Newbie

[Ronson]

Hi Folks, well I am new here and 4 months into cpap after starting treatment 24/12/14.

I went to my compliance appointment the other day to discuss how I was getting on and for the second time mentioned how much I hated it due to leaking mask face puffing up like a balloon etc etc. I tried a nasal mask and have tried the full mirage quattro mask, I made sure I was issued with a chin strap this time as the nasal mask doesnt work otherwise as my mouth will drop open in the night.

The nurse asked why I was under recommended compliance and I explained the above re puffing up and waking up ripping the mask off half way through the night as I felt as if I was choking also new job and alternate shifts.

The nurse went through me like a ton of bricks (fillipina) and threatened me with reporting me in September here in the uk (if the law changes with dvla,which she hopes it will ) and all sorts and confirmed she could see everything all the data on my machine and could tell me how many apneas I have a night.

Guess what? I have a Resmed S9 Escape ??? What Data???
It doesnt record anything except start and stop times and the settings on the machine. To be honest I have never met such a patronising individual in my life so will make sure I see a different individual next time, get on at me yeah but do not lie to me.

So I managed 5.2 hours sleep with the chin strap and nasal mask and 3.2 with the full mask which dropped to 2.9 last night so am off back to the nasal mask as the erm numbers look better

Anyway this is a useful forum and am glad its here even if it is just to moan.

[justMongo]

Welcome to the forum.
We have the same little tyrants in the US.

Even with a full data capable S9, the cellular modem is optional on the S9 -- and very obvious when attached.
Good job on calling her her bluff!

Regards,

Mongo

[trish6hundred]

Hi Ronson,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I'm sorry you are having such a rough time with CPAP therapy right now. The mask is the hardest part of this whole thing. Sometimes it takes quite a while to find the right mask that works for you. Hopefully, you can find someone more helpful in order to try more of them.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you with your CPAP therapy and finding a mask that works right for you.

[retired_guy]

I do understand not enjoying getting roughed up by your nurse. ..and no, she doesn't have a lot of facts at her disposal. But she does know you have not been consistently sleeping with the machine, and therefor she does know your apnea is not being properly treated.

So cut her a little slack because in the end she is trying, perhaps unsuccessfully, to impress on you the importance of not only using your machine a few hours a night, but using it all night every night.

So the problem becomes what do you need to do the become more comfortable with your therapy?

It sounds as if your mask may be an issue. Generally masks of any type take some time to get used to. With the nasal and ffm masks that can be complicated with learning how to use them and avoid significant leakage. I very much prefer the pillows mask to the others. Others very much prefer their ffm or nasal mask. I think the point is any mask can work if you give it the time and attention needed. And of course, ultimately if you just cannot get comfortable with a certain type of mask then move on.

Sleep apnea therapy is not a "try it and see if you like it" sort of thing. It's a lifestyle commitment. I made that commitment the very first night when I realized that this thing could in fact change my life and the life of my wife and others about me. I was not particularly comfortable the first few days, but the one thing I did not allow myself to do was sleep without the mask.

You will master this, and when you do, the next appointment you have with Nurse Cratchet will be a much more pleasant experience.

[justMongo]

R_G: always nice that you are encouraging to people. I should have been more encouraging in my post. So, to Ronson, I apologize for not hitting upon the encouragement aspects that this forum well represents.

OTOH: I would never permit any medical person to threaten sanctions or to lie to me.
As the Scots say: Nemo me impune lacessit
Roughly translated to today's English: "I don't get mad, I just get even."

[trailrider]

Hey Ronson, hang in there! I hated, hated my mask at first. Maybe you could try a nasal pillow like the P10 or wisp and see if that helps at all. It took me about 6 weeks to find a mask set-up I liked. If the P10 doesn't work, you can always use it as a slingshot on your next visit...

[quiescence at last]

I have not tried to gravitate to a nasal mask or pillows. Using the full face mask, I do get puffed up once in a while, but have pretty well managed it.

The only hard data I have seen on effectiveness of CPAP in increasing longevity is one that compared people not using for 4 hours a night to those getting 4 hours or greater. The ones getting less than 4 hours included many that were not using the CPAP regularly. That study concluded that if used for the prescribed period of at least 4 hrs per night, incidence of heart problems and stroke including death were reduced to equal to non-apnea control group. [BTW - They did not measure accidents due to excessive sleepiness.]

I do believe if you use the machine every time you sleep, you won't fall into the habit of disuse. But, that's a different thing than learning to hate sleep because you have to use the machine and the machine is not running right (i.e. mask fit, correct pressures, humidity, head squeezing anxieties, or other anxieties.)

So, carry on, and find out the things you can control. The hard work is worth it.

QAL

[truetopath]

Hang in there with the therapy. R_G nailed it.