Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

New member - hello
#1
New member - hello
Hi everyone,
I've been checking out the board now for a little over a week and am expecting to have a CPAP machine of my own here in a few weeks. I had a titration last week and see my doctor on Monday. I already have the study results - I wanted to see them before my appointment. I am a former Respiratory Therapist so some of the study results make sense to me but certainly not all. The board has been very helpful in educating me, thank you! One thing I do regret already is not having been referred to an actual sleep doctor. I'm going to try and change that.

The DME company I plan on using provides ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset machines even with a plain CPAP order. My machine will be set for me in CPAP mode with a pressure of 10. But, I plan on changing it to Auto shortly after I get it. I didn't feel that my sleep study was very good due to me having a lot of trouble sleeping and I spent very little time in a supine position during the sleep study. I suspect I will need a pressure higher then 10 when I'm sleeping on my back.

In the past I've set patients up on CPAP and BiPAP but had not expected me to be wearing one. But, my work has mostly been in the hospital so I'm not sure how DME's handle fitting and providing masks.

I'd like to start out with a nasal mask I think, I didn't like the FFM. But, I will also need to start with a chin strap. Can someone tell me what the mask fitting experience is like and how many masks they were able to try before being 'stuck' with one or two?

Also, I understand from reading the board that often people manage to wean themselves off the chin strap - I'm hoping to do that as I certainly think it adds another layer of things I don't want Smile

Thanks!

David
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: New member - hello
Welcome to the forum and hope you will enjoy the company Smile I can't say I ever had a "mask-fitting". I do remember that when I had my sleep study, the technician asked me if I thought I would like a full face mask or a nasal mask. Since I knew nothing about masks for the cpap machine but I did know that I am claustrophic, she fitted me with a nasal pillow mask. I feel as though I've been really lucky because I liked the first mask I ever had and have stayed with that style ever since, only upgrading when newer models came along.

With your experience in the field, at least you won't be surprised as much as some of the rest of us were. I wish you the best and hope you are soon feeling more rested from better sleep.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: New member - hello
(07-18-2015, 05:06 PM)GrammaBear Wrote: With your experience in the field, at least you won't be surprised as much as some of the rest of us were. I wish you the best and hope you are soon feeling more rested from better sleep.

Thank you for your nice welcome! I'm afraid I might have a lot to be surprised about however, it's much different being on other side of the mask!
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: New member - hello
Welcome

Initially I didn't get any kind of fitting to speak of and no choice on what mask they gave me. I had trouble with the mask they gave me from the very beginning and all they did was keep changing the cushion size. Nobody ever told me about a chin strap. I got tired of them and fired them.

Then, I needed another sleep study because I was also having trouble adapting to my cpap auto. I decided to clean house and I went to have a sleep study at another hospital. The head tech met me at the hospital about 2 weeks before my sleep study and he brought a whole lot of masks with him still in the original package. It is fortunate for me that he understood SA as he has it too. I tried as many as I wanted to and since we met at the sleep center, he would hook them up to the machine and I would lay down to get a feel for them.

I chose the wisp nasal mask and he gave me a top of the line chin strap which I no longer need on a nightly basis. My sleep study was the best I ever had as far as sleep studies go. The only issue I had is that when the leads came off of my head at the end of the study, it made my head bleed.

Well, that and the family of dead roaches in the bathroom due to a recent extermination.

I have used the wisp nasal mask since and have not had any issues with it. I am not very good about washing my cushion each day and I still don't have trouble with it. YMMV.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: New member - hello
Dagmar - Welcome
Using FlashAir W-03 SD card in machine. You can download your data through wifi with FlashPAP or Sleep Master utilities.

I wanted to learn Binary so I enrolled in Binary 101. I seemed to have missed the first four courses. Big Grinnie

Stick it to the man, Download OSCAR and take back control of your data!

Thanks Ian. Like I didn't have enough Honey-Do projects to tackle. Mornincoffee
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: New member - hello
Dagmar,
Welcome to Apnea Board!
Had to chuckle at your statement about it being different on the other side of the mask! I always wished my Sleep Specialist actually had Sleep Apnea.
I know that sounds terrible, but there might be more understanding if he actually went to bed every night hooked up to a machine.

My DME put a full face mask, a nasal mask and a nasal pillow mask in front of me and asked me which one I wanted. I told them I'm claustrophobic, so she gave me the nasal pillow mask. That was my fitting!

I also feel lucky because I adapted to the mask right away and eight months later still using a nasal pillow mask.

Good luck and keep us posted.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



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.
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: New member - hello
(07-18-2015, 04:50 PM)Dagmar Wrote: In the past I've set patients up on CPAP and BiPAP but had not expected me to be wearing one. But, my work has mostly been in the hospital so I'm not sure how DME's handle fitting and providing masks.

The answer to that question is that, in general, they do not handle it well. The RT brought out the mask that he had chosen for me and had me try it on. Looked at it and said that will work. That was my fitting and that was done by the RT supervisor who also said that he was a hose head.

Best regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: New member - hello
Hi David,

Some DMEs do a decent job of helping new patients with mask fit. Others not so much. And to be honest even with the most accommodating DMEs it's rather like buying a new pair of shoes -- might feel good in the store but later... you know how the rest of the story goes.

If the DME is set up for this you might try some of the masks with a machine set to your prescribed pressure, and if possible lying down. What fits well when you're awake and sitting in a chair may be a poor fit when you're asleep, lying down, and actually using the machine.

Most folks have to do some trial and error to find the mask that ultimately works best for them. Generally the DME will show/offer you a few masks but likely only a small sample of all the masks out there. If you end up having difficulty finding the right mask for you, you can check out the full array of models on a good internet DME website.
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: New member - hello
I just got my trial machine and mask about 5 days ago. I never got to choose my mask, the Resp Tech just looked at me and grabbed a PR Wisp Nasal Mask and said this is the one for you. I was hoping to try the Nasal pillows as I am claustrophobic. But I really took well to Wisp Nasal mask. It fits perfect I have hardly any leaks, only when turning on the pillow. The head gear is nice and easy to use. Its quite comfortable.

I thought I was a mouth breather as my mouth was always dry when I woke up, so I was sure I would be breathing out of my mouth with the nasal mask. But I have been able to keep my mouth closed throughout the night with no chin strap. I was a bit surprised! (pleasantly)

I am going to ask for nasal pillows just to try and then see out of the two which I prefer. I will not be disappointed if I have to stay with the Nasal Mask.

Good luck in your tx!

Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: New member - hello
(07-18-2015, 05:39 PM)PaytonA Wrote: The RT brought out the mask that he had chosen for me and had me try it on. Looked at it and said that will work. That was my fitting...

ROTFL -- That was my "mask fitting" session too! (are you a kp patient by any chance?)
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  New Member with new BiPap question Pbeth1 9 139 03-25-2024, 05:13 PM
Last Post: Sleeprider
  New member from Down Under AussieBobJ 6 499 01-10-2024, 12:45 AM
Last Post: AussieBobJ
Gross Family member thinks my SA is a scam?? sleepadventurer 19 1,025 12-02-2023, 08:43 PM
Last Post: SarcasticDave94
  New member, first night of Oscar data michael7 19 1,560 10-31-2023, 07:07 PM
Last Post: michael7
  New member sghalloway 11 1,014 10-07-2023, 02:13 PM
Last Post: sghalloway
  [Pressure] New member and new OSCAR user squiddog 4 458 09-19-2023, 01:06 PM
Last Post: squiddog
  New Member Intro and OSCAR charts DaveInDenver 2 430 08-11-2023, 04:02 PM
Last Post: DaveInDenver


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.