Fellow sleep apnea sufferers, can I ask a question?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Home Health.

Hi all,

Finally recieved my CPAP machine yesterday, what a major hassle w insurance companies, since I went PT in June, union insurance would be effective until 6/30, so they stalled and stalled, until I finally said screw you, I'll deal w United Health care, and Apria, they have been very wonderful...

OK, so I get the machine, very easy to use. I had asked for the profile mask, didn't get it. Thta is OK, I am willing to buy it myself, which leads to my first question. The RT said if I do change masks, I may need my pressure adjusted. What a PITA!! I really need to go to that sleep lab again?? What do you think?

Next question. I have ramping, gradula increase in pressure over 20 min. Naturally last night, I had a little trouble falling asleep. Once I hit the 12 cm mark, that is my pressure, I felt fine inhaling, but felt like I was exhaling against too much pressure. I eventually did fall asleep. I turned off and ramped a few times. Is this just a feeling to become acustomed to?

Then, q time I turned over, I felt like I was afraid the mask was shifting, and I occassionally felt a teensy air leak by my eyes. Fear of this happening, and making the mask essentially useless, and fear of not getting the full benefit in spite of the ugly head-gear, made me nervous, maybe that was why I didn't get good sleep. Or, maybe I did get leaking? I don't feel incredibly different this am. How long before you feel the results? Think I should ask my doc or a sleeper or anti-anxiety agent until I get used to it? I definitely would not be one to become used to taking it, but I am thinking it would help the adjustment phase???

Is this all normal adjustment stuff?

BTW, naughty naughty dog chewed my mask not 5 min after the guy left my house! I had put it up high on the dining room table, but the stiff tubing, uncoiled itself, and fell below the table, doggie liked the little rubbery/gel peice that sits on the forehead between your eye area! It was only very slightly damaged, thank God, but left it feeling very gooey. I used a 2x2 guaze to place over it. So now I need to buy a new mask, I will try the profile lite, the gel fit, it just seems like it would be better.

How soon before I get used to it? I'm feeling anxious. How soon before you felt like a new person??

Shoot, gotta go, I'm working today! I hope people have A?C on, it's going to be the hottest of all today!

Thanks for your support as always!!! :kiss

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

What brand cpap do you have. Hubby's is a Respironics Tranquility. The best mask we have found is the gold seal. They're expensive-like $90, but they conform perfectly. Also get a nylon cap instead of the velcro strips they come with. About once a week wash well and dry mask and the cap. Adjustments should be done by the RT at the place you bought the machine from. Ours is once q 3 months.

Hubby had NO problem adjusting, in fact if we're watching a video or dvd, he will bring the stuff into the living room! CPAP also goes on vacation with it's own suitcase and extension cord. Next will be a marine battery and converter. :)

http://www.cpapman.com/respiron.html#anchor494441

look at some pictures. Do a google on your brand. There are MANY many CPAP sites out there. :)

Specializes in Home Health.

Hhhmmm, thanks for the reply P_RN. I never heard of a nylon cap. Hope there is a pic on that site.

My brand is the RemStar plus. I will have to check out the site the manufacturer has too.

I guess it's just my anxiety! And I am not normally a very nervous person at all.

I go for the second part of my sleep study on Sunday night. I'm REALLY nervous about all this!

I've got an HMO and I'm hoping that it pays for the whole thing. I'm nervous about trying to sleep with an appliance on my head, I'm nervous about air blowing up my nose all night - my nose is usually stuffed up! How is this going to POSSIBLY help me?

I'm nervous about where to plug it in, and probably having to sleep in a different room, I'm nervous about how much noise it's going to make! I'd be in a lot better shape if my hubby were having it and I was working out the details for HIM

Love

Dennie

Specializes in Home Health.

{{{{{{Dennie}}}}}} I'll be here for you girfriend, we can figure it out together. I have an HMO, and I had a $42 co-pay for the visit, and rental is $7 a month, they took a check! I can swing that to feel better. I am also worried about the nose getting plugged. Mine has a humidifier, but I haven't used it b/c I didn't have distilled water, so have some ready when you get your machine. I have to wait until tomorrow, since it's a holiday, no stores open for that today. I hope tonight goes better.

Specializes in Home Health.

P_RN, is the cap your husband got pictured on that page? The white vs blue mesh one? Or, the one at the very bottom of the page. They both look like they still use velcro. Do you know the brand name of the cap? Sounds interesting.

I'm torn between the gold seal, and the profile lite to try. I have the comfort seal one, minus a bit of the gold stuff at the top.

course I am being totally facetious and ridiculous here........

as i am in denial of my possible sleep apnea problem.........

just that my my father has been dx with it and my eldest brother has been dx with it......

by phone tranmission only.....

dad couldn't stand the b-pap machine.....was fine the initial part of the noc, but anytime he shifted positions, he just got fed up with it.......now he seems to be doing fine with O2 per nasal cannula at noc.........

brother, of which is my elder brother.....(love him dearly, btw), i guess continues to wear his bipap religiously during the noc.......and has helped him immensely.....................

and I could shake the shingles off of buildings........

oh, what a romantic female(if i am that at present ).............

denial.....it is a river in Egypt..........

oh, well sometimes there is enough on one's plate.....that some things have to be put on hold......

so why am i telling the world that micro snores........

oh, geez...................

micro could edit, but why..........

micro and out:p :p :p

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

hoolahan and denny, DH has the white cap. I'm not sure if this brand will fit other machines though. It does have velcro, but it seems to be a softer kind. There is a quick release clip. The machine is quiet (oooops did I say the Q word?) enough to be "white noise." While DH was in the hospital, I couldn't get to sleep as easily NOT hearing it.

Will you be able to BUY the machine or is this just a "permanent" rental?

Specializes in Home Health.

I have no idea at this point P_RN. Last night was only slightly better. I do have a bit more energy today, I think?? Hard to tell.

I still felt like the darn thing was slipping around my face and I would get a tiny air leak. It is also confusing with that stupid exhalation port/vent, constantly blowing, sometimes I think I am hearing or feeling a leak into my eyes, but it was just that air blowing. I am going to call Apria or CPAP man today and ask for the profile lite, or gold seal mask. The stuff at the top of the mask that the dog chewed is replaceable anyway, 2 in a package. I think that is the same type of stuff the gels masks are made of, and that seems much less likely to move. I like the idea of the profile b/c you can boil it and mold it to your own face. I always fail the TB mask fit tests, I have a hard to fit bone structure I guess???

P_RN, my machine is made my respironics I found out. I also found out that my DME co, Apria, will give me a better price, so I found a site that had the profile lite for $85 and free shipping, so they will have to beat that! Those darn masks are expensive!!!!! Caps are about $40 to $50 as well. I also have the bonus of requiring a very uncomfortable chin strap, it slips and slides all over my head, and I don't think it does a damn thing!

The bottom of my mask also presses on my upper lip, kinda uncomfortable, so I am wondering if it is too big, but the size is small.

I am such a mess!!

hoolihan, but a beautiful messee you is to me'

of course you are not a mess at all, but a beautiful person trying to care for themselves in any known how......

is the pap c- or b- an absolutely necessity, if not ask your doc about just o2 at night.....

i have seen it work wonders................

be well.........

Specializes in Home Health.

{{{{{{micro}}}}}} :kiss

You are so sweet!

I went to bed last night and decided not to worry if the darn thing leaked, or not. I also had humidity. I also decided not to wear that freaking chin strap, which I spent half the night adjusting b/c it is not meant to fit like that, nothing is!!

Anyway, I woke up this am, and I can honestly say I felt about 20 years younger. Felt like all synapses were firing. If I can feel like this every day, it is worth it.

(Of course it doesn't help when your 15 yr-old son walks in the room and can't stop laughing at how lovely you look! Big help those kids!)

:kiss well, what do teenage boys know?!!!!!:chair: hehehehe

I have nephews that are in that age range.........

Hoolihan, glad you had a good night of sleep and oxygenating.............

and you are beautiful to me and to us!!!!!

love to you,

micro:zzzzz :zzzzz :zzzzz

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