Week one almost over.

So on thursday it will have been one week. I hate to whine, but I am having such a hard time. FIRST I feel as though I'm not getting enough air sometimes, so I don't use the ramp function anymore, and that helps, but now someone on the forum suggested that the cflex function causes breath stacking which might be a cause (I have trouble just letting my brain take over my breathing, and my pressure is also low, so I am going to give it a try tonight without cflex). I just feel the constant need to yawn when I put my mask on. I'm a mouth breather at night. I don't do it during the day! I didn't know I did it at night really. I'm training myself to breathe through my nose only. Its a pain, but it seems like my body wants to do it anyway. The only REAL problem I am having getting myself to do it is that now I have caught myself grinding my teeth. Something else I haven't ever done.

The other thing is my sleeping position. YES, I can still sleep on my stomach. Is it the same? No. I feel like I cant really sleep on my pillow. So now I am planning on buying some new pillows, mine need replacing anyway, and I am looking at the PAPillows.

Not being able to toss and turn is also bugging me. I am pretty restless until I fall asleep. I have been considering otc sleep aids. I find that after a night in the same position my body aches a bit so if I wake up and I only have a few hours to go, sometimes I am so frustrated by everything that I just take the mask off and sleep without it.

Like everyone else though, I am not giving up. I figure there is just too much to be gained here. So, I'm still tired, and I'm discouraged a bit, but I want it to work bad enough to give it more time. I feel like maybe its something I am doing to make it not work so well. Then I tell myself that everything takes time.

I guess I just needed to vent a little. Any suggestions on any of the above are most welcome. Thanks for listening.

Stick with it! You'll get used to all this!

I like my Shapeable Pillows from Target. They're like a normal pillow, but then when you smoosh them they somewhat hold the shape. It's perfect for creating a mask divot. You can just go down to Target and pick them up off the shelf, no waiting, no shipping costs.

Also, since you like stomach sleeping, if you continue to be annoyed with your swift, I'd highly recommend trying an Aura. That's the only mask I have that really lets me stomach sleep. A lot of other stomach sleepers like them too.

Keep up the good fight!

blarg wrote:Also, since you like stomach sleeping, if you continue to be annoyed with your swift, I'd highly recommend trying an Aura. That's the only mask I have that really lets me stomach sleep. A lot of other stomach sleepers like them too.

Add my vote to blarg's for the Aura (official name now is Invacare's Twilight NP) interface for comfortable sleep in every position, including tummy sleeping. Of course, I'm prejudiced because it's by far my favorite mask, with tweaks. Another person might not like it at all. For example, the Swift was aggravating to me, but suits a lot of people.

LINKS to Invacare Twilight NP (Aeiomed Headrest- Aura) nasal pillows mask topics
viewtopic.php?t=3098


lyss, you may have already seen the link below. Keeping the main air hose up out of the way can help a lot in letting a person toss and turn over freely. Plus hanging the main air hose up keeps the weight of the hose from tugging on any mask:
LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

Lyss,
Please hang in there no matter how long it takes you to tweek your sleeping and get it right.

I am one of the very lucky ones and I can tell you I feel so much better.

I have been on it for exactly one week now. Here are my numbers from last night. I got to bed later then usuall but I have been getting 8+ hours normally. I bought an apap machine but since my numbers are where they are I am not going to mess with it.

Lyss,

I see you have a swift. RG likes another nasal mask, you might want to try it.

I love my swift, BUT, I use a 3 inch ace bandage around my head (under chin to over crown of head) to support my lower jaw AND stabalize the swift. It doesnt slip around as much with the ace bandage.

I put the bottom strap UNDER my hair in the back so it doesn't ride up.

I tape my mouth as I was like you a MAJOR mouth breather.

What is your pressure? What was your ramp set on? Your pressure may be high enough to stop apneas, but still be too low for comfort. I don't want anything less than 7 or I can't breath.

I found that once I got used to the stuff and started getting a good deep sleep, I tossed and turned far less and sleeping in one or two positions didn't bother me at all. I also lowered my CFLEX to 1. I am at 13 pressure and even with that pressure 1 seems to be enough for me.

On the teeth. That is one you have to conciously work on not clamping to keep the jaw shut. Tape helps as you are not so worried about "training yourself". While some here claim they have, many many of use will be taping forever. It is really not hard or time-consuming.

Keep working on it. See what works for you. Good luck.

blarg - I am sticking with it, in fact I was so pleased with the way I felt this morning. It really is getting easier, but never the less I am going to hit Target tonight for those shapeable pillows. I love you for that suggestion. Also I am going back to lincare tonight to make her open up some more of the screens on my machine and turn off my cflex, so I am going to ask to look at some other masks while I am there. I'm writing down the name of the Aura and the hybrid, those are th ones I'm most interested in, though my swift and I did end up being friends last night. Thanks!

Rested gal - I really am interested in trying Aura. Actually I am interested in trying anything that lets me sleep on my stomach comfortably. Whats killing me with the swift is that the hose is to one side or the other, the way it connects to the mask. Before I go to sleep I go from side to side a lot and with the swift I have to continuously unhook and re-hook the hose to do so. I'm getting used to being in one place, but I wouldn't mind trying a different mask if lincare doesn't kill me. (so far so good. the woman I talk to there is usually pretty nice.) Thanks for the links!

jackr - I have a machine that takes info, but I'm not sure I can see it the same way you do, thats something else I am going to ask her about (woman at lincare) when I see her tonight. Last night was a good night and I also really do feel good. I knew waking up, that it was successful. I'm hanging in here, but congrats to you on your success!

snoregirl - I have only had a week with my swift, I'm not completely ready to blame my mask, but I am open to trying other ones. I was great with my swift last night but I did manage to knock it off my nose in the last hour that I was sleeping. So I need to get the adjustments correct or use a set up like yours to get it stable. I usually put my hair in a tight pony tail to sleep so I put the back strap under that to keep it from riding up. I haven't had to tape my mouth yet, I don't think I am having a problem with that. I think my body wants to be a nose breathing body anyway. If I do realize its not correctable myself I will consider tape.

I don't use my ramp anymore, but it was set at 4, and I can not breathe with it there, I agree with you. My pressure itself is set to 6, but I am also going to ask the woman at lincare to let me try 7 (if thats even possible). i think its important because the biggest problem I have had so far is feeling like I'm not getting enough air. i had a great night last night so I'm sure i'm adjusting, but it doesn't hurt to try.

I lowered my cflex to 1, and it really helped me, but I am going to have her turn it off tonight. I really want her to just give me the ability to turn it off and on as I please, because I want to be able to experiment with it until I get it right for me but we will see how she likes that idea. I'm prepared to argue for it, and she likes me.

Thanks for the great response, and the luck!

I use a third party software created by jskinner here on the forum. It is free and very very good.

snoregirl,
What type or brand of tape are you using?
I am new to this forum, but have been on CPAP since 7/04, with not much sucess. I recently re-tested and am now using BiPap, hope it will be better.

Hi MikeRobert. Welcome

Here is a link all about mouth taping. It will discuss all the different tapes that some of us use.

viewtopic.php?t=8011

MikeRobert wrote:I recently re-tested and am now using BiPap, hope it will be better.

Hi MikeRobert,

Please tell us a little of your story. Many folks successfully on therapy here now didn't have success initially either. Funny thing happend though when they started talking about their difficulties with others here. Little suggestions now and again from others can really help.

Regards,
Bill

I have only been a hosehead for a month. I also have a swift and I'm going to buy an aura (twilight NP). I like the way the swift fits in my nares, but I don't like the hose jutting out the side. I'm a side sleeper, and toss and turn. On the one side it's extremely comfortable. On the other it's horrid cause the hose is in the way, hence the aura purchase - it's hose goes over the head.

Here's what I experienced -
- my nares were sore the first few days. I got some Ayr nasal gel and it made a huge difference.
- I like the humidity turned up a little, but experienced rainout since my room is cold and it's winter in MI. I bought comfortsleeves from Kathleen (comfortsleeve@msn.com) which are fleece and really make the hose feel and look less sterile.
- I have a lot of flatulence first thing in the morning - I think it's from the air (mild aerophagia?), but I haven't gotten to the bottom of that one yet (no pun intended).
- my eyes are drier than pre-cpap therapy. Still working on that one.
- my throat was dry the first few days - turned up the humidifier and that helped.
- I put chapstick on every night now.
- I quit tossing and turning so much because now I'm sleeping soundly. So I've been waking up stiff and a little sore from being in the same position all night. So I take some advil before bed - fixes that one right up.

I know every person has a different experience, but from my reading, everyone has some adjustments they need to make.

I'm so glad to have found this forum - it sure helped me through the transition so far!

Good luck to you,
Oneco

Bill,
I tried many times to overcome the difficulties of adjustment since my first sleep test, my doctor put me on Colonzopam, after I complained of waking often. It seemed that I slept as well with that and no cpap as with it, so I quit for year and a half, then went on Lunesta. In trying to quit using that, which was not easy, I felt I needed to see another sleep clinic, since my first doctor did not seem to interested in exploring my situation, and am now on the Bipap, which I hope will work better for me. I have a moderate case, not too many occurences, but a long duration ( longest on last test was 45 seconds ) Since 7/04, I tried several masks, but did not find one to help more than another. Sorry I can't offer more insight, except that if not satisfied with your doctors diagnosis, try to get another. I held off for awhile for new test because I am self insured, and so I am having to pay for most of these tests.

MikeRobert wrote: . . . am now on the Bipap, which I hope will work better for me.

The BiPAP-auto is a great machine, Mike. I strongly encourage you to also get the Encore Pro software for it, so that you can monitor and adjust your therapy. Are you using the machine in automatic mode or straight-BiPAP? Also, are you using Bi-flex?

MikeRobert wrote:Since 7/04, I tried several masks, but did not find one to help more than another.

But that was before you stumbled in here. Stick around here a while and you'll learn the subtle differences in masks which make all the difference in the world in terms of whether they are usable or not, and whether one particular mask might be right for you.

MikeRobert wrote:Sorry I can't offer more insight, except that if not satisfied with your doctors diagnosis, try to get another. I held off for awhile for new test because I am self insured, and so I am having to pay for most of these tests.

But, on a positive note, at least you're doing what you need to in order to deal with the problem of apnea, Mike. Again, welcome.

Regards,
Bill

Hi MikeRobert

I sent you a PM. I am in Louisville too. Welcome to cpaptalk. This is a great place.

Catnapper - Joanie