THANX - Got first full night in!! WooHoo!!

[don331]

THANKS to everyone on this forum....

Finally, after the 5th night, I successfully used by new bipap all night and today I feel great!!!

It took some considerable "tuning" to get things to work... #1 being able to access the programming on the Bipap so I could increase the ramp-time and enable the Bi-Flex feature.

The ramp-time was increased from 15 minutes to 1 hour, since it was taking me some time to get to sleep. The Bi-Flex feature IMHO makes for much easier breathing. You really notice it when I wake, and the pressure is ramped up fully - yet I'm just breathing away easy as pie.

As a newbie, I can say to other newbies that when you start you tend to be really conscious of your breathing, and it feels almost like you're hyperventilating or "breathing too much". That DOES GO AWAY as you get used to the machine, and your breathing goes back to normal, minus the apnea.

Anyhoo - THANKS to everyone, you too - I've been reading hundreds of post off of this site and couldn't have done this without your help and courage in sharing the ups and down of cpap!

Don

[Pugsy]

Congratulations on the first milestone. Good job.

[BlackSpinner]

Isn't it wonderful when you first get it working? It was almost as good as the high I get when a piece of software runs without errors the first time!

[RipVW]

Hooray for you, don331! May your successes continue!

[jweeks]

The ramp-time was increased from 15 minutes to 1 hour, since it was taking me some time to get to sleep. The Bi-Flex feature IMHO makes for much easier breathing. You really notice it when I wake, and the pressure is ramped up fully - yet I'm just breathing away easy as pie.

I found that CPAP is an on-going process of running into problems and solving them. More of an engineering problem than a health problem, at least for me. I have been told that those who are willing to innovate (like yourself) are the ones that are the most successful.

I found that I needed the ramp when I used a full face mask. After switching to a nasal pillow mask, I find that I don't even notice the pressure (I'm at 13/20), and I haven't used the ramp feature since making that switch. While experimenting with masks is expensive, you might find a nasal pillow mask worth a try (such as the Swift LT).

-john-

[jdm2857]

...when a piece of software runs without errors the first time!

I thought that was only a myth!

[SleepyT]

Good job, Don! Right on!

[millich]

Woo Hoo, Don!!! Congrats! You're well on your way now.