Anyone use a CPAP machine?

[pontifex]

This is why (well, one of two reasons) I refuse to have a sleep study done, despite being referred for it repeatedly. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm not going to sleep well laying flat on my back, or if I'm in bed 4-6 hours earlier than usual, much less both at once. If you want to study me, fine, but it's going to be on my terms. And yes, if my stubbornness leads to my "premature" death, so be it.

For mine they wanted me there at 8:30 to go through everything and get set up. I was allowed to watch tv tead etc until 10:30 then lights out. I could still watch tv if i wanted to.

2nd time i went it was at 9:30 because i worked until 8:30 and it took me like an hour to get there.

 

[GasX]

This is why (well, one of two reasons) I refuse to have a sleep study done, despite being referred for it repeatedly. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm not going to sleep well laying flat on my back, or if I'm in bed 4-6 hours earlier than usual, much less both at once. If you want to study me, fine, but it's going to be on my terms. And yes, if my stubbornness leads to my "premature" death, so be it.

So, you don't want to take a sleep study because you are unable to sleep in a normal position (most likely due to OSA)... ooooookkkkay.....

 

[SunnyD]

And antibiotics, antifungals, surgical intervention for dangerous acute (appendicitis) or recurring infections (otitis media), most dentistry, heart valve defects, strokes, so on and so forth. Just wait long enough, it will sort itself out, one way or the other!

 

[rchunter]

The longer you use it the more comfortable you'll get with it. I have sleep apnea and I use a cpap because I have pretty bad breathing problems/copd. And to the people that say that if you weren't fat you wouldn't need one.....I'm 6'4" 220. I still do 400 swings a day with a 50 pound kettlebell. I'm not fat at all. Normal weight.

 

[tcsenter]

So, you don't want to take a sleep study because you are unable to sleep in a normal position (most likely due to OSA)... ooooookkkkay.....

You have to sleep substantially on your back the entire time. You can turn a little bit to one side but not more. I am a side and belly sleeper, but I found the gob of electrodes stuck all over your body and the strange environment to be more burdensome.

 

[Spungo]

So, you don't want to take a sleep study because you are unable to sleep in a normal position (most likely due to OSA)... ooooookkkkay.....

Sleeping on your back is extremely unusual.

 

[vi edit]

Sleeping on your back is extremely unusual.

Wow. I went and looked at the stats and yep...a little over 10% sleep on their backs. I never would have guessed that.

<--- back sleeper and can't do it any other way.

 

[Adrenaline]

I have severe sleep apnea. I have had a machine for over five years and stopped using it for a while. The first time I used my machine it shot water through the long tube and woke me up.

I went back and got another sleep test done after five years and they adjusted the air pressure on it. I was not getting anough air. If this is an issue for anyone, go see the doctor and have them check the machine. It is a thousand times better than before. I sleep with it most nights.

For me, five hours of sleep with a machine is far better than ten without one.

 

[Spungo]

Wow. I went and looked at the stats and yep...a little over 10% sleep on their backs. I never would have guessed that.

<--- back sleeper and can't do it any other way.

It might depend on climate. It gets cold up in Washington, so curling up into a ball to stay warm is natural. It might be a different story in India or Saudi Arabia.

If you ever want to know the correct way to do something, watch a child do it, or watch other animals do it. Children do what works, and they don't care what other people think. They usually sleep face down (exposing their back instead of exposing their front), they hold a spoon with their whole hand instead of using 2 fingers and a thumb, they run on the balls of their feet instead of running on their heels (to prevent knee problems), they lick their wounds (apparently this promotes blood clotting), they lean forward when shitting, they only eat when they are hungry, they tend to eat the most nutrient or calorie dense foods first, they eat as fast or as slow as they want, they sleep a hell of a lot, and they like physical contact with other living creatures.

The shitting thing is interesting. I assumed everyone already did that. You sit down and lean forward; what other way is there? Apparently, a lot of people sit straight up while using the toilet.

 

[pontifex]

Wow. I went and looked at the stats and yep...a little over 10% sleep on their backs. I never would have guessed that.

<--- back sleeper and can't do it any other way.

me too. I can do sides for a short time but always end up on my back.

 

[The Stigenator]

I use a CPAP (Respironcs System one Series 60 ). I have been using it for the last few years and its changed my life. I have had OSD for a few years but even when I was thin I had a snoring issue.

I use a Nasal mask with full head gear, not the pillows, though pillows are more comfy ( I have a set ). I am a nose breather, always have been. So for me the mouth stays closed. However the mouth may open when you have difficulty breathing (if the pressure is set wrong etc).

As for dry throat, its due to the humidifier not working correctly. You got to put distilled water, and change the water every day, and then rinse it once a week. Though I've gotten lazy and i go a few weeks between wash/rinse, but the water is changed out every night or so. I find the humidifier works great for me at mid level, the only time I need the high humidifier if I am in vegas.

Remember you can be more prone to sinus infections by not using the humidifier, i learned that the hard way after 4 sinus infections one after another. THe CPAP is a great device. I can sleep 6 hours and be calm, relaxed and confident in my day to day activities, since i am not tired and cant think.

1. Try a different mask - request they give you a full mouth mask or a nasal mask.
2. Use it everyday, force the use, there is an initial discomfort, but once you get used to it, about 30 days, you cant live without it.
3. Learn to clean it regularly and get regularly new supplies. Use both ultra-fine filter and the pollen dust filter.
4. Get a battery pack for travel (I use a CPAP Super C-100 battery from cpap.com)
5. Use the Ramp button if you got one, to lower pressures and have it gradually increase it as you fall asleep. If you wake up, use the ramp feature again..

 

[slag]

I'm a back sleeper. Lately, after losing some weight, my mask hasn't been fitting well. The head strap was too loose and would leak air if I turned my head a bit. I stopped off at the local cpap place yesterday and picked up a smaller strap (womens), and it made a huge difference. I had been waking up 4-5 times a night because of a leaky mask, but i slept through the entire night like a baby and felt awesome when I woke up. Wish I had gotten a new strap sooner!

 

[BxgJ]

You have to sleep substantially on your back the entire time. You can turn a little bit to one side but not more. I am a side and belly sleeper, but I found the gob of electrodes stuck all over your body and the strange environment to be more burdensome.

I've never been able to sleep on my back at all, if I do fall asleep in that position I wake up immediately. Haven't had a problem sleeping on my side, at least that I am aware of.

 

[pontifex]

I use a CPAP (Respironcs System one Series 60 ). I have been using it for the last few years and its changed my life. I have had OSD for a few years but even when I was thin I had a snoring issue.

I use a Nasal mask with full head gear, not the pillows, though pillows are more comfy ( I have a set ). I am a nose breather, always have been. So for me the mouth stays closed. However the mouth may open when you have difficulty breathing (if the pressure is set wrong etc).

As for dry throat, its due to the humidifier not working correctly. You got to put distilled water, and change the water every day, and then rinse it once a week. Though I've gotten lazy and i go a few weeks between wash/rinse, but the water is changed out every night or so. I find the humidifier works great for me at mid level, the only time I need the high humidifier if I am in vegas.

Remember you can be more prone to sinus infections by not using the humidifier, i learned that the hard way after 4 sinus infections one after another. THe CPAP is a great device. I can sleep 6 hours and be calm, relaxed and confident in my day to day activities, since i am not tired and cant think.

1. Try a different mask - request they give you a full mouth mask or a nasal mask.
2. Use it everyday, force the use, there is an initial discomfort, but once you get used to it, about 30 days, you cant live without it.
3. Learn to clean it regularly and get regularly new supplies. Use both ultra-fine filter and the pollen dust filter.
4. Get a battery pack for travel (I use a CPAP Super C-100 battery from cpap.com)
5. Use the Ramp button if you got one, to lower pressures and have it gradually increase it as you fall asleep. If you wake up, use the ramp feature again..

I would love to try different masks, however I only get 1 free exchange within 30 days, which I have already used for the same mask with different strap (so stupid).

I have to wait 90 days for insurance to pay for another one. I can't afford to buy multiple masks out of pocket.

I did try 4 masks at the therapist office/store. 2 were pillows and 2 were nasal masks. the pillows felt more comfortable plus i didn't like all that extra crap on my face. I had used a nasal mask at the lab and did not like it. I also tried a full face mask at the lab (covered mouth and nose) and that was worse than the nasal mask imo. Trying a mask for 2 minutes in a store is a lot different than trying to sleep all night in it.

I guess i'm screwed on masks for 90 days...

One thing I am finding is that I will fall asleep with the nasal pillows in but i wake up midway through the night and have to readjust the mask because it becomes uncomfortable (i feel like I am not breathing correctly). I try to put it back on and readjust but i can't get it comfortable again so I just turn off the machine and leave it off. I think the higher pressure is what does it, but I did turn off/on to let it go through ramp up again but still cannot get it comfortable where I fell like I am breathing fine. most issue is during exhale, feels like air pressure is too much to exhale right. Plus i'm tired and don't want to deal with it.

 

[The Stigenator]

well you will get used to teh exhale pressures. I remember when I first started, that was an issue, cause when you breathe, you feel teh back pressure, but you will get used to it. Trust me.
The hardest thing is to get used to it.

If you got nasal pillows, make sure you are putting it on correctly. There should be no air leaks. My dad who has a CPAP and uses nasal pillows invariably puts it on wrong and kept complaining that he hears the air buzzing by. The nasal pillows can only go on one way, and its supposed to be an air tight seal.

I wish the masks were cheaper, but I found buying them online is cheap. I use amazon for backup extra supplies (filters, masks etc). Insurance sends me every month or so, but i sometimes forget to call.

 

[GeekDrew]

So, you don't want to take a sleep study because you are unable to sleep in a normal position (most likely due to OSA)... ooooookkkkay.....

As the others pointed out, no, sleeping on your back is not "normal" - at least not for me and many other people. I've never /ever/ slept on my back. I always sleep on either my stomach or a side. I'm not even comfortable laying down flat on my back when I'm wide awake... after 15-20 minutes my back starts hurting badly enough that I can't deal with it anymore.

 

[Genx87]

As title says...
I have severe sleep apnea according to the neurologist. They had me do 2 sleep studies q without and 1 with a cpap machine. I've had my machine since Thursday and its a real bitch. Its more comfortable than the lab but i hate wearing it.

I have a resmed airsense 10 and a philips respironics nasal pillow mask. My main issues right now is that i find myself waking up with my mouth open and i get dry mouth. I have a chin strap but it slipped off the 1st night i used it, plus i dont think it works very well. I also find it uncomfortable to keep my mouth closed all the time like that.

The other side issue is the straps for the mask are uncomfortable. Have a cloth version of the same mask coming as my free 30 day exchange. Ihope it feels better.

I tried a nasal mask and nasal and mouth mask at the lab. The nasal/mouth one was horrible. Felt hot and to restrictive. Nasal mask was better but not by much.

My machine has a humidifier but not sure how well it works. Had it on highest setting last night and didn't notice a difference until morning when there was a ton of condensation in the tube.

What tips do you guys have for using these things?

The first 2-3 weeks is annoying. You get used to it and your mouth will close on its own which stops the dry mouth. It took me a solid ~2ish weeks before I could get through an entire night with it on. Now if I somehow fall asleep with it off I feel it the next day.

 

[james1701]

I have had mine almost 20 years now. Like others have said, you would be surprised what problems apnea can mimic. At the cardiac hospital I work at, we even setup a protocol to weed out some of these problems.

 

[pontifex]

I used it all night last night. I got something like a hose buddy yesterday and set that up so i think that might have helped. I also changed my EPR from 2 to 3.

 

[11thHour]

Dad has one now that is very small and completely silent. He can't live without the thing. He's been doing it for over a decade now--started off as Darth Vader and no one could be in the room, but now he has the "bleeding edge" of CPAP devices.

Maybe it's an issue with the practitioner, and what they have available. FWIW: working with a group like Mayo clinic, and you are set.

Other tips for sleep apnea: lose weight. Fast, diet, exercise, screw whores, heroin, etc.
:\

Do you know the brand/model his machine?

 

[Sonikku]

Have severe apnea. Got a cpap, but I hated it.

 

[Bacstar]

When I was recovering from my surgery in the hospital, the attending doctor in SCU ordered that I be on a CPAP anytime I go to sleep. My oxygen levels dropped low enough. He then recommended I do a sleep study after I get discharged. Apparently, they couldn't do it while I was in the hospital. I can understand why once I went over the potential charges at the Sleep Center; approx. $5,000.00 for the initial stay, $500.00 for another night to do the fitting and study to determine the CPAP pressures. Luckily, due to the surgery, I met all my deductibles for the year.

I've had my CPAP for about a month now and will be doing my follow-up appointment next week. My unit is a Phillips with it seems all the bells & whistles. It even has a SD memory card that I'll be bringing to my appointment. I guess it monitors a bunch of stuff, so the doc can review how I did and make any necessary adjustments. I have the mask that covers just my nose, and it makes a big difference in how I feel during the day. I still only sleep at most 5-6 hours, but I don't find myself dozing off throughout the day and seem more alert. Interesting thing though is some mornings I'll wake up and find the mask off, but placed on my night-table and have no memory of doing it during the night... I'll probably mention that at my appointment next week.

 

[RalphTheCow]

It doesn't make sense unless I am not typical, but I also wake up gasping EVERY time I try to sleep on my back. I can see how the wires and tubes for a sleep study would prefer you to be on your back, but many of us can;t sleep that way. Too bad - I could when I was young and it was by far the most restful way for me to sleep. Now I have to sleep mostly on my stomach so that I don;t wake up gasping. I guess I need a sleep study but it sure sounds miserable.

 

[pontifex]

It doesn't make sense unless I am not typical, but I also wake up gasping EVERY time I try to sleep on my back. I can see how the wires and tubes for a sleep study would prefer you to be on your back, but many of us can;t sleep that way. Too bad - I could when I was young and it was by far the most restful way for me to sleep. Now I have to sleep mostly on my stomach so that I don;t wake up gasping. I guess I need a sleep study but it sure sounds miserable.

Pretty sure the lab i went to said i could sleep on my side, but i think with all the monitoring stuff its easier while on your back.

Also my machine has cellular wireless connection and uses the cell signal to send my data to the therapist.

 

[RalphTheCow]

It doesn't make sense unless I am not typical, but I also wake up gasping EVERY time I try to sleep on my back. I can see how the wires and tubes for a sleep study would prefer you to be on your back, but many of us can;t sleep that way. Too bad - I could when I was young and it was by far the most restful way for me to sleep. Now I have to sleep mostly on my stomach so that I don;t wake up gasping. I guess I need a sleep study but it sure sounds miserable.

So here nine years later I have been using CPAP for a few years and I love it now. It took some time to get used to, but now I use it all the time. If I forget to put it back on after getting up in the middle of the night, the quality of sleep is so terrible that I soon wake up and put it back on. I highly recommend it if you need it. Mine is the nasal pillow type.