does your machine slap you in the face

[akousw]

This is about my 6th night on therapy.

Last night, I didn't really feel any pressure. This is in contrast to the first couple of nights, when I basically felt like I was on the back of a jet engine trying to flatten my face into a pancake. I don't know if I'm really getting comfortable with the therapy now: I'm just not feeling like I'm getting pressure, and I think I might be hearing air coming out of the vent holes. I hope that my mask doesn't have some kind of leak since it's about 6 days old, and I don't think I've done anything to mistreat it, unless cleaning it in Jergen's bar soap is bad. The directions state to clean it after every use in a solution of mild soap and lukewarm water. I do my best to do that, but temputerature control right now only allows for warm water, and my wife buys Jergens soap, but I've someone post here who only uses Ivory.

The place where the mask seems to be loosing air, though, is the ventilation holes, and I have seen no signs of wear or deterioration, so I see no signs that this mask needs to be replaces. I have no spares (I would have if I could, but we do have the money for it, and my dad doesn't think sleep apnea's anything more than I'm a fat lazy bum who needs to loose weight and stop sleeping all day). I haven't noticed this sound before, but I have also been noticing the sound of the machine or of the air through the hose more than any thing else.

Then again, though, as it stands right now, I seem to be actually getting worst. I am starting to oversleep more than ever, and am constantly fatigued and irritable, almost like a zombie. School's just going to be a nightmare on this thing!

[dave21]

I don't know if I'm really getting comfortable with the therapy now: I'm just not feeling like I'm getting pressure, and I think I might be hearing air coming out of the vent holes. I hope that my mask doesn't have some kind of leak since it's about 6 days old

Check your mask, all masks have what we call vent holes. This is to vent excess pressure if it's not getting into your lungs but more importantly to vent carbon dioxide (as this isn't good for you). This is only natural. Sometimes we all feel we're not getting the pressure as we get used to the pressure but if you're not feeling good then check your machine stats. You should have at least an AHI and a Leak rate on your machine, this will tell you whether you are getting a bad leak rate (e.g. coming out of your mask) and how many events (Apneas and Hypopneas) you've had in the night to see if the machine has been effective.

and I don't think I've done anything to mistreat it, unless cleaning it in Jergen's bar soap is bad. The directions state to clean it after every use in a solution of mild soap and lukewarm water. I do my best to do that, but temputerature control right now only allows for warm water, and my wife buys Jergens soap, but I've someone post here who only uses Ivory.

Don't worry about washing the mask (at least not every night and not even every week). I know the instructions always say wash the mask, wash the tubing etc, but it's not necessary and not that often. The more you wash it the more quicker you can damage your mask and degrade it. I've had masks last for 4 years and I've cleaned them probably once every couple of months. Just rinse them out with warm water, don't use any scented soap as that has chemicals in and can degrade the mask.

The place where the mask seems to be loosing air, though, is the ventilation holes, and I have seen no signs of wear or deterioration, so I see no signs that this mask needs to be replaces.

This is normal, don't worry!

I have no spares (I would have if I could, but we do have the money for it, and my dad doesn't think sleep apnea's anything more than I'm a fat lazy bum who needs to loose weight and stop sleeping all day).

A lot of us are in the same boat as you, but if you have had a sleep study then you'll have your figures at how many events (Apneas and Hypopneas) you've had per hour, and that will tell if you have Sleep Apnea or not. A usual person should have an AHI of 0.0. Me? I have an AHI in my sleep study without my machinie of 141.2. That's 1059 times I stop breathing (or nearly stop breathing) a night. Not everyone is severe as this, some only have an AHI of 50.

Then again, though, as it stands right now, I seem to be actually getting worst. I am starting to oversleep more than ever, and am constantly fatigued and irritable, almost like a zombie. School's just going to be a nightmare on this thing!

If you've only been on CPAP for 6 nights it will take time. There's what we call sleep debt. If you've been suffering from Sleep Apnea for say 5 years, then there's a lot of catching up of sleep for you to do before you start feeling better. For some it's a week, some 2 weeks some it can be a month. For me it was a couple of weeks before I started to feel better.

Try to check your machine results each morning, if you have a high AHI e.g. >15 or if you have a high leak rate then you might want to talk to your doctor/DME and let them know this as something might not be right with the machine or you adapting to it.

[jmelby]

As Dave explained, air coming from the vent holes is expected and normal. I found when I first started on CPAP that having a fan running in my bedroom helped to drown out some of the noises from the machine and mask. This really helped me to not focus on the noises and get used to it.

Hang in there... it does take some time to get used to this, but if you stick with it, you'll eventually wonder how you ever slept without it ("not very well" is the answer).

[tattooyu]

When I saw the title of this post, I immediately thought, "Only if my machine is wearing leather and is carrying a whip."

[OutaSync]

When I saw the title of this post, I immediately thought, "Only if my machine is wearing leather and is carrying a whip."

No, honey, that is the other forum.

[jweeks]

Then again, though, as it stands right now, I seem to be actually getting worst. I am starting to oversleep more than ever, and am constantly fatigued and irritable, almost like a zombie. School's just going to be a nightmare on this thing!

Hi,

There is a funny side effect to the problem of sleep debt. Since you are (hopefully) sleeping better, you are now a little more clear in the mind. The result is, for the first time in years, you are now aware of exactly how bad you feel. That should clear up over time. Give it a few weeks. If it doesn't get better in a few weeks, then you need to start watching your treatment data, or visit your sleep doc for a follow-up.

I ran into a 2nd problem like this when I first started. Before using the machine, I used to get up and go to the bathroom every 60 to 90 minutes. As a result, I was limber all the time. When I started to sleep through the night, I'd wake up really stiff and groggy. That is because I wasn't moving at all, and I'd stiffen up. I got used to it after a while, and I found that doing a little exercise every day helped me gain just a little tone back.

BTW, your dad is acting like a bozo. While I am sure that he loves you, he doesn't have a clue about this stuff. It is very possible that the sleep disorder made your weight problem what it is today, and not the weight causing the sleep disorder like he is saying. Many folks find themselves much more active after getting treatment, and some find that they start losing some of the weight that accumulated.

Best of luck, and welcome to the forum.

-john-

[DreamDiver]

Waaahhhh!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2jKz1H-jKk

[akousw]

A lot of us are in the same boat as you, but if you have had a sleep study then you'll have your figures at how many events (Apneas and Hypopneas) you've had per hour, and that will tell if you have Sleep Apnea or not. A usual person should have an AHI of 0.0. Me? I have an AHI in my sleep study without my machinie of 141.2. That's 1059 times I stop breathing (or nearly stop breathing) a night. Not everyone is severe as this, some only have an AHI of 50.

I forwent any software, and I didn't really look for a 'data capable' machine. I did not really know that it was useful when I ordered it. I am not sure that I have that ability, or if I am going to have to dip into the "provider mode" to get to it. I believe I have checked for some of these info screens, and seen only hours used, data compatibility, total sessions, and things like that. I can check again tomorrow morning, but, I haven't seen any AHI information on my machine yet. At least not in patient mode.

I don't know my figures, apart that I stop breathing 99 times per hour. Actually, I pretty much studied stuff on the internet and figured out terms and stumped the receptionist with 'hypoapnea,' but she can't answer any questions. Nor can the lab tech who was the only person at both my sleep and titration studies. So, I don't really have an opportunity to talk face to face with a real specialist until 2 weeks after I got the machine, which will be about 3 weeks after my titration study, and 4 weeks after my diagnosis.

Try to check your machine results each morning, if you have a high AHI e.g. >15 or if you have a high leak rate then you might want to talk to your doctor/DME and let them know this as something might not be right with the machine or you adapting to it.

I ordered it through cpap.com. I am on the kind of seminary insurance that assumes that nothing will ever happen, so I can't afford the insurance-adjusted prices on a brand-new machine that I do not intend to throw out the window within a fortnight out of frustration! Heck, the one I have, which is pretty decent, is already frustrating enough to throw out the widow, especially with school, so, I just figured I would see how much I could get towards the deductible, and decided that, hey, it doesn't really matter anyway. I pay full price for my DME equipment up to $2000 in network and $4000 out-of-network.

[BleepingBeauty]

Waaahhhh!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2jKz1H-jKk

Ha! I remember that ad. Very funny.

What came to mind when I read the title of this thread was the new commercial for Tums, showing a guy at a backyard barbeque who's attempting to eat a chicken wing that slaps him in the face every time he tries to take a bite. Tagline is something like, "Is your food fighting you?"

[akousw]

okay, update. I couldn't sleep too much, since I had another one of those 12 hour nights last night (read: this morning ) ! Aparently, My sleep specialist, who is so talented at giving me no information I need, also neglected to enable the data screens on my machine. It apparently requires a prescription? So, I just can't figure out if I need a new mask until I can ask him in person, or maybe I can figure out how to enable "provider mode" on that addendum thingy I got if I can find it. Rules are made to be broken , and I need to know this stuff, if my machine is really data capable, and my specialist won't even tell me, and I am ready to chuck it just because I can't even use half of its capabilites when he has to prescibe most of them! Some of these requirements are just ascenine.

[bdp522]

The DME and RT can't change anything on the machine without a doctors order...BUT...you can.

Respironics REMstar M Series
To get into the clinician's setup mode in a REMstar M Series CPAP machine or a BiPAP M Series CPAP machine follow these steps:

1. unplug the power cord from the back of the CPAP machine
2. hold down both the left and right arrow keys while simultaneously plugging in the power supply
3. once the device beeps twice, you can release the buttons

After you hear the two beeps, you'll see the word setup in the lower right corner of the LCD screen. When you select setup you'll be in the clinician's mode where you can adjust every feature of the CPAP machine, including the pressure setting. Below is the list of settings you can cycle through on a REMstar Plus M Series:

* CPAP Pressure (only in provider setup mode)
* Altitude
* Fine Pressure Adjustment (only in provider setup mode)
* C-Flex Setting
* Ramp Time
* Ramp Start Pressure
* Mask Alert
* Auto Off
* Patient Reminder (only in provider setup mode)



Brenda

[cflame1]

But if you do have a Pro... it is fully data capable.

[rubymom]

Just before you start changing anything, if you do, write down and keep what is already there so if you need to go back to it, you can. Good luck! You're interested in working to make it work and that's GREAT!

[akousw]

But if you do have a Pro... it is fully data capable.

I just figured that out.

I surfed the web last night and learned how to enable the data screens I need. my AHI is 2.0, average of 1.9 over the last 7 nights, if I remember correctly from this morning. I think I saw a leak rating of 68 or something like that, but I'm not sure what that means. I guess I'll have to read the owner's manual.

This is the last straw. Having such a talent for not giving me any information that I need is acceptable when I am an epileptic and a sophomore in high school. Not ten years later when I am trying to figure out whether or not to order a new mask.

I am going to be looking for a new sleep specialist in the Fort Worth area that is a little bit less secretive. This guy, who is actually my neurologist, did a great job diagnosing me, but he seems to be doing a really poor job actually treating me. I feel as though he almost fed me to the wolves, as it were, and left me on my own to just dig up whatever piece of crap little machine I could from whatever piece of crap little DME dealer to which his office referred me. (They referred me to two.) I got no information on anything apart from two phone numbers and a paragraph ("You need to buy a machine perty quick & I'll see you in two weeks."). If anyone has a suggestion, let me know.

[Stormynights]

I am so new at this I probably shouldn't answer anything but I had that slapping mask thing one night and the mask wasn't adjusted properly. I have tighten mine up in the middle of the night because it seems to loosen up. That slapping was the air leaking out. Forgive me if this is just a stupid reply but I just related to the slapping mask.