New to the CPAP Game - Tired of Being Tired

Hi there, friends!

I am new to the CPAP game. I have been snoring most of my life, but it only started getting really bad when I gained a bunch of weight about 3 or 4 years ago when I went off to college. I finally decided to get a sleep study done when I got tired of being - well - tired. Honestly, no matter how many hours of sleep get, I am still tired all the time. I find myself constantly nodding off at the wheel, fighting to keep my eyes open, even with 10 hours of sleep under my belt. I finally got my test results back, and it turns out that my AHI was 30.3 and my lowest oxygen intake was 82% - pretty sad for a 21 year old if you ask me!

I get fitted for my CPAP (or APAP) today, and I am super nervous. Friends and family who have experience with the CPAP say it changed their lives, and I am hoping mine is changed for the better as well.

I will post an update to this thread when I get the machine later today telling you all about it. Until then, sleep well my fellow PAPers

Count_PAPula <3

Welcome to the forum and good luck today.

Good luck,


I am sure you will have a bunch of questions so pop back and we can help you get upto speed.

Make sure you get a machine that has full data which includes leaks, ahi breakdown, and graphs that show everything during the night. Sometimes, the equipment providers will say it has data, but they mean hours of use and basic ahi. Some of them just want to sell the cheapest machine. And some don't know better.

For Resmed machines, avoid the airstart models and the basic airsense cpap. Preferred would be the Airsense autoset or airsense autoset for her. The Elite is okay as well for data, but does not have the auto options.

I am not sure which Respironics machines to avoid. Most have full data, but I believe there are still a couple that do not.

Count_PAPula wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 05, 2019 4:40 am

Hi there, friends!

welcome to the zoo! you've come to the right place. you'll get lots of solid advice here and maybe just a bit of silliness too.

you are taking the right steps. it may take awhile before the benefits of cpap come shining through. but it will happen.

good luck!

oh and i love your screen name.

zonker wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:58 am

Count_PAPula wrote: Hi there, friends!

welcome to the zoo! you've come to the right place. you'll get lots of solid advice here and maybe just a bit of silliness too.

you are taking the right steps. it may take awhile before the benefits of cpap come shining through. but it will happen.

good luck!

oh and i love your screen name.

Thank you! The name is cheesy, but I love it! Dad jokes for the win LOL

Count_PAPula wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 05, 2019 4:40 am

Hi there, friends!

I am new to the CPAP game. I have been snoring most of my life, but it only started getting really bad when I gained a bunch of weight about 3 or 4 years ago when I went off to college. I finally decided to get a sleep study done when I got tired of being - well - tired. Honestly, no matter how many hours of sleep get, I am still tired all the time. I find myself constantly nodding off at the wheel, fighting to keep my eyes open, even with 10 hours of sleep under my belt. I finally got my test results back, and it turns out that my AHI was 30.3 and my lowest oxygen intake was 82% - pretty sad for a 21 year old if you ask me!

I get fitted for my CPAP (or APAP) today, and I am super nervous. Friends and family who have experience with the CPAP say it changed their lives, and I am hoping mine is changed for the better as well.

I will post an update to this thread when I get the machine later today telling you all about it. Until then, sleep well my fellow PAPers

Count_PAPula <3

*Update!*

Hello again, friends! Thanks for all the warm welcomes. The sleep department at my doctors office is spectacular and I think they did a great job of hooking me up with the right machine (fingers crossed!) I ended up with the Dreamstation brand APAP machine. While I am not sure how it compares to others, I like that it has an app that you can download to go with it - so fancy! For the mask, I got a nasal cover with a chin strap. I tried everything on in the office and it seemed to fit really well. I am excited to see what this new journey brings!

Have a great nights rest!

Count_PAPula

Hi Cheesy! Welcome to the madness! Be sure you try to keep your mouth closed at night with that nasal mask. You'll lose therapy if you keep your mouth open for any extended period of time.

Sheriff

Count_PAPula wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 06, 2019 4:06 am

Thank you! The name is cheesy, but I love it! Dad jokes for the win LOL

oh, absolutely. i can testify, being a corny dad myself.

i see that you've got your machine. it's a good one. but you mention it comes with an app.

may i suggest instead of that app, you download the software, oscar? you'll see a link to it in my sig. it will give you much more information than that app will. and that info will come in handy as you start down the cpap road.

It's really great that you have the courage and forethought to get a handle on your apnea while you're still young. That's awesome and as a 44 year old stepfather with a 19 year old son I'm proud for you (even though total stranger, you're in the cpap family). It's an especially large step because cpap is a private, personal and misunderstood thing that I would have been terrified to broach that subject for fear of being ostracized. When it was suggested to me by my sleep tech / coach, I was kind of a jerk about it and very negative, basically put the onus of my health and mortality on this female professional telling me I needed to do this for myself. I was very anti cpap because I just didn't understand how vital it is and how small the machine was, I had these horrifying images of having a giant loud machine from the 50s or something in my bedroom and I've always regretted that. Not to mention I've been overweight and borderline obese for the last 15 years I'm realizing because of my apnea. Now happily shedding pounds

So Good On YOU.

and yes love the name!