Is your FINAL CPAP machine better than the tester?

I tellya, I only have one more nasty, uncomfortable, hateful night in my initial week of evaluation.

I've had to swap masks, have pressure upped and generally am getting in a very bad mood
from this thing.

Will the machine I.....order..... (if I do) be easier to fit and tolerate as a general rule?
I hope the answer/s aren't "you'll get used to it."

They could use these things at Gitmo as far as my experience is showing.

(Male, 74 yrs old, 6', 250 lbs down from 354 a few years back
but plateaued against further loss anything short of starving.

Upper moderate apnea.

Presently on titration (test) machine Resmed S9 for the evaluation week.
Have swapped masks trying for best fit. Start pressure is 8 cmh20.)

Guess I should add that I tolerate the machine as long as possible until it is impossible to ignore the discomfort.

So I end up turning it off and sleeping in my recliner with NOTHING in or on me in order to get anything that FEELS like sleep.

Hi Napnea...I totally get where you are coming from, as I am also in my seventies. It will be harder for you to get used to because of your age and because if you are like me, dealing with numerous other maladies and chronic conditions....add sleep apnea to the mix and it is a huge slap in the face. I started my journey with it 10 years ago, so I am used to it. I do it because I don't want strangers wiping my butt any sooner than necessary, and because I want to enjoy my grandchildren as long as I can. So I just put one foot in front of the other and keep putting that mask on one day at a time.

There is a huge amount of information and wonderful, knowledgeable people on this forum, I could not have made it without them. So if you utilize this forum, you will do alot better and in general it will make it easier for you.

Take care, and welcome!

Janice

PS: Once you get your own equipment, set properly and a comfortable mask, things should settle down for you.

I wonder if a mask liner would make the mask more comfortable.
I also wonder how much effort the tech made in teaching you how to adjust the headgear
to take advantage of the hovercraft effect.
Much misery comes from wearing these things too tightly, and some "techs" have no clue.
The process is counter-intuitive in that looser is better, because tighter makes leaky creases.
The following link can tell you lots about mask fitting and machines--
(insurance pays the same (USA) for a full data machine as a stupid brick):
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

Thanks for that link.
I think I need some study or bugging you guys for a while.

I will NOT check the box on my "report form" from Kaiser that asks if I want them to go ahead and order a machine.

I'd like to know something about the results of my evaluation before choosing a blower.

Smart kid!

If you have DME coverage from Kaiser, you will get ONLY the machine they order for you. They won't pay for anything else. And you will have NO choice in the make or model. Kaiser uses Apria (less than fondly known as Crapria) as their supplier in most regions AFAIK. If you buy your own machine (no contribution from Kaiser) you can buy anywhere--Craigslist, from one of our trusted members, from our host at cpap.com, or other online seller--these will all cost you less money and certainly less aggravation than dealing with Crapria.

You always will have the option to pay out of pocket for your own machine, but they will prefer you to use a certain brand (varies by region) because they have the software to download your data.

It's probably not the machine that's making you uncomfortable so much as two factors:
1. You are having mask fitting issues. Call Kaiser, they will help with that. They aren't the best at fitting masks, but they have a lot of masks for you to take home and try. And they will work with you until you find the right mask.
2. You are being titrated with this loaner machine. That means the settings are wide open from 4 to 20, and it's uncomfortable. With a wide open setting, the pressure has to "chase" your apneas, and that can drive the pressure higher than you really need it to be. That is probably the root of a lot of your discomfort. Once they have enough data, they can dial in the settings a little better for you (and it may take a few tweaks along the way), and you will be MUCH more comfortable when your own machine is dialed in optimally for you.

So hang in there. You're in your 70's and this is but a week out of your life. This, too, shall pass.

2. You are being titrated with this loaner machine. That means the settings are wide open from 4 to 20, and it's uncomfortable. With a wide open setting, the pressure has to "chase" your apneas, and that can drive the pressure higher than you really need it to be. That is probably the root of a lot of your discomfort. Once they have enough data, they can dial in the settings a little better for you (and it may take a few tweaks along the way), and you will be MUCH more comfortable when your own machine is dialed in optimally for you.

VERY good news. This is what I've been curious about. Thanks for the info.

Hang in there a while longer! The ride will improve!

I use a nasal pillow mask, which was pretty easy to fit, and usually doesn't leak unless it gets shifted out of my nose. I had some initial mouth leakage issues, but with a week or two of persistense I either learned to keep my mouth closed or close it back up without disturbing my sleep too badly. I did lousy with a full face mask on the one night I tried it.

A smaller pressure range will help once they settle on one. You need a high enough pressure to get enough air, maybe 8 cmH2O, but not so much to blow the mask off. I have a range of 10 to 16. My ramp starts at 8, and the pressure usually runs between 10 and 12.

It really takes a while to accept and adjust to clap. I was really pissed for a good couple weeks.

Jim

Agreed that although your final machine will probably be quite similar to this test machine (I think they often give a single pressure instead of fixed pressure machine), over time it gets easier due to other reasons, including improving settings, mask selection/fit, and learning to sleep with the system. It gets to be quite routine after some time.

It does however sound like you are ensuring that you get the care you need, as you say you've already had the pressure changed and mask swapped (which although annoying, is good). Keep on your providers if you are having troubles, but do try to use it as much as you can. Its easy to get into the habit of taking off the mask whenever you get uncomfortable. Getting over that hump of keeping the mask on all night can be tough.

Using it during the day can help you get accustomed to it, as well as work out any mask fit issues you have (for example, watching tv or reading a book). If you are having issues with insomnia, your doctor may be willing to prescribe something short term. I hope you soon see some benefit too...that alone can be good motivation to persevere. Best wishes.