new to cpap

[sleepykev]

HI,

I have posted once before, but I'm new to cpap.

I Recently was diagnosed and have been given 2 machines to try, fisher & Paykel icon and Phillips resprionics.

I had a week on both, first week on the icon I was just getting used to the mask etc. so wasn't great although I did feel slightly better.

Second week went onto the resprionics, first night was great but then it went down hill. Didn't seem like I had any leaks and I slept right though the night, but was having lots of dreams and my Mrs says I had started snoring again.

Could this be too low a pressure? or am i just getting used to it?

I have a meeting with the nurse again tomorrow for her to look at the data, i presume she will be able to see if its working correctly?

any advice appreciated
Kev

[martin]

Hi Kev, welcome to the world of hoseheads, you got offered 2 machines wow, silver service. Getting used to Cpap is a def learning process, some of us take to it like ducks to water, others like ducks with brick feet. To start with, keep asking questions and work with your clinic as closely as possible, I was given a machine and told to get back in touch if there was problems, nice folks but under a lot of pressure and fortunately it's worked well for me. Mask and pressure wise, tweaks are needed and even after 2 1/2 years I sometimes have nights the ******* thing is trying to strangle me , can't get the mask to sit tight or liquid collects in the tube and a turn gives me a personal tidal wave, but despite that it's a really good non invasive therapy. It won't turn you into Superman but hopefully you will be a less tired versionof yourself.

It's always worthwhile coming here for suggestions (we are the front line testing group...go us) and ranting (helps no end) and I hope you and your machine become BFFs or possibly BBFs or whatever textspeak is appropriate.

[sleepykev]

Thanks for the reply.

The fisher & paykel is new to this area so I was asked to test it and compare to the Philips.

I think I prefer the icon overall though.

Yeah I imagine its a long road and not easy sometimes, but just want a bit of consistency, waking up just to check mask isn't leaking is fast becoming a favourite of mine

the local sleep clinic have been great and even though they are stretched are very helpful, I had to change my mask in the first couple of days due to it moving about a lot.

[proterra]

Hi there, you dont say whether the machines are fixed pressure (CPAP) or APAP automatic pressure. Often they give you a APAP for ma trial to determine what the pressure needs to be set at. then issue a CPAP afterwards.
If you have a SD card reader you can download Sleepyhead softweare free so you can look at your results on the respironics machine. the card is round the back and removable switch off first & remove mains cable)Dont know if it works with the other one

HI,

I have posted once before, but I'm new to cpap.

I Recently was diagnosed and have been given 2 machines to try, fisher & Paykel icon and Phillips resprionics.

I had a week on both, first week on the icon I was just getting used to the mask etc. so wasn't great although I did feel slightly better.

Second week went onto the resprionics, first night was great but then it went down hill. Didn't seem like I had any leaks and I slept right though the night, but was having lots of dreams and my Mrs says I had started snoring again.

Could this be too low a pressure? or am i just getting used to it?

I have a meeting with the nurse again tomorrow for her to look at the data, i presume she will be able to see if its working correctly?

any advice appreciated
Kev

[sleepykev]

Not sure what they are to tell the truth?

I did download the sleepyhead software and look at the Philips card, but it doesn't seem to make much sense to me yet.

The F & P Uses usb stick and sleepyhead wont read that data

[martin]

I'm not a tech leaning person....long as it works the numbers can look after themselves but I might be in a minority. Masks are the hardest bit, and I have quite a few mistakes littering the bottom of a wardrobe (should be able to return sterilize and use for re trying with someone else - pet peave), alternating using a sleepweave and soft gel at min (rotating gives bits of my nose a respite). But endless tweaking the straps becomes a new hobby and is so boring I no longer need to listen to the weather report on radio 4 to fall off to sleep.

After you a while you get used to the nightmares of octopoid face huggers attacking you and enjoy the experience.

[sleepykev]

I got a bit curious hence the download

maybe i need the fisher price model

[Sleep2Snore]

Hi kev,

If you are snoring you are either a CPAP that the pressure is to low on or you have a nasal mask and are breathing through your mouth.
Looks as if your clinic is either trying a new machine out with view to stocking it or you have an APAP and a CPAP machine home with you. The Philips may be a BI-PAP machine which reduces the pressure when you breath out.
This relief pressure (if it is BI-PAP) is adjustable by the user, I found it only worked for me when the relief pressure was at minimum. If there is a manual with the machine it will show you how to adjust it.
Also some APAP machines can be set up for a minimum pressure. If it is an APAP machine it will run at a lower pressure and increase the pressure if you stop breathing you keep you throat open.
CPAP stays at constant pressure all the time.
APAP automatically adjusts the pressure and increases it when you stop breathing.
BI-PAP is set at a constant pressure as with the CPAP but it reduces pressure when you breath out, this makes it easier to breath out against the pressure.

Hope this helps a bit with identifying the machines you have and the problem you have.
CPAP in any form takes a bit of getting used to so contact your clinic and find out if the machine you are snoring with is an APAP or CPAP, if it is CPAP get the pressure increased and try it again before you decided on a machine.
Also if you breath through your mouth you may need a full-face mask.

Hope it helps?

S2S

[sleepykev]

thnaks sleep2snore

The Philips is bipap (makes breathing out easier)

Both auto raise the pressure i think.

I am on full face mask with forehead support, i'm a mouth breather.

I will chat with the clinic tomorrow and post back just to update.

Thanks for the replies

[Sleep2Snore]

I think you might find the Philips is CPAP.
Though I may be wrong, but talk to the clinic and if the Philips is NOT an APAP get them to increase the pressure, then try it again, also get them to show you how to adjust the relief pressure. You may want to reduce it if you have a full-face mask, this will help the seal stay in place.

S2S

[sleepykev]

Sorry its taken so long to get back to this.

both machines were cpap auto.

Im now on the fisher paykel, but have changed to a hybrid mask which i really like but suspect it may be leaking - just wondered if someone could confirm what the data means:

AHI - 5.5 (down from 52)
Apnea Length - 14 s
Median Auto CPAP pressure - 12.5 cmH2C
90th Percentile Pressure - 14.0 cmH2C
Median system leak - 70.0 l/min
90th Percentile System Leak - 92.0 l/min
% time with Excessive leak - 174%

average number of sensawake detections 10 per night

this data wasnt available at the time of my last clinic, as their systems were playing up. I managed to get this data off the machine itself.

this data look ok? or too leaky?

cheers
Kev