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Can't get used to using CPAP
#11
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
"still feel like I'm fighting to exhale but not sure how much of that is real and how much is in my head." It's real and I used to do that also. EPR helped and if that is enough for you then great, if you are still having problems you should talk to your doctor about the ResMed AirCurve VPAP as this is a bilevel machine and it lets you set separate inhale and exhale pressures.
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#12
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
I agree with OpalRose. Setting your minimum treatment pressure to 4 is not really helpful.

Remember, setting the minimum pressure to 4 doesn't mean that the machine will give you a pressure of 4 all night. Since it's in auto-adjusting mode, the pressure will start at 4 and vary between 4-20 as needed to prevent apnea events.


Can you look at your machine and see how high your pressure went last night? It likely went much higher than 8.

If you see that the pressure went very high, then you may want to talk to either your doctor or to the supplier of your machine about starting off at a low, fixed pressure (say 6.0 with EPR=3) for a few nights, so that you can get used to breathing with the machine.

Hang in there! I started off at a fixed pressure of 7.0 and it felt like a huge column of air whooshing past my face for the first few nights.

Recommended:
Set EPR to 3.
Set minimum pressure back to 8.
See what pressure machine went to last night, let us know, & we can advise you further.

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#13
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
Just wanted to post another update. Having a lot more success with the machine.

I've slept with the mask on for 2 consecutive nights, I'm getting at least 6 hours sleep each night.

Still using fixed pressure but I've increased the pressure each night, I'm up to almost 5 now. If things keep going well I'll keep increasing the pressure each night. I want to get back up to 8 where it should be.

Still having an issue fighting to breathe if I'm laying down, I've been forced to sleep sitting almost upright the last couple of nights but I still think this may be mostly mental. Hopefully this can be resolved soon too.

The machine does have EPR, I've set it to 3

I set the humidifier to the max setting and I'm not having problems with dry mouth anymore.

Baby steps to be sure but overall headed in the right direction.
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#14
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
I have been struggling to use bipap for 5 years now with no success whatsoever!! I am so tired and cranky. I have had my tonsils and adenoids removed and 2 nasal surgeries for a deviated septum, reduced turbinate and sinus sinuplasty. I still cannot breath through my right nostril. Not only did the surgeries not allow me to use the bipap, I still get sinus infections every 2-3 months! I take allergy medicine and allergy shots. I also lost 17 pounds. Nothing has made using the bipap any more comfortable. The only good thing is I am no longer drowning in mucus at night when I lay down!

I just cannot get use to the mask, any mask. The straps that go across my face and over or around the ears totally bothers me. And I am always crushing the hose or moving it. I sleep on my side and when I wear the new mask, the hose either pulls the mask out of position or the pillow and the mask fight making the mask uncomfortable and leak. Can't they design these things any better? I cannot breath out against the pressure and cannot seem to "try to sync my breathing with the machine." I use the ramp feature and set the ramp pressure to 4/10. I want to throw it out of the window!! I did find one mask design that is tolerable that is an nasal cup and the hose goes over the head and there are NO face straps, but alas they stop making it.Sad

Last week when I tried to use the new nasal pillows, I came down with another sinus infection. I feel like I am going to go crazy. And you can forget tying to use bipap when you have a sinus infection.

I have thought of running the awful gantlet of trying to get a new bipap that suppose to "breaths with you", but just thinking about it make me tired. When I first got this stupid thing in 2009, they just threw it at me and said go at it. No instructions on cleaning, no information on filters, no information on getting new or replacing anything, no information on heated hoses, just let the water from the heated humidifier spit up your nose and try to breathe. Yes, that happened. I have been too fearful to try the heated humidifier again.

I had to read my insurance the riot act to get filters and a new mask. Now I have filters, but obviously, the do not work. I might try to convince insurance to spring for a cleaning/drying machine. But they keep calling me wanting to know how long I have used my machine. Even if I could use it, how would I know that because they did not give me any information on how to use the software!

Between my struggles with bipap and VERY uniformed medical community where I live, it is really tough. I guess I am just looking for some suggestions, encouragement, and ideas on how to deal with a machine that I really hate.
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#15
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
(06-10-2016, 05:26 PM)Nolanosleep Wrote: I guess I am just looking for some suggestions, encouragement, and ideas on how to deal with a machine that I really hate.

I can understand anxiety about it, and I can understand fear of it, but I can't understand feeling hate toward it. Well, if you want to you can hate the fact that the world is round, I suppose, but it won't change anything.

I can understand hating having sleep apnea, and hating to have to use a machine to treat it, but for the life of me I can't comprehend hating the machine itself.

Hating the fact that you have SA also doesn't change the fact that you have it. Until you accept that you do have it and that it is going to kill you and make your life miserable unless you treat it, there's not much we can really do. Once you decide that you do have it, you need to treat it, and are going to use the machine *then*we can help you adjust to the machine.

But until you give up your hate for an inanimate object I don't see much that we can do.

Ed Seedhouse
VA7SDH

Part cow since February 2018.

Trust your mind less and your brain more.


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#16
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
I thought this thread was " can't get use to cpap" and was for giving advise and support. By your response, it does not appear to be that at all. My bad. I will cancel my registration and find real support elsewhere.Thanks You made my first experience on this board such a great one!
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#17
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
Nolanosleep, we have many members who have bi-pap machines who can give useful advice, but we will need to know which model of Resmed machine you have. We also have the clinician's setup manuals available so that you can learn more about your machine -see the links at the top of the page.
Finding the right mask can be a long process, and small DMEs may not have a good selection, in which case scrolling through online catalogue can turn up candidates, and many online stores allow 30 day returns. If you can tell us exactly which masks you have tried, we may be able to suggest alternatives.
No single member here can represent all of us, and any of us can have a bad day from time to time. I don't think you will find an apnea forum that is, overall, more welcoming than this one.
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#18
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
Nolanosleep,
Welcome to Apnea Board!

You state that you aquired your machine in 2009 which makes your bipap 7 years old.

Just looking over your profile, you give us very little to go on in order to give advice.
If you would please list the exact model of your ResMed Machine, the pressure it is set to, that would be a big help. There is a link here to order the clinicians manual for your machine.
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-pr...tup-manual

It sounds like you have been struggling for at least 5 to 7 years, and I find that rediculous.
One thing we learn very quickly here is that you can't depend on the medical community to help much with Cpap use. Most of us were given our machine and sent home with very little instruction.

What this means is that you are the only one who can make this work. Yes, we can encourage and give advice, but you will need to give us a little more to go on.

There are many folk here who use BiPap machines, and I have a feeling that it's just a matter of getting the correct pressure settings.

Your profile also lacks information on your mask. You mentioned nasal pillows in your post. This would be the easiest to adapt to. Very little contact with face and straps are minimal.

I can understand the "rant" in your post. We have all been there. Grin
Try to get back to us with an updated profile, especially pressure settings and machine information.
.


OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#19
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
(06-05-2016, 12:19 PM)nubbin00 Wrote: I wake up during the night feeling like I'm drowning so I start to panic until I take off the mask. If I'm still waking up several times a night, what's the point of wearing this thing?
It takes some time to acclimate to the therapy. The point right now is allowing your body and mind to adapt to the therapy. You have come to the right place. The folks in the forum will help you get through this first phase, it can be traumatic. Many give up and never see the benefits of therapy. [/quote]
(06-05-2016, 12:58 PM)chill Wrote: Your machine is set to go up to 20 which is a LOT of pressure to get used to in the first days
Chill has brought up a good point you may need to lower the top end until you acclimate a bit and the increase it gradually if your AHI warrants it.

Good luck with your therapy, never give up, never surrender. You can do this!Big Grin
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#20
RE: Can't get used to using CPAP
(06-10-2016, 05:26 PM)Nolanosleep Wrote: I guess I am just looking for some suggestions, encouragement, and ideas on how to deal with a machine that I really hate.

That's why we're here! To lend support and help. I can certainly understand your frustrations, I suggest you try to make a fresh start. One of the problems I had was being unable to think clearly because I was so sleep-deprived. A CPAP machine can be a very difficult thing to get used to, but it can also be very rewarding to conquer the thing and enjoy the benefits of it.

You have a lot of issues to deal with, but if you do decide you want to give it a go, let us know how you'd like to proceed. I suggest you start by giving us the brand name and model number of your machine.

Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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