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Egads; I do not have any answers for you. I can relate my own experiences. I am a newbie to this technology. I have been through four masks so far and just one am I able to use effectively. I need a full face and cannot get the darn things to seal properly. I start out the night well but after 1 - 2 hours spring very noisy leaks. One night it was so bas I started giggling. Well that took care of that. I found that you cannot laugh and get a seal.LOL The one mask that fits fairly well I dislike. The favorite mask I have since given up on. Any ideas? I am told to not give up and keep on trying.

Such interesting theories here! Attitude, discipline, acceptance, severity, appropriate equipment, a support team, etc. all play a role in successful therapy. I think some people also just have less complicated situations while others have more complicated ones. Since so many sleep clinics are seriously close to only minimally competent, we begin, in many cases, with the most rudimentary data about what we need. It's only through our efforts to make our therapy work that we and our medical team (who often know less than we do about tricks to success!) find out about more complex situations that interact to hinder our success. No one can predict that a certain machine's algorithm will be easier to handle for one person but more difficult for another, or that medications impact some people in ways that can cause problems when they begin treatment, or that the mask that "so many people like" drives a couple of folks nuts...once the cloud begins to lift, other problems come into focus. Pure luck plays a part, too. Some of us stumble into the right machine/mask/settings/other equipment at the beginning, others start with something out of place and have to scramble to set things right. I have such high admiration for those who have climbed the tough hills to get the right therapy for themselves; your dedication and strength amaze me!

brazospearl wrote:Such interesting theories here! Attitude, discipline, acceptance, severity, appropriate equipment, a support team, etc. all play a role in successful therapy. I think some people also just have less complicated situations while others have more complicated ones. Since so many sleep clinics are seriously close to only minimally competent, we begin, in many cases, with the most rudimentary data about what we need. It's only through our efforts to make our therapy work that we and our medical team (who often know less than we do about tricks to success!) find out about more complex situations that interact to hinder our success. No one can predict that a certain machine's algorithm will be easier to handle for one person but more difficult for another, or that medications impact some people in ways that can cause problems when they begin treatment, or that the mask that "so many people like" drives a couple of folks nuts...once the cloud begins to lift, other problems come into focus. Pure luck plays a part, too. Some of us stumble into the right machine/mask/settings/other equipment at the beginning, others start with something out of place and have to scramble to set things right. I have such high admiration for those who have climbed the tough hills to get the right therapy for themselves; your dedication and strength amaze me!

Brazospearl,

Having the right machine and mask can make a difference, but these are nowhere near important than the right attitude. When I started over 20 years ago the Cpaps were loud and there was no such thing as EPR, Cflex or a humidifier. There also was no internet where a person could find support or research the available equipment. You either wanted to make it work or you didn’t. Even the insurance did not check compliance. I had the desire to get restful sleep and from day one stayed positive through every curveball the therapy threw at me. With today’s technology, and support forums such as this, all a person needs to do is be positive and find ways to make the therapy work for them. The main problem today is that many people just do not want to wear a mask to sleep, so they find excuses and stop using the Cpap. Would I rather sleep without the Mask? You bet! Am I willing to compromise my health by doing so? No way! We can call this a decision but in the end I look at it as having the attitude that I want to be healthy and live as long as I can.

Taz

I'm 3 months into it and definitely had my share of problems which I'm still working through. The first night on CPAP I felt great even though I was having a lot of leaks. I don't think it's dogged discipline, but being persistent in finding something that works for you. I went through many masks to find a mask that fit me. I also had to deal with my chronic allergies since I couldn't actually breathe through my nose. Now I'm figuring out how to keep my mouth shut.

After reading this forum and talking to people successful on CPAP, I learned that with persistence and finding the right combo for you, it doesn't feel horrible as it did in the beginning, but tolerable. I have an electric toothbrush and I really hated it in the beginning and I'd still prefer to use a manual. However, my teeth and gums really need it, so unless I have a migraine, I use it every time I brush my teeth.

I also find I need the "modern luxuries" of heated tubing, lightweight mask, etc. When my heated tubing broke, I found I just couldn't sleep with moisture on my lip. And lowering the humidity gave me a headache. So I've been off CPAP for a few night until my new tube arrived. I think also giving myself permission to give up on a piece of equipment, not use CPAP for a few nights if things just aren't working while still being committed to CPAP has really helped me. I tend to be a perfectionist, but I realized after reading the forums that I needed to tolerate myself and my own particular needs to sleep as well as the CPAP equipment. I hope that makes sense.

I new I had no choice, It had to work.
I had no outward signs of apnea, but could see my de-saturations, and with my night vision camera I could see my neck being sucked in as I tried to breath.
My sleep tech suspected from my approach that I would adapt.
This forum also made a big difference, knowing what to expect, and what machine and mask would give me the best chance.
Thanks everyone.

Good question, and for me I adapted in a few days.
First couple of days I had major problems getting to sleep, but about the third day, I fell off to sleep and stayed asleep, and woke up feeling wonderful.
After that its never been an issue.

When I first started I though it was going to take ages to get accustomed to sleeping with a mask on my face, but fortunately i was wrong.

I think you tend to develop habits, and theres a bit of luck involved.
My great sleep on the third night paved the way for the future.
If I hadnt been as tired, and lay awake for a long time, that would likely have conditioned me to do the same on the next night, and so forth setting up a bad trend.

I suppose the trick is to be really tired when youre "learning" to wear a mask.

When I started CPAP about 16 years ago, I had zero support, and I didn't realize that failure was an option. I gutted it out and I got compliant. About a year later I was 100% compliant and still hated it; I Had an MMA and when it was ineffective I later had a UPPP, which was also ineffective. I finally gave up and made peace with CPAP, and using it became just as automatic as putting in my contacts.

I usually research everything to death, but I went through the sleep study and then avoided making an appointment to be fitted for about two months until I saw my neuro. He explained the findings and it was pretty scary.
So why didn't I figure this out on my own? I realized that I was associating the therapy with being on a respirator. I'm 62 and even with MS I'm still working and active. Being dependant on a machine symbolized decline and old age to me. Once I figured out what the problem was I could work on it. I like the saying 'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.' The first day I came home with the CPAP, set it up and tried it out. It was during the day so I felt more in control and less pressured. I actually cried when I put it on - not like me at all. Found that it really wasn't so bad. I told myself I only had to use it for a few hours the first night but ended up keeping it on all night. I think it helped that it was my choice to keep it on longer. Yesterday I found the thread about using aromatherapy oils near the air intake to make the experience of falling asleep more pleasant. Now THAT doesn't seem so hospital-like. I'm single, but I'll bet there are a lot of people who would rather be unwell than unsexy (though unwell isn't very sexy either). Even I don't want my family to see me with the machine. I still have attitude work to do, but after the second day of feeling great I know I will have no issues with compliance.

Welcome Silly, you'll get a lot of help here. One thing right now, is it possible for you to exchange your machine for one that is data capable, the one you have listed will only give compliance data for insurance purposes. You can usually do this within the first 30days. Keep us updated.

DoriC wrote: One thing right now, is it possible for you to exchange your machine for one that is data capable, the one you have listed will only give compliance data for insurance purposes. You can usually do this within the first 30days. Keep us updated.

I wondered about that. I assumed that when I went in to get my equipment that I would have some choices. I was told that I had a prescription for a specific machine and mask. I had to argue to get a hybrid mask. I would love to see the data. I'm also having some trouble breathing out through the nasal cushion which makes me breathe through my mouth all night. Reduced pressure on exhalation seems like it would take care of that. I'm pertfectly willing to pay extra for the features I want but it seemed I didn't have a choice. You can't even buy a machine without a prescription. I figured I'd tough it out for a few weeks to show I'm compliant and then figure out who to deal with to make a change. I'd like to try a different mask too, but I'd have to turn in the one I have - which is actually working ok - and I only have one exchange covered. If I'm going to spend 1/3 of the rest of my life with the mask on my face, I think I have a right to be picky.
Thanks for the encouragement. This group has really been helpful. Hard to find other CPAP users to talk to since you can't tell by day and it doesn't come up much in conversation.

This topic may well be one that is as individual as the person making the reply. I'll list the things that helped me.
1. Knowledge. From knowing in my own mind that I had a problem, thanks to a recording my wife (fiance at the time) made of me not breathing for a LOOOOOOOONG time, to knowing that I wasn't alone, I wasn't weird, I wasn't crippled, I COULD make the best of the situation and IMPROVE my life, all things I learned here or from various other resources.
2. Empowerment. This is something that came from the answers that I got in my initial thread here. Almost every reply in the thread told me I needed to be in control of the treatment.
3.Initial success. I slept well the first time I used my machine at home. If I had gone thru some of the nightmares I've read many of you go thru...I would probably have given up. Kudos to all you very strong folks who succeeded despite bad masks, multiple sleeping problems, terrible clinicians ect.ect.
4. Discipline. I knew I had to make it work even though my nose hurt or the face farts tickled or the straps pulled my hair or the leaks just wouldn't stop some nights.