The saga continues....

davidtwotrees · Post by **davidtwotrees** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 6:54 am

Hello!
I am in week 4 of my new cpap experience. To date it has not worked for me. My mask fits well, with an occasional leak but nothing drastic. I believe my pressure is at ten, for a mild apnea. I am wearing the mask all night most nights, unless I am not sleeping at all and pull it off for a couple hours of "normal" sleep. I am pretty used to the whole thing, and don't mind the air coming in at all, so I don't think it is an equiptment thing. I see the sleep doc in a week, any ideas or suggestions on what to do in the meantime, as well as questions I should ask? Does this mean my airway isn't opening up? [more pressure needed?] My sleep is worse if anything, and if allowed to I can take a three hour nap in the afternoon! Before two hours was a marathon nap for me.......So I have depression, and increased fatigue. I was hoping this clicked by now and am trying to look for a silver lining here................

imacpappro · Post by **imacpappro** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 10:28 pm

Davidtwotrees,

Don't give up. Some people do not find immediate relief when starting a cpap. The best comparison I head was in this case you and a battery. The battery has been running all your life not ever working at its full peak charge. Now you started therapy, some peoples battery charges overnight, some peoples battery needs a long period of being trained to take a better stronger charge. It sounds like you are doing fine from what you described. That normal sleep though is now when you use the mask all night, not the other way around.

The only other thing I can think of is if you are breathing via your mouth. Have you been snoring, can someone check on you while you have the cpap on and are asleep? This could be a problem because your treatment may be rushing out your mouth.

Keep on trying!

ICP

davidtwotrees · Post by **davidtwotrees** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:15 pm

>>Have you been snoring, can someone check on you
>>>>>>>while you have the cpap on and are asleep?
Dear Pro.
I am single and live alone. So, only the cats to check on my breathing. I am not sure if I am mouth breathing or not, but do know that when I even attempt to open my mouth when I'm awake, it is an odd feeling and one that I would think would wake me up.........Sign me, Sleepy in ChiTown

Suserbec · Post by **Suserbec** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:40 am

That's what I thought, too, David, but it is possible to breathe through your mouth and not know it. I had that problem and my blood pressure starting rising again and some of the symptoms started returning. It turned out I was breathing through my mouth. UNBELIEVABLE! Keep checking out things and eventually you'll get the right combination. I'm still working on that myself!

davidtwotrees · Post by **davidtwotrees** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 6:19 am

Suserbec:It turned out I was breathing through my mouth.

Thanks Suse. You may be right. I do have a hard time with clogged nasal passages and mentioned that to all at the sleep docs. I might try a full mask. Sighs. I would love to check out this "great" nights sleep everyone talks about!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 12:10 pm

I do have a hard time with clogged nasal passages and mentioned that to all at the sleep docs.

It seems that many "sleep professionals" have a very dim view of full face masks. I'm not a sleep or health professional, but there is a message board for sleep lab techs. I lurk-read that "tech" board sometimes...very interesting to hear about some of the behind the scenes problems they discuss. A recent topic was about a "failed cpap study" because the patient couldn't breathe through his nose. My immediate thought to myself was, "Duh, why not put a full face mask on him?" One of the followup posters asked that. The response was that that particular lab's sleep doctor didn't like full face masks because compliance later was very low with FF masks. (Heh, compliance is low later, no matter what mask patients are given!) Anyway, the doctor would not allow FF masks to be used during a study unless a patient absolutely could not close his mouth. (Not, "If they can't breathe through their nose." Only, "If they can't close their mouth." !!) So, instead of getting to use a full face mask, have the titration and at least get a chance for good treatment, that poor patient had to endure a "failed" cpap study...because he was unable to breathe through his nose - and the doctor's policy was no full face masks.

I know of a guy on another apnea message board who could not breathe through his nose. His sleep study was a study in terror as the tech kept telling him "breathe through your nose". His nose was too stuffed up to get more than a thead of air through it. He was working as hard as he could to try to do what they said...to breathe through the mask covering his nose. He couldn't get enough air and felt like he was suffocating. (Probably was! And they wonder why compliance is low?) He is using a full face mask now and doing fine on cpap. He found out about full face masks on a message board - not from doctors or techs. They were throwing chin straps at him.

So....David....long story short - a full face mask like the ResMed Ultra Mirage FF mask might be worth trying. Just my two cents.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 4:16 pm

rested gal,

It's Bad enough to nearly suffocate when you're asleep (sleep apnea), but to have a sleep clinic try to suffocate you wihile you're awake - what a horror!

David... Take RGs advice... She thoughtfully gives it from her vast personal experience.

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:04 pm

You did not mention what mask you are using. It DOES make a difference. Do you have a dry mouth in the morning? That is also an indicator that you are mouth leaking. It takes awhile to get rested, then one day you will relize that you do feel better! Assuming you stick with it which we all urge.

davidtwotrees · Post by **davidtwotrees** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 9:09 am

Thank you all for your kind a thoughtful advice. I love message boards, and am a message board "icon" on AOL's ask a contractor message boards. Smile.
I see the sleep doc and the tech next week. I have called the tech and mentioned my latest concerns. We will see just what they have to say. Frankly, just reading this board daily has given me alot more drive to continue with the treatment. Left to my own devices, I am not sure if I would still be a hose head! While the sleep people are nice enough when I see them, they have been pretty bad about following up on me in all phases of my treatment. Thanks so much. I SO want to sleep like a normy again!