Help getting wife to use her CPAP

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 3:50 am

I wonder if your GP will prescribe a relaxant for a few nights so that when the air starts blowing she can hang in long enough to get used to it and not 'freak out'. It's only air after all, but may remind her of some who-knows-what situation she experienced when very young (that she doesn't even remember) and she can't keep it on long enough to realize nothing else will follow.

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 1:32 pm

Julie,

Believe me, it is on my list of questions to ask the GP, since he sent her for the sleep study in the first place.

Self,

I'm not sure what the minimum pressure is that her mask requires, but the machine is set for a low of 8. So somehow I don't think she'd be hitting the minimum, since she was given a ComfortGel mask.

And the DME is helping out, tomorrow. I think their original response of raising the humidity setting was a standard first step. Admittedly, she did have it at 2 originally, and I raised it to 5 for her, with the same exact response.

I'm almost positive that she has no underlying medical conditions, or else she wouldn't be able to go to sleep normally.

Bob

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:34 pm

Hi Bob,

I agree with you and Julie that a medication might make this a lot easier for your wife in the beginning. I'm not sure what type of medication Julie means by "relaxant". When I see "relaxant" I think of muscle relaxers, and people with apnea really shouldn't take muscle relaxers. I think an anti-anxiety med makes the most sense (which could very well be what Julie meant - I'm just not sure).

I have taken Xanax when flying. I like it because you can feel it take the edge off your anxiety but it doesn't knock you out. Obviously, she wouldn't want to do this long-term, but it might help her in the first couple of days.

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 3:14 am

Again, rest assured I will ask about it when I talk to my GP. This time,I will leave nothing to chance when helping Michele (my wife) to get usage-compliant.

Snoozeomatic · Post by **Snoozeomatic** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:49 pm

Bob
I thought I might throw my 2 cents in on this subject.
I use the Swift Nasal Pillows with great results. It's lightweight
and nonconfining as some of the masks. Anytime I use a mask
if it puts even the slightest pressure against my nose it closes of my
air passage & I rip it off & throw it in the corner with the rest of them &
hook up the nasal pillows again. This may help your wife get acclimated
to wearing head gear, even if she breaths through her mouth for awhile.
At least your getting the horse a little closer to the water. Just try to take it one step at a time & let her be in control of the situation. You may
also inform her that in some States if you have sleep Apnea & you aren't
receiving treatment the DMV can pull your driving licence.
Best of luck to you & your wife,
Ron

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 3:32 pm

[quote="Snoozeomatic"]Bob
I thought I might throw my 2 cents in on this subject.
I use the Swift Nasal Pillows with great results. It's lightweight
and nonconfining as some of the masks. Anytime I use a mask
if it puts even the slightest pressure against my nose it closes of my
air passage & I rip it off & throw it in the corner with the rest of them &
hook up the nasal pillows again. This may help your wife get acclimated
to wearing head gear, even if she breaths through her mouth for awhile.
At least your getting the horse a little closer to the water. Just try to take it one step at a time & let her be in control of the situation. You may
also inform her that in some States if you have sleep Apnea & you aren't
receiving treatment the DMV can pull your driving licence.
Best of luck to you & your wife,
Ron

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:36 am

Ok, Michele (my wife) went to our GP and the sleep center on Monday.

The GP suggested she try taking some Benadryl to help take the edge off, not to mention relieving some of the coughing issues she currently has (post-nasal drip).

At the sleep center, they gave her some techniques to help acclimate herself to using CPAP. The printouts said she had used her CPAP for about 14 minutes in those 3 weeks (part of those was the cats walking ont he machine and accidentally turning it on ).

Our DME (unfortunately, Apria) has an office right at the sleep center, and Michele met with their rep. The rep gave us a new mask for my wife to use (a ComfortLite 2 mask). She also explained to us part of my wife's problems using the ComfortGel mask may stem from my wife having dentures (more specifically, a top plate). The ComfortLite mask, while not a nasal pillow mask, seemed to fit better on her face, and she found it much more comfortable. I asked the Apria rep about nasal pillow masks before the new mask came out, and she said, since Michele has a top plate, that a nasal pillow mask wouldn't work too well, since there isn't much support due to the dentures.

When I went to bed last night, she didn't have it on. I asked her why, and she told me, in a sleepy voice, "I'm afraid of it." This morning, I asked if she remembered saying it, and she didn't. I'm wondering if she is afraid of the machine, on some subconscious level.

Will let everyone know how she's doing with it later on, when she actually starts using it. Hopefully, that will be tonight.

Bob

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:51 pm

Bob,

I'm glad you went to the DME, but I'm concerned about something.

The ComfortLite 2 (CL2) DOES have nasal pillows. If this is the mask you got: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Comfor ... -Mask.html

The CL2 has 3 different interfaces that can be attached - the nasal pillows, the direct seal, and a simple mask. If you look at the link on cpap.com, you'll see they offer options of nasal pillow + simple cushion or direct seal + simple cushion. They don't provide all 3 interfaces with the mask.

I know of few people who have tried the direct seal.

The simple cushion tends to leak a lot but it is possible to control the leaks with some extra tweaks.

Most people who use the CL2 use the nasal pillows.

When I got my CL2 from my DME I was given 2 types of interfaces each in 2 sizes. I was given the nasal pillows in S and M and the simple cushion in S and M.

Having used the CL2 with nasal pillows, I don't see how having dentures would matter. The CL2 nasal pillows don't rest on your upper lip. That's the whole point of the funky headgear.

One of the best things about the CL2 is the fact that you have choices. I would have nights where the nasal pillows just wouldn't seal, so I would change to the simple cushion.

Maybe Apria gave you the direct seal and simple cushion interfaces but I didn't get that impression from your post. I hope your wife can at least try the nasal pillow interface.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:45 pm

SleepySandy wrote:<snip>

I know of few people who have tried the direct seal.

I use the CL 2 with direct seal. I find that it seals better than the nasal pillows, but that is me--Most folks do not seem to agree! I also have a total of 4 adaptations/additions on my headgear and interface (direct seal).

Should your wife need them, here are some links:

Rested Gal/Laura's Lab Rat Awards Post

Rooster's Fishing Line Fix

Twist Tie Variation on Fishing Line Fix

Toilet Ball Flapper for the CL 2 Exhaust Diverter

ComfortLite 2

ComfortLite 2 Strap helps with Velcro

Link to Swift Strap Slipping Fixes

Swift Strap Slippage Cure Link

Fleece strap with Velcro--Linda B--Fourth Post Down

SleepySandy wrote: <snip>

Having used the CL2 with nasal pillows, I don't see how having dentures would matter. The CL2 nasal pillows don't rest on your upper lip. That's the whole point of the funky headgear.

<snip>

I TOTALLY agree with SleepySandy--the direct seal or nasal pillows may touch part of the upper lip, but should not be resting on the upper lip for support. The angle may be changed slightly forward to avoid any pressure.

I hope the links are not too overwhelming, but they have helped me and (I believe) many others. Hopefully, they will serve as a reference for you and you may look up the ones that solve the issue(s) your wife may find that she is experiencing.

May your wife enjoy her CL 2--it is basically 3 masks in one. It also seems to be pretty adjustable, and just needs a bit of slippage control and a pantyhose strap to make it work for me. (The fishing line or twist ties are an extra, which help with the silly metal strip that helps to adjust the curve.)

Best wishes, and please feel free to ask if you need any help.

Karen

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:40 am

Ladies,

Thanks for the hints. I wil lshow them to Michele and let her know.

Apria only gave her one interface : the direct seal. Don't know why, but that is all that they gave her. What I think Michele didn't like was the old mask (the ComfortGel) she had encompased her who nose, and when it sealed, she found it extremely uncomfortable.

She did use the mask last night, if only for a few minutes. From her reactions to it, I think its just a mater of her getting used to the mask.

The dentures were a potential problem with the ComfortGel mask, not the ComfortLite., since the ComfortGel rests more on the bottom lip.

Michele is taking a trip to Florida this weekend for a family function. Her Mom, who lives up here (Rochester, NY), is there already, and, if I know her Mom, and her sister too, they both will make Michele at least try to use it every night.

Thank you once again for your advice and the helpful links. They will come in very handy.

Bob

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:33 pm

Well, she is off to Florida as I write this, and she flat-out refused to take her CPAP machine. She told me I was bugging her too much about taking it. I honestly don't know what to do any more to get her to use her machine.

The best thing, and the only thing, I can do is to not even bug her about her machine any more. That will force her to be more accountable for her own health care. I will be supportive and loving, but, as hard as I am finding it, I will not mention her machine to her any more.

However, I did look at the packaging for her ComfortLite mask. She did get two sizes of both the direct seal mask, AND two sizes of nasal pillows (small and medium on both).

Here's hoping she will decide to start using her machine again when she gets home.

Bob

frapilu · Post by **frapilu** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:47 pm

Poor Bob. I'm so sorry that this is so difficult. It's too bad that she just can't accept how important this is. Hopefully she'll eventually come around. I suspect she knew her mother and sister would try to force her to use it so she decided to make sure that wouldn't happen. Let's hope they can talk some sense into her. She's definitely sounding like a petulant child.

France

BobF4 · Post by **BobF4** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:58 pm

France,

I couldn't agree more. She is sounding like a petulant, stubborn child. I know her mom and sister would have made her use it, had she actually taken it. If I can talk to them without her being around, I will have them gently inquire about her machine use. It would be a big help if her Mom could lay a little motherly guilt on her.

Bob

frapilu · Post by **frapilu** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:27 pm

I would suspect that they'll bring up the subject even if you don't ask them to do so.

Good luck
France

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:44 pm

BobF4 wrote:The best thing, and the only thing, I can do is to not even bug her about her machine any more.

I think I advised you about doing this.....several pages back. (easier said than done, right?)

She may just have to get to the point that she's dead tired all the time before she gets "the picture". Hopefully she won't have other medical complications by the time she gets to that point.

Den

Mask	Humidifier

Additional Comments: 15,332 hours on old machine (RemStar Pro with C-flex; received 3/3/2003, retired 10/5/2010)