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My Introduction - Jera - 01-31-2017
I was just diagnosed with Central Sleep Apnea due to brain damage from brain cancer a couple months ago. My name is Jen, but I go by Jera in most circles on the internet. I'm 37 years old. I've only had my CPAP machine for about a month now. They started me with a small cushioun and reduced size frame Full Amara Mask, which made my nose split about 3 times. After finally getting the company to send me out a different mask (AirFit P10 Small Nasal Pillows), my nose was healing very well from the Amara Mask, and I wondered if it was just my nose getting used to the mask (as with glasses, when I first got glasses the nosepads made my nose sore, but I kept wearing them and now I have no issues with them.). Anyways, my AHI was always between 2-10. Before I got the nasal pillows. Now, I have those and my AHI has stayed consiistently below 3 AHI. However, as the bridge of my nose is practically fully healed, my left nostril has now developed a sore from the nasal pillows. I'm going to treat it as I treated the bridge of my nose, but see if I get used to the nasal pillows, as they feel so awesome to me.
Well, that's sort of a story and a brief introduction. I've just been reading these forums a lot for the past few weeks, and decided to register, as I'd like to be part of the community. I don't know what else to say about myself. I used to be a psychiatrist, was in the army, I am very well fit. My height is 5'9", my weight moves between the 117lbs-125lbs range. I live where there is lots of snow, I love snow. I'm now fully disabled, because of the brain damage from my cancer, that has been removed. Umm, if you want to know anything more specific, feel free to ask! I want to learn all I can about sleep apnea, besides what I learned in medical school (which actually was not very much.).
I hope I am posting this in the right forum, I could not decide if this was for chit-chat or sleep apnea. It's sort of both in my mind, so I picked this one! (I actually don't remember which one I picked.)
Anyways, thanks for reading this, and have a good day!
-Jen
RE: My Introduction - Rcgop - 01-31-2017
Welcome Jera.
You mentioned your nose soreness and I had an issue with my first P10 pillow. The small was too small and caused a sore too. I tried a medium which cured the sore but I have since settled on the large.
Bottom line. Try it all because we are all different and have different needs.
RE: My Introduction - C0mbe - 01-31-2017
Welcome! I am a new user as well, and this is a fantastic place to learn, and get encouragement for use. This is definitely the right forum. It sounds like eventually you will need a new machine if you were diagnosed with Central Apnea, but like I said, I am new, and there are some excellent folks here who will be able to guide you in the right direction.
The p10s are a great choice! I use them as my primary as well. I would say that it seems a lot of people tend to go up in pillow size if they are uncomfortable at the size they were fit in. I was a medium pillow but use the large because they are more comfortable. If I remember correctly, some folks use certain creams to help with both seal and sores, I think it was lanolin.
RE: My Introduction - MitchS - 01-31-2017
Hello, Jera. Welcome to the forum.
As others have said, a larger size pillow will probably help with the nose soreness, especially if the sore is in the nasal. In the mean time, you might try some lanolin. It is a medicated paste used by women who are breast feeding to relieve soreness. Just a little dab will do both nostrils. You can find it in the baby section of big box stores and pharmacies.
RE: My Introduction - kwhenrykerr - 01-31-2017
Welcome Jera.
Lots of information and some chit-chat here. We all learn and lean on each other.
RE: My Introduction - chill - 01-31-2017
Welcome Jera!
The mask should not cause sores if it is not too tight and fits your face. I use a Simplus full-face mask and never had problems. But two nights with a Mirage Quattro and I had a red sore on the bridge of my nose. It can be a bit of a struggle to find the right mask for you and then get it adjusted properly. But pain is not the name of the game.
If your profile is correct, you have the wrong machine to treat central apnea. You need an ASV machine (unless you have heart problems which may make it a bad choice). Here is some information on what is available:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-Which-ASV-machine-to-get-ResMed-or-Phillips
Hope you stick around!
RE: My Introduction - stanleydean - 01-31-2017
Welcome to the forum Jera, you are in the right place here. Hope you keep making progress, keep us posted.
Stan
RE: My Introduction - Jera - 01-31-2017
I am a vet, so I have to jump through hoops for my insurance to cover crap. That's the machine I'm starting with. My pulmonologist said he will probably be putting me on different machines as I get more sleep studies done and more data is collected over time. Because if the VA can treat me as cheaply as possible, they will! (Which usually involves costing more money, in the long run, as I'll probably end up with like 3 or 4 machines, at the end.) Anyways, the mask I believe was too small, I could not get it to 'blow up' at all, because it was too close to my face, no matter what I did. They used the nasal pillows I have in my actual sleep study, so that is what they wanted me to get, so that is what I have and I like them a lot. I developed a small red tender area right UNDER my left nostril, I think it's simply because I'm not used to having stuff rubbing against my face or on my face. I have confidence it should go away. I felt like I had to fight to even get the second mask, so I don't know I would be able to get different pillows to try. The broca's area of my brain is damaged, so it's not easy for me to communicate (I cannot speak anymore, not anything understandable.). I can use ASL and text though! I thank you for all the advice, I will try most of it if this continues. I really wanted a mask though, I liked the Full Amara mask, I just do not think I was fitted properly for it.
Thanks for all these responses!
-Jen
Edit: They started me on this machine because it is what they used in the sleep study that got me from over 30 AHI to about 2 AHI with an 11cm pressure. However, I never reached REM sleep, so they were concerned about that, however my oxygen levels were in the 90s and my AHI was low. From my experience with the VA, everything takes forever, and you have to get tested and tested and tested, like a guinea-pig, before they will move on to the next level. So, I've learned to just do what they said, and not debate, because they're usually doing things in a certain order so things can be approved for what is essentially needed in the long run. Guess it wasn't such a quick edit.
RE: My Introduction - trish6hundred - 01-31-2017
Hi Jera,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I wish you good luck with your CPAP therapy, hang in there for more responses to your post.
RE: My Introduction - Cranberry Ray - 02-01-2017
Jera, had the same issues with sores on my nostrils when I first starting using the P10. Turns out the medium pillows were too small so switched to the large which work much better. Got rid of all the sores in less than 2 days using a lanolin lotion called Lansinoh which is a product for nursing mothers. Can be found in most big box stores or drug stores in the nursing section. I continued to use just a small dab even after the sores healed to give my face a chance to get use to wearing nasal pillows. Did that for about 3 weeks and then was able to stop using it completely.
Wish you success in your therapy and this board is a great place. Very knowledgeable people all willing to help and share ideas.