+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: [CPAP] New Here (/Thread-CPAP-New-Here)
Pages:
1
2
New Here - Mills543 - 12-07-2017
Hey all. New member, first post.
Thank the stars I found this group! My struggle has been unnecessarily long. I will, however, make a long story short-ish. Got my CPAP about 8 months ago. I am using the ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset. Apparently, one of the good ones. But, I just happened to luck out getting that machine. Good insurance, I guess. But, my DME supplier is, diplomatically speaking, not very good. My Dr. is competent, but again, not forthcoming with info, options, suggestions, etc. Anyway, I struggled for the first few months. Masks that leaked, pressure that blew my eyelids up, waking up MULTIPLE times an hour, etc. You name it. I experienced it. Felt vastly WORSE than I did before using the CPAP. I tried and tried to get used to it. Tried nasal, different full-face masks, etc. That said, my DME supplier has like 7 models to choose from and from what I understand, there is close to a hundred? Now, my wife and I are intelligent (college educated: I was a science teacher, she is an engineer). We do indeed take responsibility for our own health. We have learned that the medical profession - as good as it is sometimes - fails miserably other times. My wife especially is very very intuitive and practical about medical issues. (She missed her calling in some ways). I am a bit skeptical by nature. SO, one would think that, as a couple, we shouldn't be struggling with anything medically related. We can research, investigate, deduce, INduce, etc., with the best of them. Yet, here I was, months into a CPAP regimen and just said, "Screw it!". I gave up. I didn't use my CPAP for 4 whole months. I was actually feeling BETTER NOT using it. Sigh. Then I found this site! I admit to NOT joining right away. I lurked for a bit. Read and read and lightbulb after lightbulb went off in my head. "You mean, I can actually CHANGE my settings???" YES. Even though they are "set" by my doctor...."You mean, my DME provider ISN'T the only one that sucks??" "Other people struggled??"....
The list goes on. I joined today. I got my machine out, placed in by my computer and just researched the heck out of it. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG??? I found, because of this site, that I can actually change my max pressure, I can change the ramp, I can change.... YOU NAME IT. Now, I don't take this lightly. I DO realize that care and caution should be a high priority in fiddling with the dials on ANY medical device. But dammit! I just couldn't accept that my situation was "normal". I literally felt that if THIS was the answer, I was doomed. I could in no way envision myself wearing this god-awful contraption. I have a new motivation because I found this site! I will fiddle, set, experiment, try new masks, etc until I have the RIGHT set-up for me. And the sucess stories on this site have given me the hope and motivation to do just that! I make this promise to myself and, more importantly, to my family. I have...HOPE! I look forward to sharing my progress with this group. And look forward to reaping the benefits and wisdom of all those that have mastered their own destiny. Thanks for having me and I thank you for existing. Peace 
Mills 12/7/2017
RE: New Here - Walla Walla - 12-07-2017
Well Welcome to Apnea board! Glad you found it. If you haven't gotten it yet you can get the clinic manual for your machine in the private files section. Also you can download sleepyhead which is a great software program for tracking your treatment.
The links are just below.
RE: New Here - Mills543 - 12-07-2017
Thanks!
RE: New Here - OpalRose - 12-07-2017
RE: New Here - Mills543 - 12-07-2017
Much thanks!
RE: New Here - chill - 12-07-2017
Welcome! I look forward to putting on my mask at night and settling in for a sleep, you can too!
RE: New Here - SarcasticDave94 - 12-07-2017
Welcome to the Apnea Board. Here's to getting better with your apnea treatment by way of tweaks, learning, etc. Questions? Ask away and trust me there's someone that will have the answer via both knowledge and experience.
Dave
RE: New Here - Mills543 - 12-07-2017
THANKS for the encouragement!!
RE: New Here - Sleeprider - 12-07-2017
Great story Mills! Consider yourself empowered to change your life through good restorative sleep. Lots of very informed people that went through what you did, and stuck it out to succeed. We're here for you. Welcome.
RE: New Here - Mills543 - 12-07-2017
THANKS my friend!