CPAP trial (Newbie)
in [Sleep Disorder]
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From: flossie on 26 Jul 2008 13:06 Dear all, thanks for all your messages of support when I asked for any hints for starting my CPAP trial. Well, I've got a trial Res Med S8 now for 2 weeks to see how I get on with it, but I don't seem to even be able to keep the mask on for more than a minute without panicking, (it's like I'm suffocating), and when the pressured air starts coming through all I want to do is rip it off. I get really bad catarrh, more so since I stopped smoking last year,and I'd expected to feel much better than this! Is there anything I can do to maybe make the CPAP work, would a change of mask work (it's full face), or what other options are around if CPAP doesn't gel with me? Help!! I'd have expected to be powering back my sleep deficit by now. instead I feel like a complete wimp Flossie
From: Sleepmac on 26 Jul 2008 13:41 In article <6a9591bf-6243-4b0f-ae59-a56d189af473(a)k30g2000hse.googlegroups.com>, flossie <araisbeck(a)hotmail.co.uk> wrote: > Dear all, > thanks for all your messages of support when I asked for any hints for > starting my CPAP trial. > Well, I've got a trial Res Med S8 now for 2 weeks to see how I get on > with it, but I don't seem to even be able to keep the mask on for more > than a minute without panicking, (it's like I'm suffocating), and when > the pressured air starts coming through all I want to do is rip it > off. > I get really bad catarrh, more so since I stopped smoking last > year,and I'd expected to feel much better than this! > Is there anything I can do to maybe make the CPAP work, would a change > of mask work (it's full face), or what other options are around if > CPAP doesn't gel with me? > Help!! > I'd have expected to be powering back my sleep deficit by now. instead > I feel like a complete wimp What pressure are you on? Are using a heated humidifier? Are you using EPR? Have you tried putting on the mask and turning on the machine while seated in your favorite chair without trying to fall asleep? Have you used the Ramp? > > Flossie
From: Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman) on 26 Jul 2008 16:44 Sleepmac wrote: > In article > <6a9591bf-6243-4b0f-ae59-a56d189af473(a)k30g2000hse.googlegroups.com>, > flossie <araisbeck(a)hotmail.co.uk> wrote: > >> Dear all, >> thanks for all your messages of support when I asked for any hints for >> starting my CPAP trial. >> Well, I've got a trial Res Med S8 now for 2 weeks to see how I get on >> with it, but I don't seem to even be able to keep the mask on for more >> than a minute without panicking, (it's like I'm suffocating), and when >> the pressured air starts coming through all I want to do is rip it >> off. >> I get really bad catarrh, more so since I stopped smoking last >> year,and I'd expected to feel much better than this! >> Is there anything I can do to maybe make the CPAP work, would a change >> of mask work (it's full face), or what other options are around if >> CPAP doesn't gel with me? >> Help!! >> I'd have expected to be powering back my sleep deficit by now. instead >> I feel like a complete wimp > > What pressure are you on? Are using a heated humidifier? Are you using > EPR? Have you tried putting on the mask and turning on the machine > while seated in your favorite chair without trying to fall asleep? Have > you used the Ramp? > Do you use the ramp? You say that it feels like suffocation when the air starts, which suggests you aren't getting much, which suggests that you have the ramp on. When I have inadvertently turned on the ramp I always feel like I don't have enough air, although perhaps it is just not as much as I'm used to. If the ramp is on, try turning it off. That way you get plenty of air right away. I like that. If you don't know how to turn it off look in the book. If that works you can play with the settings and start the ramp at a higher level or just leave it off. If it is off already I have no other suggestion right now.
From: Sparky on 27 Jul 2008 01:21 On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:06:53 -0700 (PDT), flossie <araisbeck(a)hotmail.co.uk> wrote: >Dear all, >thanks for all your messages of support when I asked for any hints for >starting my CPAP trial. >Well, I've got a trial Res Med S8 now for 2 weeks to see how I get on >with it, but I don't seem to even be able to keep the mask on for more >than a minute without panicking, (it's like I'm suffocating), and when >the pressured air starts coming through all I want to do is rip it >off. >I get really bad catarrh, more so since I stopped smoking last >year,and I'd expected to feel much better than this! >Is there anything I can do to maybe make the CPAP work, would a change >of mask work (it's full face), or what other options are around if >CPAP doesn't gel with me? >Help!! >I'd have expected to be powering back my sleep deficit by now. instead >I feel like a complete wimp > >Flossie Flossie, I do not even have my machine yet, so I am more of a newbie. The only reason I comment is because I relate to your post. I too am an ex-smoker (4 1/2 years quit.) I nearly suffocated from a flu-like illness in 04. Had to go to the ER. The mask, during sleep test, scared me so bad that I could not fall asleep. I failed the sleep test and had to do over with a tranquilizer. The second time I used the nasal pillows and a BIPAP machine. I will need to use a chin strap or tape my mouth shut. All of this makes me panic just thinking about it. I never heard the term "ramp" before. That must be what happened to me. I forced myself to keep it on. I wanted to rip it off, but then it got better. Must have been the "ramp" thing. I hope you get this resolved and get the relief you want. I think you will find a helpful cheering section here. Fred Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com
From: BleepingBeauty on 27 Jul 2008 02:29 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sparky" <invalid(a)example.com> Newsgroups: alt.support.sleep-disorder Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 10:21 PM Subject: Re: CPAP trial (Newbie) <snip> > I never heard the term "ramp" before. That must be what happened to > me. I forced myself to keep it on. I wanted to rip it off, but then > it got better. Must have been the "ramp" thing. The ramp feature starts your machine off at a lower pressure than what's prescribed, and incrementally increases the pressure until you reach your prescribed number. (My prescription pressure is 12; my machine starts off at a pressure of 6 and gradually increases over the course of 20 minutes, until it reaches 12. By then, I'm usually asleep and don't notice the increase.) The ramp can be adjusted by the user (i.e., you can increase or decrease the starting pressure and/or the time it takes to reach full pressure). For many, the ramp feature makes getting used to CPAP easier. To the OP: If you can try a nasal mask, go for it. It feels a lot less claustrophobic than a full-face mask, if you can train yourself to breathe through your nose. I used to be a mouth-breather, but I didn't have any trouble adjusting to a mask with nasal pillows, which offers even less coverage on the face than a typical nasal mask. A typical nasal mask is simply a smaller version of a full-face one (triangular in shape and fits over the whole nose), whereas the nasal masks with pillows don't even cover the nose; they have silicone "nodes" (for lack of a better term) that fit into the nostrils. I use the Swift II, and the only part of the "mask" that touches my face sits under my nose. I can wear my eyeglasses without the mask getting in the way, and it's very unobtrusive. It's my favorite mask of the ones I've tried. Don't give up easily. It will take time and some trial and error before you find what works best for you, but the benefits are well worth the struggle. Good luck!
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