First Time CPAP User

[mceffi]

Hi all,

I am from Malaysia and a first time user in fact my machine have not arrived yet.

I ordered BMC GII Auto CPAP Machine with Humdifier with Full Mask that cost me around $450.

Why do I want to use this machine?

At first, I am gaining a lot of weight and always have fatigue throughout the day and I always need an afternoon nap everyday.

I also noticed that every morning I will always have a dry throat and whitish sticky liquid around my mouth (must be the saliva).

And the worst part is, I sometimes wet my pants in my sleep like a 5 years old child.

So one night, I asked my wife to record my sleep. I watched back the record and it really shocked me to the core where I can see myself sleeping on my side snoring with a shallow breathing and having my breath stop like 25 sec before i gagged myself for air.  

And after that, I did some research myself about sleep apnea and decided to get a CPAP machine.

As a first time user, I really looking forward to have some tips regarding the CPAP machine or maybe some good health advice from everyone in this forum.

Cheers!

[DeepBreathing]

Happy Christmas mceffi. Welcome to Apnea Board.

Congratulations on taking the initiative to start treatment. Sleep apnea is an insidious disease which can seriously affect your health over a long time.

The first thing you should do is to become fully familiar with your machine and how to read and interpret the data it gives. This will help you optimise the settings so that you get maximum benefit. Unfortunately the BMC machine is not yet supported by our preferred software OSCAR, but you do have some options. You can download the BMC 3B RESmart Software from our Downloads and Links Forum. I'm not sure if that software works properly with your machine but it's worth a try. Second, some BMC models use an on-screen QR code allowing your phone or tablet to interpret the data.

To get to the inner workings of your machine to adjust pressures etc you will need the clinician's manual. You can obtain the manuals for the "BMC 3B Products RESmart Auto-CPAP" from our clinicians manual service here: https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p...tup-manual  Again, this may not be exactly the right one for your machine but it may give you enough information to get started.

Finally there is a setup video on YouTube.

[Dormeo]

Congratulations on taking charge of your health! When you get your machine and mask, try using them first while sitting up somewhere you can read or watch TV comfortably. This will help you get used to the experience. Also try lying down on your bed during the day to see how the mask fits. Try watching videos on line about how to adjust the fit on your particular mask. Start using the machine at night when you feel ready.

Meanwhile, here are some good tips for sleep:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
• Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
• If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
• Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
• Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
• Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
• Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
• Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
• Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.

[mceffi]