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My First Night with DreamStation
#1
My First Night with DreamStation
All I can say is I am glad I wasn't on camera during a sleep study last night. I put it on and watched a DVR-ed TV show. Fell asleep half sitting up supported by pillows in about 15 minutes.

I woke up two hours later when I tried to turn over on my side (I am a side or stomach sleeper) the mask blew air into my eyes or down over my lips and mouth and would wake me up. I would adjust it, all seems fine. Then I would move again and get blasted somewhere else. So I dozed, tossed and turned for the next four hours.

I ended up having a massive temper tantrum about 4 am. All the dogs ran out of the room... like I said, I am glad I wasn't on camera! I had to fight the urge to throw the whole thing across the room (I was really P*ssed!) and finally went back to sleep on my back.

The machine said my AHI was 2.35 and no mask leaks... hmm what was that blasting in my face off and on for a couple hours??? The DreamMapper app is obviously bogus, it said 0 AHI, 0 leaks and 0% periodic breathing. It'll be interesting to see what SleepyHead says.

I played around with it this morning (it's easier to act sanely at 9 am than 4 am!) and found if I hook my fingernails in vents under my nose when I turn over it stays seated.

My lungs feel a little heavy this morning.
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#2
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
Your lungs feeling heavy is normal when first starting. It is just your muscles getting used to exhaling against the slight pressure. It will pass in a couple of days. I have not used that mask so I have no advice on improving fit, someone else will.
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#3
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
I little bit of air can feel like a large leak. It's not enough to trigger the machine to register it as a leak, though. Those things can be really annoying.
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#4
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
(10-28-2016, 11:02 AM)KSMatthew Wrote: I little bit of air can feel like a large leak. It's not enough to trigger the machine to register it as a leak, though. Those things can be really annoying.

I have always been a very light sleeper, when I actually do sleep. So it doesn't take much to wake me up. I thought I had insomnia, but the tech at the sleep study said I did not. I woke up because because I stopped breathing and I never got past the first stage of sleep. Everyone at the sleep center was shocked that I had apnea so bad. I am a small thin woman with no problems breathing through my nose all night. Onwards...
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#5
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
Give yourself some time to get used to the therapy and the mask. Every mask fits differently, and everyone has a different facial structure. A mask that works for person A might not work for person B. After a while, if the leaks still keep you awake, try a different mask.

The other thing is the vent itself. The mask will have a vent to allow air to escape when you exhale. Different mask will diffuse that exhaust differently. Sometimes it gets directed back into your face if the hose gets into certain positions.
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#6
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
I have pretty much given up on the DreamWear for the same reasons. I am a primarily side/ 3/4 stomach sleeper, and the blasts were enough to drive me wacky. Once I switched to the wisp with the fabric frame, I don't get those blasts nearly as often (maybe once a night) and I can sleep almost on my face. Good luck! I would see if you can try a different mask, as most will trade you within 30 days.
"I am not a Doctor, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.Coffee
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#7
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
Last night was better. I held onto the mask when I turned over so I didn't get blasted. As far as I remember I only woke up three times and my AHI was 2.5 but I feel groggy and thick headed. Less rested than before...sigh
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#8
RE: My First Night with DreamStation
(10-28-2016, 09:40 AM)mcsheltie Wrote: I woke up two hours later when I tried to turn over on my side (I am a side or stomach sleeper) the mask blew air into my eyes or down over my lips and mouth and would wake me up. I would adjust it, all seems fine. Then I would move again and get blasted somewhere else. So I dozed, tossed and turned for the next four hours.
Which nasal pillows mask are you using?

Some masks have a noticeable exhaust stream and when that exhaust flow hits a bed pillow or the covers? It bounces back in your eye or down over your lips or mouth and it's easy to mistake this for a mask leak.

It's also possible that you are very slightly dislodging the pillows when they hit your pillow when you are turning over, and since you are brand new to this, even the smallest leak (from the machine's point of view) seems like a hurricane to you. For what it's worth, I'm six years into PAPing, and if the exhaust stream is in just the wrong place or the nasal pillows are dislodged ever so slightly when I'm "sort of" asleep, it will still wake me up, but there's no evidence of a large leak in the machine's data.

Quote:I ended up having a massive temper tantrum about 4 am. All the dogs ran out of the room... like I said, I am glad I wasn't on camera! I had to fight the urge to throw the whole thing across the room (I was really P*ssed!) and finally went back to sleep on my back.
It does get better. And again for what it's worth, there were multiple nights when I was just starting out that I'd wake up and throw a hissy fit in the middle of the night. My hubby was a saint in dealing with me. And there was at least one night when I did throw the *mask* across the room with enough force to cause the machine to tumble off the table. (Fortunately there was no damage to the CPAP.)


Quote:I played around with it this morning (it's easier to act sanely at 9 am than 4 am!) and found if I hook my fingernails in vents under my nose when I turn over it stays seated.
Good---you've got a great attitude here: If something is not working in the middle of the night (i.e. 4am) try tacking the issue when you are awake. You will also eventually learn how to "hook your fingernails" where you need them to be without having to consciously think about it.

For me the "turning over in bed" problem was essentially solved by putting a hose cozy on the hose and then sleeping with the hose curled next to my body with me clutching the short hose just below the place where the pillows attach to the short hose. Others have solved the "turning over in bed" problem by using hose hangers to hang the hose overhead with enough slack to allow for comfortable movement, but not so much slack as to make it easy to get tangled up in the hose.


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See my Guide to SleepyHead
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