Night One

If I was supposed to be jumping for joy and feeling "refreshed" after one nt. sure do not.
After Night #1. I view this as something we all have to get used to, tweak the problems that bother me (itchy straps, humidification set too high--drip). etc.
Wore it for about 2-3 hours awake tossing and turning, with sleep med got about 3 hrs sleep. When I'd wake up to view the machine, my bottom pressure reading of 4-5 was always there, I'm on autopap, so according to the DME/RT who actually seems VERY NICE AND HELPFUL, my pressures won't start climbing till I actually fall asleep (ta-dah!). Cleaning was easy. Longer hose would be an improvement. Side sleeping can't master yet. But the 420E size is out of this world. I have a ''loaner'' humidifier, a big ole Resmed Sullivan Humidaire, it's HUGE, cumbersome, drippy to fill, etc. Will be sooooooooo very glad to get my GOODKNIGHT H20 humidifier, CANNOT WAIT.

But the size of the 420E is wonderful. That new improved humidifier to accomodate this smaller unit I am anxious to receive.

I am for now wearing the Mirage Swift Nasal pillow. Found the breeze somewhat hard on face, stiffness. But not to say down the road.

I cannot adequately enough thank everyone on this msg board for all their help, tips, and fun comments.

Happy sleeping, sign me, ''hoping to get there eventually".
Oh, can anyone thing of some gizmo how to ''hang'' the hose from the machine, near the headboard to me/pillow. I found myself holding the hose so it wouldn't shift when I tried to turn, so my deep sleep was non existent.

If we sent men to the moon, why can't someone invent a different, easier, delivery system than all this cumbersome head gear. Forget hat hair, we woman now have helmet, strap hair to add to the list. oh well.
We will hang in there no matter what, and how long it takes, it's our life, not just something minor.....right?
Happy sleep to all....I hope night #2 is easier/less stressful. I knew at midnight when I watched the Swift DVD I was in for a long night.
ENUF!!
G.

Hi G.

Congratulations on your first night (as mixed as it was.) Just a couple observations regarding your comments.

1. The Swift is a great first choice, I hope it continues to work better and better for you.
2. Look at buying the Aussie heated hose Link: Aussie heated hose It will prevent the "drips" without having to turn your humidifier way down.
3. The Puritan Bennett 420E is also a great first choice. Do you have the Silverlining software to monitor how things are going? It is great for seeing immediate results each day... very helpful. Also you said min pressure 4-5cm, you might try raising the min to 6cm. Less than that can seem like not enough air...a little more flow can help any panicy feelings.
4. As far as hanging the hose. It's a great idea. Mostly it depends on what your situation is. You could just drive a big nail into the headboard, but most people would care not to do that. Check into some of the adhesive hooks available in the housewares dept. I use a velcro strap to hang my hose from a hook. rested gal uses a hair scrunchy. Just use your imagination to figuire out what works best for your situation.

Though your first night's result may leave something to be desired, your doing great so far. Keep it up.

thank you! I am very determined to make it work. I'm so tired today I am dragging, but you know what, NO NAP, that's a first. So that's good.

I had a good conver. with my dme/rt. (yes it's true), she said she thought the 4 was a little low. the 8 the dr's RT wanted was way to high for me, I felt like I was sucking in a tremendous amt of air, and actually could feel it in my chest, bronchials, etc. So maybe a tweak up to 5-6.

I am going to order the software, also want a longer hose I am going to go to Lowe's or H. Depot and slosh around there and find a doo hickey to hang the hose. also I think a bit longer hose is better, don't you? Standard came with 6". When I tried to turn to my side (side sleeper mainly), it pulled a tad on the nose pc, pulling n.p's and then so back onto my back and me holding the hose. THIS IS NOT A GREAT WAY TO TRY AND GO TO SLEEP.

So thank God for ambien is all I can say.

ha.
Keep in touch, ok?
G.

wading thru the muck! wrote:Hi G.

Congratulations on your first night (as mixed as it was.) Just a couple observations regarding your comments.

1. The Swift is a great first choice, I hope it continues to work better and better for you.
2. Look at buying the Aussie heated hose Link: Aussie heated hose It will prevent the "drips" without having to turn your humidifier way down.
3. The Puritan Bennett 420E is also a great first choice. Do you have the Silverlining software to monitor how things are going? It is great for seeing immediate results each day... very helpful. Also you said min pressure 4-5cm, you might try raising the min to 6cm. Less than that can seem like not enough air...a little more flow can help any panicy feelings.
4. As far as hanging the hose. It's a great idea. Mostly it depends on what your situation is. You could just drive a big nail into the headboard, but most people would care not to do that. Check into some of the adhesive hooks available in the housewares dept. I use a velcro strap to hang my hose from a hook. rested gal uses a hair scrunchy. Just use your imagination to figuire out what works best for your situation.

Though your first night's result may leave something to be desired, your doing great so far. Keep it up.

Gailzee said:
"When I tried to turn to my side (side sleeper mainly), it pulled a tad on the nose pc"

I think you will find if you hang the hose above your head it will alleviate the pulling on the mask. The Swift is particularily suceptable to this because of the side exit hose. Also do you strap the short "pig tail" hose to the headgear with the provided velcro strap? This will also help.

I'm going to try that. I did try this last night, but didn't like it even near touching my face. My bigger problem is falling asleep. If I could conquer that, I'd be happy.

I am almost fearful to go to bed, know I'm in for 2-4 hrs of sitting up, trying to find a comfy spot, etc. But the 420E is absolutely silent, the only sound I hear is my own breathing, and that's all. I don't like the loaner humidifier, it's too big, bulky,cumbersome. But its doing the job, I suppose. At least my drippy nose I could tell it was.

I am suffering from chronic bronchitis, so the cough was a problem. Had to keep lifting nasal pillows.
I am going to try and hang the house somehow to something. I laid in bed, holding it closer to my side, so finally after 2/3 AM I fell asleep courtesy of a not well loved, ambien. Around 6, am throw mask off. Slept then very deeply. Of course, not the best, sure I had aps.

Thought my first night would be easier, and more refreshed. If anything I am more tired, very stuffed up in the sinuses. I couldn't take the 30-40% humidity, it dripped out of my nose, and on and on.

I really need encouragement, because I'm staring at this torture mask and thinking, WHY ME? Why not indeed!

Have to keep motivated and know it's best for my health and for that I'll stick with it for certain.

Happy sleep time to all.

wading thru the muck! wrote:Gailzee said:
"When I tried to turn to my side (side sleeper mainly), it pulled a tad on the nose pc"

I think you will find if you hang the hose above your head it will alleviate the pulling on the mask. The Swift is particularily suceptable to this because of the side exit hose. Also do you strap the short "pig tail" hose to the headgear with the provided velcro strap? This will also help.

Gail, that sounded pretty much par for the course for a "first night".

Wader is right about finding a way to fasten the main hose up on the headboard. As long as you can keep it about a foot above your head, that will be good. And his suggestion to fasten the Swift's little hose upward along the headgear is the best place to put the Swift hose, imho. The 6 foot main hose is long enough once you get it hung up more out of the way. His advice to get the Aussie heated hose is great - one of the best things I've ever bought to use along with the heated humidifier and control "rainout".

Gail, it really can take quite some time to get used to "sleeping this way". It's sooooo different from just lying down and going to sleep like you used to. The mask is usually the number 1 major distraction, if not an out-and-out pain. Even when you get everything fixed as comfortably as possible (and it will NEVER be totally comfortable) it's still going to take time to get used to all this "stuff" before you'll be able to sleep reasonably well. It's going to seem like several steps backward for days, weeks or even months - simply because the equipment (especially the mask and sometimes the pressure) is going to disrupt your sleep over and over again. Could leave you feeling even MORE tired than ever for quite awhile.

Eventually, as you get more into the routine of it and the "new" wears off (hopefully the skin of your nose won't wear off too!!! LOL ) you'll finally start beginning to feel the benefits, little by little. But even before you start feeling better, you've got the most important thing going on - something that you can't "feel": you've already stopped Sleep Apnea from continuing to do more damage to your body. Any tiredness you continue to feel for awhile - even being MORE TIRED than ever - is just the PITA adjustment we all have had to make in getting accustomed to sleeping with so much crazy stuff attached to us.

Good luck. You're determined, I know; so you'll make it work.

Hi Gailzee,
Congratualations on taking care of your OSA. I found this forum a great place to post away my questions and get great advise and support from veterans. One thing that realy worked for me was to get into some visualization on how I am using CPAP. I tried to make it as similar as I would normally sleep. I know that all the mask, hose etc. could be very intimidating at first, but try to become as comfortable with them as they are not even there. This will take some time, with trial and errors.
Also put the mask one for 30 minutes before you actualy go to sleep. You will come to a point that using the CPAP becomes quite comfortable. Good luck and keep at it

Gailzee,
You might want to try sleeping without the humidifier for a night. I don't use one when I have a cold or am stuffed up, because the dry air actually dries up my sinuses and helps me sleep better. Everyone is different - some people use the humidifier every night, and wouldn't dream of sleeping without one. Some people never use a humidifier - just can't sleep with it at all. And some people use it sometimes and don't others, depending on the weather, etc. If you get nose bleeds from the CPAP, then you probably need the humidifier, but if you're having a problem with sinus drip and all, no humidification might work better until your sinuses clear up.
Debbie