Where A CPAP Newbie Should Start

[HoseCrusher]

A key to adapting to xPAP use is to be comfortable using the equipment. Stomach sleeping with a mask requires some creative approaches to your pillow.

Some people use a foam pillow and cut out areas where the mask touches. This allows them to stomach sleep without the pillow moving the mask. Others use a buckwheat hull pillow that tends to keep its form when you punch an indent for your mask.

Put your creativity to work. If nothing seems to work out you can always adjust to sleeping on your side.

[this15me]

Greetings from Alabama,
I'm a 55 year old woman who in the past 9 years have struggled with a variety of health issues, starting on May 20, 2008 they found cancer in both tonsils and the back of the base of my tongue, went through 8 weeks 5 days of radiation plus 8 weeks 1 day of chemo which all ended up being 12 weeks. My last chemo was on September 3,2008 on my 47th birthday, then following that I had to go have my throat dilated every week and still to this day every 6 weeks now have my throat dilated so I can continue to eat, although I can only eat certain things, no more steaks, hamburgers, steamed veggies no coarse type foods it has to be soft and even then I must have something to drink to make sure it goes down. Then a few years later they found an infection in my jawbone, so they went and remove top half of my right side jawbone, oh and I have no teeth nor dentures. Doctors told me that my jaw could fracture or break even with the slightest yawn, but thank the great Lord I've done well thus far. Then 2 years ago they discovered I have scarring around the airway causing me to have difficulty breathing. A year ago they made me take a sleep test after they diagnosed me with COPD and further said I have sleep apnea, woke up 14 times in an hour, so now I have a CPAP "Dreamer" machine, that I have used off and on, just can't seem to get use to the mask. I know it is good for me and will benefit me in the long but how do you get by the feeling of suffocating?

[Pugsy]

how do you get by the feeling of suffocating?

Welcome to the forum.
May I suggest that you start a new thread with your questions so that we can devote attention directly to your problems.
This thread is an old thread and your issues won't be seen here by many people. You will get more help in a thread devoted to you alone.

So start a new topic of your own with your problems and please include the pressures you are using (and if you are using ramp), along with which machine and mask you are trying to use.
I suspect that the suffocation feeling very well could be related to the pressures used starting out (especially if you are using the ramp feature) and/or mask you are using.
Sometimes when the pressures are low we feel like we are suffocating...we aren't but it sure feels like it.
And sometimes with some masks (particularly the nasal pillow type of mask and the size) we can also feel like not enough air is moving.

[this15me]

Greetings from Alabama,
I'm a 55 year old woman who in the past 9 years have struggled with a variety of health issues, starting on May 20, 2008 they found cancer in both tonsils and the back of the base of my tongue, went through 8 weeks 5 days of radiation plus 8 weeks 1 day of chemo which all ended up being 12 weeks. My last chemo was on September 3,2008 on my 47th birthday, then following that I had to go have my throat dilated every week and still to this day every 6 weeks now have my throat dilated so I can continue to eat, although I can only eat certain things, no more steaks, hamburgers, steamed veggies no coarse type foods it has to be soft and even then I must have something to drink to make sure it goes down. Then a few years later they found an infection in my jawbone, so they went and remove top half of my right side jawbone, oh and I have no teeth nor dentures. Doctors told me that my jaw could fracture or break even with the slightest yawn, but thank the great Lord I've done well thus far. Then 2 years ago they discovered I have scarring around the airway causing me to have difficulty breathing. A year ago they made me take a sleep test after they diagnosed me with COPD and further said I have sleep apnea, woke up 14 times in an hour, so now I have a CPAP "Dreamer" machine, that I have used off and on, just can't seem to get use to the mask. I know it is good for me and will benefit me in the long but how do you get by the feeling of suffocating?

"If you want to keep getting what you are getting then keep giving what you are giving".

[Squishy]

Hi Everyone
Newbie here,

Using an Aircurve 10cs auto pace wave

Have been on Bipap for about 5 months

[PregnantWithOSA]

Hi, I am pregnant in my third trimester and was just diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I would like to hear people’s opinions about pros and cons to the CPAP machines they own so that I can make a better educated choice in purchasing one for myself. Everywhere I’ve searched, there’s general information about “what CPAP machine is right for you”, but no matter where I search, I simply can’t find personal reviews! Do any of you know of any links to direct me to with regard to this? I would appreciate it greatly! Thanks!

[HoseCrusher]

I hope you have a great birth...

I like ResMed machines. Currently I am using the Airsense 10 For Her and am pleased with it. Prior to that I was using The S8 AutoSet.

What seems to help the most is to have a machine that records detailed data and then you can use something like sleepyhead to review your data and dial in your therapy. Without this information you are basically screwed and can not expect excellent results.

With that said, all of the machines work. I drive a Honda and some people prefer other brands. They all get you from point A to point B. I just happen to find the algorithm used by ResMed more effective for me.

[Adamw112]

Hi Guys, super new to this. I did the at home sleep study and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, I deal without it and I really don't know the difference with it. I do live in place that has health care, unfortunately due to my work and me being stubborn I never went and stayed the night in the hospital and it's past time now. I do not want to spend the money and do the sleep test etc again bring home all that stuff. I've been researching the philips dream entre auto CPAP that auto adjusts I was going to buy the the new top connect Philips nasal mask as I have a big beard and from what I've read it has great success. My main concern is, am I safe to try this with a auto machine on my own. And if you guys could give me some tips etc. The machine does collect data I'm sure you guys know the machine. Thanks again.

[Loub13]

Hi
I am new to this sAite. I do have a lot of questions about this machine and masks. I have a lot of trouble with my masks leaking, waking me up and waking my husband up. I have tried several masks and they all leak!!! I tried a cpap pillow last night and it did not help at all. It is soooo frustrating. I feel better sleeping with it but the noise and of course, the strap marks all day on my face. Any suggestions would truly be appreciated.

[Okie bipap]

Go to the home page and click on "Post a New Topic". This will start a new thread which will allow people to help you. Few people read entries on this thread.

[Jenkins054]

Howdy from Texas y’all! I’m 34 yrs old and was diagnosed with OSA, our wonderful Veterans Affairs issued me a philips dream station which works great. I’ve been using it for almost a month and I feel more engaged in my day to day activities. I also suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis, rhinitis, and so fourth, so I’m a mess and my sleep has always been troubled. Just bought me a heated tube to connect to my CPAP to keep the condensation from accumulating. My ears get the plugged feeling when I’m out it on as well which I’m trying to figure out what to do with. Hope y’all are great! God Bless!

[walterwhite007]

i use a cpap. Guess i landed the right place. got quite a few questions

[CountingSheep]

First link is dead...

[Pugsy]

First link is dead...

Very, very old thread. So broken links are commonplace in any old thread.

[Buffalo77]

Hello, I am new here. I see I was to put in the name of my equipment under my name but I couldn't find my CPAP brand in the drop down menu. What do I do?