Newbie here. First night was rough.

[albertsmarowsky]

Hey all. Got my machine yesterday, and for the most part I like it. My only issue seemed to be with the mask. I've been put on the Wisp with the fabric frame, and it seems smaller than the silicone one. I've actually got both along with one from Philips with the blue piece for your forehead. Do the masks seem to adjust over time, or would I be smarter to use one of the others?

Also, with the hose for the wisp, I noticed near where it connects to the mask there are a few tiny holes. Does anyone know what these are for, and do you think it would affect the amount of air I'm getting? My machine is set at 14, which is kind of high from what the person who ran me through everything said.

A couple other questions I have are:

1. How long have you been able to make the filter last? I would think if you rinse it off every few days it could last a few months.

2. On a day you might not have slept well and you know you will be taking a nap, do you empty the humidifier after each sleep or just after the nap? My humidifier still is half full, and with not getting a full nights sleep I'll more than likely be taking a nap later on.

3. I've been looking at the two main programs for tracking your data, and I qas just curious what is the most useful data you get from them (meaning ResScan and SleepBuddy, I believe)? Also, which is the better of the two, and will the data on the SD card be erased when I look at it?

4.) One last, and kind of strange question; what can I do to get rid of a bloated/gassy feeling I keep getting? Sometimes it gets to a point I have to open my mouth to let some air out (though it's not like a burp)

Thanks for any help, and let the journey begin.

[TBlizz]

Hi, I had a C Pap machine that was set on 14 also until yesterday. I switched over to a Apap. The water does not have to be dumped after every use if you're going to take a nap. I'm still kind of new to this also, I had the C Pap for 1 week. The mask will definitely be a task to get straight

[trish6hundred]

Hi albert,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
The mask is the hardest part of this therapy so hang in there. Some people take to it like a duck takes to water but for others, It takes a while to get used to.
The holes where the mask hose connects to the frame are vent holes, they are supposed to be there for proper working of the mask.
I don't dump my tank every single day, if you think you'll be using it later, you probably wouldn't need to dump it.
Hang in there for more answers to your questions and best of luck.

[trish6hundred]

Hi TBlizz,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Yeah, the mask takes a while for some people to get used to. Sometimes,you may have to try many of them to get the one that works just right.
Best of luck to you.

[skyler]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Please don't skimp on filters! That is one of the most important part of the machine to keep clean. Don't wash them unless they are washable. The air you breathe comes through that filter.
You've got some good masks there. I use the WISP with the s/m cushion, and yes it has a very small area of contact on your face. I have no leaks. Use the one that is most comfortable and work on keeping leaks down. Yes, those little air holes are there for a reason. They are an exhaust to help keep the air in your mask fresh. You're still getting your 14 pressure, which as you heard is a high pressure on the CPAP. The machine you have is a good one, but if you find yourself not tolerating that machine please tell your doc. By not tolerating I mean not being able to exhale against the 14 pressure (I don't know if this machine has EPR- any S9 elite users got any tips?). If after several weeks you find yourself not using the machine or taking the mask off in the night talk to the doc. I'm not suggesting you will have problems, you ask good questions. Obviously your doc has confidence in your commitment to therapy to put you on the Elite (a fine machine).
SleepyHead is good software, when I use software that's what I use. Your humidification question was answered. I don't know about the gas/bloated feeling. You are swallowing air for some reason. If that doesn't improve talk to the doc. If you do a search on the forum about that you will find some info. Try sleeping on your left side.
Take care, be easy on yourself. You've go the commitment if you use your machine on naps then you'll use it at night. Give yourself a little while to adjust and feel better.
Best of luck to you. Again, good questions.

[albertsmarowsky]

Thank you all for the info. As far as the filters, they are washable, and after taking another look at the manual, they only need to be replaced every 6 months. As far as the gassy/bloated feeling, it could be from when my ears were feeling blocked (like a sudden altitude change) and to get rid of that initial feeling I would either take a big deep breath or swallow.

The other thing I was thinking, but didn't know if this would mess up the data, is maybe wearing the mask for a little while during the day to acclimate myself to it all, so by bedtime I'd be good to go.

[skyler]

Wearing the mask during the day is fine. We often recommend this to get used to the mask/machine and to reach compliance for those with problems keeping the mask on. It shouldn't mess up your stats too much, I wouldn't be concerned just keep it in mind and tell your Doc what you're doing. If you're taking a nap you would wear it anyway. I love those naps I don't have to take!

[Shastzi]

Hi Tblizz, albertmarowski,



You are in the right place!

=^.^=

[trish6hundred]

Hi Albert,
Masking up and using your machine during the day is a good thing to do to help your body get used to CPAP therapy.

[albertsmarowsky]

Just found that the S9 Elite does have EPR, but not sure about messing with it. Is this something the doc would see being changed, and if so, do they give a hard time with people messing with the settings?