Is it possible that some people can NEVER get used to a CPAP

Hello,


I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea about 2 years ago. My setting is 18. I had a badly deviated septum and sinus polyps in addition to allergies. I tried using the machine to no avail. Went back to doctor and he did septum surgery, turbinate reduction and removed the polyps. To say that I can breathe better is an understatement. I have tried on and off and to no avail. I have been at home on vacation from work this week and am giving it the old college try once again. I can now use just a nasal mask (supposedly nasal pillows don't fit my nostrils). I can get the mask on and it doesn't feel uncomfortable. In fact, I felt like I was on the verge of falling asleep. ON THE VERGE for four hours. For some reason I cannot fall asleep with it on. I have even tried taking Sominex and that doesn't help.

Can some people just NEVER get used to it? Are there any suggestions that helped some of you? I'm at wits end.

Thanks

Jon
Chicago, IL

Yes, some can't, usually it's their ownselfs that's the problem. Some would rather swim in De-Nile than face life hardships, some just quit outright, and nature takes care of them in time, untreated apnea kills them off. 18 cm is a high pressure, I use 15 cm with 100% success no problems. At 18 cm Bi-PAP is the machine of need, but I could do 18 on my CPAP, except that it causes centrals on me. Some people make up their minds that they can be healthier, and some don't. Life is what you make it, I've never been one to say poor me, I do something about it. Jim

After putting yourself through the pain of surgery, you should be able to use a lower pressure than you originally needed. That's where a APAP and the software come in, or it's back to the sleep lab.

Well, I suppose that could happen, but an occasional try won't determine that. I do have a question - was that pressure of 18 from a titration before your surgeries? That high of a pressure could make for quite an adjustment, and I'm just wondering if a lower pressure might suffice since it doesn't have to push past all the nose problems. I'm not sure if you were given a bipap or not, but with that high of a pressure it seems reasonable. If you go to your profile you can select the name of your equipment and it would help folks here to offer appropriate suggestions.

About the nasal pillows not fitting - there are several different pillows style masks, and some even are individual so a person could wear a different size in each side. But I think being certain of your current pressure needs would be top of the list, then making sure your equipment is most appropriate for your pressure needs.

Spend some time here trying to do some things to help make this work before you give up. Some folks with high pressures will jump in here soon to share "how they got over". My pressure is just 12, so I can't begin to understand what 18 feels like. But I do know not everyone takes to this treatment easily. I didn't. Even quit for a few months, but now it's second nature. Hope you are able to work things out. Welcome to the forum.

Kathy

Hi Jon, welcome to the forum!
You can find lots of help on this forum for getting used to cpap therapy - much of it will depend on what they found on your PSG, and the type of equimpment your'e using now.
CPAP (or as we sometimes say xPAP) consists of many kinds of machines. The majority of the newer ones track your breathing data and give information on how many breating disruptions you have at night.

• The simple machines are fixed pressure machines.
  Then there are bi-level machines - the will supply a different pressure for inhal (their IPAP) and exhale (their EPAP). For people need highe pressure on inhale (18 is very high) lower pressure for exhale can be a great help.
  And there are self-adjusting machines -- these are especially good if you need higher pressure when on your back, or when you're dreaming.

The better machines (of all three kinds) also have software that will let you track in graphic form when your breathing disruptions happen, as well a when leaks occur.

And then there are so many different mask types, and ways of making the therapy more comfortable.


As Jim, said - having your nose cleared of all those obstructions most probably means you can do with lower pressure. And a data tracking machine will help you do that.

So let's start with what you know of your PSG, the more the better, and all details of your present equipment.
And then, use some of your vacation to read (and read and read) the forum, starting with the collection of links in viewtopic/t35702/Where-A-CPAP-Newbie-Should-Start.html and then going to the yellow light bulb on the top the screen.

Good luck, Jon. Chances are that whatever brought to try and retry your CPAP, and to post on this forum, togethter with what you'll learn here will have you succeed in using the therapy.

So, get the info and post it, and start reading - and prepare yourself for an avalanche of tips from your new cpapatalk friends.

On edit: see, I told you it would be an avalanche -- I hadn't seen Kathy's and Karen's posts as I was composing!
O.

birdshell wrote: Karen,
Who was so eager to feel better that I WAS going to succeed

This is all carbonman needs to make it work, everynight.

Anytime I think about the possibility of going back to the way I
felt before cpap, I am tempted to buy a third backup machine and mask,
just incase.......

I agree with the previous points that have been brought up. If you don't already have one, a data-capable machine and the software to monitor your therapy, would probably show you that you could get by with a lot less pressure.....especially if your surgery was after your sleep study.
I was prescribed a pressure of 18 cm. also, but I made sure I had a data-capable machine and the software and found out that pressures of 10 - 12 treated me just fine.

Den

Jon,

You have been given some excellent advice in the posts above and I have little to add.

-If you are anxious about the mask try wearing it unconnected for 45 minutes while you are reading or relaxing before bed.

-Practice good sleep hygiene. Google "sleep hygiene" and review the list to see if you are missing anything.

-As far as the old "college try", to me that means being regularly drunk and always partying and only starting to study the night before the final. With CPAP we have to be more dedicated than I was in undergraduate school.

As you go along, continue to update this post and we can offer some more tips.

Best of luck,

I would go to a doctor and ask there advice. Maybe some type of anxiety medication may help. But you have to do something or your ( hate to say it ) doomed. Men in my family have been dropping dead for years. The record is 65 and I 'll be dammed if Thats my fate. I went to the doctor too and had all the surgeries. I think the best thing was the radiofrequency tissue reduction in my sinus. I couldn't breath threw my nose for a few weeks but it is getting better all the time. I had mine done on oct.21st. Maybe there is more that can be done for you. I would see another ent. And if you are way over weight, I would seriously think about gastric bypass. As bad as it sounds think about the alternative.The clock is ticking !

I would actually like to look at your question from the opposite direction, and ask, "Is it possible for everyone to get used to CPAP?". I believe the answer to this question is a resounding yes. The human animal is amazingly adaptable. Getting used to CPAP is not the easiest thing to do, but when you consider how non-intrusive it is compared to treatments for other medical conditions, it is just a walk in the park. People get used to coping with the treatment for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, AIDS, etc all the time. During my sleep study they started out at a presure of 4cm and I thought it would blow my lungs out. 9 cm with reduced pressure on exhale to provide relief was my initial prescribed pressure, and I have bumped it up to 12 over the past year. It now feels completely normal to breath out against that pressure of 12 without any EPR, and I often reach up and try to scratch my nose at night, forgetting that I have a mask on. Every day, people move from one country or culture and learn to eat different foods, wear different clothing, speak different languages, etc, to the point that the old lifestyle can seem foreign to them. They do it as part of their work, or to be with people they love, or for other reasons that provide the motivation to make the changes. Adaptation to CPAP therapy pales in comparison, and has the motivation of lengthing and improving one's life.

I think it is possible for everyone, with the right information, support and motivation to be successful, and this site and the people on it help provide the tools for success.

Everyone,

Thanks for all of your posts and replies. I did have another study done a couple of months ago and it said I could go down to 14. I tried to reset my machine, couldn't and (yes,I know my fault) didn't follow up with seeing how it could be reset. The week I tried I thought I was just let it go and try the 18 anyway. I see that didn't work, so I guess I need to call my provider and see what they need to do to reset it.

And I am also assuming that since my original diagnosis only got me a CPAP, my provider would not provide me with a BiPAP. I have an HMO and thus may be limited as to what they will provide for me. Since the surgery I am able to use a nasal mask instead of the full face mask. It didn't SEEM to be uncomfortable the week I tried it, I just could not fall asleep.

My machine is a ResMed ELITE S8. My mask is an ULTRA (one of the nasal masks which has the adjustable knob on the bridge)?

I'll get my paperwork together and call my provider first to have the machine reset.

Thanks again

Jon

Make sure you write down all of your existing settings before you go changing any settings. It's YOUR therapy and YOUR machine......YOU should know how it works and what to change when you need to change it.

Den



1. Accessing the Clinical Menu

Turn on the device and wait until the standby (RAMP/SETTLING) screen appears on the LCD.
At this stage you can adjust the ramp/settling time.

Press the DOWN and RIGHT keys simultaneously for 3 seconds to access the clinical menu.


2. Changing Options and Settings.

Press the LEFT (menu) key to access the SETTINGS menu screen.

Use the UP and DOWN keys to scroll through the RESULTS, OPTIONS and SERVICING menu screens.

From a menu screen, use the LEFT (enter) key to access the parameters in that menu.

Use the UP and DOWN keys to scroll through menu parameters.

Use the LEFT key to view or change each parameter setting as required.

Press the RIGHT (exit) key until you return to the standby (RAMP/SETTLING) screen.

While you are adjusting the settings, make sure that Smart Data is on, which should enable you to access the "Efficiency Menu" each morning by pressing and holding the right and left buttons. Its not as good as havingthe software, but it will allow you to check your nightly pressure, leak rate, AI, HI and AHI to see if your treatment is working. Easy access to this data is one of the blessings of the Resmeds, you should take advantage of it. Good luck to you.