Starting CPAP - What are the worst things about it?

It might be better to ask, "what are the best things about it?"

However, I will address the question that was asked.

I don't think that there's any universal "worst thing." Everybody has different issues and different pet peeves.

Worst thing for me about starting anything new is that the unknown can be scary. But once something is known well enough to be dealt with, it can usually be managed effectively enough.

Choosing to ignore reality is not the best answer since, as they say, reality has a way of asserting itself.

I have OSA. CPAP fixes it. Well.

And I personally find CPAP much more convenient than wearing glasses, flossing every day, and cleaning up after myself in order to avoid getting that look from my wife.

But all those things I do can pay off in concrete and occasionally unexpected ways.

So reality can be kinda cool and has its good points, I guess.

Personally, I respect the "what's the worst about it" approach for coming to grips with things. It often helps me to think, 'What's the worst that can happen,' for example. In the matter of OSA and CPAP, I would say worst-case scenario is not giving PAP therapy the full shot.

Remember the noise from snoring is way worse than the machine. Noise from leaks are another story -- sound like squeaky farts.
For me, the hardest adjustment has been finding a mask that works and doesn't leak partway through the night.

Spot123 wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:36 am

squeaky farts.

Which, if I recall accurately, was the working title of the album that my favorite song, "Smelly Cat," was on.

https://youtu.be/92vTUFqy3gU

palerider wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:38 am

Wulfman... wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:22 am

Noise? I never hear my machines. They're totally silent.

You might want to check the batteries in your hearing aids..

The newer machines, which are far quieter than yours, aren't silent, but they can be drowned out by a simple fan in the room.

I don't have hearing aids and have excellent hearing.
One of the great things about the old Legacy machines was that they were typically so quiet.
If you've never tried 'em, don't knock 'em.
Yeah, I've read many stories over the years about the newer ones and some of their inherent issues, which is why I decided to stick with what works for me. It seems like every manufacturer has had some models which had issues in each generation of their machines.

As I've stated before, near the end of my first year of therapy, my original machine developed a slight "wheeze" during the C-Flex function when it changed speeds on exhale. I had acquired a second machine by that time and sent my original back to the factory under warranty (through CPAP.com) and whatever they did to it made it silent again.

That's why they've been affectionately known on the forum as "tanks".


Den

.

My problems are getting the mask to stay on my face where it needs to be to stop the leak. I can stop the leaks fine, but as I sleep it moves on my face then leaks. I wake up every 45 minutes and pull it back into position, I don't fully wake up, I just do it, and take a sip of water, most of the time I don't open my eyes to do it. "Nothing to see here folks", Man Sleeping here!

Den hit the Nail on the Head. If you get your Head right, you can do almost anything. Life requires effort, but it doesn't require drama, Life usually provides worse problems that a little air can solve. Jim

We get used to sounds over time.
We have lived within a block of an extremely busy railroad corridor since 1980.
I had gotten so used to the sound that I actually slept through a lightning strike
on a large cottonwood right in our yard.
I can hear my cpap, but I have to concentrate on it.

faf-nf wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 12, 2019 8:50 pm

Hi all,

I've been looking in to CPAP and was wondering what the worst parts about it are and how you overcome it? I'm worried about the noise.

Thanks in advance!

My initial nasal mask had some slight noise, first full face (AirFit F10) had less, my AirTouch F20 has almost NO noise, when seated correctly.
If I overfill the humidifier, I get serious noise, or if the mask isn't on correctly, some lesser noise (usually whistling type). But ONLY then.

Greeting from the uk


I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with severe Apnea ( 70 times per hour) -was given a machine and a full face mask a few weeks after ..
after a week i really couldn't get on with the mask -constant air blowing in my face .. so the swapped it out for one that goes under
my nose .. what a difference that made ...48 with the full face mask -- last night with the other one ..0.43 ..feel so refreshed today ..

jono_1uk wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:40 am

Greeting from the uk


I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with severe Apnea ( 70 times per hour) -was given a machine and a full face mask a few weeks after ..
after a week i really couldn't get on with the mask -constant air blowing in my face .. so the swapped it out for one that goes under
my nose .. what a difference that made ...48 with the full face mask -- last night with the other one ..0.43 ..feel so refreshed today ..

Most cpap users I have spoken to have nasal pillows.
Comfort is essential to this therapy.