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How to acclimate
#1
How to acclimate
per other posts of mine and your responses, I got the ResMed 10 'for her' even though I am a male.

Also got the P10 pillow mask - that was a really nice recommendation. Much more comfortable than the full face or the nose mask.

Wore the unit for 1 hour fist night, could not fall asleep so took it off and then fell asleep.

Second night, wore it for 1.5 hours. Then woke up as usual. Unit said I had 4 incidents per hour and the final pressure was 5.6.

Did not want to risk NOT falling back to sleep - even poor sleep (getting up every 1.5 hours) so took the unit off.

What are your experiences in cases like this getting used to the unit?

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#2
RE: How to acclimate
What are your pressure settings? I believe the unit comes with a default setting of minimum 4 maximum 20, and ramp time of 30 minutes.

None of that would make me a happy camper.

If it were my machine I would want the minimum to be at least 6, probably 8. I'd also want the max to be more in line with what my true needs are. If I didn't know that yet, I would go about 14, then review my ResScan results every morning to see where I'm at.

And the ramp? I would set mine to the "off" position. Or, at most 5 minutes.

Now, about the P10... One thing you might try is using a larger pillows size than you think you need. For me I should definitely use a medium, but I stay much happier with the large. Seems like I get better air flow.

Anyhow, keep in touch, and if you haven't downloaded and installed the ResScan software yet, do that.
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#3
RE: How to acclimate
(09-14-2014, 11:13 AM)sleepyCoder Wrote: per other posts of mine and your responses, I got the ResMed 10 'for her' even though I am a male.

Also got the P10 pillow mask - that was a really nice recommendation. Much more comfortable than the full face or the nose mask.

Wore the unit for 1 hour fist night, could not fall asleep so took it off and then fell asleep.

Second night, wore it for 1.5 hours. Then woke up as usual. Unit said I had 4 incidents per hour and the final pressure was 5.6.

Did not want to risk NOT falling back to sleep - even poor sleep (getting up every 1.5 hours) so took the unit off.

What are your experiences in cases like this getting used to the unit?

Being able to get to sleep/stay asleep can take some getting used to when you first start using your CPAP. Here is what I did when I started. Maybe something here will help you. (Remember that we are all different and what works for one person may or may not work for you.) First, I decided that my brand new wonderful sleep machine was the answer to my feeling so horrible and that I WAS going to MAKE it work. That I would wear it come h--- or high water.Smile

Then I wore it while out of the bedroom while watching tv or reading prior to bedtime. Once I started feeling sleepy I moved the unit into the bedroom(remember to take the water out while moving the unit...you don't want to spill water into the bower) got ready for bed, had a final swallow of water, put the mask back on, got comfy in the bed, and then read (using a Kindle with so that I wouldn't need an overhead light or be using a blue screen light) until I was breathing comfortably with the machine again felt sleepy again. The trick here,for me, was to be reading something I had already finished so that I would be willing to stop once I did feel sleepy.

Then, when I would wake up I tried to decide what actually woke me up. The hose? The mask moving? Too hot or cold? Then I would solve whatever I could without allowing myself to take off the mask. Bathroom breaks or needing another drink were kept short and I would get right back on bed and put the mask back on. If I couldn't go back to sleep I would get my Kindle out again and read until I was able to sleep again.

A couple of times I woke up pulling the mask off for no reason I could remember. These times I was usually anxious upon waking up. I would get up. Walk around a little... Assure myself that the house was fine, doors locked, etc. If I felt that there was no way I was going to sleep I sat up for awhile... Sometimes turned on some music for relaxation. Once I was calm it was back to bed and the mask.

What I didn't allow myself to do was to get back onto bed without wearing the mask. I kept telling myself that I was for now and always a CPAP user and that I would master this new way of sleeping. Yes, those first few nights were not solid sleep... But then again neither were the nights before the CPAP.

Sorry this is so long, but you did ask how I got past those first weeks. Luckily I did start feeling better almost immediately after starting to use the machine and that encouraged me to push though the wake ups.

Also take a good look at Reired Guy's post. If you are feeling like you are not getting enough air that needs to be addressed, as do leak problems if you are having those.

Why do you think you are not falling asleep or waking up when you do? Answering that question helps you to decide on your next step.


Wishing you a better sleep tonight. Sleep-well








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#4
RE: How to acclimate
I did something similar --- only used the mask and unit for a couple hours each night when I first received the equipment. After about a week (or two?) I was able to get through the whole night. I just had to work up to it.
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#5
RE: How to acclimate
I can't agree more about changing the default pressure settings if you are having trouble acclimating to CPAP therapy. It's better to have a little less pressure and possibly experience a few apnea events than to have such a high degree of discomfort that it keeps you from using CPAP.

For those that need it, the lowered pressure will help them acclimate much easier and faster. They will soon enough be able to address the pressure settings as actually needed and wonder why the higher setting ever bothered them. The whole process doesn't take very long. I'd say 2 weeks maximum is plenty of time for most people. YMMV though so don't try to match the experience of others but know that it will happen at your own pace, and it will happen. The important thing is to keep going once you get it set to where you can tolerate it. Never give up!
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#6
RE: How to acclimate
If I am being honest by the time I got treatment and got to the sleep study I was at the point of falling asleep anywhere, at the table, at dinner, in a restaurant, talking to my wife, sitting here typing a post, literally I thought I was narcoleptic. I recall the woman at my sleep study telling me that I might have trouble falling back to sleep with the mask on just as I remember my anesthesiologist telling me to count back from 100 where I got to 96. They put on the mask, I passed out. I was a mess, and I was constantly exhausted. I didn't have issues adapting till after I adapted just because I was so tired I couldn't help but pass out. Then when I started getting better sleep the issues began, waking up from the machine, the mask, etc. But as much as that bothered me it was nothing compared to how I felt without using it so I just kept telling myself that I needed this and it would be ok, and to relax, and then I started just wearing the mask before going to bed, and as often as possible, wake up leave it on, lay in bed, read watch tv, whatever. Then I found nasal masks, the wisp, now the p10, and from there a better machine that is gentler on me and nose, and now it's like second nature. You will adapt, we all do, it just takes some positive thinking, and some sheer will at times. Best of luck with everything.
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#7
RE: How to acclimate
There are many ways to do this, but in my opinion the BEST way is to just PUT THE MASK ON EVERYTIME you lie down (whether to sleep or 'just rest') and insist that your body just get sleepy and tired enough to sleep.

If you wake up, go to the bathroom or whatever and put it BACK ON.

For masks that didn't work for me, I never tried them for less than 3 hours -- and then quit only because I could switch back to the P10.

The only exception I would ever consider is if there was something coming up that was both unavoidable and absolutely required me to be rested (e.g., something like doing surgery on a child Smile ).

Seriously, many of us also need the pressure up "high enough" to feel like we are getting enough air -- that tends to start somewhere above 6, usually more like 8 or even 10.

You can also ask your sleep doc for a sleeping pill. (Probably won't even take a visit if you call in to talk with the nurse, PA, or doc.)

The ideas about TRYING the mask during waking hours are also good -- watching TV, reading, etc.

This is the only type of 'experimentation' I would recommend.

Don't cut yourself slack on wearing the mask -- it only postpones the inevitable (if you are to be successful.)

Just make a commitment to wear it 100% of the time when you MIGHT sleep and it will only be a VERY SHORT time before you are sleeping easily with it.

Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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