feeling horrible and depressed

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:06 am

First of all I don't think EVERYONE has to have a machine that is data capable. It is nice but not necessary. Afterall people have been benefitting from CPAP for a long time without knowing exactly how it helps. I recently got the reader for mine and even though I can see graphs and readouts, it doesn't mean I can understand it or translate it into magic.
The first thing is attitude about the therapy, the second is compliance and the third is a good mask.
From your stats you list they sound weird. When you wake up is your mask still on?
Even without the data capable machine you will be able to tweak your settings and keep track of what seems to work and what doesn't. If you mask isn't FF do you know for sure you don't breath through your mouth when asleep? Is your mask comfortable or does it bother you? Do you still snore?
Also it doesn't happen overnight for all of us. It takes some work just to get use to wearing a mask and even more to figure out what your doing wrong or right. I have been trying now for 3 1/2 months and I have figured out some things , still working on others, still tired most of the time but I am on the right track.
Cheer up and start tweaking!

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socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 1:03 pm

Have you heard back from cpap.com? I think they are super-nice folks whoe would be willing to totally help you. I ordered a hybrid mask from them because my insurance will only pay for a new mask after 3 months and it came right away but before it came I was talking to the rt at the sleep center and she said, oh no! I have a hybrid I could give you, no one around here seems to like them! So I called cpap.com and they said to just refuse the shipment and they would only charge me a small re-stocking fee. I thought that was very kind.

Trying different styles of masks can be expensive, but it is the only way to find out what works for you. Maybe call the sleep clinic where you had your study and tell them what is up, maybe you will get lucky like I did and they will be willing to help out in multiple ways--figure out what is going on with the machine and maybe help you figure out which masks will suit you best.

So, just to be clear: you are wearing the mask for 8 hours. But the machine says you are only doing 2 hours of therapy? You aren't taking it off in the night? That sounds like a problem. I would give cpap.com a call if they haven't gotten back to you by email.

Jen

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:11 pm

I called cpap.com and they told me to try a nasal pillow instead of the mask. Im not sure what to do? I know this process takes time and I am so willing to wait if I know the end result will be good. I have been very good and have kept the mask on throughout the night. Its been secure and hasn't been loose.I even taped my mouth shut last night as someone suggested. I tried calling the sleep center but they don't answer the phone Do you think I should try the nasal pillow? Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Kim

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:51 pm

What did they say when you told them what info the machine was giving you? A new mask isn't going to make those numbers add up.

Jen

rklsk · Post by **rklsk** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:41 pm

Chriml...hang in there. I'm a newbie as well. I've been on CPAP for 8 days now. For some reason. I've had no problem wearing my nasal pillow all night. My only problem is actually falling asleep with it. But that is getting better as well. I wake up in the morning feeling the same as before, but it seems I have more energy as the day moves on. I used to be totally spent by 1 or 2 in the afternoon, but can actually function all day now. My machine has the APAP. I had no idea about any machine. This is what they gave me and I'm told I got really lucky. Just hang in there and keep trying. It seems the members in here are all so friendly and helpful that newbies like us will get all the support we need. Ron

John_M · Post by **John_M** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:27 pm

chriml wrote:Well I taped my mouth last night and thought I slept better but this morning I looked at the reading and it said 1.24 hours of therapy. Something is not right and I am so frustrated.

There is a known bug in the M-series LED display software.
http://sleepapnea.wikia.com/wiki/M_Seri ... play_Error

Could this be the cause of the confusion?

John M

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:19 am

wELL i WOKE UP LAST NIGHT AND A LOT OF AIR WAS BLOWING OUT OF THE MASK WHERE THE MASK CONNECTS TO THE TUBING. IS THIS NORMAL? I KNOW AIR GETS RELEASED WHEN EXHALING BUT i TOOK THE MASK OFF AND THE AIR WAS BLOWING OUT OF IT. THE MACHINE DIDN'T EVEN REGISTER ANY THERAPY HOURS LAST NIGHT. CRAZY!!! I WAS THINKING ABOUT ORDERING A NASAL PILLOW. ANY FEEDBACK ON THOSE? THANKS AGAIN!

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:47 am

Quiet Air Vent. The exhalation vent on the ComfortClassic flows downward over the hose connection so your partner doesn't get blasted with air.

This from the cpap.com site. Could it be the exhaust you were feeling?
Have you tried unplugging the machine, then plugging it back in and then check the numbers?

Brenda

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:09 pm

I unplug it every morning and then plug it back in. I guess what you are saying is that it is normal for the air to be blowing out? I know air comes out on exhaling. But there is a constant flow of air coming out of the tubing of the mask.

John_M · Post by **John_M** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:19 pm

Anonymous wrote:I unplug it every morning and then plug it back in. I guess what you are saying is that it is normal for the air to be blowing out? I know air comes out on exhaling. But there is a constant flow of air coming out of the tubing of the mask.

Sometimes I find that the main hose connection to the mask gets loose and maybe even falls off. So I am learning to make sure that the hose is well connected to the mask.

Just in case you aren't aware of it, each mask has a way in which air can escape from it so that your CO2 can be get rid of. Usually it looks like a series of small holes and you can feel (and sometimes hear) the air venting out of it. This is meant to be.

But then there sometimes air leaking out of where the mask touches the face and this is not a good thing.

And then sometimes there is a small tube coming out of the mask wihich is used to connect to an oxygen supply for people who are needing oxygen. This should be capped if you aren't using oxygen.

Hope this helps.

John M

DeltaSeeker · Post by **DeltaSeeker** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:48 pm

chriml,

As others have said, it sometimes takes a while to feel better. We have a sleep deficit to pay back. For me it was around the 2 month mark I FINALLY work up feeling better! I tried the Swift nasal pillows last night and they were quite comfortable, but I woke up several times and found myself mouth breathing. So I have to give up on the Swift

As for feeling air coming from the hose, make sure your connection is fully on the mask. As John said, there are vent holes to get rid of CO2 that will continue to blow and air will continue to blow from the mask after it is off until you turn off the machine. Check all your connections for leaks.

The pillow will NOT help if you are mouth breathing. I'm glad you tried taping. Yeah, the numbers on your machine are wacky. I don't know the difference between "therapy hours" and "blower hours" or how the machine determines which is which.

I think you have the right attitude! Wearing the mask all night every night and even trying taping! You ROCK!!!! Don't give up, give it time. I too expected the miracle to happen immediately. Don't quit one minutes before the miracle happens.....

Come here and vent all you want! But NEVER GIVE UP!!!!! This is your life we're talking about and we all want you here with us for quite a while! One day, you'll be handing out advice like the rest of us and looking back at these posts chuckling. I promise! But ONLY IF YOU STICK WITH IT!!!

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:16 pm

Thank you so much! I would like that. I don't want to give up believe me!!! Kim

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:00 pm

If you click on this link you will see where the exhalation port is. There should be a steady stream of air coming from it when the xpap is in use.

http://global.respironics.com/UserGuide ... lassic.pdf

Don't know what to tell you about the #s. Seems like there is something wrong with the machine.

Brenda

jabberwock · Post by **jabberwock** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:40 pm

chriml,

If the large air leak you felt really is coming from the connection between the hose and the mask, that would likely explain the fact that you are not registering therapy even though you have the mask on. I would suggest that you try immediately to determine where you are losing air. Another place could be the connection between your machine and the humidifier. If there is a bad connection there, you will feel air blowing out around the connector.

Bonnie

chriml · Post by **chriml** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:01 am

Does anyone know how I can reset my machine and start over? I am using the remstar m series plus cflex with heated humidifier. I again slept with the mask all night until 8.00 am this morning. This is what the readings are today
7 day average 0.00
30 day average 1.24

sessions
7 days 0 sessions
30 days 2 sessions

Compliance check
11402

summary data
therapy hours 12.9
blower hours 62.2

total sessions 2

This is my 8 day using this machine. I have been very good using it straight through the night. Something is not right!!!!!
Does anyone know how I can restart this from the beginning?

feeling horrible and depressed

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Is it a software bug ?

this is making me crazy

Mask

Mask

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