Tonights NOT my first night!! *the Misty Story*

[Pugsy]

I see archangle came by with his usual taping warning.
It is a remote risk and a bunch of weird stuff would all have to happen at one time but there is risk.
I thought the benefits outweighed the risk. First night I tried taping we had a thunderstorm and the power went out. I woke up thinking "why is it so quiet"...then I realized why. I was in zero distress. There is air movement through the vent holes. Not a lot but enough that you won't suffocate.
My suggestion is to try the tape while you are awake and open your mouth with the tape on. A good yawn will easily break the seal. It doesn't stick like cement at all.
Risk vs benefits. Personal choice you have to make.

The mask alarm feature...it beeps a barely audible beep when there is a large leak...like when you take the mask off and let the machine run. It is not loud and unless you are an extremely light sleeper you will sleep right through it. I know I have. In all honesty, a pretty useless alarm.

[wittymomma]

Ty for the tape warning & For the info on the alarm lol. I think the "Mr Ed" experience right now, is enough to let me know when I have a leak lol. I have not yet pulled out the chin strap besides the initial (failed) trial run.. I do wish I could inhale threw my nose and exhale threw my mouth.. I was taught to do that to "relax" and now I am having to retrain myself.. Besides that I am getting the hang of this lol. I do dread going to bed because of the "steps" I now have to go threw.. but over all, it is working out.. I am cheating a bit though.. for the past 2 nights when I wake up, I get out of bed and go back to sleep on the couch without the machine lol. But my back has been KILLING me and the couch is my only relief.. But I do sleep until morning in bed w/ machine.. Lets see Saturday morning I got up at 5.. this morning I made it to 7 I believe.

Speaking of this morning.. I have a very odd reading.. Posting the 2 latest here just to compare..

These are via links so I dont keep taking up huge space..

2/3 2/4

[Pugsy]

Well.....obviously something weird happened during the night with the huge cluster of snores and RERAs.
What was it? No way to know for sure. Perhaps supine sleeping or REM or both or just a fluke of some sort.
You are working your way up to 15 cm aren't you? Your snores are reducing as you go up in pressure. Your AHI isn't bad now but with the snores and the RERAs if you are having frequent awakenings or not feeling even a teensy bit better...then probably the reason the doc wants 15 cm is to eliminate the snores. Snores can be an indication of very minor flow limitations that haven't grown up to be a Hyponea.

FWIW...all of us (even cpap veterans) will have some oddball fluke nights. Until you get your pressures dialed in and the snores reduced further I think you can probably expect to see more than an occasional oddball fluke night where we just don't have any clear cut explanation as to why weird things happened.

[wittymomma]

Thanks Pugsy! I am feeling more awake during the day.. I have not napped since I started the machine.. and I have not fallen asleep at my desk like I used to lol. I do not feel Energized.. just awake. if that makes sense. just relaxed & calm.

[Pugsy]

I have not napped since I started the machine.. and I have not fallen asleep at my desk like I used to lol. I do not feel Energized.. just awake. if that makes sense. just relaxed & calm.

I do understand. You are seeing a very gradual improvement and I expect that you will see more as those snores and RERAs come down. I suspect that those minor reductions in flow and the maybe frequent RERAs may be disturbing the quality of your sleep just a little. Your AHI is fine but good sleep is not always guaranteed by good AHI numbers alone. I wish it were that easy. I wish we could see AHI of 1.0 to 2.0 and feel the miracle automatically. It sure would go a long way in helping people see remarkable improvement pretty much immediately and not have to wait for gradual improvements. Unfortunately there just is more to getting good restorative sleep than eliminating apnea events. Even people without the sleep apnea diagnosis can have things that mess with sleep architecture and restorative sleep. The cpap machine can only work on what it was designed to work on.

[Bright Choice]

I don't see that anyone has posted the type of blue painters tape that seems to work best: it is "2080EL" - it is easier to take off. When I first used painters tape I just used some we had laying around the house - it was terrible! Now I use the 2080EL every night with no skin problems. Some people "graduate" to not needing it. That has not happened for me. You may not need it, but for me it is a life saver. I even used it with my FFM because it prevents dry mouth.

I also wear a chin strap and yes it is hard to chat with DH at snuggle time. I am training him about how to understand my new language but it is slow going

Good luck!

[wittymomma]

Thanks for the info on the Painters tape!! Googling it now :-p

I am going to get me a table lamp so I can still lay in bed & Chat until HE falls asleep, then putting my mask on lol. I have not yet found info on the Hyrbid mask I would like to try.. when I look on here I see all sorts of Hybrid masks but not the one that I am looking at... Which is this one:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html

Anyways, I am hoping that I will be able to breath in threw my nose and out threw my mouth.. Not sure if I could or not with that mask or not..

Should I get a Oximeter? I was just over whelmed with all the results on here lol.

[Bright Choice]

In an ideal world you should be able to breathe in and out through your nose. There are things you can do to facilitate nasal breathing. There are two great sources on nasal breathing, one from Dr. Krakow and one from Dr Park. Both could be very helpful for you. I will post the links when I get to my pc, unless someone here beats me to it. I would suggest that you put every effort into getting your nose working first. I did use a FFM for a while but even then still used tape and chin strap to encourage nasal breathing. Even with a FFM, that air swooshing through your mouth can be pretty miserable.

I tried a couple of the "hybrid" type masks but getting them to fit without leaks was not possible. I am very happy now with Mirage FX nasal mask - but what works for one may not for another. Lots of trial and error, but hang in there - you will find your way!

YMMV. Some folks just can't get the nose to do its job.

Good luck!

[wittymomma]

Ty Bright! I am hoping once my thyroid is removed I will be able to lose weight & hopefully have a smaller neck (Which I was told is what is causing most of my apnea.. not by my sleep dr mind you.. but my regular doctor) THEN My nose will be able to be my full & only breathing device lol.

Is there any advice on how to relax?? I am spending the first half hour to hour stressing & thinking of doing everything right so I cant seem to go to sleep lol. Now once I AM asleep, I am doing great on it! My mom wants me to get an OTC sleeping medicine but I took 1 about a year ago and I had a VERY bad reaction on it.. Now Night quill (sp) I love that stuff.. but it makes me sleep in WAY too long & it takes me about all day of sleeping to shake the cob webs lol. And that is with just a sip...

anyways heading to bed.. ty for the advice & tips & just for talking to me

[BlackSpinner]

I have not yet found info on the Hyrbid mask I would like to try.. when I look on here I see all sorts of Hybrid masks but not the one that I am looking at... Which is this one:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html

That is the one I use and the best one. Do a search on the site for it because it is truly a bitch to fit but once you have it right it is wonderful. I do use an extra light elastic strap across the nasal pillows because I have a cute tilted up nose.
Most people try to just breath through their nose - in and out. "normal" people sleep breathing through their nose. Having watched the kids sleeping they never breath through their mouths.

[wittymomma]

I have not yet found info on the Hyrbid mask I would like to try.. when I look on here I see all sorts of Hybrid masks but not the one that I am looking at... Which is this one:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html

That is the one I use and the best one. Do a search on the site for it because it is truly a bitch to fit but once you have it right it is wonderful. I do use an extra light elastic strap across the nasal pillows because I have a cute tilted up nose.
Most people try to just breath through their nose - in and out. "normal" people sleep breathing through their nose. Having watched the kids sleeping they never breath through their mouths.

Thanks for the input! It is funny you mention the kids.. my youngest does sleep with his mouth closed.. but he was in the hospital for 3 days as a baby for sleep apnea..and I think he still has it. You can barely see him breath sometimes.. it is freaky. I lost a child when he was 2 months old so I am very protective.. so that just adds the stress when I am watching him sleep lol. which is probably why he is 6 & still sleeps with me on occasion *sigh*

Now my older 2.. I know they have apnea symptoms.. My oldest just got an xray to check his adenoids & tonsils.. The doctor is starting him on the "Sleep apnea testing journey" lol. But anyways.. I am drifting on to other subjects. lol.

[Bright Choice]

In an ideal world you should be able to breathe in and out through your nose. There are things you can do to facilitate nasal breathing. There are two great sources on nasal breathing, one from Dr. Krakow and one from Dr Park. Both could be very helpful for you. I will post the links when I get to my pc, unless someone here beats me to it. I would suggest that you put every effort into getting your nose working first. I did use a FFM for a while but even then still used tape and chin strap to encourage nasal breathing. Even with a FFM, that air swooshing through your mouth can be pretty miserable.

I tried a couple of the "hybrid" type masks but getting them to fit without leaks was not possible. I am very happy now with Mirage FX nasal mask - but what works for one may not for another. Lots of trial and error, but hang in there - you will find your way!

YMMV. Some folks just can't get the nose to do its job.

Good luck!

Here are the nasal breathing links:

1. Dr Krakow's Nasal Breathing Video Series: http://sleeptreatment.com/index.php?opt ... temid=1800

2. Dr Steven Park's "Unstuff Your Stuffy Nose": http://doctorstevenpark.com/unstuff-your-stuffy-nose

Hope this helps!

[wittymomma]

Here is my update that I just posted on my "My Nose hurts" thread.. figured I would update it here too lol.

Just wanted to update.. The inside of my nose is good now.. I turned off the humidifier and within a day my sinuses cleared right up.. I also started taking a vitamin that you are suppose to take when you are sick.. SO I am not 100% sure that the humidifier was causing all my issues or they just both helped kwim?

Anyways. My only issue now is that the bridge of my nose hurts for the first few hours when I get up in the morning lol. But after those hours, it feels normal again..

I did think of trying a FFM but am not sure which one I would like to try.. I cant have anything on the bridge of my nose so I am off to google/search this site

Thanks for reading!!

Oh & I wrote to Lanolin company & they sent me a sample they also included BFing stuff LOL. But I have a new niece coming in to this world so I will pass it on to her mommy I am keeping the baby wipes & the Lanolin though LOL.