Help me please!!! I can't seem to make this work

tosleepperchancetodream · Post by **tosleepperchancetodream** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:08 pm

Every night I put the mask on and pray that this is the night I make it through the night getting treatment. But each night my ability to keep it on gets shorter and shorter! The air going through my nose makes the back of my throat soooo dry. I start coughing and coughing. Then the air starts coming in like a jet engine and it causes me to cough so badly I throw up!

I have a humidifier, and I've bumped it all the way up to the highest setting - it's not helping. I've been drinking water all day long - I've been doing it ALL.

Please, PLEASE help. This is awful. Would a room humidifier help?

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:08 pm

The air going through my nose makes the back of my throat soooo dry. I start coughing and coughing. Then the air starts coming in like a jet engine and it causes me to cough so badly I throw up!

* Are you sure you're keeping you mouth closed? The "jet engine" description + dryness make it sound like your mouth is open. Nothing works if you use a nasal or nasal pillows mask and your mouth is open. Your mouth has to be shut - or else you need a full face (FF). Do a search for "mouthleak" if your mouth opens involuntarily.

* Are you using your machine in Automatic mode, or with the ERP? With ERP it functions only as straight PAP.

* You don't mention your pressure. If it's very high, you might need a BI-PAP machine, which gives consistent significant relief on exhale.

* I used the Swift for one night in the beginning of therapy. Many like it, however, for me - at a constant pressure of 7.5 (which was too high) - it felt dreadful. You might want to try another mask.

* If you're starting out at high pressure, and can't stand it, I suggest you try "pressure training" - start out at low pressure, and raise it gently every few days, when you feel you're used to the present pressure. In the beginning, I used to feel every pressure change in my Automatic machine. Now, I'm so used to it that I sometime have to put my hand in front of the vent to make sure the air is indeed blowing - even at the maximum.

Go about it gradually - and take it easy.

Good luck, don't give up, and let us know how you're doing. It's easier for some, more difficult for others - but we're all rooting for you!

O.

Stryker5777 · Post by **Stryker5777** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 12:52 am

AS sillly as this may sound.. you may want to consider heating your water a head of time before putting on your humidifier if you don't do so already. In additon to what ozij suggested. I always thought that the remstar add on humidifier would heat the water sufficantly if I turned it on while using it. The water never seemed to get warm at all and I would constantly mouth breath and my throat would be very dry.

Another thing that you may want to consider is a nasal saline gel spray. A pharmist recommended it to me and I was thinking of purchasing it a while back. Its cheap like less than five bucks and its worth a try at the very least.

Another thing that you might want to consider is getting a stand alone humidifer. I have a humid aire that I've been considering maybe getting rid of. Though if you look online I'm sure you can find quite a variety of them though. Mine is large though and doesn't travel as nice as the add on humifiers, but uses very little power and does stay on quite well. This also needs to be preheated but keeps constant nice level of humidity. A humidifer such as this might help if nothing else does.

Don't worry these guys on here are great and will be more than willing to help wherever possible. Hang in there and it'll get better, trust me. it will!!!

stryker5777

groggybob · Post by **groggybob** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:32 am

I agree with Stryker, preheating my HH is a must. There is an amazing difference between a preheated HH and just starting it up when you put the mask on.

Also, don't get overly discouraged if your first setup doesn't work, it is rare for anyone to hit the right combination right out of the gate. It has taken a friend of mine nearly two months to make it all the way through the night with his mask on. Now he can't go to sleep without it.

The three most important things to remember about xPAP therapy are Don't give up, Don't give up, NEVER give up. You'll understand why once it starts working for you.

Bob

tosleepperchancetodream · Post by **tosleepperchancetodream** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:44 pm

Thanks you guys - you all are truly the best!

1. I am definitely not opening my mouth - I tried putting the machine on while awake - and after about an hour or so, the back of my throat was dry. Also when I wake up having slept with my mouth open, my WHOLE mouth is dry - not just the back of my throat.

2. I do pre-heat my humidifier.

3. My pressure is set at 7.2 cm

4. I haven't been using the ramp feature - as I had read that it bothered a lot of folks - so I figured I'd try turning that off. I'll turn it back on.

I'll keep trying - maybe put the pressure down a bit, or turn it back to auto and see if that will work.

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions!

twistedcherokee · Post by **twistedcherokee** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 12:20 am

You may want to try a full face mask. I went from a FF to the Oracle II and I think I am going back to the FF. I will keep the Oracle for a back up, but with it I think I will have to get up around 5:00am to clear my sinus's and drink some water. With the FF I slept all night untill the alarm went off.

Toby

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:18 am

tosleepperchancetodream I fiddled around with upping the hh settings and stuff till i hit the right combination. I got the dr. to change me over to a bi level..so that i dont do many more taping and tight chin straps now. Maybe the exhale setting is too much for you and you need a APAP not a CPAP one set pressure for inhale and exhale. I do have a felt tubing around my hose to cut out the rainout.

You will get it right real soon.

Barnaby

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:18 am

tosleepperchancetodream I fiddled around with upping the hh settings and stuff till i hit the right combination. I got the dr. to change me over to a bi level..so that i dont do many more taping and tight chin straps now. Maybe the exhale setting is too much for you and you need a APAP not a CPAP one set pressure for inhale and exhale. I do have a felt tubing around my hose to cut out the rainout.

You will get it right real soon.

Barnaby