Teeth Clenching & CPAP Newbie

I began to seek help for constant fatigue a year ago when my teeth clenching became so severe I had damaged the hard palate behind my upper front teeth. (Overbite!) Finally had a sleep study. Sleep DR said I had mild sleep apnea and assured me that the CPAP would resolve the clenching, the fatigue and the insomnia. Granted, I have only been using it for 5 days and I have hardly slept a wink. I intend to keep trying but I am afraid that I will fail. I am still clenching...and THAT is the problem I wanted to resolve in the first place!! I cannot wear a mouthguard because my palate is too sore to have one up against it all night. Any clenchers out there who have had success alleviating it with CPAP???

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:36 am

I cannot wear a mouthguard because my palate is too sore to have one up against it all night. Any clenchers out there who have had success alleviating it with CPAP???

I'm a grinder. Hasn't been any worse for me under PAP than without, but I'm not wearing my night guard either, because I haven't been able to find it since I started PAP just a few weeks ago :-0. However, neither the mold-it-yourself-with-hot-water anti-grinding night guard from the drug store nor the expensive molded by my dentist's lab night guard touch my soft pallet. They are U-shaped, molded to fit the upper teeth and nothing else and smooth on the bottom, and only touch my teeth. I'm wondering if you need a different night guard.

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:36 am

Any clenchers out there who have had success alleviating it with CPAP???

Gramps was a bruxer and CPAP resolved it. But, it did take him some time to get his pressure settings properly titrated. It took some more time to become comfortable with the CPAP process.

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:36 am

I have only been using it for 5 days and I have hardly slept a wink.

You should not expect your bruxism to have resolved under these conditions. You have a great machine. Are you using Sleepyhead software to analyze and optimize your CPAP therapy? viewtopic/t88983/Pugsys-PointersSleepyH ... Hints.html

The orders for my machine from my DR did not include enabling of WIFI, so I cannot transmit data or get reports on my own. I'm renting the machine via Medicare, so maybe that's why.

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:10 pm

The orders for my machine from my DR did not include enabling of WIFI, so I cannot transmit data or get reports on my own. I'm renting the machine via Medicare, so maybe that's why.

The "AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ For Her CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier" you are using has a built in cellular data transmitter and receiver. It doesn't use WiFi at all. I'd say it is currently transmitting data to ResMed, regardless of what your doctor said. I don't know of any setting to permanently turn off the cellular data connection. The machine also has an SD card slot (which may or may not have a card in it already- you can put one it if it doesn't have one). Using the free, open source Sleepyhead software, you can use an SD card reader attached to your Mac or PC computer to import your data and view it yourself (lock the card using the slider on the card before reading it, then unlock the card before putting it back in the machine). There is lots of info on how to use Sleepyhead on this site. ChicagoGranny supplied a link to some of that information.

Stom wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:25 pm

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:10 pm

The orders for my machine from my DR did not include enabling of WIFI, so I cannot transmit data or get reports on my own. I'm renting the machine via Medicare, so maybe that's why.

The "AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ For Her CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier" you are using has a built in cellular data transmitter and receiver. It doesn't use WiFi at all. I'd say it is currently transmitting data to ResMed, regardless of what your doctor said. I don't know of any setting to permanently turn off the cellular data connection. The machine also has an SD card slot (which may or may not have a card in it already- you can put one it if it doesn't have one). Using the free, open source Sleepyhead software, you can use an SD card reader attached to your Mac or PC computer to import your data and view it yourself (lock the card using the slider on the card before reading it, then unlock the card before putting it back in the machine). There is lots of info on how to use Sleepyhead on this site. ChicagoGranny supplied a link to some of that information.

I read the manual and joined the ResMed site. Followed their instructions. I get no bars on the machine. When I turn the machine on, I get the circle with the X through it over the bars. Checked the site yesterday and they're getting nothing from me. Plan to call about it this week....if I can get hold of anyone...anywhere...

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:36 pm

I read the manual and joined the ResMed site. Followed their instructions. I get no bars on the machine. When I turn the machine on, I get the circle with the X through it over the bars. Checked the site yesterday and they're getting nothing from me. Plan to call about it this week....if I can get hold of anyone...anywhere...

The data you get off the SD card is much better than the limited data sent by the cellular data connection (it's too expensive for them to send all the data). No need to get a hold of anyone on the phone. Sleepyhead is legitimate, free software that will give you a much better look and your night than the ResMed website data. And lots of free help using it right here on this forum.

No bars may mean you don't have cell reception in your area for the specific cell carrier the machine uses. But that won't affect your ability to use an SD card. If you are in a dead zone and really, really don't want to use the SD card, you could take the machine someplace with good cell reception and plug it in long enough to transmit. But I don't know how the thing is programed or how long it would take before it decided to send the data - it doesn't give any indication on the machine that I know of for if or when it will send the data. And I think you can only get access to the on-line data if your equipment provider or doctor pays for access, but that's just something I've read on the board here and I don't know how it works.

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:36 pm

joined the ResMed site

Stom is right. The ResMed myAir app is nearly useless compared to Sleepyhead.

You can get as much information off your machine's display as you can from myAir. You need to get into the clinical menu to see all the info the display has available. There are numerous videos on youtube explaining how to do this - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... eep+report

What are your pressure settings?

The setting is 5 - 15. And thanks so much for all your and Storm's advice! It will take me a MINUTE to study Sleepyhead! I declare....I feel like I have been handed a diagnosis, a machine and a mask and left to figure it out. It's just causing me more stress!

So I checked ResMed site again and they HAVE retrieved data for yesterday. You were CORRECT! Thanks so much! Now I'll study Sleepyhead and figure out how to use the machine's SD card in my Mac.

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 1:04 pm

Now I'll study Sleepyhead and figure out how to use the machine's SD card in my Mac.

Don't forget, there are a lot of experienced people here who like to help with even the most mundane issues. Just ask questions, preferably in this thread, so your history can be followed.

clenchingtobreathe wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 21, 2018 1:00 pm

I feel like I have been handed a diagnosis, a machine and a mask and left to figure it out.

Standard operating procedure in the sleep medicine field!

However, my observation is that people who learn how to use the tools to manage their own therapy get better therapy!

What would I be doing without all of you? Thank you so much for your guidance!!! A few things to report before I visit Sleepyhead today: I bought an XS nose pillow because they just gave me a small....without trying anything out first....and it felt "smothery," and made my nostrils, nose tip and upper lip raw. The XS is SO much more comfortable for me. I watched a video on how to make sure the mask is fitted right and that was helpful too! I admit I took a bit of sleep medication last night because I was so exhausted and wired...and I slept almost all night!!!! Only had to change the humidifier setting about 2 am because I was drowning!
I actually have a tip for new users. One of my favorite products in the world is Skinners Vaporizing Salve (you can get it on Amazon). It's highly mentholated and healing! When my nose and cheeks started getting raw from the mask, I applied some Skinners during the day and it soothed the soreness quickly. It also relieves the nasal dryness and discomfort if you dab just a bit under you nostrils. A friend introduced it to me years ago and I'm never without it it for colds, burns, etc!!
I will absolutely post my Sleepyhead progress here just as soon as I learn how to post a chart!
Thanks again, you guys! You might be saving my sanity!

I downloaded Sleepyhead and used my machine's SD card to retrieve data. How do I insert the screenshot image into my post?