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+--- Thread: Good evening from a newbie (/Thread-Good-evening-from-a-newbie)
Good evening from a newbie - bondy - 06-10-2013
Hi all from the uk
I am new here as you problebly guessed from the title.
I have recently be given my own CPAP unit after a fast track sleep trial.
I saw my consultant for the first time on a Wednesday and buy Friday I was on a trial for a week then they gave me my ResMed S9 Escape.
The trial was great and easy to get on with and as has been said before life changing.
Since I have had the S9 it has not been so easy. I have the S5i with it and not sure if that is what is making it difficult.
I don't like to much heat and feel I am breathing warm air.
I have narrow nasle passages that don't help as my nose gets blocked easy and I am struggling with that.
Has any body had Septoplasty and using CPAP?
Does anybody use the contor pillow?
Any advise?
Hi to all again.
RE: Good evening from a newbie - Shastzi - 06-10-2013
Hi bondy,
The humidity usually takes a bit of tuning.
Try backing it down a little at a time till you start getting dry mouth or sneezing, coughing. Then bump it up a notch and you will have
found your 'sweet spot'
Cheers!
RE: Good evening from a newbie - SuperSleeper - 06-10-2013
I'll let others reply with suggestions, but one thing:
If you can, turn in the S9 Escape and get a real, data-capable CPAP machine like an S9 Elite or S9 AutoSet (preferable). The Escape offers no data reporting other than "compliance" (hours of use). It's what we call a "dumb brick", meaning it's the lowest end of CPAP machines and offers you no data to see if the treatment is working to lower your AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index).
Here's an article written by one of our Master Members on CPAP machine choices:
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Archangle:Machine_Choices
Not sure how it works in the UK, but at this beginning stage of your treatment, it would help to insist upon exchanging the S9 Escape with a data-capable machine so that you can monitor your own therapy and the doctor can see the reports of your AHI to know for sure how the therapy is working and whether or not pressure changes or other setting adjustments are needed.
If you obtain a data-capable CPAP or APAP, you can then download the free software packages we use around here to view and anyalize your data with graphs and charts. The two main software packages are SleepyHead (HERE) and ResScan (HERE). Both are completely free. ResScan works only with ResMed machines, while SleepyHead works with ResMed, Philips-Respironics, DeVilbiss Intellipaps and Fisher & Paykel ICON machines.
Good luck!
Have a spot of tea and let us know how it goes with you.
RE: Good evening from a newbie - trish6hundred - 06-10-2013
Hi bondy,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I echo what has been said so far.
Best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy and don't be shy about trying different masks.
The mask can be the hardest part of the therapy.
Hang in there for more responses to your post.
RE: Good evening from a newbie - Tez62 - 06-10-2013
SuperSleeper, all good points for bondy, I'm on another website that is based in the UK and their national health system only always for base models due to cost which sounds is really poor but that's the way it is, if they want something better like an auto they have to buy it themselves and for some people the cost is out of reach. Our health system in Australia is even worse, you basically have to pay for every thing yourself and the cost of CPAP's and equipment is double what you pay in the US. People may think the US health system isn't the greatest but in this area I think it is much better than the UK and Aus.
Bondy, if it helps I can give you the UK website which is dedicated to SA and they have more local knowledge.
RE: Good evening from a newbie - zonk - 06-10-2013
(06-10-2013, 06:35 PM)Tez62 Wrote: People may think the US health system isn't the greatest but in this area I think it is much better than the UK and Aus.Yes if one happen to be in a secure well paid job with good insurance cover or wealthy enough so money does not matter but for folk with no health insurance, low paid or no jobs is completely different ball game. In Australia sleep tests are covered by Medicare, not income tested and if wanted one may choose private. In UK everything is free for all and covered by NHS including sleep tests, machine, masks, etc ...