Here is my first post and ALL MY PROBLEMS!

kerridiculous wrote:Hey everyone. I'm Kerri and I'm 18 and I have OSA and it sucks, I'm sure you understand. I was diagnosed last year, and I still DESPISE my cpap machine. I hate it, everything about it. I hate the fact that I have to wear it, I hate the problems I go through with my provider company, I hate how uncomfortable and annoying it is, I hate how time-consuming cleaning it is, I hate spending money on distilled water AGHHHHHH.

The first thing I'd like to know is, how can I get all my information MYSELF? My provider company is so annoying. They are impossible to deal with. My primary person is always changing because everyone keeps getting fired over there, so my records are everywhere except where they need to be. I don't really know how this thing works, but I have to send my card out and they are SUPPOSED TO send me back my report. I sent it once and got one report, so I have absolutely no idea how I'm doing with this thing. Just to give you an idea how incompetent they are, my machine broke so I had to get a new one from them. I brought it home and attempted to go to sleep, only to find that they set my pressure to 4 cm instead of 6. I know thats not that big of a deal but I wasn't getting enough air to breathe. Anyway, I know people read their own results and set their own pressures, so how can I do that?? I'm sick of dealing with them.

Secondly, please, please, please tell me someone has an easier way to clean this stupid thing. It takes me so long to wash out all the little parts and sometimes I just don't because I don't have the time or the patience. I don't want to end up with a sinus infection but sometimes just can't clean it.

I tried all different kinds of masks, and they all seem to drown me. I wake up in the middle of the night with ice cold rain out puddled in all the crevices, which is why I'm stuck with nasal pillows. It's bad because I get sick a lot and when I'm stuffed up I can't use the pillows. I'm sorry, I cannot make my room warmer. I need to be cold to sleep, I know it's weird but i can't help it. Sometimes it's so frustrating I just disconnect the humidifier and painfully dry my nose out because at least I stay asleep through it.

So there's a few. I'm sorry for ranting like this but it's just so frustratinggg after a whole year. I wish I could be like one of those people that worship their machines for changing their life - this has done NOTHING for me or my energy levels or anything!
HEEELLLPPP hahah.

Lets start at the end! Buy a card reader and then buy software or borrow it until you have the money and look at your data every single morning and you will see that the DME hasn't helped you to get your therapy right and you can do it yourself! The biggest problem is the mask and You will probably find that you need to get a full face mask to get your therapy straightened out and working properly for you. Cleaning should consume less than 3 minutes a day! A piece of fleece material sewed to make a cover for you hose and positioning your hose should help you get out of this problem.

You really need to get in a position to monitor how well your therapy is working first!!!!!

Babette wrote:My current beau is completely accepting of my mask. If I choose to sleep away from him, it's only MY choice - never his. He's been just fine with it.

Now, admittedly, he has his own medical problems, and YEARS when he has seriously thought he would never marry, never even have sex with a woman again, largely due to that.

Did I manage to pick the perfect guy, or what?

Yeah, he's grateful. But you know what, I'm grateful too. A little combined gratitude is a major aphrodisiac, lemme tell you....

LOL,
Babs - gettin' some and you should be too

PS - Just as he thinks my OSA is no big deal (seriously), I think HIS condition is no big deal - seriously. Can't get better than that.

You two should have a very cozy, healthy, and energizing winter : )))

SNORT! Did I tell you about the 5K Death March he forced me on last Saturday? And the $150 running shoes he made me buy? And then another 3 miles to break them in?

I swear my mother's got him on the payroll....

LOL,
Babs - Who feels tired already contemplating what evil things this man has in store for me THIS weekend....

Babette wrote:SNORT! Did I tell you about the 5K Death March he forced me on last Saturday? And the $150 running shoes he made me buy? And then another 3 miles to break them in?

I swear my mother's got him on the payroll....

LOL,
Babs - Who feels tired already contemplating what evil things this man has in store for me THIS weekend....

I find it interesting that you bought the shoes, broke them in, did the death march, and await what torture comes next. You must really like this guy : ))) So glad you have someone worth doing that kind of 'evil thngs' for : )

Yeah, either that or I really AM into BDSM but I'm in denial.

LOL,
B.

.

JEEEEZ thanks for all your help seriously.

I haven't even looked at this since I posted it because I've been so busy with homework and papers and midterms ( ) and I didn't even expect there to be an answer. Everyone on this site is so completely helpful and supportive I wish I joined when I started this thing last year!!! And thanks for reading the questions you've probably read over and over and over! haha.

I guess it's good that I want to take control over my therapy, so everyone says, but I'm not sure I'd know how. I've looked at some of the graphs and things some people have posted and I don't know. I know I have to buy the reader and all that but lfslfhsdkfah;lfh it's confusing and I don't even have time to think let alone figure out all of that stuff. But still, even that is better than this DME because at least I CARE about my own therapy.

I never really thought about that whole relationship thing. Maybe because I haven't had time to think about a boyfriend since high school LOL. I realized that I am kind of embarrassed about it, I never take it anywhere with me when I stay the night somewhere. Because who wants to be the girl at the sleep over with the gear all over her face? I feel like its disabling, which I know is stupid because my friends should be cool with it since its for my health blah blah, but still. I didn't even stay overnight for my college orientation because my mom wouldn't let me not wear it for three nights in a row. It's bad, sometimes I just ditch the thing even when I set it all up before I get in bed. I definitely don't use it as much as I should.

Let's see... what complaints do i have with the mask? I guess just the fact that I have to wear it. Maybe because can't turn around and lay on my face and be as comfortable as I want to be. Because if someone's there I can't talk to them once it's on unless I block the nose holes. Maybe because it's still pretty new to me and I still remember how nice it was not having to sleep with it. Maybe because I need to suck it up and deal with it. I like the nasal pillows a LOT more than the full nose or full face masks. The Optilife doesn't block my eyes, so it does make me feel like there's a lot less obstructive junk on me. Plus I can wear my glasses with it so I can read or watch TV while I go to sleep.

I have tried PurSleep and I love it, I ran out of my oils though and I haven't gotten around to getting more haha. Whatever one had lavender was sooooooo relaxing. And I am GETTING a hose cover!!!!!!!! lol.

kerridiculous wrote:JEEEEZ thanks for all your help seriously.

I haven't even looked at this since I posted it because I've been so busy with homework and papers and midterms ( ) and I didn't even expect there to be an answer. Everyone on this site is so completely helpful and supportive I wish I joined when I started this thing last year!!! And thanks for reading the questions you've probably read over and over and over! haha.

I guess it's good that I want to take control over my therapy, so everyone says, but I'm not sure I'd know how. I've looked at some of the graphs and things some people have posted and I don't know. I know I have to buy the reader and all that but lfslfhsdkfah;lfh it's confusing and I don't even have time to think let alone figure out all of that stuff. But still, even that is better than this DME because at least I CARE about my own therapy.

I never really thought about that whole relationship thing. Maybe because I haven't had time to think about a boyfriend since high school LOL. I realized that I am kind of embarrassed about it, I never take it anywhere with me when I stay the night somewhere. Because who wants to be the girl at the sleep over with the gear all over her face? I feel like its disabling, which I know is stupid because my friends should be cool with it since its for my health blah blah, but still. I didn't even stay overnight for my college orientation because my mom wouldn't let me not wear it for three nights in a row. It's bad, sometimes I just ditch the thing even when I set it all up before I get in bed. I definitely don't use it as much as I should.

Let's see... what complaints do i have with the mask? I guess just the fact that I have to wear it. Maybe because can't turn around and lay on my face and be as comfortable as I want to be. Because if someone's there I can't talk to them once it's on unless I block the nose holes. Maybe because it's still pretty new to me and I still remember how nice it was not having to sleep with it. Maybe because I need to suck it up and deal with it. I like the nasal pillows a LOT more than the full nose or full face masks. The Optilife doesn't block my eyes, so it does make me feel like there's a lot less obstructive junk on me. Plus I can wear my glasses with it so I can read or watch TV while I go to sleep.

I have tried PurSleep and I love it, I ran out of my oils though and I haven't gotten around to getting more haha. Whatever one had lavender was sooooooo relaxing. And I am GETTING a hose cover!!!!!!!! lol.

I was so peeved I had to wear a mask that I put off doing the sleep study - also bought a very expensive mandibular advancement device MAD which didn't actually work well enough for my apnea (and as I understand for most). Anyway, I don't know if you snore, but I was a whole lot more uncomfortable keeping others awake with my snoring : ))))

I'm 100% compliant and am not tired. People can bite me if they think I'm going to take off my mask to make them feel better and therefore I will feel tired and crappy all day! I decided to 'come out' about it and what I've found is there are not only relatives, but friends who are considering sleep studies because they gasp, choke, snort, snore and/or are tired all the time.

I think the more comfortable I am the more comfortable others are too.

Pleeeeeeeease keep reading - I have learned so much from the forum. I solved my rainout with the reptile cord (BIG thanks to posters) and wrapping my hose with cheap fleece secured with yarn.

My professional life really suffered because of this condition,and if I wasn't married to the best man in the world, who knows what my personal life would be like not even counting the health issues (high blood pressure, etc.)

Best wishes to everyone - oh, many thanks for the announcement of the Chattanooga AWAKE meeting -I'll be there

[quote="kerridiculous"]Hey everyone. I'm Kerri and I'm 18 and I have OSA and it sucks, I'm sure you understand. I was diagnosed last year, and I still DESPISE my cpap machine. I hate it, everything about it. I hate the fact that I have to wear it, I hate the problems I go through with my provider company, I hate how uncomfortable and annoying it is, I hate how time-consuming cleaning it is, I hate spending money on distilled water AGHHHHHH.

Well Kerri, you may hate it but just think of the treatment for sleep apenea vs cancer. For cancer they give chemicals for sleep apnea they give air. That is a no brainer for me.

As for cleaning, think of it as taking care of your car. If you like your car nice and clean and keep it washed and clean inside then that is the way you think of your mask.

As far as your provider, well, I think we all go through that. This will teach you patience. You are doing the right thing by getting information. However, do not mess with the machine settings. It is fine that members of cpaptalk.com will let you download the manual but like anything else you must use it with caution (and that is not spelled out by any member). Just think of a perscription bottle and the warnings on it and apply it to the settings on your cpap machine.

Just a note about adjusting your machine. There must be CONSISTENT RELIABLE DATA for a doctor to read and interpret the results of the machine to make sure it is doing the job. If you tinker with it and change settings daily, weely or even monthly no one will be able to tell if it is doing the job.

As far as comfort of the mask I agree, it sucks. BUTI have found a product called REmzzzs (http://www.remzzzs.com). You put these over the gel portion of the mask and you will find a remarkrabel difference in the way the mask feels and I think you will get a better nightrs sleep with very little leakage.

kerridiculous wrote:Because who wants to be the girl at the sleep over with the gear all over her face?

I hate to be morbid, but that's a LOT better than being the girl who died in her sleep at the last sleepover!

Oops! I was wrong. I LOVE being morbid after all!

CM,

Before replying, it is a good idea to check the post dates and number of posts. Kerri seems to be no longer with us.

I did not think you are a spammer for remzzzs, but when you pull up old posts to recommend them, some doubt creaps in.

I saw this thread earlier today and wondered how it got on page one. When I checked the thread there was no posting after Oct 30,2008. How can one "bump" a post without actually posting to it. It was wierd. (When I checked it, charliemack had not yet posted)

Froro wrote:I saw this thread earlier today and wondered how it got on page one. When I checked the thread there was no posting after Oct 30,2008. How can one "bump" a post without actually posting to it. It was wierd. (When I checked it, charliemack had not yet posted)

It probably was hit by a spammer's post and then a member deleted the spam.

BTW, did you order those kids from an apparel catalog?

Very nice looking.

LOL, nope all incubated in little old me. But thank you. They are great kids.

Sometimes husband and I look at each other and wonder how two very ordinary looking humans could produce such pretty kids. We shall never know. IMO, they are even more beautiful on the inside. We keep the little buggers pretty grounded.