Basic Questions from a Newbie

I have a mild/moderate case of sleep apnea (AHI = 13) and just received my CPAP on Saturday. I'm using a Mirage FX mask with the machine set to 7. So some basic questions - how long should I give myself to get used to the mask? I last three hours the first night, four hours the second, and only two last night. I either feel like my nose itches or that there is moisture forming on my nose, so I have to take the mask off and itch/wipe off the dampness. Secondly, what is the recommended cleaning schedule? Any advice with that? The lady threw a bunch of info at me when I got the machine and, frankly, I can't remember what I'm supposed to do. Thanks!!!

Hi Sarah

Some folks take quite a while to get comfortable with all the new stuff, some adapt immediately. Keep in there and it will get better.

If you could select the information about your CPAP machine and humidifier, it would be helpful. Selecting the text mode may be better because many of the machines and masks look similar.

If you are using a humidifier in a cooler room, you may be experiencing what is called rainout in which the water vapor is condensing by the time the air gets to you. If your machine has a heated hose option, turning that on may help. If not, then wrapping some sort of insulation around the hose will minimize the rainout. There are commercial products for this.

If you are on a payment plan such as Medicare, etc., you need to be careful to get your usage up to over 4 hours per day otherwise, they won't pay. One strategy is to use it for an hour or three in the evening before going to bed. This will help you get used to how it feels and increase your hours to get compliance done for the first month.

Just updated my equipment info - should show below my post (hopefully). Thanks for the info regarding the minimum hours! I was informed that some insurances may audit my usage info, but I guess I figured they would give you a bit of a learning curve in the beginning! I will definitely try the heated hose option (I'm pretty sure my machine has that option - or at least heated air). Thanks!!

Welcome to the forum.

For cleaning....take your pick from strict regiments to barely clean only when absolutely necessary.
viewtopic.php?p=567264#p567264

Please confirm the model number on your machine. Your equipment profile points to the model 260 machine.
The model 260 machine only collects hours of use to prove to insurance company that you are using the machine.
It collects nothing else useful and if you see us talking about various software reports and stuff...your machine can't give you that.
You need model 460 or higher in the Respironics line.
So if you for sure have the model 260 you might want to read this..especially the part down at the bottom of the page where you realize that you have a brick.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

Pugsy - I double checked my paperwork and I think I accidentally picked the wrong option. The paperwork says "Philips Respironics System One REMstar Pro CPAP 6- Series with C-Flex+ (CPAP Mode). Is that a better machine? According to the link, it's a "green" option.

Sara, look at the back (or bottom) of your machine (remove the humidifier chamber first!) to find the model number. The 60 series are just the current models. The model number will be the most definitive. I think the "Pro" means you're OK, I'm not positive (since all the names are so similar).

Pugsy's right: it's crucial that you get a machine that will actually provide you and your doctor with the information you need to tell whether the therapy is actually working.

After you've sorted that out, here are some tips on masks:

During the first 30 days you can swap out your mask as many times as you want. Well, if your DME will let you. It's no cost to them, since the manufacturers replace the masks for them, but it does take time and effort, and not all DMEs are willing to do it.

I started out with a full face mask, and the itchy nose thing drove me nuts. For me it was my giant schnoz occasionally brushing against the plastic. Either way, it's awful when you can't scratch. I switched to a mask using nasal pillows, which worked for me, but doesn't work for everyone. Just food for thought.

SaraDfromSC wrote:The paperwork says "Philips Respironics System One REMstar Pro CPAP 6- Series with C-Flex+ (CPAP Mode). Is that a better machine?

Sounds like you have the 60 series Pro and that would be model 460 and yes, that's a full data machine. It is on the bottom of the blower unit.
Check out my signature line for links to threads about software discussions and also download link for SleepyHead (discussed in those Pointers that I mentioned).

Don't try to absorb everything all at once. You will get system overload for sure.

So I'm thinking I might try the nasal pillows type mask. I think it might help with my nose itching/wetness problem, as well as my discomfort from the strap on my neck (rubbing/irritating at the moment). Does anyone have any words of wisdom about nasal pillows? I tried them VERY briefly at my sleep study and felt like I couldn't breathe, but I'm guessing that's something I'll just get used to....

I really like the nasal pillow type of mask. It's all that I have ever used.

Regarding the not being able to breathe with them...could be the straps were too tight...could be the pressure was too low...could be the wrong size of nasal pillow was used. In other words could be a lot of things but there's a lot of us out here using nasal pillow masks.
Some are better than others for some people.

For newbies I would suggest either the Swift FX...the Aloha...the Swift LT...or if it interests you try the Tap Pap that I currently use. That no head gear at all thing is pretty darn nice.

You will find that with any mask out there there are going to be those that love it or hate it and the only way for you to know which way you are going to react is to try it.

Though I will tell you that the wetness if it is from condensation from your own exhaled breath...you may find that happens with any nasal mask. The cause is a combination of bedroom air temp, the incoming humidified air and the air you exhale which contains moisture.

So made an appointment for tomorrow to try a nasal pillow mask. I'm cautiously optimistic.

So for my next question - reading the data card. I see the software (Sleepyhead), but where do I get the reader for the card? Should I have a port on my computer? (sorry, I'm not tech-friendly!!)

If you don't have a slot on your computer for the SD card (same slot as for the regular SD cards in digital cameras) then you likely will need to use a USB port and if that is the case any SD card adapter/reader will work. About $10 at Walmart.
Sometimes the SD card slot is hard to find. On my laptop if I hadn't ask about it I never would have found it as it isn't marked at all.

If no slot...then this sort of adapter/reader will work. Just one end for the USB port and the other end to plug the SD card into.
Generic is fine...doesn't have to be a special name brand.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/generi ... eader.html

sawinglogz wrote:Sara, look at the back (or bottom) of your machine (remove the humidifier chamber first!) to find the model number. The 60 series are just the current models. The model number will be the most definitive. I think the "Pro" means you're OK, I'm not positive (since all the names are so similar).

Here is how I remember which is which. Pro is a go and Plus is a minus. It is a bit silly but when I figured this out I got where I could keep them straight.

Took me a couple of months, the big thing I had a problem was, was getting tangles up in the hose, I am a side sleeper so getting the mask ( nose) so getting my head near the edge of my pillow was the key, I also put in a hanger on my headboard and tied the hose up, I have a swivel on my mask and can toss and turn without the hose in my way.

I hated it at first, and took it off alot, my GF at the time complained and complained about me stopping breathing ( my dad is 79 and always had sleep apnea and never a machine )..

SaraDfromSC wrote:So I'm thinking I might try the nasal pillows type mask. I think it might help with my nose itching/wetness problem, as well as my discomfort from the strap on my neck (rubbing/irritating at the moment). Does anyone have any words of wisdom about nasal pillows? I tried them VERY briefly at my sleep study and felt like I couldn't breathe, but I'm guessing that's something I'll just get used to....

Definitely worth a try. At first I didn't like nasal pillows during my titration study, because they were the hardest for me to exhale against. Now that I'm at a lower pressure on ASV, though, they work great.

I also discovered that pressure on the bridge of my nose (with a full face mask) caused congestion (in addition to that blasted itch), and nasal pillows did the opposite! Unfortunately, I also mouth-breathe (or at least mouth-leak), so I couldn't just use nasal pillows, and instead am using a hybrid mask. It's mostly a hassle in terms of getting bumped out of position and leaking.

If you're having trouble breathing, you might adjust the C-flex setting so that it lowers the pressure when you exhale. Often the contrast between inhale and exhale pressure helps (and a constant pressure can feel suffocating).

But Pugsy is also right that it might just have been a poor fit or poorly adjusted. Good luck!

So I just got the Swift FX mask and it didn't seem nearly as restrictive as the nasal one. Of course, that was just the fitting, so we'll see tonight. I did notice that it's much easier to breathe through your mouth with this mask. I don't think I'm much of a mouth breather, but should I take precautions just in case? I've read elsewhere in the forum that some people tape their mouth shuts. I have to admit, that sounds kinda scary to me! And yet another random question - how long until the plastic/new machine smell goes away? Is there anything I can use to make the air smell better? It's not terrible, but a nice, light lavender smell would be nice