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**leswaller** · 30 January 2009, 14:50

Hi Jillybean
You may be the only lady on the forum but you are never alone, there will always be one of us to tease you, or cheer you up, or offer advice (some of which is better than others)
I use a ResMed S8 Escape and I sometimes use a mirage quattro mask, but I do have a couple of different masks and I swop them around if I feel that one is getting uncomfortable or keeps leaking. Then when I start having problems with that one I swop back to one of the others.
Any chance of chatting the guy up at the sleep clinic to get me an APAP machine

**luvvie** · 30 January 2009, 15:42

Hi Jilly,

Just thought I'd say hi, I've been using my CPAP for a week now and still getting used to it. Just been to hospital today to pick up a humidifier and a full face mask (I have been using the liberty mask, with the two thingies that go up your nose!)

Louise

**jillybean** · 30 January 2009, 18:41

Hi Louise

How did you get on with the nasal mask?? I am going to try one . What machine have you got ? I have an s8 Autospirit Apap and from what I gather am pretty lucky to have it!

Yes the Boys on here are good they know all the techy stuff about the gear we get so its handy to ask if you need to know. They are actually really supportive too (But dont tell them that)

I dont know that much but am learning all the time after all its me it affects and I dont want to keel ver just yet!!! Its just good to come here to learn and get help after all its hardly the thing you chat about in the supermarket queue is it??

Hope to see you soon.

**jillybean** · 30 January 2009, 18:52

Hi Les

Of course Ill try !! It was jolly hard work to get the swift mask though

He wanted me to try another month without

But the Mirage gives me red marks on my face when its clamped down so he relented

Its strange isnt it how different areas do things I get a great machine but they are stingy on the masks yet other folk seem to have loads of masks and want a different machine. Its all down to money I suppose, our area is huge and my sleep tech has 1000 patients but I was only the 2nd to have the new machine btw he had a couple of boxfuls in the room when I went. Next time Ill take a big handbag and grab you one

Jillyx

**Jan1ce** · 8 February 2009, 02:43

Another lady checking in here. I've been posting so you may have read me.

I don't have a machine yet. Waiting for the (Canadian) sleep doc to send me a list, then I have to call around, then I have to choose a machine. Sounds like they do a lot more for you there. Doesn't surprise me. When I was having other treatment in the UK, things seemed old fashioned but the care was way more patient-centred and helpful and wanting to offer you a full service.

Here I feel like I'm expected to cope with all the decisions myself and I don't have a clue where to start. I'm already stressed enough without that!

Anyway, hi!

**Poppy56** · 13 February 2009, 12:02

Another woman here, just recently diagnosed and over the first wobble. I expect the next one will be next month when I go and talk about the CPAP. My main worries (apart from my OH - he is keeping me cheerful with a dreadful line in jokes about it) were about work - got offered a lovely new job on the same day as my diagnosis. Their occupational doctor has just phoned to have a chat - says I am fine, fit to work normally. Is it harder being a woman with OSA? Not sure - I suppose it's the embarrassment of snoring when people expect that to be something men suffer from. The mask, too - although my OH wants to know if it comes in black velvet!

**leswaller** · 13 February 2009, 13:33

If it is any consolation my OH snores louder than I do

You will be fine, and as the saying goes 'no one can hear you snore in space' (outside your bedroom)

**Jan1ce** · 13 February 2009, 15:06

MY CPAP JOURNEY SO FAR - please comment

THURS

hi. well saw doctor this morning and got a lot further with him this time. i then went to SMG expecting to just be shown some stuff and came home with a trial machine - not sure what to do with the fact i have another rep appt tomorrow but never mind.

sooo....she tried it on me and omg i didnt expect to feel like i couldnt breathe. and my ears kept plugging up and i was scared to swallow. so any hints for trying it for the first time tonight?? holy cow, this is weird

FRIDAY

well my practice went well - apparently lying down doesn't make my ears plug when i swallow - but sleeping wasn't good. i wore it for two hours and took it off about 5 times during those 2 decided that today is another day and i will perservere. the sooner i get used to it, the sooner i can leave the country with a final sleep result. tell me i will get better!

I won't give up. I will be practising again today and then this evening and then give it a shot again tonight. After a week if I am still feeling like I need to rip it off cos I feel like I'm suffocating, then I will try the full face mask if they give me the option to try it. I don't know... Must call them!

It's just a nose mask and i think what happened is every time i opened my mouth it would wake me up. ... that weird feeling and it felt like I couldn't get a breath. Any thoughts on what that is?

i was paying special attn to the seal but that wasn't what was waking me up anyway. if anything if the seal hadn't been working surely i would have just slept as if it wasnt there

went to the second place this morning to see if they would give me a different loaner machine but she said no they don't do that cos it's unhygienic (oh, good. something else to worry about) and the one she recommended was a resmed elite II which is gonna cost me $700 (Cdn) out of my own pocket. i did like it though cos it was very small and also had an option to remove the humidifier when you travel.

All hints and comments welcome!

**Tigers Fan** · 14 February 2009, 13:27

The recently begun ....

Hi Jan1ce

Yours is a typical reaction. It's very weird to wear a mask and breathe pressurised air - but you will get used to it. Without knowing your settings, it's very hard to know what might be happening for you.

I reckon the early days are best spent getting used to the gear rather than trying to cure OSA symptoms.

Do you have a manual for your machine? Have you read it? Whatever, find out how to change the ramp pressure settings - start pressure and time. Just holding the mask in place, breathe for a short period at low pressure. As you build confidence that nothing bad is going to happen, breathe for longer periods at higher pressures. When you're happy, try strapping it on.

Yes, you are going to get leaks. A chin strap helps keep your mouth closed.

Most folk seem to take several nights, ten days, a couple of weeks to fully settle to it. Remember my joke in reply to your first post? While practising breathing with the mask, there is lots of useful reading in various threads, a lot of it under 'Masks', would you believe.

Tigers Fan

**Jan1ce** · 14 February 2009, 14:35

Thanks Tigers Fan. This is all very helpful. Continuing my diary and asking a few more questions.

SATURDAY

Well, last night I did much better. Wore the mask for a bit during the day to see if I could nap. Not really but I was comfortable. Then lay down at night to watch a little TV while dropping off to sleep. Nodded off a bit then woke with a huge jolt a minute or two later, stronger than my usual jerking of limbs I do get sometimes normally. What was that???? Felt somewhat claustrophobic and restless but after I convinced myself I was getting air, I did nap until the TV auto switched off (that was two hours).

I then slept from 2 until about 4 - woke up conscious of a very dry throat and the force of the air a little panic-making so tried to relax after breathing a few breaths without the mask. Ramped it so I could fall back asleep. Slept again for two hours, waking again with the very dry throat and decided that it was 6am and I could have the next hour to relax and sleep without the mask.

Confused about my throat being so dry since I have a heated humidifier but will call to ask how/if it can be turned up. Still feel the force of air is a bit much. And why when air is being forced at me do I feel like I can't get a deep breath. One other question - is there a less invasive strapping system? These straps are so heavy and large that I feel they make me more claustrophobic than the mask!

All in all, pleased I managed to sleep and am optimistic. Asked my son if I snored and he said he heard nothing but maybe wasn't listening! Hmmm.

**Jan1ce** · 15 February 2009, 02:27

Addendum:

SATURDAY NIGHT

Spoke to the sleep management people who advised me to turn
up my humidifier and perservere - I didn't know how and had no manual. I will try this tonight and have also been searching if there are less invasive straps to hold the damned thing on my face. I feel like the (wo)man in the iron mask.

**leswaller** · 15 February 2009, 13:47

Hi Janice
Try a full face mask rather than just a nasal one. You may get on better with that, as it doesnt matter if your mouth comes open and you also dont feel so suffocated as you can get a larger volume of air into your lungs, especially if your sinuses are suspect which it sounds as if they may be. Some people recommend using a menthol type rub to keep the sinuses open but I prefer to use the full face mask which is a lot easier, albeit more difficult to keep sealed when you first start.

**Bullie4me** · 8 March 2009, 08:23

Originally posted by jillybean View Post

I have had my APAP for the grand total of 6 weeks now and its not been easy. I have had trouble getting the mask to fit properly,I have a resmed S8 machine with the mirage full face mask. I will be honest its really tough sometimes, I feel embarrased about wearing it, although I have been married 20yrs and had 2 Children you would think nothing would bother you ....but it does.

I dont know if its the same for Men Ive never been one!!!
BUT you have to do it and it does get better (a bit) and it gets easier to sleep and if you are like me you DO feel better, not tired in the day not so grumpy with the kids because you are so tired.
I actually quite like the `breathing` sensation of the machine and the Pur sleep oils samples James sends you if you ask him nicely are very nice too.
When its really crap come here, ask a numpty question, moan or whatever, you are not on your own as I first thought.
Particularly us Ladies keep at it and come back and chat.It gets lonely being the only one!!

Btw I chatted up the Chap at the sleep clinic and he is going to get me the Swift nasal pillows so heres hoping they are as good as they re cracked up to be.

Hi Janice,
Have only just found this site, and am learning my way around it. I too have been recently diagnosed. I had to have a heart attack to do so! I was referred by cardiac team to sleep clinic during routine follow up and after 20 yrs of snoring, no help from the GP and almost a divorce, I was shocked at the outcome of the overnight results.
I now have had a cpap machine since Nov 08 and it did take a bit of getting used to.
However I have just encountered a new problem:-
excess moisture appears to be accumilating in the hose and have been waking with a shower of water spraying up my nose ( I use a nasal pillow) so just image what that is like!
I wonder if this has been experienced by anyone else?
apart from getting over the embarassment issue, things are not so bad.

**angeljack** · 8 March 2009, 12:05

angeljack

Hi Jillybean,

How are the pins and needles? Did you check to ind out if you are suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome?

Good Luck
Angeljack

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