It wouldn't be impossible fro slight pressure from the mask pressing on the nasal turbinate areas to also be a factor in the congestion.
I think I would just turn the machine off and restart the machine so it starts at the lower pressure and then think about maybe changing humidity setting depending on what happens with the restart.

Our normal advice is for people to play with humidity settings to see what their nasal mucosa prefer but your mucosa are still healing...they won't know what they want right now. If playing the odd though...most people end up preferring more moisture.
Google "cpap rhinitis" and start reading...though bear in mind that most of that information is going to pertain to people who haven't had recent nasal surgery.

Get yourself one of those little gadgets that measures humidity in your bedroom. What it outside the house isn't necessarily what is inside the house unless the windows are full open. Cheap on Amazon. I have one myself.

I assume from your other question that you weren't given a heated hose...ask your equipment supplier if they have a spare one. The AirSense 11 is so very new and in such high demand that separate accessories like the heated hose aren't easy to find. Some machine packages will come with heated hose and some will come with non heated hose but I haven't seen any yet out in the market as a separate purchase. Watch Amazon or EBay though.

At some time you probably will have more questions about humidity and maybe condensation...read this thread posts number 2 and 3. I covered a lot of options.
viewtopic/t94035/Pugsys-Pointers-3Deali ... -road.html

[BuckarooBanzai]

Thank you, Pugsy.

I received clearance from ENT surgeon to use the CPAP! But I still experience congestion in both my nose and chest, so I'm going to be battling that whole humidity issue for a while, I suspect.

And, yes, I also wonder whether the full face mask is putting some pressure on the turbinates and causing some trouble. I just measured my face today and found that I should be wearing a large mask (I tried the medium first.). Perhaps the switch to the large mask will help.

If I wake up during the night again, feeling uncomfortable, I think I'll just turn the machine off and back on again, so as to make another try up Mount Everest. Thanks for the idea.

And thanks for all you do!

[Pugsy]

I try not to vary more than one thing, if I do something different, unless I have no choice because if you vary 2 things (or more) and get a different/dramatic/good/bad result you won't know which change caused it.
Now sometimes we don't have a choice but if at all possible when you are experimenting...keep your changes to a minimum.
It's Science Lab 101...keep variables to a minimum when you can.

Good luck tonight and if you have to set up a base camp on that climb up the mountain and do it in stages....that's okay too.

It's not about perfection....it's about progression.

I wish my heated hose would fit your machine because I have a brand new still in package spare but my machine is just a little different and it won't fit your machine. I have a sneaky suspicion ResMed does this on purpose. Every time they come out with a new model the heated hoses aren't compatible.

You may not need the heated hose though...it's mainly for condensation/rain out prevent and just simple air temp comfort.
If you do get rain out or need to maybe change the air temps a little...there are some tricks we can do until you can get a heated hose.

[BuckarooBanzai]

Excellent points. Thank you for all your help. Will let be back tomorrow to let you know how the climb went.

[BuckarooBanzai]

Last night, logged 6 hours with CPAP. AHI = 1. Central HI = 0.1

The first three hours went well - I know I went through the sleep cycles at least once, because I woke up at the three hour point from a good REM cycle dream. After that point, though, I had a hard time getting resituated and the so remaining three hours were not restful.

Problems:
1. The air felt cold. No heated tubes on the market! Changed room temp from 66 to 68 and that helped a bit.
2. The auto ramp reset after I got up, and I didn't like that but was too sleepy to remember how to change it.
3. Got up twice for a glass of water and my throat felt scratchy. I guessed I was drying out, so I turned the humidity up from 4 to 5. Seemed to help.

No congestion!

Will a fleece tube cover warm the air in my slimline non-heated tube? I don't experience condensation, let alone rain out, but I need the air to be a bit warmer.

[chunkyfrog]

If not "warmer", then less cold.
The difference between heated tubing vs non-heated is a normal nose,
instead of an ice cube on my face.

[Pugsy]

For the problems...
1....make yourself a hose cozy...got some old thick worn out tube socks...cut a hole in the toes and slide over the long hose.
secure with bread ties, ziploc ties or even scotch tape. Consider store bought...padacheek.com makes some great hose cozies. Or go get some fleece and wrap it around the hose and secure however you wish....and yes...it will help.
Not as good as a heated hose but it will help the air be a little bit warmer coming off the humidifier and be able to retain that warmth better.
2...do you really need the ramp at your starting pressure?
3...if dry scratchy throat or nose continues...consider simply saline quick spray at bedtime just to add a bit of hydration.

[Miss Emerita]

You continue to do very well! One additional thought: you could try Xylimelts for dry mouth or throat. They are small discs that adhere to your teeth or gums and dissolve throughout the night, stimulating the production of saliva.

[zonker]

You continue to do very well! One additional thought: you could try Xylimelts for dry mouth or throat. They are small discs that adhere to your teeth or gums and dissolve throughout the night, stimulating the production of saliva.

+1

[Miss Emerita]

I even spelled it right this time, thanks Xonker!

[BuckarooBanzai]

I sure appreciate all the support here!

1. Ordered and received the humidity monitor. It is reading 42% right now, but I just turned on the a/c, so it will get drier in here.
2. Ordered a tube 'cozy,' as Pugsy calls it.
3. Will speak with Apria about trying a new type of mask, one that puts less pressure on the bridge and sides of my nose.
4. Will consider the ramp issue.
5. Am already using the NeilMed Sinus Rinse three times per day, so I am not sure I need more saline, but I will consider the nose spray.
6. Xylimelts sound like some of the products I used once-upon-a-time for dry mouth. I've got a bunch of this type of stuff stored away. But I might not need it, now that I've gone from 4 to 5 humidity.

So, I was on CPAP from about 11:30 PM until about 6:00 AM, with some time off while getting water, etc. Now, I am exhausted but not taking any naps, so my hope is I will give in to the superior intellect of the CPAP machine and sleep hard one night soon.

[BuckarooBanzai]

One more thing: I'm hunting on other threads for mask recommendations. If anyone has a favorite, please feel free to scream it out.

I am currently using a full-face mask (Resmed AirTouch F20). My concerns are:
1. It seems to put a bit of pressure on my nose. I just had a turbinectomy, so I'd like to get a mask that doesn't place any pressure on the nose.
2. Can't wear my glasses with this mask on.
3. I sport a beard, and some masks are not good for bears.
4. I sleep on my side.
5. Not a mouth breather, but sometimes I get congested...