Can anyone give some advise to my husband?  He started using his CPap about 2 weeks ago and is not having luck adjusting to it.  He has yet to make it thru the night without taking it off.  I bought him a memory foam pillow but that doesn't seem to help much.  Can anyone provide some helpful hints that might help him adjust to this thing more quickly?

If you'll go take a look at his mask and post what brand/model it is (usually written on the headgear and sometimes on the plastic of the mask too) there may be some suggestions to help with that.  The mask is usually the biggest stumbling block to being able to "do" this kind of treatment.

Also, do you know what pressure his machine is set at?   It would help to know the name of the machine, too.  The full name of it is written on top of most machines.   Something like Respironics REMstar Plus, or ResMed Escape, etc.  If the machine has a blue sticker on top that says "C-Flex", mention that, too.

What is the biggest trouble he says he's having with trying to use cpap?

it takes some of us 3 months to get used to the CPAP and the mask, we all take the mask off in our sleep at first, this is normal, try some sticking plaster so it will hurt when he tries to remove it and remind him not to

it also helps to support the airhose so the weight of it isnt tugging on the mask, if its a nose mask his mouth has to be shut for the CPAP to work, check in his sleep him to see

encourage him and tell him he needs to persist and think positive :-o

You might ask your husband how he's feeling during the day, now that he's started cpap.

I had trouble adjusting for quite some time, and only managed a few hours a night with the mask on.
But even with that, I felt better during the day.  The key is if he's feeling any better, I think.
And that could take some time too.
My suggestion for him is to at least try to use it every night, try not to skip a night.
I found it's better to use it for only a few hours than to skip a night.  I think your body has to adjust to some of this, and by trying to use it every night, the length of time using it might increase gradually.

But it's also good to notice what's going on.  If for some reason he's having a lot of leaks with the mask, that's not good.
Or if he finds he's breathing through his mouth alot while using a nose-only mask, then that's not good.  
But like Rested Gal said, it will help us to know more about what's going on in order to suggest something.
It might be the mask, it might be just getting used to it, or it might be the machine, or a wrong pressure.  It can be any number of things.
So whatever info you can provide, the better we can suggest something.  And the suggestion might be something simple, simple as trying another mask or maybe tightening the straps, etc.

Let us know how things are going.


Linda

Hi Jack's Bride,

Another thing to do is to get him to be a self advocate.  Try to point him in this direction so he can read posts and realize he is very far from alone in all of this.  It is also easier to answer questions and to communicate understanding when the patient is involved in the process.  He is lucky to have you and your caring!!

Vicki


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That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

I just found this website and forum.  

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea over a year and a half ago. Twice in six months I woke up gasping for air, as if I was choking. After my first sleep study, my doctor prescribed a BIPAP machine.  It took me over a month to be able to sleep as much as four hours.  At first, I could not sleep at all and after lying awake for two hours, I shut it off and took off the mask.  Then, I caught a head cold and could not breathe through my nose, so I did not use the machine at all.  Aftr recovering from the cold, I did not bother to use the BIPAP any more.

One year ago I went for another sleep study.  I was hooked up to a CPAP and I am positive I did not sleep at all.  I was miserable, trying to lay still on my back (I fall asleep on my stomach) with the constant air blowing in my nose.  I had to struggle to exhale.  Well, my doctor swapped the BIPAP I was not using for the CPAP.  Ten minutes with the CPAP at home, and I shut it off.  I have not used it in eleven months.  My CPAP is unplugged and collecting dust.  I despise the thing.

While I no longer snore, due to losing more than 30 pounds since January 2004, I still wake up two or three times a night.  I have no other symptoms of apnea - I am not drowsy during the day, my BP is fine, I am in good physical shape otherwise and I exercise regularly. I am switching doctors and am going for another sleep study this month.

What I cannot understand is how anyone can exhale with a CPAP machine.  The constant pressure requires me to consciously exhale against the air inflow and I simply cannot fall asleep!  If I lay on a couch I can sleep on my back, but not in a bed.  At least with the BIPAP it is possible to have reduced air pressure to exhale.  Not so with the CPAP.  This seems crazy!

I despise apnea.


_________________
"Whatever it takes." Chuck Noll

Hi mr clean,  

That is perplexing, isn't it?  Can you tell us what your prescribed pressures were for first the bipap and then the cpap?  Was it a high pressure?
I have a bipap with the inhale/exhale pressures of  18/13.  I've heard the bipap is often prescribed for those requiring high pressures.  There is also something called c-flex, and while I've been around this for months, I've never really understood it completely, although I understand it provides some relief on exhale.  You may well need the bipap.  No, you should not have to fight to exhale.  And no wonder you despise apnea.

Did you get copies of the sleep study reports?  Be sure to get a copy of this one.  And be sure they give you the graph part too.  And are you having the sleep study done at the same lab?  Is your doctor the same one?  Are you happy with your doctor?  Would you consider changing doctors or asking for a referral?  You know, you might have improved your usage of the bipap if you'd given it more time, depending on your situation.  Everyone is different.  I struggled something awful with my bipap.  The doctor said that it could take even months to get used to it, because my prescribed pressure was high.  I was and still use the ramp all the time.  But after several seemingly long months, it did get better dealing with the high prescribed pressure (my problem was in dealing with the inhale, not the exhale).

I know this is frustrating, but try and ask tons of questions before agreeing to accept a new machine.  Explain to your doctor your trouble with exhale.  
Compliance is everything.  Most of the time the problems are with the mask, not having the right one for you.  But there are other things that can be happening.  Also, there's a chance your apnea has changed, maybe lessened, and if you're very lucky, disappeared, with improved health.  But only the results of a sleep study can tell you this.  Also, I don't understand, for I was allowed to sleep on my side during my sleep study.  Sleeping on your stomach during this might be difficult, but if you can do some side sleeping, I don't see why they can't test you that way.  The key is to get enough sleep in order to be tested.  It's important to know more about your sleep apnea and to know the pressure required to eliminate your apneas.  

Hang in there.  Let us know more about your test result, if you don't mind.


Linda

I'm still a newbie (only one night on CPAP as of this writing), but I did do some research on c-flex.  My CPAP titration study actually recommended to my doctor that I get/use c-flex (I complained a lot during the study about exhaling against that pressure).

C-Flex is a technology by Respironics, the maker of the REMstar line of CPAP/APAP machines.  Here's a link to information they have on their website that describes what C-Flex is - they even have some movies on the site to visual show it.  I hope this doesn't count as a commercial link - I'm only linking to it for informational purposes.  (If it is bad and removed, then google "c-flex" and look for the link to a Respironics website).


[Commercial link deleted]


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--Frank (FJC)

I was diagnosed with OSA about 2 years ago. I have a remstar plus machine and have not been able to get used to it. I sent my first machine back because I lost my insurance, I started on anouther machine about 3 months ago. I have tried and tried to get used to it. I even got sleeping pills from my doctor to try to use it, it was no help. I can not fall asleep with the cpap on. I feel like I cant breath when it is on. I lay in bed for a good hour with it on then give up and take it off so I can sleep. I go to a new doctor next month to see if he can help with using the cpap machine. My other doctor just got mad at me, so I told my family doctor I wanted someone new. I would love to get some sleep. It has hurt my job performance greatly. I have been written up for poor job porformance already. I had to explain that I have sleep apnea. It is hard to discuss it because it seems as if people think you are using it for an excuse. Any ideas?

Kevin

I have been on CPAP for approx. 2 1/2 months using a mask covering only my nose.  The name escapes me at the moment.  I have experienced the difficulty adjusting to the mask and have gone as long as 7 hours on the machine to 1 hour.  I plug along each night and I do feel much better and less tired since starting the treatment.

My question related to mouth breathing.  I have some confusion when people talk about having their mouths taped shut or using straps. I have found that using my nose mask I breath in through my nose or mouth but cannot exhale via my nose due to the incoming air.  Should I be exhaling through nose only?  I have tried this on occasion after reading posts regarding mouth breathing and find it does not work for me.  Is my CPAP not effective the way I am currently using it?  I have sent in my "smartcard" about 3 weeks ago but have not heard any feedback from the doctor.  I feel much less tired and just assume the treatment is working.  

TPL

I have a copy of my second sleep study, which I have to dig up tonight to bring with me to my appointment tomorrow.

I do not remember the results very much except that it said I still have apnea.  I suspect my problem may not be obstructive, but rather the other one (central?)

I don't remember the pressure but it is rather high.

As for sleeping on my side - I was not told I was forbidden to sleep on my side, but I just found it to be very uncomfotable to lay on my side with the mask and the wires attached to my head and body.

The next study will be at a differnt clinic with a different doctor and technician.  Perhaps my results will be better.  As I said, I just find it amazing that some people can exhale comfortably and sleep with the CPAP - that thing drives me nuts.  It´s like trying to sleep with your head outside the window of a car going at 70 MPH on the interstate.  Fun for a dog, but not for me.


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"Whatever it takes." Chuck Noll