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Mask horrors, questions, ideas
#21
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
[/quote]
I find this troublesome.

So it tells you when you are not getting air, and when you are.

So even with a low AHI, you likely have a serious issue that should be addressed, probably with supplemental oxygen.

And if I had this issue and my sleep doc was a sleep doc/ENT or sleep doc/neurologist, I would immediately find a new sleep doc/pulmonologist.
[/quote]

Your 2c are welcomed.
The cpap appears to be helping with the o2. I use the oximeter once in a while with and without the cpap and I still have low o2 without cpap. I am seeing a neurologist for my epilepsy (under control) and he was the one who ordered the sleep tests. I have since then seen another MD - highly recommended form a few sources who is a sleep specialist and a pulmonologist. I will return to see him next month. Not sure if that was due to appt timing or they wanted me to use the cpap for a while. I will discuss the o2 issues with him. I am also going to use him as my pulmonologist being I have asthma too.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
"
Hillary Cooper
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#22
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
Quote:When you're trying different masks, give each mask at least a few nights so that you have a chance to get used to them. I ended up liking the mask I thought I would hate initially.

I use Sleepyhead, import the data every morning and type a few notes about how I slept and which mask I used. Being able to see the results like that helps a lot.

I will try the sleepyhead software once I have the time this weekend to download etc. I have used the FFM since Wednesday and a few times my bottom lip slips out and is totally annoying! Oh-jeez So last night I awoke and just took it off and went back to sleep. I have to try adjusting it tighter on the lower straps, I am not looking forward to any face marks. I am not giving up yet.

So it appears that my mouth opening is the issue no matter which mask. I also have tried taping my mouth shut and will try again with the FFM. Don't want to try a chin strap. I am also researching on the Buteyko Breathing Therapy (BBT) which helps with asthma, sleep and apnea. We'll see.

Thanks
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
"
Hillary Cooper
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#23
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
Revisit your reluctance to a chinstrap. They need not be as invasive as you might think. You can make a simple one for yourself from a nice cotton knit head band, or perhaps an Ace bandage. I use one that is a single strap.

You apply the chinstrap gently. It just serves as a reminder to your body to keep the jaw forward and the mouth closed. Then the tongue finds it's appropriate place at the roof of your mouth, which makes the airway seal. Again, the key is gentleness. If it's too tight, you will experience pain. So don't do that. But do investigate a chinstrap.

Speaking of asthma and the like, I have COPD. One thing I really like about cpap therapy is it keeps my airways open and my O2 in the 90's all night. Occasionally when I'm breathing really bad I'll put on my mask when just watching tv or whatever. That helps. They have discovered that critical asthma patients admitted to icu actually do better hooked up to straight cpap instead of oxygen.

Oh... and one more thing: Lose the mouth tape. That's a bad idea waiting to happen.

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#24
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
(04-15-2015, 11:45 AM)retired_guy Wrote: Revisit your reluctance to a chinstrap.

One thing I really like about cpap therapy is it keeps my airways open and my O2 in the 90's all night.

Lose the mouth tape. That's a bad idea waiting to happen.

After a week with a FFM I think I have to investigate a chinstrap. I just feel that I can't handle any more straps on my head. If the chinstrap helps and is less annoying I may go back to the pillows.

The O2 levels are what concerned my doctors more than my mild sleep apnea. There's got to be a better more natural method than wearing a cpap mask all night for the rest of my life! I hope to have another 25+ years of life, so thats over 9,000 nights! Oy!

I have tried the mouth tape and don't like it. I use a paper tape and it did help last night but when I removed it the adhesive works a little too well and have trouble removing it. Like a bad bandaid on my lips! Its worst doing this at 1:00 am!

My sleep pattern is also not great. I go to bed early 9:15, awake at 4:40 am. Weekends I get to sleep later. Its rare that I have the cpap on all night. I try to do at least the 4 hours but lately its been less due to the discomfort.

Thanks retired guy

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
"
Hillary Cooper
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#25
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
Exhale,

I'm in agreement with Retired Guy... Keep an open mind about the chin strap. I am very new to CPAP having just gotten on the Resmed 10 Autoset about two weeks ago. I was glued to this board because I was so worked up and fearful of this major change in my life. My first two or three nights were an exercise in insomnia and wondering if I could ever make this work. I had a very difficult time falling asleep and I'm sure now that all of it was in my head. I've tried several different masks over the last few weeks (Full face, nasal mask and pillows). I had reservations about the pillows because I am a lifelong notorious mouth breather (with a deviated septum) but I was determined to make the pillows work for me. I feel that they are the least intrusive method that will work the best for me for long term compliance in conjunction with Flonase to keep my nasal passages completely clear--It's a miracle spray!!. After one night on the full face mask, I knew immediately that I would have major issues adjusting to that so I kept with the pillows. I loosely wore a chinstrap with the pillows and slowly over the next few nights, I got acclimated to them and have been falling asleep quickly and staying asleep until morning. The key is not making the strap too tight. You will still be able to open your mouth if you wake up so don't worry about that. Just make it tight enough to realize its there and train your body to keep your mouth closed. A few nights ago, after over a week with the strap, I decided to take it off and see what happened. I had no issues with opening my mouth and slept like a baby. I still keep the strap next to the bed just in case. Stick with it. It gets easier quickly. Good luck
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#26
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
Also, one other thing that has helped me tremendously was changing my starting pressure from 6 to 7 and turning my ramp off. I felt a little air starved at 6 and thus had difficulty falling asleep. At 7, it is much easier. I would see what your doctor says about that but I decided to do it on my own and I'm glad I did.
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#27
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
(04-16-2015, 10:08 AM)signal13 Wrote: Also, one other thing that has helped me tremendously was changing my starting pressure from 6 to 7 and turning my ramp off. I felt a little air starved at 6 and thus had difficulty falling asleep. At 7, it is much easier. I would see what your doctor says about that but I decided to do it on my own and I'm glad I did.

My pressure is set to auto - starting at 4 and increasing to 6. I'll give both the chinstrap and the pressure a try.
Thanks

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
"
Hillary Cooper
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#28
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
I second the motion about using 7 as a minimum start pressure. I was not getting enough air at 6, which made me a bit stressed, which made me want more air, etc. Bad spiral for the purpose of sleeping. I moved mine to 7 and it felt better. It looks like you are on a straight constant 6, so maybe it's a bit too light to meet your breathing needs. You might want to change it to APAP, with a 6.5 or 7 minimum and a 10 or 12 maximum. Or ask your Dr about it.

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#29
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
I use an FFM, and I just switched from a ResMed F10, to an F&P Simplus, which I like a lot better, however, it does sometimes leave some marks. It sucks to have to use the machine, but it was scary without it. I have onset-central hypopnea, and my pulse ox would go off (alarm) at 70%. In the lab, I was at 72% on desat, on my first apnea of the night. I'm thinking about having an MRI (or rather, trying to talk my primary care doctor into letting me get one,) because I have a history of head injury, and I want to make sure my brain is OK. I remember feeling my first RERA episodes as far back as 2000. It just got worse with time.
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#30
RE: Mask horrors, questions, ideas
(04-16-2015, 02:42 PM)trailrider Wrote: You might want to change it to APAP, with a 6.5 or 7 minimum and a 10 or 12 maximum. Or ask your Dr about it.

I'll have to check the machine and see what I can do and talk to the Dr or call the nurses who have been helping me with the machine.
Thanks

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
"
Hillary Cooper
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