Newbie 2nd night on cpap

[40winks]

Hi All,

After being tested last Thursday I found I have OSA and had a couple of central apnea events where I stopped breathing all together (scary).
Monday I was given a cpap and mask to use and I have a follow up next Monday.
Night 1, with alien attack on face. (a Forma)
Uncomfortable, fidgety, Claustrophobic, noisy and COLD. Not a lot of sleep.

Night 2 (after reading on the forum) with better adjusted alien on face.
No where nearly as bad, had hose tucked down my side which helped considerably with cold air problem. Alien went to sleep and was warmer and quieter. Unfortunately I moved and woke the alien but a quick stroke and off to sleep again. The alien is a touchy little sod so this happened a lot during the night but I had some sleep.
I have to say even after 2 fairly restless nights I feel better, I am tired but not horrible fuzzy headed and lethargic. So I assume the sleep I did get was much better quality.( and I probably got a lot more sleep than I think I did)

A great find finding this forum, and any further advice to help me tame my alien would be greatly appreciated. I hope to be helpful to others as you have been to me.
Michael

[Tricia]

Lots of patience and perseverance is the way to go. You may have to make some adjustments to your mask as well, to get a good fit.

[mobrien]

just replying because I love the way you have put this I'm going through the same process but my alien let me have 7hrs last night not bad after 5 days training

[jackyk]

well done mo, took me 5 weeks to get that much sleep

[40winks]

4 nights into it

4 nights {yawn} damn I,m tired.

I manage to keep the damn thing on all night (7 hours) wakes me a lot still.
But now I am noticing I wake from aching legs and arms from staying in one position for so long. I sometimes panic and "think" I cant breath properly unless I rip the mask off. If mind over matter doesn't work I get up get a drink then go back to bed, back to sleep until next leak or aching muscle wakes me.

Pretty soon I will be so tired I will sleep the night through and the machine will have worked ???? it will have beaten me into submission.
I,m guessing this is fairly normal, things will improve and I should just shut up and put up but having a moan makes me feel better LOL.

Michael

[ElleCee]

Hi Michael,
It does get better, the aching bits get used to you being still and stop aching so much. I find I lay on my back as it stops me from moving the mask but I do have to put a small pillow under my legs so that I am not completely flat, also I can move my legs on and off of it and that helps keep the pains down. I also take a couple of really strong pain killers when I go to bed. One, they helps stop any pain and two they help me sleep.
I used to get tummy pains from swallowing air but that has completely gone now.
I did panic, thinking I couldn't breathe, so now I sit on the edge of my bed for a couple of minutes before laying down just to get used to the pressure of the machine but after that it is ok.

I hope that helps you feel a little better about what is happening to you.

Regards
Lorraine

[Biggles]

Tee hee, I can empathise with you Michael. I had my first sleep over with full monitoring last night (over 5 years since I since I was diagnosed). The bed was hard but I like a hard bed, wires were everywhere and bits were taped on to me. It was almost like the first days of the mask. Funnily enough the nurse doing all the fitting up said it was not unusual for us 'lose' our masks at some point. Don't lose mine very often but sometimes a hose gushes off; I soon wake up :0)

[OldCrow]

Keep at it

Eight weeks in and still I cannot say we are entirely comfortable with each other. Still, it's getting better with familiarity and yes, I am now seeming to see some benefit in not being totally wiped out all day. A weird experience but the dreams are really good and I do get really deep sleep I guess as I wake having hardly moved. It's strange and it will take time and I'm not there yet but just keep at it and look fro the benefits. If you are having problems, like mask leaks etc, consult your supplier and I'd definitely insist on a proper mask fitting.

[40winks]

Thanks for all the support guys.
Have my followup in the morning so will be asking about a lot of things thanks to you guys.

Looking forward to the dreams !

Michael

[davejwhite]

Hi Michael, what mask are you using?

I like the ''alien' references too, but I hope they don't end up bursting out of our stomachs!

I had been struggling with a Resmed Ultra Mirage but couldn't get a good seal. My sleep clinic moved me on to the Liberty, which has two nasal pillows and only covers your mouth. Loads better!

Good luck with the check-up.

[40winks]

New cpap developing an anoying cough.

I had my follow up on Monday after a week with the resmed auto.
My incidents dropped from 47 to 12, which seems good to me but shouldn't we be aiming for none ?

So they have given me a new fixed pressure set at 11.5 plus a humidifier.
I HATE IT. I am struggling big time with the pressure , last night I reset the machine 6 times to relieve myself of the pressure, I am waiting for a call back from the hospital to see if I can get the EPR turned on.

Could the humidifier be causing me to get a cough ???? used it 3 nights.
Should I take it off for a night or 2 ?
What is the meaning of life ?

[Tigers Fan]

Positive waves, man!

Hi 40winks

Wham bam into the real therapy!

As your AHI was still twelve, an increase in pressure was inevitable! It may go higher yet - but I promise you'll get used to it if you persevere. Mine is at 16.5 cm water and I have to put my hand in front of the mask vent to check the machine is running.

EPR is the solution to most, if not all, breathing problems/panic attacks due to CPAP pressure. I swear by it, others don't use it or like it.

There are a coiple of recent threads about humidifiers, CPAP and coughs. My non-medical guess is that the CPAP is causing you to fully inflate your lungs and the dust and rubbish is coming loose.

TF

[ElleCee]

Hi TF,
Glad to know that I am not the only one to check there is any air by putting my hand in the vent stream!
People say they can't stand the pressure and I am wondering why I can't feel it after having the mask on for a minute.

Glad I am not going mad after all <g>

Lorraine

[davejwhite]

Hi Loraine - hey, you're from my home town!

Does your machine have a 'settling' period. If so, you can adjust it - supposed to be a 'waiting' time to let you get to sleep before it kicks in.

[ElleCee]

Hi Dave,

My machine is set at 7 escalating to 15 with a ramp of 15 mins so I should feel it, but hey ho, at least I don't feel like I am in a wind tunnel, I just have to trust it.

Have you been away from Crawley for a long time? What part did you live in?
I have to say that after reading all the reports on here I must be in the best place in the country for service and speed as far as OSA is concerned, not sure about anything else though!

Lorraine