New bi-paper on board.

[Winterport74]

Hi all! Just thought I'd jump on real quick for an introduction. (The boss is at lunch). I'm recently diagnosed with severe OSA, brought home the bi-pap ($$$$$) 4 nights ago. Wow, what a difference even 4 nights makes, I wake up clear headed, no headaches (yet), no sore throat. The only thing I'm still having an issue with is the loudness of my machine, I guess it's due to my pressures being so high (I-21, E-16). Sounds like Darth Vader at night, but not nearly as cool. I also had to shave my beard down, (blasphemy). I guess these are pretty mediocre gripes though. Anyhow, hi all, love to read the posts here! Tons of great advice!

[Pugsy]

Which model bipap did you get...it isn't showing up in the profile but the humidifier is...and it's for the older discontinued model so maybe you just chose the wrong equipment.

Look on the bottom of the blower unit for a 3 digit number with either DS or REF in front or behind it and tell me what those 3 digits are and I will tell you exactly which choice to make in the equipment menu.
The machine is absent now because the links to discontinued machines are broken..so I bet you chose one of those.

It wouldn't be impossible for a DME equipment supplier to give you a discontinued machine but unlikely as the newest models have been out for quite some time.

If you see a X60 in the model number...you have a 60 series machine and your choices are

660...PR System One 60 Series BiPap Pro
760...PR System One 60 Series BiPap Auto (what I have in my profile)

and if that is what you have...humidifier choice is ...PR System One 60 series heated tube humidifier with heated tube (even if you aren't using a heated hose right now).

If you see a X50 number..those links are broken and we tell people to just add it in the comments section of the profile page.

Welcome to the forum. If you don't know about the software you can use...check out my signature line.

The noise from the machine...yeah at your pressures you are going to get some noise especially the "Darth Vader" noise.
There are ways to reduce it so that it is less annoying and with time it is something that will lessen as you get used to it.
Do one thing tonight....to help me figure out if you are hearing the noise because it is conducted vs external.
Plug your ears with your fingers and tell me if the noise still seems as loud to you along with where the machine is placed...on a table level with your bed or if below your bed how far and where is the long hose..like is it laying on the mattress.
Those answers will help us maybe come up with some ideas to reduce the noise you are hearing.

[Winterport74]

Thanks for the tips Pugsy, updated my gear, much better!

The noise is just a tiny complaint, and truly not even an issue, I was more worried about it bothering the wife, yet she insists it's no concern at all. I can't hear anything at night, as I use headphones with really loud music to help get me to sleep in the first place.

Of course i get that stupid red-mark across the bridge of my nose, I tried a band-aid, didnt help. It's no bother really, I just think all the customers at my work stare at it....(they probably don't). Heh.

The only true problem I had, was the pressure blowing my cheeks out like a dog with it's head out' the truck window.
I fixed that by using a breath-right nasal strip, and it seems to have eliminated my mouth-breathing. (for the last few nights anyhow).

When I get home from work, I'll post up the results of my sleep-study, you guys can help me pick through it.
I remember I was having 64 episodes per hour. That info sucked. A real wake-up call. (no pun). I was also doing that crazy thing where you dream while your awake (the fancy name escapes me), and a handfull of other sleep problems. (Possible narcolepsy, sleep center wants me to go back to be tested).

[Pugsy]

The only true problem I had, was the pressure blowing my cheeks out like a dog with it's head out' the truck window.

That much pressure is going to do that with the mouth is open.
Now if you can breathe through your nose most of the time (and keep the mouth closed) and keep your tongue in the roof of the mouth so that the air doesn't try to exit the mouth and inflate the cheeks (that's chipmunk cheeks when that happens with lips closed) the doggie with cheeks flapping from the winds going into the mouth won't happen if lips are closed.

Now if you simply can't breathe well through your nose during the night and just HAVE to have the mouth open...unfortunately at your pressures you will have to do like you already have done..find some way to prevent the doggy flapping cheeks.
While it isn't really harmful...it's annoying and wakes you up and anything that wakes us up is unwanted. Our sleep is fragile enough without having doggy cheeks flapping or chipmunk cheeks blowing us up like a balloon.

Rest assured if your wife says she can't hear anything..she can't. My husband used to poke me in the ribs to wake me up and tell me to put my mask on because he couldn't hear the machine...Nice of him to do that but only already had the mask and machine on and didn't really appreciate the poke in the ribs to wake me up...so I educated him on feeling for the vented air coming out the mask should he happen to wake up and wonder if machine was on.
That worked well till I got my latest mask that doesn't have much force with the vented air. Now he can't feel the air blowing from the vent unless his hand is touching the vent.

Even if she "hears" a little machine noise every now and then...it's still going to be probably a lot less than the freight train of snores she might have been hearing when you were untreated.

Check out Padacheek for some comfort items that might help with that mask mark on the forehead should you decide that is going to be your primary mask and you do well with it except for the marks the straps leave.
This is Karen's business...a forum member and cpap user herself...She makes excellent products that last forever with common sense care.
http://www.padacheek.com/PACSwiftII_Barrel_cozy.html