Does the body need to get used to the CPAP

[yankeenoles]

I have been using my CPAP machine (RESMED S9) for about 3 weeks now. I use the swift FX nasal pillow mask. My pressure is set a 4 and within 30 minutes ramps up to 9. I was able to notice a difference the first week I used my machine. For about the last week, I am starting to get back to feeling very tired throughout the day, the same as before I started on my CPAP. I am also waking starting to wake up several times throughout the night. I have tried a few different nasal masks (Mirage softgel and Activa LT). I have poked around and see several posts where people state how much they feel since using their CPAP and I am not getting that feeling. I was wondering if it takes the body sometime to adust or is this something I need to contact my doctor about?

[Jersey Girl]

Are you having mask leaks? Check your leak numbers. If you are having leaks, you are not getting good therapy. Also, sometimes we have sleep debt...we haven't slept well in a long time and so we have months or even years of sleep debt to make up for. Some of us spent little or no time in REM sleep beforer CPAP and are now finally beginning to dream again. Some people feel better in a day...some in a week...some it takes some months to feel truly well rested.

Also, some of us find that using the ramp just doesn't give us enough air, and so we shut off that feature so that we can immediately receive our prescribed pressure.

Is there anything else that you changed in the past week? Eating late? Eating spicy foods? Something bothering you about work? Is your pillow comfortable? Does it allow room for your mask/hose/vent? There could be many different reasons why you are waking up at night and it may not have to do with your equipment.

Hope things get better for you soon.

Best regards,

Jersey Girl

[yankeenoles]

Since I am new at this, how do I check my leak numbers?

[xenablue]

I tried using the ramp to begin with (2 weeks ago) but it felt like I was suffocating. I took the advice from here and turned the ramp OFF, sat up in bed and read or watched tv with the full pressure as prescribed. After doing something else with the mask on, after a few minutes it becomes much more liveable than slapping it on and lying down right away. A few minutes sitting up allows you to make minute adjustments for comfort and, for me anyway, I can relax and go to sleep very soon after lying down.

I still feel like it's a wrestling match all night between me and the mask, but I KNOW I'm getting good therapy and not just because of the data I see from the machine. For the first time in about 50 years (YES 50!!) I haven't woken up to go to the bathroom ONCE since the first night on CPAP!! I understand deep sleep helps to rest your organs, and as I have chronic kidney disease, this is awesome news! Even though I've woken up several times because of mask issues, I've fallen right back to sleep without the need to go to the bathroom.

I don't care if I never have a dream again, but the respite for my poor kidneys is the best news I could have

Cheers,
Xena

[BlackSpinner]

I have been using my CPAP machine (RESMED S9) for about 3 weeks now. I use the swift FX nasal pillow mask. My pressure is set a 4 and within 30 minutes ramps up to 9. I was able to notice a difference the first week I used my machine. For about the last week, I am starting to get back to feeling very tired throughout the day, the same as before I started on my CPAP. I am also waking starting to wake up several times throughout the night. I have tried a few different nasal masks (Mirage softgel and Activa LT). I have poked around and see several posts where people state how much they feel since using their CPAP and I am not getting that feeling. I was wondering if it takes the body sometime to adust or is this something I need to contact my doctor about?

With a nasal mask or pillows you could be ending up breathing through your mouth and losing your therapy that way - thin k big giant leak! Ask to try a full face mask or try taping your mouth closed.

[Emilia]

Hi... take a minute and to up to the User Control Panel in the upper left and click....then choose Profile....then Edit Equipment. Choose your gear from the pull down menus and then choose to show them in TEXT not pictures. Now we all know what you are using each time you post without having to ask.

Do you have the software for your machine? I would suggest you seek our Uncle_Bob on here and on any of his posts, you will find, under his avatar picture, links to the software and the clinician's manual for your machine. Having the clinician's manual will get you 'under the hood' to make setting changes as needed.

The software is important to monitor the efficacy of your therapy and see detailed reports of how you did overnight.

I am into my 3rd month, and while I am sleeping like a baby and great results, I am still tired during the day. Sleep debt takes time to pay back....for some it is very fast ( ); for others is takes t.i.m.e. I wake up each day hoping it will the THE day I feel some pep, but so far it hasn't happened. I just keep on keeping......

Good luck!!

[trike-mike]

Hey brother,

Interestingly enough it was just your findings coupled with me not being able to get more than 4 hrs a night under the hose that prompted me, just this very morning, to start a discussion which has "Disservice" in the title. One thing I did not cite in there is that I am not as rested as when I first started this whole thing. The ONLY constant is that I have not woken with a screaming headache ONCE since I started and that's been worth the price of admission alone for me. I had horrid headaches getting to be at least every other day BC (Before CPAP)

One of the things that is evolving out of that is not my main original mask question but one of pressure and I am seeing that here as well and, even in my limited experience I can attest to some of:

I tried using the ramp to begin with (2 weeks ago) but it felt like I was suffocating. I took the advice from here and turned the ramp OFF, sat up in bed and read or watched tv with the full pressure as prescribed. After doing something else with the mask on, after a few minutes it becomes much more liveable than slapping it on and lying down right away. A few minutes sitting up allows you to make minute adjustments for comfort and, for me anyway, I can relax and go to sleep very soon after lying down.

I couldn't agree more and is one of the approaches I did right off which did help. The other one....

With a nasal mask or pillows you could be ending up breathing through your mouth and losing your therapy that way - thin k big giant leak! Ask to try a full face mask or try taping your mouth closed.

Yup... I don't think I am breathing out my mouth. That said, I did try just to rule it out, putting on a chin strap. While I had initially had a bad case of claustrophobia from the full face mask I have, the chin strap was worse for me. Worth trying a full face. I have gotten now to where I rather like the full face mask on a lot of occasions.

[yankeenoles]

Thanks all for the info and advice. I am certainly going to conrtinue with the therapy and will take some the advice posted here today. I have downloaded the software on Uncle_Bob's sig and will install it and get the data off.

[yankeenoles]

OK I need some help here. I installed teh resmed software and downloaded my data. In looking at the data, what I see is something called mask events. What is a mask event? How do I tell if I have any leakage from the software

[BanjoPaterson]

Mask events? Sounds like either mouth breathing, in which case I'd recommend either a chin-strap or full face mask, or there's a leak from the mask (either how you put in on/ put it together after washing). You can press the knob on the S9 after starting the CPAP and for leaks it shows either a smiley for or non-smiley face.

[Emilia]

You'll need to provide the actual numbers or post your results for us to see.... Those who use your machine/software can help you to understand what you are seeing.

[yankeenoles]

I am really not sure how to post my report so I will type out what is in it. Basically I am looking under the summary graph and this is what I see for last night, 11/02. I also think the time on my CPAP machine is off.

4 Mask Events
Mask Event 18:39 to 18:40, Duration 2 min
Mask Event 18:49 to 18:50, Duration 2 min
Mask Event 20:02 to 20:10, Duration 9 min
Mask Event 20:13 to 03:49, Duration 7hrs 37 min

On 11/01
2 Mask Events
Mask Event 20:12 to 20:20, Duration 9 min
Mask Event 20:24 to 03:30, Duration 7hrs 27 min

I am seeing these from Day 1 that I started using the machine. Since I am in my 30 day window I have asked my rep to get me a full face mask tomorrow. I have asked for the RESMED Quattro and the Liberty.

[lindam0521]

i started CPAP the last week of september and have been working on getting the maximum benefit. i started with a nasal mask but i knew i was mouth breathing during the night (i woke up with my mouth open) so decided to try FFM. the mirage quattro works quite well but even though i've seen ;improvements in my sleeping through the night i still don't feel well rested, energized or any of the things people say. my doctor said it is different for everybody, some people just take more time to adjust.

last week i noticed i was sleeping better but still not feeling right in the morning. i suspected mask leaks but my machine over gives compliance data so i had no way to verify. i suspected is was tightening it too much, adjusting it too much, and that was creating leaks. I went into my DME yesterday who helped me set up the mask and gave me some tips--i defnitely am setting it too tight, and have been too paranoid about the possiblity of minor leaks.

he also showed me to set up the upper straps and leave them there and to leave one end of the bottom on--this second mask was delivered about a week or so after my initial one and while it came with instructions i did not have anybody help me with it. They are great at the place I go, they say to call or come in whenever I need to.

continue to sleep more throughout the night but not as long as i need to be sleeping. when i woke up this morning i got up and moving, sometimes it's best not to fall lback to sleep, but then went back to bed in about three hours because i was tired. those last three hours of sleep didn't help much, it would have been much better to have gotten the 6-6 1/2 hours in one stretch.

but i am seeing progress and am hoping that one day it will kick in.

i agree with you on the ramp up feature, i initially used it but found it was best to start out full pressure, since mine is set at a 8 which is not all that high.

Good luck!