Soon to start CPAP - Question on dehydration

[picante]

Thanks, Sleeprider, I'll try it tonight. If I have OAs, it still won't be as many as without the machine. And I will likely have some improvement in the aerophagia.
No energy to call the sleep doc today - I spent all my energy on another doctor, LOL. She signed me up for an upper GI endoscopy - Thursday!

[Sleeprider]

That should identify the root of the problem, and hopefully a path to improvement.

Our objective is to find a compromise between apnea and aerophagia. Neither has to be perfect, but making therapy comfortable will reduce OSA compared to untreated, and will hopefully not make aerophagia worse. The goal is to improve sleep quality and quantity.

[picante]

I've just figured out that my neck is too skinny for the headgear -- that's a good part of what's causing leaks. Going to put in some padding tonight. I'm so appreciating all the people who've offered info & suggestions: @Fats Drywaller, @Hydrangea, and Sleeprider. (BTW, how do you tag other people?)

Overall, the treatment does not dehydrate me any more than sleeping without it. I've got the humidifier on 8 and the temp on 83 F.
But ... my sinuses tend to go dry & constrict immediately after I start. It's inflammation -- daily, which is why I do sinus rinses. It feels just like stuffiness, but it can be triggered merely by eating (so it's probably GERD related). I'm thinking that this constriction is limiting my ability to inhale the prescribed 12 cm pressure, is that possible?

I'm using a lot of nasal spray these days.

[Fats Drywaller]

I've just figured out that my neck is too skinny for the headgear -- that's a good part of what's causing leaks.

I don't know the Dreamwear full-face variant, but I've used the Dreamwear nas-pil and nas-cushion, which share one headgear type (interchangeable nosepieces), and with that one it's important to use the correct size because otherwise the hollow frame might be bent out of shape, impeding the air flow. Is the Dreamwear f-f similar? If you were given the full mask package, there might be a sizing guide, probably a card with illustrations of the M frame on S, M, and L heads. The S or L frame has to be bought separately; the full package includes only the M.

Edited to add: See here thanks to c0mbe.

[snorybob]

picante :

It's said, healthy humidity in a room is 30%/50%. You say your house is at 40%, so could it be that your settings (8/83 ) are too high?  

Just saying, I had the same problem with blocked sinus   & after different setup, my solution was from 4/81 down to 2/65 & got  

 things back to normal. Too much humidity will do that (congestion ), but that's me, so I don't know for you! 

Maybe you already tried around those settings, if not you could, nothing to lose.  


   snorybob.

[picante]

Thanks, Fats D, the Dreamwear FF has headgear in just one size. The DME gal told me I might have trouble with that, and I blithely said I'll put some padding in. Last night that did indeed work to minimize leaks. OTOH, the tighter the mask, the more it scrunches my mouth. It seems to push inward from all sides, which does keep my mouth shut more, but I can't lick my gums to moisten them anymore. That blows a sudden leak in my lips, and I get air down the esophagus.

Between that and the sinus constriction, it's pretty uncomfortable. The headgear and tubes are very comfy.

[picante]

Snorybob, thanks for the suggestion. I haven't messed with the humidity, other than to take it off auto and put it on 8. I was so miserably dessicated during the sleep studies I could hardly sleep, but different mask (Resmed F10, very leaky), different machine. That would be great if it helps!

As for temp, it's about 60-62 in the house by morning. This is Montana, see, and it's December, LOL. I can reduce it back to 81, the autosetting, and mess around from there. Sunday night I was so cold because the leaky mask was blowing on my face for 3 hours before I gave up and shut it down for the night.

And our house is insulated to the max, BTW. My husband was a carpenter for a decade before he went and got his engineering degree.

[picante]

[attachment=9295]OK, I'm figuring out how to post a screenshot. The hardest part was finding the file after I hit F12

@Sleeprider: I know you said 7-10 range, but for some reason I put it on 8-10. And my aerophagia is much improved today. I actually ate eggs & toast mid-morning and some squash just now.

[Fats Drywaller]

... the tighter the mask, the more it scrunches my mouth. It seems to push inward from all sides, which does keep my mouth shut more, but I can't lick my gums to moisten them anymore. That blows a sudden leak in my lips, and I get air down the esophagus.

Between that and the sinus constriction, it's pretty uncomfortable. The headgear and tubes are very comfy.

I would try a different make and/or model. There are many masks out there, and big-time discomfort is a hint to switch. If you can get one from your DME at little or no out-of-pocket cost, that's the way to go. (Sometimes the DMEs have a 30-day initial period during which you're allowed to try more than one mask at no extra cost.) Also, apart from the DME, if you want a Philips Amara Gel full-face for $25, take a look at this:

https://www.sleepapnea.org/community/cpa...e-program/

They also have Resmed Quattro FX full-face at the same price, but it says that the headgear is available only in medium or large. Maybe that'd be worth trying also in size M, figuring on using the padding if necessary? Just a thought.

I can't remember the details now, but occasionally I've also seen a few makes & models of previous generations of mask for sale on Amazon for under $50, marked down from the usual $75-to-$100 range because they're no longer popular.

[picante]

Thanks, that's a good link to have.
I can go back to the DME within a month and exchange for a ResMed F20 if I want. They don't have the F30 yet; she said it would be months.