How long...

[Dopey Plumber]

...does it take to feel benefit?
Hi guys.
I've just had my first night with the nhs standard ResMed cpap kit from Brompton hosp. It took a while to get to sleep, then a normal sort of night. Woke to the usual fuzzy headache, aching legs and feeling of exhaustion. Dozed off for an hour after breakfast, as per normal!

I found the full face mask more or less fits but has to be quite tight, the air seems cold, and my throat's dry. The standard setting is 7cm. Even at that it seems hard to breathe out.
It's worth persevering because I reckon I've had the condition 20 years, and, "if only...".

It was only diagnosed when I had to have an emergency op while on holiday in South Africa, and they found my blood sats under 80%, which kept setting alarms off! The South Af doc thought it was heart probs. UK GP was clueless, but grudgingly referred me to a cardiologist, who knew what he saw. I'll be changing my GP, surely he should have suspected?

[chelseauk]

Hi,

And welcome - sorry to hear your having some issues -but don't worry too much - the first few nights and weeks aren't all that fun (i ended up in tears at time - and now i'm wont even nap without CPAP) - the hosiptal may need to tune up the cpap treatment.

The dry air can be helped by a humidifier - so ask the hospital and the cold air can be helped by a fleece tube (also consider where the machine is - cold air in - cold air out) http://www.eu-pap.co.uk/tube-wraps-o-25.html

As to mask tightness - what do you have ?- the mask needs to be tight - but not so tight that it really hurts - a happy medium is tough to get - keep trying and check some of the posts on here about mask fitting.

Keep your chin up, keep trying - and it will get better !

As to your GP - if they are generally good - don't be to hard on them - SA is a bit of a un-known one My GP's great but knows naff all about SA.

[Dopey Plumber]

Thanks for the reply!
Ah right, I'll put the machine in bed where it's nice and warm. I'll just have to stop the wife farting.

Are you IN Chelsea - if so do you use the Brompton? They were whingeing that they have 7000 machines out and only 5 staff...

This is the mask and it leaks a bit where I've indicated.

[acebass]

Takes a couple of weeks to get the mask seal about right, don't overtighten the straps though... Apart from the marks it will leave on your face, it forces the air out at the the least sealed place.

[Speedchromer]

Joined the Darth Vader Clan last night

I was hooked up last night after a long wait. Unfortunately my Doctor visit was delayed while I did 4 weeks in the hospital and 2 months rehab. My wife says I did good snd I felt good this morning.

[acebass]

It's a good feeling when it goes right.....well done to you.

[Dopey Plumber]

Nope, mine's not doing a thing for me so far. Chucked it off at about 4 am, fed up with the cold draught! I still stop breathing with it on.

Maybe I need more pressure. Tried the Altitude adjustment, presumably it pumps harder where the air's thinner(?) but didn't notice a difference. It does seem silly that the user can't alter the pressure.
I work on gas so at least I can measure it, when I get round to it!

I think the mask's too big too, it pushes my chin down. Trudge back to Fulham I suppose!

[chelseauk]

It does seem silly that the user can't alter the pressure.

Eh hmmm - Well you can see link - but read and think about the warnings see:-

http://forums.cpap.co.uk/showthread.php?t=254&highlight=manuals

I think the mask's too big too, it pushes my chin down. Trudge back to Fulham I suppose!

Mine was first try i'd check it out if it i were you see :-

http://www.abcpap.com/images/products/PDF_Files/quattro_template.pdf

and a more general one on :-

http://www.abcpap.com/images/products/PDF_Files/quattro_template.pdf

[chelseauk]

It does seem silly that the user can't alter the pressure.

Eh hmmm - Well you can see link - but read and think about the warnings see:-

http://forums.cpap.co.uk/showthread.php?t=254&highlight=manuals

I think the mask's too big too, it pushes my chin down. Trudge back to Fulham I suppose!

Mine was first try i'd check it out if it i were you see :-

http://www.abcpap.com/images/products/PDF_Files/quattro_template.pdf

and a more general one on :-

http://www.cpap.com/cpap-mask-sizing.php

[gvader]

Hi Dopey,

I use the same mask and I did notice that when I first got it the soft cushion wasn't fitted properly to the face at just about the area that you've marked so you might want to have a look at that, it had ridden up over the greenish coloured clip.

The other area where they leak is at the elbow where it fits in to the mask but a small application of plumbers PTFE tape can sort that out a treat.

[Dopey Plumber]

Thanks ChelseaUK

Hope is restored!
Thanks so much for the steer on the pressure changing and mask size.

Hey last night was different. I changed the pressure from the standard-issue 7, to 12. Noticed a huge change. Now it feels like the darned thing is actually helping rather than just being there. The mask also fits a lot better when the thin silicone rubber parts are more inflated. According to the cut-out doobrie, it's the right size.
Maybe 12 was too big a step but I wanted to make a difference. I'll try 10 tonight. How sensitive do people find the setting to be?
While waiting to get up I tried 20 for 10 minutes. Woo, my ears have just about recovered!

Thanks for the mask tips GV

Chris

[chelseauk]

Sooo pleased to hear that - i'm a great believer in taking some responsability for ones own care - so I changed mine as it was set on auto and wanted to run at 19.5 !! ouch - and it was just about unusable.

When i went back to the hospital - their view was good on you - for making it work - not every hospital may see it that way of course.

[Dopey Plumber]

Well after getting no benefit from 7cm. I tried 12, which deffo did something, but hurt a bit, giving me a sore throat & airway. So last night 10 and woke to a VERY sore airway. Behind my sternum it's quite uncomfortable, 6 hours later, and I can't breathe through my nose anymore and I didn't get much sleep.
And I just nodded off...

If you have a sleep study with a titration, how precise is the pressure you're given? Does it matter if you go a couple of cm higher?
As I said in the other thread, on APAP, what the number actually means, depends on the kit.

[Andysee]

After my sleep study I was issued with a CPAP machine set to 14. As it was noisy I invested in a new Resmed APAP not that I knew anything about APAP at the time but because I had visited a few forums and it seemed from posts that this was the way to go. Since I started with it in January the highest pressure it has recorded is 10.4. Maybe they are set to the maximum which the sleep clinic think you may need.

Andy

[Dopey Plumber]

Well they were supposed to send me a humidifier, but no show so I've persisted withthe basic Escape8 machine.
Too high a setting (12 and up) gives me wind, which is surprisingly unpleasant. I've settled around 10 but don't know if it's doing a lot of good. How do you tell??!
CHest aches and pains are reducing so I'm obviously getting used to it.
I probably ought to go to bed earlier, I never seem to make it before 12 and get up at 5:30-6.

I have leg oedema which I hoped it would help with but no change so far.
(If I push in on my calf, I get a dent 1-2cm deep which stays there for several minutes. Legs feel numb/tingly/painful, and arms are a bit similar.)

The machine itself seems to be gettng noisier, which I thought odd. It's possible it fell onto the floor and didn't like it??