Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

I hate this $(#)${)# machine.

Half the time, I fall asleep before I can get it on.

The nose pillows are too big for my nose (I supposedly have the smallest available); it is difficult to keep my mouth closed, even with a chin strap -- especially when I have a cold/stuffy nose... then I could actually suffocate if I don't take the thing off.

I asked for just the nose pillows because I thought it would be less annoying.

The noise of the air rushing has awakened me.

You might as well add two hours to your day to do all the suggested cleaning.

I hate this thing so much that I'm about willing to die from a heart attack or stroke rather than use it.

Oh... when you travel, not only do you have to bring the *&(*$RU machine, but also a jug of distilled water???

I know I should use it, but I keep ignoring it... I am not tired all day, I do not feel bad. Yes... the test showed that I stop breathing at times during the night. As for weight affecting sleep apnea... I was able to quit taking medication for Type 2 diabetes when I lost weight... and I'm working on losing weight to get rid of the sleep apnea!

I think all of us have moments where everything looks very dark.

Now that you have that off of your chest, perhaps we can work on eliminating these various problems and helping you live a longer life rather than throwing the towel in and resigning your self to die earlier than you need to.

The biggest problem is finding a mask that works. I love nasal pillows and they work very well for me, but you are not me, so you will have to figure out what works best for you.

If you are unable to tolerate the noise of these very quite machines, you can always use ear plugs.

Cleaning take me about 30 seconds. I am not sure what your process is, but it sounds like it needs revision.

When you travel you can leave your humidifier at home. That way you don't need to worry about distilled water. The humidifier is not critical to keeping your airways open. It just makes it a little more comfortable. Many people don't use a humidifier and get on just fine.

Congratulations on deciding to loose weight. This will play an important part in your overall health. However, it may not eliminate sleep apnea. Use your machine and we will be glad to help you through the transition process.

Tonight I installed Sleepyhead and downloaded my data. I'll post charts in a few days once I figure out how, but for right now it tells me that my average AHI is 1.17 overall, 1.42 last night (37 at my sleep study). The highest day was under 4, with only 3 days of 45 total so far going over 2 - my first night, and the 2 nights I tried a different mask. Average total leaks 20.38, over 8:02 for the average hours per night.

I've been running Bi-level 7cm and 10cm. Sometimes after a midnite wakeup, as I'm back in bed and masked, I can feel my airway close up, so I was wondering if I should jack my pressures up a cm. Maybe not? From everything I've read so far, I'm getting good numbers now. But I still wake up 3-4 times, usually up to the throne room 2 or three of those. It beats the heck out of waking 30-40 times, and getting up every hour!!!

Almost forgot - I've gone from drinking about 1 liter per night, guzzling at each of those 30-40 (bone-dry & painful!!) wakeups to having just a swallow once or twice a night. (Maybe I should drink more water to help get the feathers down?)

I've been on and off with my CPAP for about a year now. That doesn't sound like much discipline, I know, but I have had the worst time with finding the right mask. The nasal pillow masks don't work too well for me because I sleep on my back and move from one side to the other during the night. Seems when I move I lose a good seal and air is blowing up to my eyes. I have tried various sizes of the nasal pillows as well and it's always the same. The full face mask seems to work the best but it kills the bridge of my nose. After one night I wake up in pain with a big red line across my nose and it's impossible to wear the mask for at least another two night until it clears up. Two days ago I believe I found a newer mask that may work pretty well. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Now for another problem. I enjoy listening to AM radio (talk) to go to sleep. Unfortunately the machine interferes with the AM frequency and I can't listen to AM. I realize this is rather silly and my health is certainly more important than listening to the radio. It may be a habit I have to get rid of but does anyone know a way to keep the interference from happening? I have tried plugging the machine into different outlets but the machine and the radio have to be on my side of the bed for me to enjoy both.

Distance is your friend.

You need to separate the radio and the xPAP machine. One way to do this is to move the radio to the other side of the bed. Another way is to add an extension hose to the xPAP machine and move the machine down to the foot of your bed.

Other options include changing machines to try to find one with less RF interference, or change radios to find one that has better shielding.

I've been a CPAP user now for 9=10 years. I was drinking about 20-25 cups of coffee per day to keep awake. I experimented with several brands of machines and masks. I still have my original GoodKnight 420G Compact portable and found the Mirage Swift 2 to be the best mask for me. I also modified the straps that cap with it to velcro. I shave my head and it is sensitive to having clips and or buttons sticking into my head. Sewing the velcro into the straps where the grabbing part of the velcro is facing up and the soft side of velcro is facing down, makes for a custom fit every time. I have also used the same nasal pillows the past 8 years and only replaced the straps recently. I also have the humidfier (hot plate) for it but have not used that for the past 6 plus years. I got use to the dry nasal passages and never need the humidity anymore. I do use alcohol to clean my nasal units about once a week and sometimes 2 or 3 weeks. I am amazed that my little CPAP machine is still running. I do sleep much better and can do without for a day or more but find after those days, I am tired and in need of naps and or coffee or an energy drink.

So the reason I am here and this is my first post is to look for a newer model since mine is no longer made and neither is the follow on units...

I am leaning toward the IntelliPAP AutoAdjust Travel CPAP Machine with SmartFlex because I do boat a lot and having a unit that can plug into a 12v outlet is a required option plus I travel somewhat and dislike having to carry my CPAP separately through airports.

So that's my story and I am sticking to it...

HoseCrusher wrote:Distance is your friend.

You need to separate the radio and the xPAP machine. One way...

Scott,
HoseCrusher is right; the best way to get distance is an external antenna, which on modern radios is not a realistic option. If you can't get satisfaction any other way, consider putting the radio a good distance away and running an external speaker/headset to near the bed. OR, if it's a popular program, maybe it's streamed online, and you could download it to listen to at bedtime on tape? Good luck!

I think I have had sleep apnea for years and just never bought the attention to my doctors. My husband have been nagging me for years to get tested but I have always brushed it off since I'm used to feeling tired all the time ( 2 young kids, full time job and 3 hour commute) and I also snore like a freight train. In the past year, I felt worse and sometime would wake up not being able to breathe or felt like I was swimming underwater all night. Some nights, I will wake up with a splitting headache and would have to wake up and take 2 pills to go back to sleep (who knew it was from oxygen deprivation?). I think i started to realized that it was serious problem so I met with my doctor and he sent me for a sleep study.

It turns out that I am one of the more severe case. My AHI was 123 and my oxigen level dips down into the 70s. Longest I've stopped breathing was 51 seconds and my average was around 20-30 second. Needless to say, the docs says I need cpap.

When I came in for my Cpap Study, they hooked me up and I drifted off to sleep. My doctor's goal was to lower my AHI so it would be more manangeable but of course, it all depends how I take to the machine. At 6am my techinician woke me up and I felt like I million bucks!! (wire and all). It turns out that my AHI went from 123 to 0.5 in one night and absolutely no more snoring!

They told me that I was on of the rare extreme case and I took to the machine right away. They told me that in a weeks time, a DME will contact me to set up a machine. Well, that very morning, I had annoyed every at the sleep clinic with persistent phone calls because there was no way I am sleeping even for one night without a CPAP machine. I rushed the doctors and his assistances to fax my prescription to anyone that can outfit me with a CPAP machine that very same day.

That day, I purchased my S9 Elite CPAP with Humidifiyer, Mirage for her Nasal Mask, Aromathery Kit and even a pretty "Zen" Skin to put on my machine. It's been 5 wonderful night so far!!


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I've had a CPAP machine for about six years, and in that time haven't used it enough to justify having it. Went to sleep doc last week and she convinced me that I really need to use it. Since then I've used it every night and it's been working good for me. Machine is Resmed Elite, mask is Opus. I'll be looking for a new mask before long.

I just want to add to the already great awsners. I, too, set up CPAP machines on patients for sleep apnea. As stated before, having a mask that fits properly and fits your needs is essential to the therapy. If you get set up with a mask that just doesn't seem right, call your DME company back and ask for a different one. Most companies that make the masks have a 30 day mask fit guarantee so if you don't like the mask within the first 30 days, they can be returned. How that works for the patient. . .return it to your DME company, they can give you something different (for free) and return the mask that didn't work for you to the manufacturer for a credit. That way you are only paying for one mask and the DME company is getting reimbursed for one mask. Also, check into a phenomenon called REM rebound . Sometimes patients actually feel worse for a brief period of time when starting CPAP therapy. Basically the reasoning for this is that your body is adjusting to the feeling of REM. Hang in there.. and give it time. The people that are able to get over the hump , swear by it and can't live without it. (my father included!)

Nice read this thread is...
I have been on CPAP longer than most here (1995 was my first year on the device). Machines have changed a LOT and so has the level of expertise in the patient field. (I do work in the medical field).
I bet I have the old resperonics "brick" still buried here somewhere..

A few things I recall noticing right away

not having to pee in the middle of the night
Headache abatement.. fewer and far less severe.. nothing like waking up with that roaring in your ears from low o2 levels..
Sense of smell improved
Far less fatigue
GERD went away
general attitude improvement (presumably from better rest)
dry sinus issues for some time

and the bruising on my ribs went away....

Main key is compliance.. if something is wrong, address it, dont just give up on the therapy.. My worst experience was at the sleep lab.. the nurse thought the front of my face had to compress like someones chest doing CPR... I had already been on the machine for some 10 years and knew how tight mask had to be she had obviously never worn one.. Dont let them push you around.. comply but make sure you are comfy with your setup or you wont use it.. Dont be afraid to complain a bit but you also have to give yourself time to get used to being tethered at night to hose.. I was lucky, took me about a week and I was good to go...

I can honestly say, after about a month on CPAP, I feel tremendously better. The first few weeks, I think I was making up for my sleep deficit of many, many years. Now, I feel clearer-headed, my memory is much improved, I feel the fog has lifted. I have literally changed my life. I started a wheat free, preservative free meal plan as well, about the same time as I started CPAP. I have lost weight and as I mentioned, mental clarity is improved. Before these changes, I was thinking I might have early onset Alzheimers... I have adjusted to the nasal pillows (mostly...still feel a bit claustrophobic having anything on my face),and hubby is so happy not to have to stay awake to the dulcet sounds of my incessant snoring Thank you to all on this board for your encouragement...to the newbies...don't give up!!!

Bazinga wrote:I can honestly say, after about a month on CPAP, I feel tremendously better. The first few weeks, I think I was making up for my sleep deficit of many, many years. Now, I feel clearer-headed, my memory is much improved, I feel the fog has lifted. I have literally changed my life. I started a wheat free, preservative free meal plan as well, about the same time as I started CPAP. I have lost weight and as I mentioned, mental clarity is improved. Before these changes, I was thinking I might have early onset Alzheimers... I have adjusted to the nasal pillows (mostly...still feel a bit claustrophobic having anything on my face),and hubby is so happy not to have to stay awake to the dulcet sounds of my incessant snoring Thank you to all on this board for your encouragement...to the newbies...don't give up!!!

I believe there have been some studied that correlate untreated sleep apnea with the development of Alzheimers and senile dementias. Another reason to stay on CPAP.

Tonight will be my seventh night on CPAP, and I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I slept with no problem the first night. After two nights, I took out the earplugs (I'm sensitive to noise and haven't been able to sleep at night if there's a fan going.) Mostly I can only tell that I'm wearing the mask if I look in the mirror, in which case it would scare my pants off!

I noticed the difference right away, and I continue to feel better day by day. It feels as if my mind lived a thousand cloudy days and can now wake up in sunshine.

In an aside, I'm curious to know if anyone has the kind of apnea that occurs mostly during REM cycle. Will create another post, but I think this is why the CPAP therapy has made such a dramatic difference for me.

I, snuffle nose

Have been on cpap for quite a few years.......the sleep study show I had moderate to severe sleep apeona. I was then hooked up to a cpap at the second sleep study and the sleep technician fiddle around with air pressure until they found it kept my airways open. I slept like a baby for the first time, but I had a issue with constantly blocked nose due over grown tubinates [the air heater in your nose] was so swollen they nearly completely blocked my airways, could not breath thought the nose for most my life.

So to ENT hospital I went, I saw a nose specialist and he picked the problem promptly and they operated on my nose shaving off my excess tissue [tubinates] in my nose. After the operation, I was able to breath freely for the first time in my life! I warned the nurses that I was prone to sneeze when it got cold at the evening , they didn't listen......at early evening whist getting myself ready for beddy bye I did a huge sneeze and blew blood every where on the floor. Ooop!!! I quickly clean up the mess...But the head nurse came to me and said"I can't have you up sneezing all night and with the blood going everywhere as I do not want to have call the surgeon back to fix your nose again!!!!"

They sent me to bed at a ridiculously early time! Plus the gave me oxygen for my sleep apeona, with hosptial meals I was not used to western diet, fish, veggies and prunes and ice cream for dessert! Made fart all night long!!!! Disturbed the other patients without meaning to, as for the nurses they had a laugh at my expense!!!

Now after a good few years after operation and on cpap I am so much better........I lost my sense of smell.But it was worth it!!!!Now me and cpap are good friend plus my nose pillow after trying various masks.