Rough First Night

Thanks 49er. I'm not really on that high a setting...5 ramping up to 7 thats it. I understand 7 is pretty low. Don't know my AHI but since I'm not sleeping, it is 0 right? I'm just whining. I'll try again tonight and if I don't fall asleep in like an hour, I'll turn it off and sleep on my side.

I made a deal with myself when I started cpap 5 months ago. I would not fail at this. I would do everything it took to make it work. My RT said to me on the first day, try the mask for a few hours when you go to bed, then if it bothers you, take it off. .... I had been reading this forum, and thought to myself ... that is exactly the wrong approach to being successful at this. You can't give yourself permission to take the mask off in the middle of the night. That isn't going to help you become accustomed to it.

Instead, find out if it's the right mask for you. Maybe it isn't. Maybe you need a more comfortable mask. In my case, I fired that RT after one week, AND I changed masks from the noisy nasal mask to nasal pillows ... I kept at it through insomnia and all kinds of other obstacles, and gradually it got better and better. You have to be persistent and determined to make it work. You need to find out everything you can to help you make it work too. You've made a good start by coming here to this forum. There are really wonderful people here who have so much knowledge. I wouldn't have been this successful without them and their advice.

Keep trying ... take a positive attitude ... be willing to change what isn't working ... and good luck!

z

Yes, I went into this thinking, "Oh, I'll just wear a mask and all of my sleep issues are going to magically disappear." I had no idea of the effort. Plus, I'm now in the doghouse for almost ruining Christmas "because of my $hitty attitude"...well, I am now dwtermined to make this work.

Hi Fishy,

What about eliminating the ramp and lowering the pressure to 5 to see if perhaps that would help you in being able to sleep on the machine? Do you have a clinician's manual that would enable you to change the pressure?

I know some people don't like to do that as newbies but I thought I would throw it out there.

Ask the folks who put you in the doghouse how they would feel with little sleep. Anyway, we'll try to help you get out of it:)

49er