My First Night With a CPAP!!

[DariaVader]

ahhh, I see you have a fixed pressure device, rather than an auto. They started me at 6 to 15, but changed it to 7 on the bottom, because at 6 I feel like I am not getting enough air *IN*. I dunno how you breath at 4 surely we are all different!

[Ghost1958]

Not sure if you are running in auto mode or straight cpap mode. Either way a min or straight setting of 7 is smothering to me and my wife. Just going to 8 makes a world of difference.

My min is 10.5 with the simplus im using right now as suggested by the machine itself. When my Eson comes in next day or two Ill let the machine pick a new starting pressure which with a nasal will be lower if history means anything.

Oh and with the Eson or Simplus you dont have to take the mask off to go the bathroom or get a break from the pressure. Just pop the grey swivel off with the hose still attached to it. That way you have full open air access and dont have to take the mask off and on.


Works pretty well responding to home invasions too. A guy in his undies with a pistol flashlight and a cpap mask on is sort of intimidating LOL.

[Amie87]

Not sure if you are running in auto mode or straight cpap mode. Either way a min or straight setting of 7 is smothering to me and my wife. Just going to 8 makes a world of difference.

My min is 10.5 with the simplus im using right now as suggested by the machine itself. When my Eson comes in next day or two Ill let the machine pick a new starting pressure which with a nasal will be lower if history means anything.

Oh and with the Eson or Simplus you dont have to take the mask off to go the bathroom or get a break from the pressure. Just pop the grey swivel off with the hose still attached to it. That way you have full open air access and dont have to take the mask off and on.


Works pretty well responding to home invasions too. A guy in his undies with a pistol flashlight and a cpap mask on is sort of intimidating LOL.

Bahahaha! Yes, I was taking it off at the hose part, I took the whole mask off when I wen to the bathroom for a short break, but I love how easy everything clips with this mask. I mean, i've never had another to compare, but the headgear clips are just hooks. I've have zero issues putting the mask on, I even did it in the dark in about 2 seconds!!


As do the air, I was told that the pressure is less on exhale, and it feels that way too. I'm also quite short, 5 feet to be exact, and perhaps I have smaller lungs? I dont know, I'm normally a shallow/slow breather. I've been trying to work on taking better/bigger breaths and perhaps that will make it easier at night :p.

I guess it will be some trial and error and see what works best :p.

[Amie87]

My second night with CPAP!

Sooo, Resmed gave me a lower score for last night then my 1st night, however, I think last night was the better of the two nights.

First off, the reason my score was lower last night (59 compared to 64) is for two reasons, the first being that I had about 20 minutes less therapy time, and because my events per hour went from 6.5 to 11.8.

Now at first glance this would seem like I had a worse night, but I don't see it that way! See, on the upside, I only stopped therapy twice last night (compared to 4 times the first night). I also only slept about 3.5 hours without the mask compared to about 5 to 6 the first night. So while my therapy time was slightly less, it represented more of my entire night then the first night.

Second, my events per hour went up, which could appear as less then ideal. But I don't see it that way. I slept WAY more last night then I did the first night, which is most likely why I had more events, because I wasn't awake! Which also means that a larger portion of that therapy time was spent sleeping and not laying awake!


I did make some changes last night, I did turn off ramp and I think I like it better. I was able to practice breathing with the higher pressure which I think helped when I fell asleep/woke up. I did notice I woke up and my mask was entirely off. I don't really remember taking it off!! Haha, I'll have to work on that :p

[me50]

sounds like you are off to a good start. Too bad you didn't get the auto machine. I always did better on auto than on a fixed pressure.

Just don't give up! You have the right attitude that is for sure

[JimZZZ]

See, on the upside, I only stopped therapy twice last night (compared to 4 times the first night). I also only slept about 3.5 hours without the mask compared to about 5 to 6 the first night:p

I admire and respect your positive attitude as you struggle with getting adequate sleep. After a year on PAP, I am awaking only once during the night. But when I started therapy, my experience was a lot like what you're enduring now. I'm sure your sleep will be more pleasurable and restoring as you become accustomed to CPAP.

BTW, I added 5 mg of time-release Melatonin at bedtime to my routine and it seems to help.

[Amie87]

See, on the upside, I only stopped therapy twice last night (compared to 4 times the first night). I also only slept about 3.5 hours without the mask compared to about 5 to 6 the first night:p

I admire and respect your positive attitude as you struggle with getting adequate sleep. After a year on PAP, I am awaking only once during the night. But when I started therapy, my experience was a lot like what you're enduring now. I'm sure your sleep will be more pleasurable and restoring as you become accustomed to CPAP.

BTW, I added 5 mg of time-release Melatonin at bedtime to my routine and it seems to help.

Thanks! That actually sounds like a good idea!!


And I feel I have to be positive about this. I first started experience fatigue when I was about 19, and it's progressively gotten worse since. I have a whole host of problems and I feel like my doctor took a look at a few possibilities and when they came up negative, slapped the diagnosis of fibromyalgia on it, so now, a lot of issues are just assumed to be related to that. And not to say I don't have it, but when he first diagnosed me with it, I didn't actually meet the criteria. Over about 2 or 3 years my symptoms got worse and I eventually "fit" the profile. Luckily, I have a meeting to see a new family doctor next month. But either way, I'm just so happy that this one walk in doctor saw my problems and told me it was serious and sent me to a few specialists. In fact, he made me promise him I would come back after the meds he gave me were finished!!


So if I'm able to alleviate some of my daytime symptoms by putting up with/getting use to, a CPAP machine, I'll do it!

I feel this is just step one on my road to recovery, and feeling somewhat how I use to. It'll be nice to have the energy to go out and do things I once did, not to have constant headaches (I recently had one for two weeks) and most importantly, I LOVE not waking up with sandpaper mouth!!! That itself is almost worth it!! I use to wake up with such a dry mouth and throat I could bare swallow water and would spend a few minutes each morning coughing in the sink, trying not to be sick


(also, the direct feedback I get from my machine definitely helps me stay motivated and keep getting better at this!)