Sleep apnea C-Pap machine

[Venturous Randy]

I know that with as many getting old, too fat and poor sleeping guys on here, that we may have several that use the C-Pap machine. I started trying to use it about two weeks ago and I am not doing too well.

Due to snoring and stopping breathing at times, I went through the sleep test and when I did go to sleep with all the monitors that I had hooked to me, I did not sleep long before I was awakened to put the mask on. I had been fitted for the one that just goes over my nose, but after going back to sleep, I was awakened to have a strap put around my head to keep my mouth shut.

Now I have my own unit and have chosen the mask that goes over my nose and mouth. I am getting better at going to sleep with it on, but have yet to be able to make it thru the entire night. I usually wake up around 3am and visit the bathroom and then go back to bed. The other problem is that I sometimes wake up after I have evidently stopping breathing for some time and when I wake up with the mask on I feel like I am being smothered. And this is with the mask being pressurized. I have to convince myself to just breath deep for a few seconds to be ok.

Anyway, I am looking for any suggestions or at least some encouraging words to keep this up.

RandyA

[ken]

I have a good friend that had the same problem. It was so bad and he was always tired from not sleep at night he could fall asleep anywhere, and when I say anywhere I mean it ie...we were in a strip club in KY one time. The place was hoppin, he fell asleep twice. we nearly got tossed out because of it. Several years ago he went thu the sleep test and got the machine. This changed his world around. He feels better and ever looks younger. Here's his emailgreg@independencedata.coml if you want to talk to him for advice.

 

good luck

Ken

[tazmocycle]

i had mine for 5 yrs, still have a few times it bothers me but it helps out a lot. i stopped breathing a lot before i got my c-pap, and also had bad migraine head aches. as long as i use c-pap i'm ok but if i fall asleep without it, i usually ahve a migraine. it took me a month or so to get use to it in the beginning. i take it with me everywhere i go now. so keep trying to use it, it'll help you out a lot.

[tazmocycle]

i've had mine for 5 yrs, and it helps out a lot. i use to have bad migraine headaches, when i would stop breathing. it took about a month to get use to it, and i still have times it bothers me, like if my sinius are stopped up. keep using it and y'all get use to it.

[Cinderella]

RandyA

check out this thread.........there was a big discussion on the subject a while back. Maybe you will find some useful info there.........

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8752&highlight=cpap

[1rooster]

Been using mine since about 1998.Before I got mine I would wake myself up snoring and sometimes I kicked like a mule in my sleep.The doctor said the kicking was jump starting my heart,which had stopped beating, when I stopped breathing in my sleep.Scared me really bad.Did the sleep test and never go anywhere without the machine.I had no problem using the nose mask.I do occasionally wake up with my ribs hurting......from the wife hitting me to see if I was still alive.She said I lay all night in the same position sleeping and never move.Before the machine I tossed and turned so bad I actually moved the bed while sleeping.Give it a chance,they do work.at least for me it does.

[Stoutman]

I've used CPAP for 7 years and I wouldn't trade it for its weight in solid gold. Never felt better in years. The old surgery is not very successful. It is usually most succesful when people can lose weight. If I could lose weight I may not need the CPAP.

 

That said there is a new procedure for sleap apnea sufferers. The new surgery is called the pillar procedure and was approved about two years ago. They implant three small silicone rods in the back of the throat. The procedure is done in the doctors office under local anesthetic. The rods help support the soft pallet that collapses and is the cause of the obstruction in many people. Over time scar tissue forms around the rods and adds support.

 

I'm going to get it done next year. I waited until it had been around a few years before deciding to try it. Everything I've read says it has a much higher success rate than the standard surgery. Ask you're ENT doc about it. If he doesn't know about it then ask another one.

 

Best of luck with your mask. Compliance is easier for some than others. I fell in love with my CPAP after it gave me the best nights sleep in years.

 

One thing that helps me is sleeping on my side. I also use a 4 inch wedge pillow to slightly elevate my head and shoulders. Keep going back to your ENT for advice until you can make it work. Check out the pillar procedure. It may be something that can help.

[Guest Ken8143]

In my sleep study I horrified by the results - how often per hour I stopped breathing, how long I did not breathe, and how low the oxygen blood level got. Did not take much convincing.

 

Stick with it - it takes a bit of time to get use to it. I had a device that just plugged into my nostrils, but air would leak out around the seals and break the skin down. Solved that problem by using saline gel.

 

Then it not longer fit well at all, and I went to the mask. There are many varieties of masks - if one doesn't work for you, try another make.

 

When I have stuffed sinus it is a problem!

[jfluffy2]

I got mine about six months ago, and it has help a lot, I do alot more dreaming which means I am going into the rim stage, feeling better every day, just get a mask that fit well. your heart will thank you.

[bmxndad]

Do you have a ramp setting?

This starts you out at a lesser pressure and hopefully you fall asleep by the time it is at full bore.

The thing about these things that makes them doubly hard to get used to in the beginning is:

After using for a couple of nights of actually getting a restful sleep, you are not your totally exhausted self when going to bed, and then you are trying to fall asleep with this thing on your head.

Try different masks, nasal pillows or whatever else that might be more comfortable for you.

There is also a Bi-Pap machine, talk to your Dr. about if one of these might be better for you.

In summary, I strongly encourage to keep using it,eventually it is second nature, it really improved my quality of life.

My woman cannot sleep if the Bi-Pap isn't blowing.

 

Ross

[Sgtglenn]

I'm going next week for the sleep study. I've been suffering with apnea for years- wife says I snore like a bear and do stop breathing during sleep. I don't think I had a decent nights sleep in years. So far nothing has worked for me. Been too stuborn to go for the study. Duh!

My cardiologist strongly suggested a sleep study just to protect the ol ticker because when I stop breathing during sleep the heart goes into afib condition which is not very safe. Most likely contributed to the brain aneurysm I had a few years back.

 

I was very concerned if the CPAP mask will interfere with attempts to sleep; but after reading all these success stories I feel more at ease.

I haven't been sleeping worth a damn lately so what harm will the mask do. Looking forward to good nights sleep ala:

 

[Terry Richardson]

You will get used to it after a while. Hypertension and stress on the heart are just a couple problems that will get worse if you have apnea and dont use C-pap. With heart stints I learned the hard way. I still dont sleep but 5 hours a night.. but they are 5 good hard rem sleep hours. With a bad back I cant sleep on my side so the C-pap machined was a literal life saver for me. Welcome to the C-pap brotherhood...lol.. as you can see... you have lots of company.

[SilvrT]

WOW ... thanks for starting this thread. It has really opened my eyes to a problem I now realize I have, yet others have been trying to tell me for years. I am going next week to be tested to see how bad my sleep apnia really is. For now though, I am going to bed coz I'm really tired!

[Venturous Randy]

RandyA

check out this thread.........there was a big discussion on the subject a while back. Maybe you will find some useful info there.........

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8752&highlight=cpap

 

Thanks cinderella for the post and to all for the comments. I had missed that post earlier.

My C-PAP machine, which was issued by the Veterans Administration, has the humidifer and the different pressures for inhaling and exhaling, so I guess it is a bi-pap, according to the other post. It also has the ramp feature.

So far I have not used the humidifier, but I guess it would help if I did. I have awakened with a bit of a sore throat a couple of times. I also have not used the ramp feature as I don't seem to have any problem with the start pressure. Mine also has the card that records data and I have another appointment with the VA in a couple of weeks to take it back and review the data.

Again, thanks for the feedback

RandyA

[juggler]

I got mine about six months ago, and it has help a lot, I do alot more dreaming which means I am going into the rim stage, feeling better every day, just get a mask that fit well. your heart will thank you.

 

That would be REM (like the band) sleep. REM is a fancy acronym for Rapid Eye Movement.

[Guest sargeb13]

I've used one for about ten years: a great change in my sleep, general health and well being. I had no problems adjusting to sleeping with the machine... wonder if your settings are correct? I did have one machine go out of claibration, and had to replace it. I have an itty bitty c-pap that I carry on the motorcycle. Got it thru mail order. The unit is barely larger than the mask, comes with a small case, too.

[bongobobny]

I guess my reply would have to be "How well and how long do you want to live, Randya?" I found the reason I woke up feeling half dead was because I WAS literally half dead. Give it a chance and you will get used to it. Yes, you will try several different masks until you finally find one that works best. You may want to try Nasal "Pillows" if you feel a little claustrophobic.

 

Lucky you that they gave you a BiPAP. I'm stuck with a CPAP as that's all Blue Cross would pay for. If I wasn't so darn afraid of them maybe I should go to the VA hospital, but I've heard they kill people...

[rhncue]

I know that with as many getting old, too fat and poor sleeping guys on here, that we may have several that use the C-Pap machine. I started trying to use it about two weeks ago and I am not doing too well.

Due to snoring and stopping breathing at times, I went through the sleep test and when I did go to sleep with all the monitors that I had hooked to me, I did not sleep long before I was awakened to put the mask on. I had been fitted for the one that just goes over my nose, but after going back to sleep, I was awakened to have a strap put around my head to keep my mouth shut.

Now I have my own unit and have chosen the mask that goes over my nose and mouth. I am getting better at going to sleep with it on, but have yet to be able to make it thru the entire night. I usually wake up around 3am and visit the bathroom and then go back to bed. The other problem is that I sometimes wake up after I have evidently stopping breathing for some time and when I wake up with the mask on I feel like I am being smothered. And this is with the mask being pressurized. I have to convince myself to just breath deep for a few seconds to be ok.

Anyway, I am looking for any suggestions or at least some encouraging words to keep this up.

RandyA

 

It sounds to me that your air pressure is not set right. I started using a machine in 1993 but discontinued after a couple of years and the loss of 75 lbs. I started using again about 3 years ago. I know that when my mask is on that it is very difficult for me to try and take a breath through my mouth. It's almost like it is locked shut anytime there is air pressure coming through the nose. I went in for a sleep study again about a month ago as I've put on more weight and the pressure needs to now be increased. At present I'm using 10 lbs. pressure but it needs raised. If I lay down and take a short nap without the machine as soon as I fall asleep I'll immediately awaken out of breath.

 

Dick

[bmxndad]

So far I have not used the humidifier, but I guess it would help if I did.

Definitely take advantage of this feature.

I also have not used the ramp feature.

Definitely take advantage of this feature. Especially if you get up in the middle of the night, it makes going back to sleep much easier for me.

[Sawhorse]

I've used one for about ten years: a great change in my sleep, general health and well being. I had no problems adjusting to sleeping with the machine... wonder if your settings are correct? I did have one machine go out of claibration, and had to replace it. I have an itty bitty c-pap that I carry on the motorcycle. Got it thru mail order. The unit is barely larger than the mask, comes with a small case, too.

 

Sargeb13: Do you have the make and model and where you got it. I would be interested in something like that for traveling. the C-Pap has really been a help to me, at times I have not taken it when I will be out for one or two nights and sure don't sleep well when I don't have it.

[Sailor]

I have used one for a few years now. When I took the test I stopped breathing over 400 times a night with over 200 of those times for two minutes or more. It took a bit of getting used to but now I never go anywhere without it. The settings are fully adjustable and it sounds like you might need a slight increase, after the ramp up. Stick with it, it is worth it.

[Guest Bigin]

My wife has used one for 3 yrs now. It helped bring her back from the brink with much needed sleep. Now she has found that if she sleeps propped up on a bed wedge foam about 16' thick she doesnt need it, and is slowly transitioning off the machine and seldom uses it now. Sometimes its the simple things that are beneficial.