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New to the Group
#1
Grin 
New to the Group
Hi Everyone, I made it through my second night, Here's were I'm at now.
The first night went pretty well I only wanted to rip my mask off 4 times. I'm a light sleeper to begin with so I may not of slept as well as normal but I did feel pretty rested. This was the first time in months I didn't wake up with a dry mouth.
Now last night was much better no problems wanting to remove the mask, but I did wake up about 4:00am and It seemed harder to breath mostly on exhale the pressure was at 12.5, I felt stuffed up but I don't think I was, so I calmed myself down and fell back to sleep.
When I woke up the Humidifier was out of water ( my fault I didn't fill it to the max. because the night before it was only 1/2 gone.) Anyway do you think if I ran out of water that would give me that hard to breath stuffed up feeling?
So other then that I'm a little tender under the nose.
I found this board before my 1st night on CPAP, and you guys and gals are GREAT!, I've read more information on this new life style change and received more knowledge than I've received from my Sleep Center.
Thank you All so much!

Mr. Van Winkle
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#2
RE: New to the Group
Hi Mr. Van Winkle,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
It's great to hear that you are getting used to your CPAP therapy, but if you still find that you are ripping your mask off at night, what you might try is, wear your mask and use your machine while you read or watch tv during the evening. This will help you get used to this new way of sleeping.
Hang in there for more suggestions and much success to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
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#3
RE: New to the Group

Hey Rip, nice to read you here.

Yes, the humidifier running out of water can cause that stuffy feeling.

About tender under the nose: Go to your friendly local drugstore, to the baby supply isle, and pick up something called HPA Lanolin. It's really thick suff, so apply just a tiny bit of it to your nose at night. It'll stop that irritation thingy. (don't use it as directed on the box, it won't work right that way.)

You're using the Airsense 10. That gives you the option of having a reduced pressure on exhale. If that's not already turned on (EPR settings) you might want to do that and allow the machine to lower your pressure by a couple points when you exhale.

You need to install the Sleepyhead software (the latest "test" version supports the A10) and begin monitoring your results. On the surface, it sounds like you're off to a good start, so good job that!
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#4
RE: New to the Group
Getting everything right is trial and error. If the humidifier is chewing through water maybe the humidity setting or temp is a bit too high?

When I first started CPAP in 96 a humidifier was huge and nobody recommended them out of ignorance.

The ripping the mask off thing is normal, so is getting used to breathing via an air hose under controlled pressure. You yearn to just breathe like everyone else. But the positives far outweigh the negatives.

It was a full 6 months of ripping my mask off before I got used to it.

6 MONTHS!!!11
Also, if you REALLY cant get used to the mask maybe try the Resmed Swift FX nasal pillow mask. I tried the Airfit 10 and hated it.
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#5
RE: New to the Group
Sounds like you're off to the races, and in a good way. Congrads for finding the board and most of us Big Grin

Yah that running out of water can still wake me up, and dry me out, get stuffy, and all that jazz.

Definitely get some software and monitor the progress. Top of the page, sleepyhead, just what you need.
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#6
RE: New to the Group
Hi and welcome, you've found the right place to be here.
I'm pretty new, and have been made to feel very welcome and the quality of advice and support is superb.
May your journey be one of enlightenment and humour
Failure is NOT an option.
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#7
RE: New to the Group
Welcome Mr.Van Winkle,

I'm new myself...about 3 weeks in...

My first night was a restless wrestling match with a giant leech strapped to my head...or so it seemed. The next day I was visibly exhausted but I was determined to hold out til bedtime.

The second night was okay....cuz I was so overtired I could've slept with a prickly pear leaf strapped on my face. And that was enough to get me over the hump as far as sleeping with a mask all night...becoming a "hosehead."

While not a miraculous complete personality and nuclear energy level change that I and my loved ones hoped, the therapy has had rapid effect and I feel a lot better thoughout a typical day. Especially noticeable is the absence of the massive wave of sleepiness that would hit me every day about 2:00pm. I would often nod off in my office while in the middle of project work.

I also have noticed a bit of irritation below the nose, but just a bit....pretty sure that can be managed.

Here's bits of practical evidence that keeping one's airway open at night helps:

(1) My bed cover is still covering the whole bed in the morning. It's not on the floor and it's not tied in a big knot around one of my legs.
(2) The more skittish of the 2 cats can sleep at the end of the bed all night without being run off by flailing limbs.

Both of those are new conditions in my bed. Not that I care one way or the other about a cat sleeping on my bed.... but I would wish this kind of sleeping calmness on anyone!

I'm not using a humidifier...at least not yet. I live in an old house that is not sealed up tight. No central A/C so the air is pretty much ambient humidity. I think if and when I do feel too dry I might try a local room humidifier instead of the humidifier attachment. That little tank thing for the CPAP machine seems like a bit of hassle - tho for some I'm sure it's really needed.

Anyway, good luck and good health to you from a new convert to the hosehead life.

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#8
RE: New to the Group
(11-22-2014, 01:38 PM)retired_guy Wrote: Hey Rip, nice to read you here.

Yes, the humidifier running out of water can cause that stuffy feeling.

About tender under the nose: Go to your friendly local drugstore, to the baby supply isle, and pick up something called HPA Lanolin. It's really thick suff, so apply just a tiny bit of it to your nose at night. It'll stop that irritation thingy. (don't use it as directed on the box, it won't work right that way.)

You're using the Airsense 10. That gives you the option of having a reduced pressure on exhale. If that's not already turned on (EPR settings) you might want to do that and allow the machine to lower your pressure by a couple points when you exhale.

You need to install the Sleepyhead software (the latest "test" version supports the A10) and begin monitoring your results. On the surface, it sounds like you're off to a good start, so good job that!

Thank you for your information on the EPR Setting, I will have to check with my supplier as it must be a back ground setting. It would be nice to lower it so I can exhale at those higher pressure without that suffocating feeling, As far as software, this machine came with a support program which is called myAir and it scores your progress each night, Well I don't know much about it yet, but my first night score was a 85 out of 100.
Thanks again
Mr. Van Winkle
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