CPAP Titration

I just found out that I have sleep apnea - OSA to be exact. Thank God - I thought I was crazy - sleeping all of the time - 2 hour naps daily. Anyway, I am going for a CPAP titration in a few weeks and I am really nervous. I want this to work for me. I am tired of being tired! Someone please let me know what is going to happen during this phase of the study. Thanks!

Hi Jennifer,

You might find these stories of people describing their sleep studies interesting - just click the link below:

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004: Tell us about your sleep center experience

Welcome to the crowd!

You go to a "sleep center" (hospital , Abandoned house, clinic not being used at night) You try to go to sleep in a strange bed in a strange room. They put an uncomfortable mask on your face , about 18 wires all over your body and then they tell you to "just go to sleep like you normally do" while they "watch " you sleep and record all of your bodilly functions. Then when you finally fall asleep around 6 AM they wake you up and shove you out the door so they can get ready for the first patient for the office that they "Borrowed " for the sleep study. LOL

Just relax and go to sleep. Or just pretend you are in prison on a "suicide watch"....LOL

Bring your own pillow !

Cheers,

Chris

I had the first phase of the study already. I have to go back for the CPAP part - how hard was it to put the mask on the first time? I am worried because I am a mouth breather and I am not a back sleeper. How did eveyone do the first time? Am I going to survive this? I hope this works...I am sick of being tired! Jen

Jennifer:
DOn't worry, the titration study is no different,except there'll be mak of some type, and once again, be told go to sleep.I took an ambien/zanax combo, told them on my post a.m. morning leave-the-sheet with the--technie''form.. and how I slept, I'll never know. At home, I'm no better. But where I went for my study, they were very very quiet, in fact, even putting something along the space under the door to the room, to keep it darker I'm sure for the camera and darkness quality of the room. I tried to never open my eyes during the study because between the old bomb CPAP running, the huge red light staring at you from the video camera, and all the assorted ''green'' lights from being wired up to GOD ONLY KNOWS how many sensors/EKG's, etc. It was like 42nd st. I told my techie that for a dark room, was plenty of light. But it's the best they can do under a clinical setting. What they had to do for me, was use a chin strap, I had nasal pillows (in your nostrils), I didn't care for the full mask feeling, quite claustrophobic and weighed down on face/nose, etc. So for me, till they invent something better, I guess Ill stick to nasal pillows. I use the Mirage swift. I guess they're ok. My RT who fitted me at home said they're pretty ''popular'', easy for her to say, she gets paid if I use the or not, ha.. I did get the 420E. I am waiting for their htd. humidifier to g/with it. Available tomorrow. Also I'm getting the software. Can't depend on the RT to know if I'm compliant, as the old saying goes, ''if you want something done, do it yourself..so I am.

I am so happy to be able to log on and read and get inspired to stick with it. I am a very newbie (2 nights) and it's not easy let's say that. But to think that my system has been compromised for so long, and feel so lousy, I'm hoping for improvement. Unfortunately we all want immediate, and I'm not feeling any better. Two long rough nights. But it's all new, so I'm pep talking myself into complying and keeping with it. Can't feel much more fatigued than I am right now!

Good Luck.
Get the chin strap, its just that, it is a one pc strap, put under yr chin, and yank up (mini face lift maybe?) and velcro's on top of head. Keeps my mouth mainly closed and deters breathing out of mouth.


Good luck!

Jennifer wrote:I had the first phase of the study already. I have to go back for the CPAP part - how hard was it to put the mask on the first time? I am worried because I am a mouth breather and I am not a back sleeper. How did eveyone do the first time? Am I going to survive this? I hope this works...I am sick of being tired! Jen

I still dread going to sleep labs. I have been using my CPAP successfully for slighly over 4 years now but I just can't sleep properly at the lab. I mean, all those wires and them varying the pressure all night drives me bonkers. Anyway, it's something that I put up with for the sake of being able to use a CPAP. CPAP is life changing (at least for me), so the occassional re-titration isn't anything to get overly worried about.

Gailzee, I think you need to cut back on the xanax.