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[Treatment] Newbie here, first night tubed up!
#11
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
To answer the OP's (Original Poster's,) question about multiple masks, yes, some people have had to try "MANY," different masks, but don't be discouraged, just take it one day at a time.
trish6hundred
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#12
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(02-27-2014, 10:15 PM)gunkthruster Wrote: So, it took some of you multiple masks to find the right one??

My first mask was the Comfort Gel Nasal (titration) could not get the leak level down. DME suggested the Wisp and I liked it, used it for two months. Wanted something better, did some research and tried the Activa LT, which seems to work the best for me. Since my Insurance only covered the Wisp for now any other mask I would have to pay myself. So I bought the Activa LT to try and was lucky.
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#13
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(02-27-2014, 10:37 PM)Eleong2 Wrote:
(02-27-2014, 10:03 PM)me50 Wrote: Eleong2 wrote "I just completed my 90 day compliance period, my Sleep Dr had prescribed a wireless modem for me also. I guess they want to keep us honest" Your attitude of I am going to stay compliant will go a long way for you. Just keep at it and come here and post all your questions and concerns.

lol it isn't about keeping anyone honest. unless you claimed to have accidentally deleted all info on your machine and claimed to have lost your SD card, you might be able to get rid of evidence but you would just have to start all over with compliance.

The purpose of the wireless modem is to save you trips to the DME for them to check your compliance.

I hope your DME knows how to do this as my former DME told me they could not retrieve the info from the provider website so I had to drive all the way out there only to find out they figured it out and didn't bother to call and tell me.

Interesting you mentioned your DME couldn't retrieve your data. I wanted to use SleepMapper when I first started, but my DME never setup my wireless modem. I called a couple times to get it setup. So I wonder if I had not called I would have been in the same situation.

Well, I am thinking you may have read a few of the stories about Apria. Just yesterday my insurance called Apria because 5 1/2 months later, Apria has not returned money to my insurance company for supplies I did not get. On top of that, with my insurance company rep on the phone, the customer service Apria employee accused us of being deceptive and all but refused to transfer us to a supervisor when asked at least 3 times.

They did retrieve my data from the wireless modem eventually but didn't tell me and I drove 35 miles to take my SD card in only to find out that they had my data. I was not a happy person when I found this out. Fortunately, I had met my compliance requirements in the first 30 days so I didn't have to deal with that part anymore. And, now I have a new DME.

Most DME's just really don't care and don't do what they should be doing to help the patients. They get the machine and humidifier sold and that is about the most they care about. Anything over and above that is a waste of their time b/c the machine is their bread and butter. It is almost like they put all their eggs in one basket.

Glad you got it all working now or hopefully you do.
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#14
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
Hi Gunkthruster, welcome to the forum and good luck adjusting to the machine and your mask. I have been connected up now since 14th Feb so still relatively new to me.
Do not be expecting big changes straight away as I suffered with all the same problems as you and more and I am still waiting to see changes. I have seen small ones and I am more than happy with those. After all this problem had been building in me for a long time so I don't expect to be healed overnight. Then again some people are lucky enough to have positive results immediately. Yu may be one of them.
As far as the mask and machine doing it's job, I am seeing positive results from them so that pleases me no end.
Please do not hesitate to ask folk here for help as I would not have been able to have achieved what I have with the whole process without the help of these good people.
Also what others have mentioned, it is very important to get your mask right.
Just take one day at a time, relax, ask questions and just think how good you are going to feel in the not too distant future.
Sleep Tight...
Gabby
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#15
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(02-27-2014, 10:15 PM)gunkthruster Wrote: So, it took some of you multiple masks to find the right one??

Hey Gunkthruster, welcome to the forum! And welcome to hosehead central! Who said anyone found the perfect mask yet?! LOL! I was diagnosed in the 90s sometime and while I have a favorite mask (at the moment, but last night was one of those nights I hated it), it is far from perfect! I have tried many masks over the years, some have been better, some have been worse. It's hard to find a mask because masks won't work for everyone. Let's assume for a minute that we all have the same machine at the same pressure. Even with that being equal, since our faces are unique some of us would like one mask, some another and someone would come in out of left field making their own mask from scraps on the workbench! You will find that there may be some things that you will like about one mask and many things you dislike and you just keep going through stuff until you find something that is not horrible. And as if it is not already difficult enough, manufacturers will come out with new masks and do away with masks that some people loved! If they give you the opportunity to look at the masks they carry and let you try some on, take every opportunity to do so! At around $100 for a simple mask (and some go much higher!) it can get very pricey to keep buying new masks to try them out.
Good luck and ask lots of questions!
Mike
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#16
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(02-27-2014, 09:08 PM)gunkthruster Wrote: They said it's for recording how I use the machine to give to my insurance company.
You have make sure the machine recording efficacy data (AHI, leak, etc) not just usage hours, insurance only look at how many hours using the machine each night, model name printed next to on/off button
AutoSet and Elite are data capable machine, Escape models are not
If its the Escape, see your doctor to have the machine replaced with data capable machine otherwise you or/and the doctor have no way of knowing how the treatment is working other than how you feel, adjustment cannot be made without the evidence


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#17
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(02-27-2014, 09:55 PM)Eleong2 Wrote:
(02-27-2014, 09:08 PM)gunkthruster Wrote:
(02-27-2014, 09:06 PM)ShelaghDB Wrote: I'm new as well
Whats a wifi dongle?


It's a black box (the size of pack of cigarettes) with an antenna, that says "wireless" on it. I'm guessing it's wifi. They said it's for recording how I use the machine to give to my insurance company.

I just completed my 90 day compliance period, my Sleep Dr had prescribed a wireless modem for me also. I guess they want to keep us honest. My DME has sent me return packaging for the modem, I am now free. I have to say, CPAP treatment has really helped me. I definitely plan to stay compliant, I find it hard to get to sleep now without the machine running. Also finding the right mask makes I it a lot easier to become acclimated. My first week was a little rough, but I am glad I didn't give up. The support from boards like this one really helps us newbies. The information here helped me find the mask that best suited me., that was the key to helping me stay compliant.
Ed
Hi Eleong2,
It's GREAT to hear that you have gotten used to CPAP therapy and that you have found the mask that works well for you, because that can be the hardest part of all this.
Keep up the good work.
trish6hundred
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#18
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(02-27-2014, 09:00 PM)gunkthruster Wrote: Hello! I'm glad I found these forums. I've been browsing a bit.

I was diagnosed with OSA a few weeks ago after having a sleep-study done in early January. I brought home the machine tonight and am nervous and excited to try it out. I'm hoping it will help me get the proper sleep I need and help me with my problems like low energy, depression, nearly falling asleep in the middle of the day.

I have the ResMed S9 with a humidfier and a SD card and a wifi dongle.
I have the full mask thing.

Welcome gunkthruster, I'm pretty new too.

I have the same machine as you. I love it.

Does your machine also have the SD/slot? If so you might want to download the sleepyhead software so you can monitor your progress or notThinking-about I like being able to view the graphs along with the other information. The download link are at the main page.

Lots of folks go through several masks till they find the right fit. I tried the nasal pillows and hated it, but the cool blue gel nasal mask fit me just right. I wash my mask daily in warm water using ivory dish soap along with the water tank and air dry it under my fan. I do this same routine with the heated hose.

Any way I'm not very knowledgable yet, but I'm learning as I goes and I'm the ginnea pig Laugh-a-lot I just listen to my body and adhere to the direction it points me in. Sleep-well

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#19
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
Yes mine has the SD card built in.

After a few nights of use, it's not getting any better in the sense that when the high pressure kicks in, it jars me awake. SO, essentially I wasn't aware BEFORE I had this machine that I was waking up but now I am. lol

I know it will take a while.
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#20
RE: Newbie here, first night tubed up!
(03-02-2014, 12:26 PM)gunkthruster Wrote: Yes mine has the SD card built in.

After a few nights of use, it's not getting any better in the sense that when the high pressure kicks in, it jars me awake. SO, essentially I wasn't aware BEFORE I had this machine that I was waking up but now I am. lol

I know it will take a while.

Look at your machine around the power button and tell us what kind of machine you have and we should be able to better help you.
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