Make sure you get the pressure right. I like the full mask. I struggled keeping it on until they increased my pressure. I dont use the humidifier. It was too hot for me. Dont give up on it. I hated it at first but will not sleep without it now.

I was diagnosed with "moderate" apnea earlier this year (I "only" stopped breathing 37-40 times)...anyway, since getting the cpap, it's a literal night & day difference. I sleep like a baby. I got the mask that uses the little nose pillows so you breath through your nose, and it sits under your nostrils, kinda like a canula (sp?). I'm not a mouth breather normally, so this is the lease intrusive version. My opinion, embrace it. Some folks hate it, but I sleep so much better with it. Nothin but great things to say. Good luck.

I stopped breathing 28 times per hour when I was diagnosed over a decade ago.

The quality of sleep is so fantastic that I don't understand people who have a CPAP and don't use it. I don't take naps often, but I even put on my CPAP for a nap. Back when I traveled, I even had a battery for it so I could use it on planes.

Having a clean system is important or you'll end up with upper respiratory infections. I ended up purchasing a SoClean so my system gets cleaned every day.

Also, you'll need to swap out your disposable durable medical equipment periodically:

Monthly - mask & prefilter

2 to 4 x per year (depending on insurance) - hose, headgear, regular filter.

IMO, nasal pillows are the most comfortable option. I can still read or see the TV since they're not as obtrusive as other styles of masks.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

Your sleep will be deeper than you thought possible. I also had fantastically vivid dreams I actually remembered.

I have thought about purchasing a SoClean but at $300 it is too much money.
Anyone see them go on sale?

Diagnosed in ‘99, been on a cpap or more recently a variable pressure unit since then.
My first full night on a CPAP, I woke up and actually exclaimed Wow! due to the difference in the sleep I experienced.

I’ll be transitioning to Medicare next year and it’s time to get an updated sleep study and a new CPAP. There’s a new ENT - sleep specialist in town that getting good word of mouth for results. I’ll get a referral probably to see where my parameters and machinery can be updated and optimized.......

I’m waiting to pick up the at home sleep study stuff.

I really, really, really hope it shows something and whatever it is, that it can be helped. Tired doesn’t describe...

I’ve been on CPAP/BiPAP for about 20 years. When you first start wearing the mask it drives you crazy and you think there is no way in hell you will be able to sleep. But that passes over the first couple weeks and you start sleeping better than you have in years. You will find you almost become addicted to wearing because you sleep so much better.

If you need it, a cpap machine will change your life when used effectively.


Tricks or Advice?

A lot of people discontinue use because the mask disrupts them....at first. I’d tear mine off every night without consciously doing it and find it next to bed in the morning. Stay with it. Finally one night after a month or two I kept it on all night and felt wired and alert the next day. Cut my sleep time down and stopped feeling drowsy during the day along with no more need for a nap.

Ask if they know whats causing it. You could have ENT issues (tonsils, adenoids, turbinates, etc) or if you're heavy it could be the weight. Sleep apnea has devastating affects uncorrected from blood pressure to heart issues to testosterone, etc. Getting it fixed/treated is important.

First off, "Doc said I had stopped breathing 60 times plus (that night)" is fairly lite apnea.

The AHI is your stoppage per hour - not stoppage over an entire night. It is important if the cause is neurological or physical - nerve damage or just fat or physical deviation.

Years back, mine was moderate at 27 AHI, whereas my younger brother was 118 AHI - that is one hundred-eighteen times average per hour he stopped breathing!

I started with APAP from the VA which gave me an average of less than 1 AHI. A new director (asshole) of the clinic wanted only CPAP so my AHI went up.

After adjusting to the face mask you will fine that a small nasal pillow is the most comfortable.

The biggest adjustment was that our two Miniature Schnauzers would sit next to my head and stare at me, probably not sure if they should rip it off to save me.

.

Got mine going a couple years or so ago. During the sleep study (after which I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea - like JWF posted, they gave me an ResMed AirSense 10) they woke me up and switched from the full mask (mouth and nose) to the nose pillow, which is what I went with. Nowadays I rarely get tangled up with the tube. During the beginning I swear I was using it upside down lol. Felt like I was breathing through a straw. Got that sorted out quickly, obviously.

The unit connects / uploads with the site I check each day for sleep time, leaks, and AHI (Apnea–hypopnea index). When I woke up just now AHI was around 1.0. I log in to get my numbers every day.

I've found when I skip lunch and dinner doing an omad (one meal a day) my AHI gets higher, but still below 5. When I eat later in the day, more toward sleep time my AHI is very low.

Wife says I don't snore anymore.

Every month I'm suppose to take my chip to the doc and they upload it, print it, and tell me I'm doing fine. Haven't done that since March what with co vid. The company sends me supplies (hoses, spare nose pillows, water trays, straps, etc.) every now and then.

I clean the water tray and nose pillow and wipe down the headset daily. Every week, I rinse out / clean all tubes and hand wash straps. Gets to be a routine.

I now sleep around 7-9 hours routinely every day.

I was prescribed the ResMed Aircurve 10 VAuto Bipap. Absolutely despised it at first and none of the mask types my doctor gave me made things better. Then a neighbor said the Phillips DreamWear nasal pillow headgear had been a game changer for him and gave me one. It addressed all my issues and my doctor happily prescribed it. Now, a couple years in, I actually prefer sleeping with it. Never thought that would happen. Good luck!

ResMed AirSense 10 and the AirFit P10 nasal mask for me. The nasal mask did rub my nose at first as others have said. I was wearing it too tight.

I also worried about keeping my mouth closed, but quickly figured out if I opened it, the air would rush out of my mouth. While that didn't hurt, it did sort of startle you, like taking your breath away.

I had to have deviated septum and turbinate reduction surgery as a first step in correcting my breathing problem. Once I added the CPAP, I slept 10 hours the first night and haven't slept without it since.

My wife and dog thank the ENT immensely!!!!

I definitely hated the thought if having a CPAP, but once I got it it was no big deal. Doc advised it would add 10 years to my life.

You read about all those folks dying in their sleep, and I have to think it is mostly apnea getting them.

Been using sleep apena equipment for going on 17 years.
Tough to get use to it but well worth the effort!

I've used one for a few years. Feels weird now when I try to fall asleep without it. Tips?

1. Get one with a humidifier, you'll be much more comfortable.
2. If it doesn't come with a little clip that attaches to your breathing hose, go buy one. Look like this: https://www.amazon.com/CPAP-Cl...TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== I use this to clip the hose to my upper shirt near collar as I sleep, keeps me from pulling the mask off while I'm in deep sleep and turn over or move.
3. The "Ramp Up" mode that is set up on mine is useless. I have found that my best start is to take a deep breath, turn on the machine (sans ramp up mode), put the headset on, exhale, and take a normal breath in. The ramp up doesn't provide me with enough pressure to take a tidal breath right away, and that makes me feel smothered.
4. Make sure you never run out of water in the humidifier during use. Seriously dried out sinuses.
5. Change the filters and wash the thing, you filthy animal.
6. I use the nasal pillows, find that they do a good job and don't make me look like I'm entering a smoking building (i.e., full facial mask). Also leave fewer of those telltale face impressions in the morning when I'm headed into work.

Dream Wear for the headpiece and mask IF you don't breath through your mouth too much. Most comfortable of the numerous ones I've tried.

If mouth breather - good luck. None of those was very comfortable to me.

The dream wear has a hose that comes off the top of the head and rotates, so you can roll back and forth left and right and not get tangled up...

quote:

Originally posted by lizardman_u:
I too was diagnosed 10 years ago for severe sleep apnea.

I went in for the sleep study as I was falling asleep at my desk at work if I was sitting.

Ended up with a CPAP machine, and almost immediately lost 20 pounds due to my body not trying to hold onto the weight due to lack of sleep.

My CPAP is my friend.

I'm looking forward to that part, losing weight for me has ALWAYS been a struggle. The doc said something to the effect that the CPAP therapy may very well turbocharge my metabolism and help greatly with that. This year has not been kind to me as far as my weight, I'm 6 feet tall but just hit 250 which is the heaviest I've ever been. Need to drop a good 50 lbs over the coming year and keep it off.

quote:

Originally posted by redleg2/9:
First off, "Doc said I had stopped breathing 60 times plus (that night)" is fairly lite apnea.

The AHI is your stoppage per hour - not stoppage over an entire night. It is important if the cause is neurological or physical - nerve damage or just fat or physical deviation.

I may have stated that wrong in my OP then, it may have been "per hour" is what that doc said. All I know is he said I had "severe" sleep apnea and wanted me to get the full monty overnight sleep study set up ASAP, in fact he sent me right to them (in the same medical complex as his practice) but it was Friday and no one was there.

Stick with it, the key is getting to 2 hours with the mask on. It took me about 30 days of bullshit sleep to do that. Once I hit 2 hours for about 3 days, bang, all night sleep.

Woke up feeling like I was 12 years old. Amazing.

If you get a resmed, they have an app that links to the machine and scores your sleep each night> Sounds stupid, but helped me stay committed for the first month when I wanted to throw it across the room.

Have used one for close to 20 years, it makes a difference, if I sleep without it for a day or two end up with a sore throat from snoring...

It's hard to go to sleep without the unit now, the constant pressure helps quite a bit in me getting to sleep.

Similar to Dreamwears unit, the Opus 360 Nasal Pillow is what I use, since I like to sleep on my side the Opus 360 allows it as the hose runs up over my head, and I stuff it behind the pillows allowing enough to move from side to side.

In addition when they setup the unit make sure they setup the "ramp up" option on the unit. This allows the unit to run at a lower pressure at start up and increase after time, mines set to 45 minute max. It makes a big difference in getting used to the air pressure vs just putting in on and turning on at high speed.

Opus 360

quote:

Originally posted by sigmoid:
Had it (apnea)
Lost 30 lbs.
Best thing I ever did
No more apnea
Got rid of problem, not the symptom
Sleep is awesome and restful

Good for you. I imagine the weight was a contributing factor in your breathing. The statistics on obstructive sleep apnoea make it appear like a global health crisis, second only to diabetes and insulin resistance.

Jul 9, 2019 — Our estimates suggest that nearly 1 billion adults aged 30–69 years worldwide could have obstructive sleep apnoea, and the number of people ...
https://www.thelancet.com/jour...(19)30198-5/fulltext

Since I lost 30 lbs almost 3 years ago, my asthma (and sleep quality) has improved dramatically. I no longer wake up congested, and coughing and blowing my nose out in the shower. This is mostly due to a decrease in systemic inflammatory processes. I don't consume grains, processed foods or seed oils and follow a fairly carnivorish diet.

I've also recently begun concentrating on the quality of my breathing. I never was a mouth breather but nasal breathing is vital (e.g. mouth taping)

Breath by James Nestor
The Oxygen Advantage by Patric McKeown

I can't believe this apparent epidemic is caused by some environmental factor. I'll be damned if I'm gonna be tethered to some modern conveyance in my life if there is any way I can possibly have control over my health. Unfortunately, sleep apnea is probably not the only issue many folks here are dealing with. I wish everyone the best of health.