Update about my mask woes/sleep study.

Again, I wanted to thank everyone who helped me when I was new to the board. I have some good news and bad news since I last posted:

It's now been a month on the trial C-PAP machine with nasal pillows, setting 12, and it's definitely helped me on my tummy, even if not on my back and side as much. I'm wearing two sweatshirts to cover the ventilation on my arms, which works *great*, and since I could not wear any of three brands of Chinstrap (all caused my jaw to lock up at night, EXTREMELY painful) my solution was to buy a body pillow at target, cuddle it at night and jam it up tight against my chin, and I've not had any mouth leaks (or leaks period from the mask) since. It's also 'taught' me to keep my mouth closed more.

I'm slowly, finally starting to feel rested at night, though I still feel exhausted in the mornings for reasons unknown, I'm coming back around slowly. The pressure seems to be high enough on my tummy since I have no apneas, but on my side and back it's still really difficult to breathe and my doc wanted me to stop sleeping on my tummy.

My doctor said, from the first sleep study (The initial test) that I'm hypoventilating at night, doubly so on my back and side, and my doc wanted to treat me with a Bi-Pap machine and put me in for a second study... Which I just had.

The sleep lab, while comfortable, only had full face masks, and while I LOVED The new quattro FX model (If you have a puffy face like me, it seals VERY well) they gave me, I was adapting to a new mask, and a new sleep environment, and I never slid into deep sleep. I kept having bizarre nightmares or waking dreams, but the tech said I never slid into deep sleep. Much worse than my first visit, I guess because I was adapting to the full mask, or maybe I was nervous because I knew how much was riding on this study. The technician said I probably did so well because I need a full face mask, not nasal pillows, and that I'll do great on the full face mask once I buy one... I'm not sure.

So they never had to turn off C-PAP and engage Bi-Pap, and they've called in a C-PAP machine for me to the DME, which wasn't what the doctor wanted me to be on. Now I'm really frightened that I've skewed the results inadvertently and I'll have to go back a third time and try to have the study done again. I left a message with the doctor asking him if my results were skewed, if he wanted me back in for another study, and that the DME now has an order for a normal C-PAP machine, instead of a Bi-Pap. I'm sort of hanging on tooth and nail waiting for him to call me back.

Here's hoping things work out. Thanks again to everyone who commented.

One night in the sleep lab is not like a normal nght for any of us, still titration results can be tweaked if necessary. Usually more reliable results come over the long haul when you or your doc check your data. Your pressures can always be adjusted. If the lab called in a different machine than the doc wanted I would contact the doc before I accepted the new machine. Another night in the sleep lab would probably not be any better than your initial titration. A CPAP machine is fine for many of us, but your doc may have a diffent preference.
Keep us posted.