One week in on CPAP and I'm ok with wearing the mask

and headgear. I don't mind the air or the pressure at all. But I can't get a good night sleep yet due to the dang mask leaks and the sucking feeling every time I open my mouth while sleeping!!! Can't wait for mask #2, Mirage Liberty, to get here in the mail. I can understand why so many folks here go thru many masks at first. I will ultimately make this work!!

Good for you! I have been on PAPpy for 2 weeks. I do not like it. I still have trouble falling asleep. Hubbie is sleeping better, and says that I look better in the mornings. I will make this work, too. Just need more time.

Good attitude, from my own experience and from everything I've been reading, it does take some time and tweaking to get it right. I had no problem falling asleep from night one and did great as far as having no leaks for my first couple of month, but now suddenly I've been having mask leaks, so now I've got to do some of my own tweaking and adjusting.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

If I am understanding your dilemma, you can eliminate that sucking feeling by wearing a chin strap to keep your mouth closed. The positive pressure goes out your mouth when you open and so do the positive effects of your therapy. A chin strap has been a must for me!

ThirdOutOfFive wrote:Good for you! I have been on PAPpy for 2 weeks. I do not like it. I still have trouble falling asleep. Hubbie is sleeping better, and says that I look better in the mornings. I will make this work, too. Just need more time.

I have used some valium to help me fall asleep on some of the nights so far. Maybe you need a little medication to help jump start you? I think you are right, it just takes time to get used to it. We need to be patient.

apneawho wrote:If I am understanding your dilemma, you can eliminate that sucking feeling by wearing a chin strap to keep your mouth closed. The positive pressure goes out your mouth when you open and so do the positive effects of your therapy. A chin strap has been a must for me!

I tried the chin strap a few nights ago and didn't feel too comfy with it on. Kind of claustrophobic. I tried taping my mouth and that gave me some nightmares. I might try the chin strap again this week until my new mask gets here!

ameriken wrote:Good attitude, from my own experience and from everything I've been reading, it does take some time and tweaking to get it right. I had no problem falling asleep from night one and did great as far as having no leaks for my first couple of month, but now suddenly I've been having mask leaks, so now I've got to do some of my own tweaking and adjusting.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

Thanks for the kind words. I guess we have to just understand it won't always be perfect but it's better than what it was like b4 cpap. I'm not at that point yet but hopefully soon....

Good luck with the chin strap and congratulations on your success thus far. I have not had too much trouble getting used to the chin strap. I just look at it as a necessity because I cannot keep my mouth closed once I am asleep. My jaw muscles relax and Darth Vader is suddenly present in the bed with my husband!

Try using a 3 inch non-adhesive Ace bandage for a chin strap. Wrap it over the top of your head, under the chin. I use one turn, trim it off and then secure with safety pins. You can experiment with tightness, more turns, etc.

It's softer and more breathable than some other chin straps. It's also cheap enough to just throw away if it doesn't work.

soundersfootballclub wrote:and headgear. I don't mind the air or the pressure at all. But I can't get a good night sleep yet due to the dang mask leaks and the sucking feeling every time I open my mouth while sleeping!!! Can't wait for mask #2, Mirage Liberty, to get here in the mail. I can understand why so many folks here go thru many masks at first. I will ultimately make this work!!

Re-edit:

Based on your past sleep study results why they put you on an APAP, and not ASV or plain CPAP? Your results show an indication of CSAS or Complex Sleep Apnea.

avi123 wrote: Based on your past sleep study results, imo, it was a mistake to put you on an APAP. It should have been either an ASV or plain CPAP. Your results show an indication of CSAS or Complex Sleep Apnea.

Don't forget your AutoSet can do manual CPAP or auto with a narrow range. Don't change it for a manual CPAP if you can avoid it.

Complex apnea is a possibility, but don't assume that's what you have without careful investigation of actual flow waveforms. You don't want to be saddled with an ASV if it's not necessary.

archangle wrote:

avi123 wrote: Based on your past sleep study results, imo, it was a mistake to put you on an APAP. It should have been either an ASV or plain CPAP. Your results show an indication of CSAS or Complex Sleep Apnea.

Don't forget your AutoSet can do manual CPAP or auto with a narrow range. Don't change it for a manual CPAP if you can avoid it.

Complex apnea is a possibility, but don't assume that's what you have without careful investigation of actual flow waveforms. You don't want to be saddled with an ASV if it's not necessary.

I haven't had a followup with my sleep doctor yet to go over my study. He said I had OSA when we talked over the phone briefly. I will get more info next week. He wanted me on APAP in the meantime because they didn't find the right pressure during my split study.

soundersfootballclub wrote:... I will ultimately make this work!!

With that attitude so early on...I believe you! If you can get thru the tweaking time (could be weeks...could be a couple of months)....you will settle into this very nicely. I've been at this over 2 years now....and rarely have issues with my mask or machine. If sleep gets disturbed now it's usually something I did....ate dinner too late, had a beer too close to bedtime...etc.

Hang in there!

soundersfootballclub wrote:

archangle wrote:

avi123 wrote: Based on your past sleep study results, imo, it was a mistake to put you on an APAP. It should have been either an ASV or plain CPAP. Your results show an indication of CSAS or Complex Sleep Apnea.

Don't forget your AutoSet can do manual CPAP or auto with a narrow range. Don't change it for a manual CPAP if you can avoid it.

Complex apnea is a possibility, but don't assume that's what you have without careful investigation of actual flow waveforms. You don't want to be saddled with an ASV if it's not necessary.

I haven't had a followup with my sleep doctor yet to go over my study. He said I had OSA when we talked over the phone briefly. I will get more info next week. He wanted me on APAP in the meantime because they didn't find the right pressure during my split study.

Reply:


Hi, my question about the CSAS or ComplexA originated after seeing your graph and the dfinition of more than 5 CAI each lasting 10 sec or longer, with more than 50% of events determined to be central rather than obstructive.

I would like to correct my previous statement to: "imo, it was a mistake to put you on an APAP. It should have been either an ASV or a Bilevel device with a backup rate (and not "plain CPAP" as I posted)".

All the best with your oncoming meeting with the Doc.

avi123 wrote:


Hi, my question about the CSAS or ComplexA originated after seeing your graph and the dfinition of more than 5 CAI each lasting 10 sec or longer, with more than 50% of events determined to be central rather than obstructive.

I would like to correct my previous statement to: "imo, it was a mistake to put you on an APAP. It should have been either an ASV or a Bilevel device with a backup rate (and not "plain CPAP" as I posted)".

All the best with your oncoming meeting with the Doc.

Avi I will bring this up with him. I asked a tech at his office about the Resmed stats yesterday over the phone saying they were all coming up as central apneas and they didn't seem concerned. I know that I am seeing many central apnea pauses showing up on these stats when I am not even asleep! She said they have their own way of assessing my AHI when they look over what I downloaded. My machine has pretty much only shown that I have central apneas in fact for some reason. Yet the main reason I was referred to a sleep doc in the first place is I actually caught myself having OSA sometimes before dozing off for a nap or even as I was about to fall asleep especially when I drank alot of alcohol. I haven't had this sensation at all since starting therapy so I know it's doing something beneficial so far at least.