Hello from a First Timer

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:46 pm

All,

This is my first post, however I have been reading posts on this site for over a year. First of all I wish to thank all of you for allowing me the wisdom to see that I am not in this alone and that there is help and advice out there. From reading posts on a regular basis, it appears that we have all encountered and endured many of the same issues and problems with our Doctors, DME's, and the equipment we have chosen. I was first diagnosed with OSA in 2000. I resisted treatment for over a year after my sleep study. I finally broke down and requested a CPAP from my doctor when my apnea really began effecting my marriage and my professional life. I too felt like others who felt that wearing this equipment at night had turned me into an old man on an oxygen machine. Some kind of weird Frankenstein (forgive me but it is Halloween) laying in my bed with my wife basically feeling like I was wearing a respirator to maintain my life while sleeping. That was 4 years ago, and believe me it has gotten better. My snoring has ceased, and I can now function like a normal human being in the daytime, and while at work. This did not come without many trials and learning by "hard knocks" at considerable time and expense. As with many others on who post this site, issues with masks were and still are the major problems with achieving compliance and uninterrupted quality sleep. I have tried the Comfort Gel, the Breeze Dream, the Breeze, The Aura, and now the Comfort Curve. As a side sleeper, they all leak. For me, the Breeze works very well but is too small for my head w/o drilling and modifications, and I love the Aura with the exception of many leaks due to the design of the wire supports in the nose pillows. They really could have a great product with a little bit of engineering for an adjustable support for the nose pice of the device. As for the Comfort Curve. It is anything but comfortable for me. If anyone out there has a need to try out a new Comfort Curve tried on once, please let me know and you can have it for free. I know I can't tolerate it. New nose cushions should cost you less than $30.

I do have a question for anyone who has switched from a standard CPAP to the Respironics Auto w Cflex. Did it make a big difference? Do you reccommend the machine switch. I have a 4 year old Remstar Plus set at 10cm right now and am very interested in an Auto machine.

Sorry for the long post, but I guess I had a lot to say in this first post. Thanks again for being out there and sharing your experiences with others. You are a great source of information and support.

Ron

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:49 pm

Ron,

You probably know more about this therapy than I do being you've been at it long than me. But, in answer to your question about switching from CPAP to auto, and I did when I got my Remstar Auto with Cflex, it took me awhile to understand why people use auto. This is what I learned, at least from my own perspective. Perfection, or as near as I could get to it, as far as results was a CPAP set to my 10 cms. titration level. However, it came with side effects that I wasn't thrilled about. I would suffer from some aerophagia, more leaks with my masks and a less comfortable sleep. However, no snoring, a zero snore index, and probably the best AHI's I could ask for.

When I switched to auto, after experimenting with different ranges of pressures, my aerophagia was either greatly relieved or eliminated, the amount of leaks in my masks decreased and I would have less trouble sleeping comfortably. However, I would get some snores and my AHI's would usually be a bit higher and erratic.

As far as how I felt using CPAP as opposed to auto, honestly, not that much of a difference. If I HAD to choose, I personally find CPAP more beneficial as far as energy level goes. The other areas auto wins at.

As you probably already know, everything, right down to the position we keep our machine hoses in, related to this therapy is so personal and everyone finds different things more preferably or work better for them. You can ask these questions of 10 users and get 10 different answers. Or ask me again in three months and I might change how I feel. Like life, nothing stays the same. As you change and your outside influences do, so does how you react to your therapy.

I guess I feel that the key is remaining positive and understanding that if you feel it works best for you, then do it. Don't let what others say force you to do something that doesn't make you feel as comfortable. Strive to find the most tolerable circumstances and hang onto them until they don't work for you and then start again. It's a ever-changing ride on this therapy. And your best defense is accepting it and learning just to go with the flow.

Rod · Post by **Rod** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:55 pm

Hi Ron and welcome to the family! I'm going on two weeks with a new machine, so alot more to learn.Boy did you have alot to say, you need to post more to get it out and compare notes.I have the RemStar Plus with humidifier. It seems to work fine, I think I will need to try another mask soon.So good luck, Rod

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:16 pm

Rod,
Where's your photo???

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:52 pm

Hi, Ron. Welcome to the family. That's what we all feel like here, I think. So glad you finally decided to post. In answer to some of your question, I started out on a Resmed S7, next tried an Auto Spirit for 2 weeks, then a Remstar Plus and am now on Remstar auto/C-flex. I was having lots of trouble exhaling against my pressure of 14. The auto with C-flex really helped that a lot. And I rest much better with the auto, but am not sure I feel as well overall with it as straight cpap. Getting on the auto with C-flex helped me to stop removing my mask without knowing it during the night. I am just not as restless during the night with the auto. My dh says he rests much better also when I am on the auto because I tend to move around a whole lot less on it. As has been said before, everyone's experience is a little different.
I'd say if you have the opportunity to try an auto, go for it. You can always set it for straight cpap, if auto turns out to disagree with you. Also the c-flex can be turned off with either auto or cpap so there are actually 4 different modes this machine can be used in. One of them has almost got to work for you.
By the way, if no one has taken you up on your offer of the comfort curve, PM me and let me know. I was going to test one for my DME, but when I got there to pick it up, he said several had tried them and they were so awful that they sent them all back. I was very disappointed.
Right now I am having problems with my Swift and am looking for a change.
Oh, and be sure to send your photo to Lori for the album. Again welcome. I think you will find everyone on here most helpful.

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:57 pm

Josie,

From what I've heard, not EVERYONE dislikes the CC. Hopefully you will. What problems are you having with the Swift? MAYBE I can offer you some help with them. Swifty and I go way back and have still managed to maintain our good relationship, even after Aura moved in and took his place most of the time.

Oh, by the way, it was Rod, not Ron (figures two out of three letters are the same and in the same places) whose photo I was waiting for. I was going to help him with it and haven't heard back from him

ROD, WHERE ARE YOU???

Rod · Post by **Rod** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:13 pm

Sorry LoRi: I didnt forget, just been very busy. Rod

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:24 pm

Rod,

That's okay. I just thought maybe you did forget. I'll be waiting...I am off tomorrow so if you could possibly get it over to me, I will have plenty of time to do it.

BUT I am going to an Aerosmith/Lenny Kravitz concert tomorrow night!!! Yahoo...I'm ready to Rock & Roll!!! That should take my mind off my troubles.

littlebaddow · Post by **littlebaddow** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:28 am

Ron wrote: I do have a question for anyone who has switched from a standard CPAP to the Respironics Auto w Cflex. Did it make a big difference? Do you reccommend the machine switch. I have a 4 year old Remstar Plus set at 10cm right now and am very interested in an Auto machine.

Hi Ron

Nearly a year ago I started with a bog standard cpap without humidifier set at 10cm. A month later I switched to an auto, the remstar auto with c-flex and heated humidifier.

The difference was incredible. Whilst the humidifier undoubtedly helped, the biggest difference as in the pressure setting. I have the machine set for the range 6cm to 10cm and spend most of the night at the lower end. Only rarely, for a few minutes at a time, do I need 8cm or more of pressure.

As you've been reading this forum for a while, I'm sure you will have picked up that different people will respond in a different way to the various machines, but in my book it's certainly well worth a try.

Good luck

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:39 pm

Thanks to all you replied.

Got the Remstar Auto with Cflex today and heated humidifier. Was also was talked into a Comfortlite by my DME. I was going to try out a Swift, but the Comfortlite looked so much like my Aura I could not resist. I am hoping that it's design is an improvement.

What is the difference in the auto's C-Flex settings? I am currently set at 1-Auto as my prescription did not include a c-flex setting.

How do you get your picture on the site?

Ron

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:43 pm

Ron,

The settings on your machine (and mine) are 1-3. 1 is the LEAST amount of help with exhalation, 2 moderate and 3 the most.

If you want to post your photo, you have to resize a photo on your computer to no larger than 6 KBs and 80 by 80 pixels.

If you don't know how to do it, I can help you. PM me with it included (if you have an online server, you can post it to that first and include it in a PM as am IMG) or I will give you my private email and you can send it to me and I'll resize it for you and give you instructions on what to do next.

A warning. If I do this for you, I automatically am putting it in the online yearbook, which is going to be posted in the next day or two. Just making sure there are no more photos that anyone is dragging their butts to give me.

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:53 pm

//www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=5357&s ... ght=avatar

Above should tell you how to get your avatar on. Or else send a photo to Lori and she will size and do it for you.

C-flex numbers run 1-3 with 1 being the least pressure relief and 3 giving the most pressure relief on exhale. I used 3 because I tried both 1 and 2 and neither gave me enough relief at the time.

Good luck tonite on your new set-up. If it were me and pressure on exhale is a problem for you, I would set the c-flex to 3 for the first nite.[/list][/list][/code]

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): C-FLEX

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): C-FLEX

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Hello from a First Timer

Hello from a First Timer

welcome

didnt forget

Re: Hello from a First Timer

Got my Auto today

Machine	Mask