still struggling

[bostonian]

I got my remstar auto and humidifier in October. I've struggled with the water in the mask problem and have resorted to stuffing a paper tissue in the strap to soak it up!

My main problem is that I still feel as bad as I did before I got it. I'm still exhausted and I'm still waking up several times a night.

Will it get better or is this as good as it gets?

[James @ Intus]

As you have an Auto, you will also have a data card. You can ask your clinic to print you a report so you can see how well you are doing stats-wise. This can be the basis of tweaking a few things for the better.

The condensation can be fixed with a hose wrap or heated hose. Search the forums to find many a topic on this subject.

[jillybean]

Hi and welcome (Heavens I sound like David Frost or James from Intus!!)
I am new to this too and struggle a bit but I keep fiddling with the mask and persevering and its really hards sometimes. BUT I do now feel better, not so tired in the day not so grumpy so they tell me.
I am sure when you get your mask problems sorted you too will feel better, if the boys on here cant tell you what to do then I dont know who can.
Regards

[musotech]

Hi all,

I've been on CPAP since November and it's worked a treat, back to treating everyone with my sunny, cheerful disposition. (Irritating is the word my wife uses!) Despite all the good, there are some nights when the mask doesn't want to fit properly and I can't get to sleep until it is the other side of the room in disgrace, other nights I wake up suddenly felling though I can't breath, not to mention the night I pulled the bedside table over with everything on it, including my Apex XT-III with my hose, waking the whole house in the process.
As James says see you sleep tech, adjustments are easily done and the guys on this forum have a range of interesting, even bizarre, solutions to most problems. Keep trying and good luck!

[bostonian]

Thanks for the replies. I've got a 'furry' cover for the hose, but that doesn't seem to make a difference, the condensation leaks both from the mask and the hole where the air comes out.

I think I need a trip to the doctors to sort this out as when I wake up in the night to sort things out with the unit, my head feels as if I've been oxygen deprived and I'm really dizzy.

It's all very depressing, but I don't want to give up without a fight! All I want is a few hours decent sleep a night!

[bostonian]

Hi, thanks for your messages.

I've got a cover for my hose, but I still get a lot of moisture accumulating and ending up in my ear or down my neck!

I'm seeing my consultant at the beginning of February fortunately, I'm not sure if I was pinning to much hope of this being the cure-all. I now know when I'm waking up where as I didn't before and feel dreadful when I do - a feeling of being oxygen starved. So perhaps I've got something else to deal with apart from the apnea.

I was hoping to be able to report that I had slept through the night for the first time in years and felt brilliant - but I feel as bad as I did before.

Still, looking on the bright side - it can only get better!!

Whinge over!!

[leswaller]

If you are using a humidifier then try without the humidifer, you may not need it at the moment. The other answer is a heated hose which will definitley stop you being rained on

[James @ Intus]

The Auto may be set to not use its entire range, making you feel like you are not getting enough of the air. Perhaps your pressure needs to go up.

Your towel solution may also be interfering with the pressure stability. See if you can have the machine lower than your mask so the droplets struggle to go upwards. A Hose Lift may also help achieve this.

[bostonian]

The Auto may be set to not use its entire range, making you feel like you are not getting enough of the air. Perhaps your pressure needs to go up.

Your towel solution may also be interfering with the pressure stability. See if you can have the machine lower than your mask so the droplets struggle to go upwards. A Hose Lift may also help achieve this.

Hi James.
Unfortunately, I have no control over the pressure range. I've mentioned it to Respironics several times and nothing changes.

I'll try the machine a bit lower and see if that reduces the flood !

[James @ Intus]

If you want, you can send your data card to us and I'll send you back the card and a report. You can then decide whether to take matters in your own hands like some here do, with regards to sticking with the prescribed range or perhaps tweakig it a bit yourself.