Here's a link to some common questions that people come here with that we see all the time.
Before starting a new thread with your question you might take a look and see if it is already here.
Cpaptalk FAQs
wiki/index.php/Cpaptalk_FAQs
It's a current work in progress so we will be adding more to it.
Below is a list of hints that will help us help you better/faster/more targeted advice if you will do these things in your post if you are needing help or wanting someone to evaluate your software reports.
1...Add your equipment to your profile. Helps us help you better and faster.
If you are using a ResMed AirSense or AirCurve machine and you don't see it listed up in the "A's"....look down in the R section...some got put down in the R's.
PLEASE USE TEXT OPTION and NOT ICONY option when adding to your profile. The ICONY images for profile make it work work for people to see what you are using. Using text words is much less work for people.
2...Start your own thread about your own specific issues/questions or problems...don't piggy back it onto someones else's thread because it gets confusing when we start offering different ideas to different people in the same thread.
Even if you just have a lot of different questions specific to you and there will probably be many of them...keep all your various question in one thread for a while. Don't make a new thread/topic with each new question. It helps us help you better if all your jumble of questions is in one thread. Even if the questions are widely varied in topic.
The whole idea is to keep as much as possible in one thread so that we don't have to go back and read half a dozen threads you started to see what might have already been said. We often don't have the time to do that...anything that you can do to save us time will mean we can help you better and faster.
Now once you have been here for a while and have a new question come to mind...like 3 months or so...yeah, start a new thread.
If you have a thread and think of a new question 3 days from now...go ahead and post it in the old thread. It will move the thread to the top of the main page and we will get a little notice that there is a new unread post in that thread...then we can go read your new question and answer it. It won't be missed if you put it in a thread that was started last week even.
3...Hopefully you will have a machine that offers full data an easily available software (free) to use if you are wanting to know how you are doing or if you are having a problem.
See here for information on the software available.
OSCAR https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... stallation
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... rpretation
4...If you want member input on your detailed software results...and want to share images of your reports
PLEASE read this thread.
This thread explains how to turn off the pie chart and hide the calendar....read it.
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html
Use the format I have shown in the examples. Don't do snippets unless requested...Don't include a gazillion graphs either.
Just do the basics...and if someone needs or wants another graph they can just request it.
Don't make the graphs tiny...we can't evaluate tiny graphs...don't shrink your report images...it blurs the num6bers any my eyes are bad enough without trying to squint to read blurred numbers.
Also...please include how you think you slept and how you feel if you post a copy of your report. We can't read your mind.
Along with what it might be that you need help understanding. The more information you give us up front...the faster and more complete answers you will get.
5... If you are needing help and someone asks some questions in an effort to get a better idea what is going on with you then please take the time to answer ALL the questions. Pet peeve of mine...I ask 3 questions and get answer to only one of them. There's a reason I take the time to ask questions...it's because I need that information to help you better.
I don't ask them just because I like to spend time typing.
6.....Don't go asking how long is it going to take to notice improvements...we don't have a crystal ball and we have no way of knowing. It can and will vary widely but in general...it is certainly not going to happen quickly for most people. A few lucky souls get overnight miracles but most people not so lucky. It can take weeks and months sometimes.
And it isn't going to happen if your sleep quality is crappy no matter how good the therapy looks on paper.
4 hours of sleep...not enough to expect to see improvements.
Highly fragmented sleep from lots of wake ups during the night...it's going to mess with sleep quality no matter how many hours you are in bed.
7...If you are new to forums in general and lose your own thread...go to your profile and on the right is a link to all your posts. Easy to find no matter what page the thread might be on...It says "search users posts"
You can also use the "quick links" drop down menu feature. Top of the main forum page...for me on the upper left but might be on the upper right for others. See attached image below.
8...Read the FAQ page especially for ins and out of the forum itself...
app.php/help/faq
Use the search function when possible...there's a good bet that what you might asked has already been asked before a gazillion times. How to use the search function...on that FAQ page. Hint...won't do well with any searches where just 3 or less letters in the search box.
And yes...I know the search engine is far from perfect because of the filters...but at least try to find the answer to your question. You never know what other good stuff you might learn.
Or do like I often do...use Google but site specific search
site:cpaptalk.com and then whatever you want to search for
like
site:cpaptalk.com soclean
So that's a starting point for newbies...what did I miss? Send me a private message if I missed something. I don't want this to be a discussion thread with a lot of questions so no posting in this thread...read only.