How long to get used to cpap

[gymrep]

Hi I have had OSA for about 14 years, and to be honest those years have been hell. I have had various operations to try and help and have on and off tried CPAP without much luck as I could not tolerate it. I've been feeling so ill lately I have tried to bite the bullet and have another go at it, i'm 4 nights into it so far and still cannot cope, I have a full face mask, the problem is I simply cannot get to sleep, I cannot get used to the air blowing into my face and the noise of the air being forced in - helpppppp!

[threewheelweave]

Good Not to Give Up!

Hi gymrep

Sounds like you have been through the mill! Sorry to hear that it has been so difficult. Most operations for OSA to date are not completely successful and so much of a persons success comes down to attitude! So biting the bullet gets TOP MARKS! Have a really good go this time and just maybe it will turn out different than previous attempts!

If you trawl through the forum you'll find loads of info and the search engine is great at finding key words / threads etc. The key for me and most OSA patients is mask comfort; most have tried at least two types many in excess of five!

What kit have you got, what pressure are you on and are you a mouth breather? With that info you'll get a lot more specific advice.

Machines, masks and assessories have come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years with some help I'm sure between the members and James at Intus you'll get just the help you need.

My machine is very quiet Respronics Series M Remstar CPAP - I started off with a FF Resmed Quattro mask but found it dug holes in my forehead. Do some research on you tube / google your questions and find what works for you. We're all different - I now use a Resmed Liberty hybrid FF mask much smaller but still allows me to mouth breath. If you can use a purely nasel pillow feeder you might want to try the Swift or something similar.

Anyway welcome to the mad world of OSA - stick with it!

Keep posting and if you can't find what you're looking for start a new thread
Hope this helps you out - remember you are not alone the members are great at helping each other!

Cheers

TWW
UK

[redkez]

CPAP machine

My machine starts off quietly at a low rate and dosen't get going properly until I'm asleep, so that I'm not aware of it blowing in my face and the noise doesn't stop me falling asleep.
There is also a ramp feature - a button I press which quietens it for a bit.
What sort of machine do you have? Someone else here might have the same type and be able to advise.

I'm not exactly an old hand, I've had my machine 3 weeks, but for the first two weeks I couldn't get off to sleep for hours, and would then wake up and be awake for ages again. After 2 weeks I then started to fall asleep OK.

[pbarbalias]

gymrep if the air that blows your face annoys you there are solutions.

Probably the device you used was a cpap with fixed pressure. I remember I had similar problems in the hospital, and not only the pressure was high, not only the mask very hard, when I tried to breathe out, against the pressure of the incoming air, I felt my entire head blowing up!

There are APAP devices with technology that stops the incoming air, and provides it only when you start to take a breath. After a couple of days it feels like the device is actually a part you! I use a respironics with A-Flex and I must say its like driving a porsche against the 70s Lada I tried to the hospital!

Also try to be as relaxed as possible.And focus on something out of the bed. Probably a favorite picture or whatever..

[mintra]

My woodwork teacher was a craftsman

What he taught me 35 years ago really helped me with my cpap, he suggested that after years of working the wood it was alive and would help him to craft it. I work with machines after years of working with them I feel that they are alive they help me. Hence I was really keen on the man machine interface and see it as part of me.

I can understand how some people may see it as a creature from alien grabbing your face.

I took about six weeks to get used to it, but was not going to give up the benefits are too good. I did go through a short period of desperation as you describe,

It is second nature now and I feel less less comfortable if i have no mask.

Try try and try again, and if that does not work try again.

I have just had two night without the machine due to tooth ache, it just reminded my why its worth it.

Good luck and learn to love the mask.