New user to CPAP

[Nottslass]

Thanks for replies....i have tried my machine for a few nights over the past week i only can manage about an hour sleep with the auto machine as my mouth is falling open when im alseep wakes me up feeling like im gasping for air, Not sure if im using the machine right. I dont want to give up on it yet.

Gillyflow..I go to QMC i wasnt too impressed with them, they handed me machine and say press this button then its bye bye.

[shuckie]

Hi again Nottslass

I'm surprised to hear that you still have an APAP rather than a CPAP. When I attended for my review appointment at the same treatment centre with my consultant (actually, his registrar) yesterday, I told her about me sometimes waking in the night and taking the mask off. She seemed surprised that the CPAP didn't alarm when this happened and she fetched a sleep technician to ask his advice. My CPAP doesn't have an alarm function, and when I asked about going back to the AutoSet APAP which was used to find out what pressure I needed, he told me that APAPs were better as diagnostic tools rather than treatment machines.

I get the impression that you should be using a CPAP rather than an APAP, so I recommend that you make another appointment to have your machine changed. The registrar wasn't sure what the technician's name was - she thought it might be John - but she did say that he was one of the most experienced technicians there if you want to ask for him. He is a stocky, dark-haired guy if that helps?

If you're using a nasal mask you may want to consider getting a chin strap which helps prevent your mouth falling open. I don't know if you get get one from the NHS via the treatment centre or you have to buy one privately. Can anyone else here advise on that please? Alternatively, you may want to consider a full face mask where you can breathe with your mouth open.

If you already have a full face mask but you're still waking up gasping for air then you may need to have your EPR and/or pressure settings changed at the clinic. The technician told me that, beause I have EPR enabled so the pressure drops as I exhale, the pressure may not be rising quickly enough when I inhale to prevent apnoeas. As a result I've been stopping breathing and waking up feeling as though I couldn't breathe, which technically is correct! I slept better last night as the technician increased my pressure from 10 to 12.6, which should mean that my pressure is still at least 10 when I'm exhaling (thereby keeping my airway open).

Please let us know how you get on.


Kind regards

shuckie

[Tigers Fan]

APAP rules OK!

Not everything you are told is true, Shuckie!

NHS Post Code lottey - some PCTs issue APAPs as standard whilst others refuse point blank to issue anything but CPAPs, according to forum members.

An APAP affords lots of therapy options - including CPAP.

A CPAP does exactly what it says on the tin and nowt else.

Newbies frequently complain that they cannot sleep with a CPAP, having done so well on an APAP during the first week. I've never heard anyone complain about going from CPAP to APAP, a change usually only made after bitter fighting with the PCT.

TF

ps A chin strap costs £10-ish

[Nottslass]

Im got appointment for wednesday, going to ask if i can try a full face mask see how i go from there, i suppose its all trial and error till i find something thats right for me.

[red angel]

hi

hi there i too am new...just two weeks and i am really surprised that you did not get more info from your sleep tech. I must be lucky i have a great tech very helpful and she gave me the low down about the ups and downs of this wierd world of CPAP/APAP.

Stick with it......write a list of questions you want answered so you dont forget them when face to face with your tech. This your health though it is unpleasant if it will help then we all need to steel ourselves and get the most from our mechanical mates...lol

We are always here for some support, someone to moan at (hehe) someone to make you feel less alone.

red xxxxx

[Nottslass]

Thanks i already got a big list of questions lol..........reply late when im back from hospital.

[Nottslass]

Tried a full mask last night, didnt like it all!! couldnt get comfy lady at sleep clinic fitted it fine but when i got into bed it was too tight round my cheeks i altered it but then air was going into my eyes, also b/f complained that he was a in a draft as i was facing him lots of air was blowing in is direction thru the little holes on the nose bit, so going back to nose only mask, will order a chin strap see if that helps. Im not giving up.

Also lady has fiddled with machine i dont know what she done but it wont stop blowing air, i used to turned the machine on (while i got my glasses on so i could see what i was doing LOL) it would stop blowing within seconds as it somehow knew i wasnt wearing mask, as soon as i put mask on air would start blowing again, it was good in middle of night as when i got fed up with mask, id just take it off and machine would auto stop, last nite i had to mess about and get out of bed put my glasses on turn on light and faff about turning it off.........Does anyone know how to alter the setting??? im not due to go back to clinic till next year.

Thanks

[shuckie]

Hi Nottslass!

I'm sorry to hear you've experienced problems recently. If you still have the previous nasal mask then by all means buy a chin strap and use it with the nasal mask. We're all different and just because the technician thinks a particular mask will work for you, that won't necessarily be the case.

With regards to your next appointment, did the clinic not give you an open appointment card? If so you don't have to wait for your annual check-up. Call the number on the card and book an emergency appointment for a time and date to suit you.

It sounds as though the technician has (possibly unintentionally) disabled the auto stop/start feature of your CPAP. You may be able to enable this again yourself if you can figure out how to access the Clinical menu of your machine. However, you may be better off waiting until your emergency appointment so you can ask the technician to enable it again for you. At least this way they can't tell you off for fiddling with the settings!


Kind regards

shuckie

[OldCrow]

Battle on Lass

Nottslass
Had mine eight months now. At first I really hated the thing; I actually put off going to bed and thought I'd never get used to it. Took me a while but I've adapted to it and its foibles. Like you I found, and still do find the whole mask thing a bit weird and I accept now that it's never going to be ideal but.....
It's understandable for the negative aspects to weigh large at first but the key thing is to find the positives and focus on them. In my case, I've stopped snoring, stopped waking in shock when stopping breathing and my airways are much less inclined to get infected or blocked with mucus because of very shallow breathing.
Also, even though it can still wake me with leaks or be uncomfortable I find the device renders me pretty much unconscious and I don't move much now as opposed to fighting the world previously. I may often only get five hours sleep continuously but it's deep sleep and the dreams are interesting! So, while it may be a bit of a pain and a performance, these are all pluses. It really is amazing what you can get used to once you start to accept it and focus on what it can do for you. Best of luck