We are brand new (one week with cpap mask) into this.  When my husband is sleeping and the mask slips or his mouth opens and we get the 'motorboat' salute, does ANY air get to the right place?  He is set on 18 which I understand is high, but it really sounds like a hurricane.

So my question is Should I wake him up to adjust the mask,  or just shove him over (gently and with love), or what"

Just my personal opinion as my DH has been a hosehead for about 20 years, but I would waken him if the mask has slipped off for more than 30 sec.  It isn't working unless it's in place.  Have you considered a chin strap to help keep his jaw closed during the night?  Contact the DME to discuss these issues.  They should work with you.

You might also discuss full face masks that cover the nose and mouth if he has a lot of air leak through the mouth. Sine we are both hoseheads at our house, I use 3-M Transpore tape creating a tab at one end of the lips (to seal air leaking though mouth) for a quick release in case of nausea during the night.


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Dianne's: Remstar Auto M, C-flex, humidifier, smart card. Mask: Swift LT, AHI- 23, lowest blood ox 80%.

John's: Same cpap, Mask: Respironics Profile-lite mask.
severe apnea, Cpap user for more than 20 years.

yep, 18 is high and is inclined to sound like the motorboat is faster    i'm just wondering, is 18 the right pressure for him to be on (did he have titration study in a sleep lab) and what kind of machine he has.  a full face mask is probably a good idea for him... nasal congestion seems to be a common cause of leak around the seal or from the mouth opening.  chin straps don't always work but if he can get one to work, then great.  he should make sure the mask is not too tight - that can cause all kinds of problems.  what kind of mask is he using eg brand, model?

laughed and laughed at this:  

capt jack wrote:

Should I ... shove him over (gently and with love)

_________________
"Attitude is a little word that makes a big difference" - Winston S Churchill
Machine: Respironics M Series Pro, 17cm
Mask 1: Respironics Comfortgel nasal
Mask 2: Resmed Quattro full face
37yo female, New Zealand, Mixed SA, AHI 45

Thanks, to both of you.  yes, he had two studies done, the first to decide if he had apnea and the second to determine the setting.  his numbers were somewhere around 110 for each...that is the number of times he woke up and the number of episodes?.....anyway he has a full beard and uses the nasal pillows and a chin strap.

When i woke him up last night he tightened up the chin strap in the middle of the night and it stopped the motorboat....but still had a lot of wind sound, I'm guessing its leakage.   he also took the thing off in his sleep.  I woke him up both times (but he doesn't remember it).. Maybe tonight we'll get the whole thing right...

thanks again.

it could take 2-3 weeks or more for him to get used to CPAP enough to not take the mask off in his sleep.  it's like that for many of us.   don't worry, you don't need to stay awake to make sure he's wearing it, as he will gradually start doing it himself.  you might need earplugs though or even to spend a few nights in the spare room - i know that's not ideal, but it's like this for only a short time and then it will become second nature for him.  it's important that you get your sleep.

AHI means apnea hypopnea index and is the number of events per hour (and also the number of arousals or 'waking up' times per hour).  so, his AHI might have been 110 which is very high but not impossible... or it might have been 110 events for the whole night.  now, he should have had a significant reduction in events during the second study. anyway, the most important thing is to have the right kind of mask and for it to fit properly.

he may find it difficult having a full beard and using a mask... like i said the chin strap may not help enough... you can still get air escaping through the lips, enough to not only make noise but reduce the pressure so its not preventing many of the apnea events.  often people with these sorts of issues have to use a full face mask. there is one called the resmed liberty mask that may fit with his beard, depending on how close he trims it.  if i was a guy with a full beard having these issues i have to say i would do away with it and use a full face mask like a resmed quattro instead.  but i know he probably likes his beard.  it's tricky isn't it.  

some people give up on CPAP because of obstacles like leakage or taking off the mask while asleep... but they only have to try again in 1 or 2 years... better to get it right the first time, and that's where forums like this can help, because people share tips and tricks.


_________________
"Attitude is a little word that makes a big difference" - Winston S Churchill
Machine: Respironics M Series Pro, 17cm
Mask 1: Respironics Comfortgel nasal
Mask 2: Resmed Quattro full face
37yo female, New Zealand, Mixed SA, AHI 45

The physician said that 35 was the figure used to determine apnea and he had either 110 or 115....the second number was either 115 or 110...I don't remember which was which.....Dr. said he obviously was a over achiever.

He was given a remstar prom cpap, with heated humidifier and smart card and a medium mask swift lt (I think it is a medium).

Yeah, he is really attached to the beard, no pun intended, and so am I.  But....time will tell.  Better the beard gone than him!

As I said last night was better.  We knew it wasn't going to be a quick thing.  He was just diagnosed, but he's had the symptoms for at least 15 years I know.  We're 67 years old, so it will take a little time to break old habits.   We spend most of our time (11 months a year) in a 40ft motorhome....kinda lets out the second bedroom.  Even if after 49 years we wanted to try that.  

Ginny

"White Beard" has a beard.  Somebody should ask him how he copes with facial hair around his cpap.


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Dianne's: Remstar Auto M, C-flex, humidifier, smart card. Mask: Swift LT, AHI- 23, lowest blood ox 80%.

John's: Same cpap, Mask: Respironics Profile-lite mask.
severe apnea, Cpap user for more than 20 years.

I think I may have made a wrong impression when I mentioned he has a full beard.  It is NOT a Santa beard.  Rather it is not now, he has trimmed it much shorter and has cut it off at the jawline, so his neckline and below the jaw is clean.  He does have a mustasche.

I also don't mean to sound , Yes, but.  It's just that we NEVER seem to fit any profiles.  Or at least, the only one we fit is the one that doesn't fit any profiles.  We seem to be the original square peg in a round hole world.  His job takes him around the country, right now we are in Mississippi and have to go home to Texas for any kind of checkup or upgrade, etc.   This can make it difficult for quick adjustments.

Thanks for taking the time to help us...read that me...out.

Ginny

Hi Ginny

I think the motorhome sounds terrific, and I hope I'm doing that at 67!  wow, 49 years... that is impressive   

I'm still a bit confused about the numbers, but it doesn't matter too much at this point.  i think the moustache should be ok with that kind of mask.  As long as he doesn't have nasal congestion then it's just a case of getting used to it.  I didn't think you were sounding 'yes, but' at all...  the issues you're having are the same kind of issues everyone has starting out.  There - you fit a profile

Best wishes
AK


_________________
"Attitude is a little word that makes a big difference" - Winston S Churchill
Machine: Respironics M Series Pro, 17cm
Mask 1: Respironics Comfortgel nasal
Mask 2: Resmed Quattro full face
37yo female, New Zealand, Mixed SA, AHI 45

I thought I should let everyone know how it's going.  Of course, you were right....it's gotten lots and lots better.  We were also told by the lady who showed us how to use the machine, to try taking two anti-acid tablets at bedtime and to raise his head by using 2 pillows.  That also seemed to help.

as to waking him up, I found it didn't matter...he had no memory of my waking him up.  So much for worrying about disturbing his sleep!

Thanks to all.

Ginny

Kiwi wrote; "it could take 2-3 weeks or more for him to get used to CPAP enough to not take the mask off in his sleep."

This is a problem I have. While I'm awake, I have a plan for when I wake up while using CPAP; either turn on the ramping feature (mine is 20 minutes), or get up for five or ten minutes (which by that time I'm dying to lie down again and go to sleep). But, when CPAP wakes me up, I'm only half awake, and I take the mask off (and I turn off the machine, too) without really knowing what I am doing.

rat

modern rat wrote:

Kiwi wrote; "it could take 2-3 weeks or more for him to get used to CPAP enough to not take the mask off in his sleep."

This is a problem I have. While I'm awake, I have a plan for when I wake up while using CPAP; either turn on the ramping feature (mine is 20 minutes), or get up for five or ten minutes (which by that time I'm dying to lie down again and go to sleep). But, when CPAP wakes me up, I'm only half awake, and I take the mask off (and I turn off the machine, too) without really knowing what I am doing.

rat

Hi MR, I am wondering if a c- pap with an alarm might help you out.  If it is  still on your face and there is a major leak I believe it sets the alarm off.  Do you think that would wake you up?


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REMstarplus, M Series with C-flex and heated humidification
C- Pap setting of 10
ResMed Mirage Quatro full face Mask
Sleep study showed 36 events per hour
Location, Nebraska