Help - Trying CPAP for over 8 weeks now

[stephennic]

Hi all,
I have been trying to get use to CPAP and its been a struggle the last 8 + weeks.Trying to get use to breathing with it, noise issues, gas, headaches etc.

I tried various machines Fisher and paykal icon (hard to breath with – no expiration pressure – lasted 10-15 minutes), weinmann (like a hurricane in the mask), Airsense 10 (pretty good, but got bloated with it and found it bit aggressive with breathing). Just recently I have been trying the airsense 10 for her and its less aggressive than the airsense 10 but the one I have had the most success is the dreamstation because I find its easiest to breath with. The first one I tried had noise issues so changed for another which was much quieter. I started with fixed pressure ( at 9 recommendation) but a few weeks ago I started with a auto machine (Range 6-10). If its more than 10 I get to much gas (burping etc).

However I am finding it take ages to go to sleep with – the last 4 nights have been not good at all. I am so conscious of my breathing, been getting some gas as well. I put a clock in my room last night to distract me and it didn’t work. I feel like giving up what do I do? Do other people try other methods to help them relax and sleep.

I feel I sleep better without the machine but I know with around 50 AHI on my back and about 15 on my side I need to have a CPAP machine. I cant really have a mouth device as I have had a dislocated jaw in the past and I was told I would have to be careful with using any of those devices.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
Steve

[Jim Bronson]

Are you using the ramp feature? I use a nasal mask with a starting ramp of 4, and I have it set for 20 minutes to ramp up to 8.6. Some users are eventually able to turn the ramp off, but not me. If not for the ramp feature, I'd still be struggling. I think I finally hit nirvana after about six months of experimenting with pressures, ramp times, masks, and EPR. Now I'm a happy papper.

[chill]

Hi Steve,

I've been watching your journey and trying to stay quiet. This subject says "trying", a previous one said "trialling". Four machines over multiple trials, I lost count of how many setting changes and masks in eight weeks. You have not been on CPAP therapy for 8 weeks, rather you have given your brain and body 8 weeks of CPAP Salad. Is it any wonder you have not adjusted to it? To quote a sponge rubber puppet from a space opera, "Do or do not, there is no try"

It seems like you are either looking for reasons to not use it or are looking for the perfect setup that is just like not using CPAP. That does not exist. My opinion is that your problem is not with the equipment, it is between your ears. You lie there at night fixating, concentrating, focusing on, obsessing about the noise, the feeling, the breaths, the worries. Is it any wonder you don't sleep? I would not!

You need to put a stick in the sand. Pick a machine, pick a mask, pick a setting. Suck it up and use it for at least a month without any changes. Go to bed, focus on anything but the machine.

Try sleep compression therapy where your time in bed is restricted to what you absolutely need in sleep, regardless of whether you sleep or not. Pass that time and get out of bed, even if you have slept zero minutes. Eventually your brain will tell your mind, which is what worries, to shut up and go to sleep darn it! I've done it. It sucks. Badly. But I went from one to two hours to go to sleep to 5 to 10 minutes most nights.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is another thing that you might find of great benefit in re-framing your approach.

[stephennic]

Hi Steve,

I've been watching your journey and trying to stay quiet. This subject says "trying", a previous one said "trialling". Four machines over multiple trials, I lost count of how many setting changes and masks in eight weeks. You have not been on CPAP therapy for 8 weeks, rather you have given your brain and body 8 weeks of CPAP Salad. Is it any wonder you have not adjusted to it? To quote a sponge rubber puppet from a space opera, "Do or do not, there is no try"

It seems like you are either looking for reasons to not use it or are looking for the perfect setup that is just like not using CPAP. That does not exist. My opinion is that your problem is not with the equipment, it is between your ears. You lie there at night fixating, concentrating, focusing on, obsessing about the noise, the feeling, the breaths, the worries. Is it any wonder you don't sleep? I would not!

You need to put a stick in the sand. Pick a machine, pick a mask, pick a setting. Suck it up and use it for at least a month without any changes. Go to bed, focus on anything but the machine.

Try sleep compression therapy where your time in bed is restricted to what you absolutely need in sleep, regardless of whether you sleep or not. Pass that time and get out of bed, even if you have slept zero minutes. Eventually your brain will tell your mind, which is what worries, to shut up and go to sleep darn it! I've done it. It sucks. Badly. But I went from one to two hours to go to sleep to 5 to 10 minutes most nights.

[url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_...]Cognitive Behaviour Therapy[/url] is another thing that you might find of great benefit in re-framing your approach.

Thanks for the feedback and understand what you are saying. I only trialled the Fisher and Paykal and weinmann briefly and it was pretty quick I knew that they weren't working for me. The main machines I trialled is Airsense 10 and dreamstation. I used the Airsense 10 first and after awhile I saw the sleep physician and he could tell I was struggling with this machine even after trying a few settings. It was then I switched to the dreamstation and it seemed easier to breath within the first few minutes of using it.
After a few weeks I went to sleep specialist for a review and they could see I wasn't getting much sleep already feeling tired and drained. They suggested trying a auto machine as some get better sleep on it, they did mention one person took 8 months before they got a decent sleep with a machine (I hope that is not me) . So hence this is where I am now after 8-10 weeks - feeling quite tired and lack of energy.
I will keep trying and hope not to give up. Thanks for the encouragement too.
Cheers
Steve

[stephennic]

Are you using the ramp feature? I use a nasal mask with a starting ramp of 4, and I have it set for 20 minutes to ramp up to 8.6. Some users are eventually able to turn the ramp off, but not me. If not for the ramp feature, I'd still be struggling. I think I finally hit nirvana after about six months of experimenting with pressures, ramp times, masks, and EPR. Now I'm a happy papper.

Yes,I use the ramp feature, originally had it too low (around 5) it is now 6.5. tried nasal mask but didn't work, as limited air goes through my nose. Had two nose ops in past to help with my breathing. I use a Amara view mask and it seems the best out of the 5 masks I tried. I have been using it for about 8 weeks now.
Cheers
Steve

[OpalRose]

I have been following your posts also, and I gave pretty much the same advice in another thread you started as chill has in this thread.

It's time to pick a machine and stick to it. You body can't possibly adjust with all the back and forth changes you are making.

Why not post us a couple screen shots of your data so we can take a look??

[stephennic]

I have been following your posts also, and I gave pretty much the same advice in another thread you started as chill has in this thread.

It's time to pick a machine and stick to it. You body can't possibly adjust with all the back and forth changes you are making.

Why not post us a couple screen shots of your data so we can take a look??

Thanks, in Australia the auto's are around $2000. I have heard of people buying a CPAP gave up and now its sitting in the cupboard, I don't want that to happen as $2000 is a lot of money. I have been mainly trialling the dreamstation and airsense, the others were only brief. The dreamstation is the main one I have been using. I will keep trying.
Cheers
Steve

[OpalRose]

Are you able to buy from the US? There are many here from Australia that can advise.

The main thing is not to give up. It is a commitment and I know....a lot of money.

[holden4th]

Hello Stephennic, fellow Aussie here.

I am assuming that if you have tried a few machines over a short period of time then you are working with a company who does rentals. This is a good move as you work out how you can work with CPAP therapy. This is what I did, (two grand is a lot of money).

However, OSA doesn't go away so you will eventually have to bite the bullet and get your own machine.

In the meantime....

I started with the Icon and it was not the machine for me. I switched to an autoset (the S9) and have never looked back. It brought my numbers way down but not to a point where I could feel comfortable. I then used the members of this forum to guide me to experiment with my settings so that I could have an even bigger improvement. They all said that once you change your settings give them time to work and time for your body to adjust. This has proved to be excellent advice as I now have AHIs regularly below 2.0 and feel so much better when I wake up. It's not perfect yet but every day takes me closer. The most important point is that I now feel insecure if I don't put on my mask before I go to sleep. It's become a part of my sleeping pattern.

I was diagnosed in November 2015 and started therapy in December with the Icon. I switched to the Resmed S9 in March. It's now August, I have been on therapy for about 8 months and it's working. It took time at first but it's working. I'm reminded of that when, on the odd occasion, I can't use my machine. I feel so bad when I get up the next morning and this tells me that my therapy is working for me. Maybe, after a couple of years I'll feel absolutely wonderful after a nights therapy. That's the goal.

Keep at it, give your body a chance to adjust to your settings before making changes, post Sleepyhead data here and this forum can help you like it helped me.

[garrettmcc]

m a newbie too about 6 weeks in I have been experimenting with mask size and tyoe and also pillow positions etc and I am starting to get a few good night in a row, still have a bad one every 4-5 days but I am getting there, I guess you have to keep tinkering with it to get it right.