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

[CPAP] How do you get used to CPAP?
#21
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
dannyhawaii,
Let us know how the auto setting of 6 to 9 works out. You need to try it for several days.
Had a hard time reading your graph, but unless you are bothered by the pressure changes on the auto setting, keep it there awhile and see how it goes.

Looks like your therapist just picked the highest pressure on your trial and went with that even though it looks as though you don't need to be that high.
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
#22
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
(08-22-2015, 04:41 AM)dannyhawaii Wrote: Nasonex reads as saying to never use more than 2 sprays per nostril per day which is what I'm using every night. Although I clearly have issues with nasal congestion...

2 per nostril, 12 hourly, you'll be fine. I was surprised when the specialist suggested this, however, he said it would be better for nasal polyps treatment and the cost of Nasonex now allows patients to use it more.

For general nasal issues, Nasonex prides it's self or their marketing does(!) as a once every 24hr.

It's up to you. No harm in going to the extra doses - it's either going to help or not! If it doesn't help after a week or so, you can drop back to 2 per nostril, once every 24hrs. If you're unsure check with your Specialist or Doctor.
Post Reply Post Reply
#23
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
(08-14-2015, 08:47 PM)OpalRose Wrote:
(08-14-2015, 07:33 PM)dannyhawaii Wrote: Yeah, I was using a nasal mask before but my nose would get blocked with it. I hear some people have great success with nasal pillows and maybe a chin strap but I'm not so keen on that after my week or so with the nasal mask. I guess that's another option though.


Instead of waiting until you go to bed to mask up, try moving your machine out of the bedroom and wear your mask sitting up reading or watching television, or sit in a recliner. This way your not thinking about breathing or swallowing air, or the congestion.
This may help you aclimate to therapy faster. Do this a little each night, then move it back to your room.
I thought I read you use the EPR setting, try setting it to 3....you can always change it back.
Just want to add that I also suffer from nasal congestion and sinus issues, and the nasal pillow mask really does help keep your nasal passages open.

This absolutely worked for me. I did this a lot for my first few days with my machine. It allowed me to experiment with what happens if I do this..or do that. How do I stop thisfrom happening. All wwithout the pressure of "I have to get to sleep".
Post Reply Post Reply
#24
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
After finally getting a chat with my clinician, I've gone back to the AUTO 6-13 setting. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. Used it every night this week, in most cases for the full eight hours. I have clonazepam that I can take although I generally avoid it, but tried a nice small dose (0.25mg, my usual) to see if that helped me with the CPAP. The couple of nights I've used it that way have been helpful. Stats are looking good in general, here are a couple of days from this week:

[Image: bcrlerll.png]
[Image: 2d94Xp2l.png]

A few more weeks like this and I'll know if CPAP is the answer for me or not (this is a trial to rule out breathing issues in relation to idiopathic hypersomnia). I do have to say that every so often I have a glimmer of hope that, yes, I can get used to it, and yes, that's all that's wrong with me.

Keeping fingers cautiously crossed.
Post Reply Post Reply
#25
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
Good for you for sticking with this. It does take time to adjust and get the right settings.
Your graphs are a little fuzzy, but it looks good. A few clear airways, but not that bad. They usually settle down after a bit.
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
#26
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
Danny,

I hope you are doing better. I noticed you posted yesterday.

I stopped using any water in the humidifier. I would get so congested with the humidifier I could not lay down after a while.

I had a hard time thinking how does one swallow air be a problem. Yup, I also taped in the beginning.

The best mask for me was the Hybrid by innomed. It has nose prongs, a chin strap and if I open my mouth it is OK. It is great if I have a cold. This summer, I found it hot this summer using it. I have been using it for almost 10 years. I have a some nasal prong ones I can use as well. It is noisy.

I hated using the ramp.

I cover my eyes to blacken out light, that helps keep me during my wake up times. (I still have issues)

Why are you taking the meds, is it to calm you so you can wear the machine? If it relax the system, I would assume there would be more events during those nights? At least if I take pain meds, I think I have more events.

Are you claustrophobic? That can be an issues with things in front of your eyes.

To get the first few minutes of turning on the machine, I read and try to breath normally then I relax for sleep by closing book and turning off the light.
Post Reply Post Reply
#27
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
Thanks for the support, guys. Almost like having a clinician on tap!

OpalRose, I set those graphs as thumbnails so if you click on them you can go to the image and then click again to zoom in.

KeepSmiling, I seem to be going pretty well with my current settings and full face mask. I find the mask somehow comforting so I don't think I have a problem with that. I don't have any trouble falling asleep but I do wake up at times, most likely due to jumps in the pressure. My thinking was that the meds will make me less likely to be disturbed by the pressure changes. And that seems to work, judging by my crude Fitbit movement data. So at this stage I think it's just my body adjusting to the changes in breathing with the machine, not so much the wearing of the mask. In fact, a few times now, I've gone to the toilet, come back to bed and forgot to put the tube back in ... and slept with just the mask!
Post Reply Post Reply
#28
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
I heard Apnea over and over again for years. Even believed a study would be positive but resisted because I believed there was NO WAY I was going to sleep hooked up to a mask. When I started having focus issues at work, I saw a dr and was initially diagnosed with ADD!! Lol. After a couple of years of increased medication Another dr convinced me that my problem wasn't ADD, but sleep deprivation. When I finally gave in and the study came back with an AHI of 158, 14% sleep & 65% O2 a night, I got used to it very fast because the alternative scared the stuff out of me. Working out the bugs was tricky. I remember about three weeks in ripping the mask off my face in disgust and frustration in the middle of the night. I used to get the "face farts" that would keep me awake. I could never seem to get the seal right so I just strapped it to my face so hard it couldn't leak. Not the most comfortable but at least it didn't wake me up. Then I started using the cloth liners, which helped a lot. Then I found a pillow configuration that worked for this side-sleeper ( you don't need to buy some fancy custom job, I use a firm standard with a covered square sofa throw on top, set low to support my neck). Finally (4months in) I realized I was wearing the strap too high. The bottom straps needed to be along my jaw line, the pad on the back of my neck. Now no more leak probs. The bottom line is your ahi.... If it's under 5, leakage is not an issue. From day one of cpap I went to less than 1 ahi and have never been above 2. but with a pressure of 18 I sometimes woke up feeling like I had run a marathon all night. With the ahi under control I dropped to 16 and will drop again soon. I never miss a night. How did I get used to it? The benefits outweighed the difficulties. The comfort of knowing my body is no longer enduring the stresses of a nightly life or death struggle is second only to the comfort of a REAL nights sleep. P.S. I had a sinoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery this week and my goal is the nose mask.
Post Reply Post Reply
#29
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
Welcome to ApneaBoard Vikingtrue! Sounds like you have had quite a time! Glad you finally got on CPAP therapy and it seems to be working well for you.
APNEABOARD - A great place to be if you're a hosehead!!  Rolleyes  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT BEGINS WITH THE DECISION TO TRY!
Post Reply Post Reply
#30
RE: How do you get used to CPAP?
(11-20-2015, 11:50 PM)Vikingtrue Wrote: ......The bottom line is your ahi.... If it's under 5, leakage is not an issue. From day one of cpap I went to less than 1 ahi and have never been above 2. .......

A lot of great info in your post. I must disagree very firmly with the statement above or maybe I misunderstood your intent. AHIs are meaningless unless your unintentional leak is less than a max of 30 l/minute. At too high a leak level, the machine can not reliably identify apneic events and you can even lose the therapeutic pressure that you need.

This limitation has been published by Resmed and in fact the limit they use is 24 liters/minute which leaves a little wiggle room. Philips only reports total leak rates which include the intentional leak rate from the mask vent. You can calculate an estimate of the unintentional leak rate by subtracting the vent rate, which is published in the instructions that come with the mask.

The bottom line is that leaks are always an issue when they are too high and sometimes the leaks are not something you can sense. This makes it very important to have data and charts like Sleepyhead provides in order to determine if your leaks are sufficiently controlled.

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



New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

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