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How Long Did It Take to Get Used to Your Machine?

For those of you who are using some form of xPAP treatment, how long did it take you to get used to it? I ask because I think it will be helpful to our members who are "on the fence" about committing to xPAP treatment to hear the truth.

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I started out in December 2008 and am still having problems adjusting with a nasal mask and using humidified air. I am waiting to see if Medicare will trade in my machine for an aPap which will automatically adjust the pressure as needed. Right now my psi is 15 and when it gets to that pressure, I start leaking. I also wake up with a bag under one eye and that same eye is swollen in the corner by my nose. Looks awful!!! Anyone know why that is happening and why I have water retention under my eye???
I have been using my CPAP since February of this year and a still not used to it. I wake up with a dry mouth and throat and only seem to keep it on for 4 or so hours but I AM STILL GIVING IT A GO! Wish me luck.
I don't think it took me very long. I was really mentally ready to be committed no matter what.

See, first my mother in law was dx, and she had lots of problems with it. She must have tried something like 6 masks to find one she could deal with at first.

Then my father in law was dx. I don't think he had as much issues with the mask, or at least he didn't complain as loudly.

Then I finally got my mother to go get tested. I knew she had OSA from just living with her as a child, so I wasn't surprised by her dx. I was able to observe her sleeping with the machine and the difference was incredible! BUT she was very non-compliant about wearing it, occasionally saying she thought she was cured now and didn't need it. Of course that wasn't true though. (It is VERY obvious with her when she stops breathing and it is constant.)

Now to get my mom tested, she and I went with my inlaws to an AWAKE meeting where they talked about compliance being the real problem with cpap therapy. It sounded like it was definitely a treatment that worked, but that so many people just gave up. I had been pretty sure that I had OSA for a while as I would wake up not breathing several times, especially when I was really exhausted and I was starting to have trouble falling asleep at work! So I got myself set up for a study.

At the study I thought a nasal mask they gave me would work ok just by holding it up to my face, but when it came time to really try one on, I couldn't tolerated it at all. The nasal masks hit my face just right that they push right on a pressure point that really hurts on either side of my nose. So the nurse brought me a new mask, the swift. it was a new nasal pillow mask they'd just gotten in. I immediately preferred it. I slept fine in the clinic.

It took another MONTH for me to finally get the results and script from my doctor for the machine and mask. They let me try several masks, but it was still the swift for me. I had just found out I was pregnant with our first child after 11 years of infertility treatments for PCOS and so I was ADAMANT about using it religiously for me and my baby.

Within a short time I was very comfortable without even using the ramp feature and I actually didn't even really need the humidifier much. I started falling asleep nearly immediately upon starting the machine too, like a Pavlovian reaction or something.

I'd say within two weeks I was hooked! Stopped falling asleep at work too, which since I was pregnant was really awesome. Usually a pregnant woman is extra tired all the time anyway, but I was actually feeling great! And I'm sure it was because compared to having OSA all night, pregnancy was easy. lol

I do think being able to have family, friends, or some sort of support system is great. I could ask my inlaws questions when I had them, and I would cruise the boards at cpap.com occasionally too. And being able to try different masks? AWESOME! I tried a few others, but keep coming back to the swift models. I'm on my 2nd swift II now, and hope to get the newer one that just came out soon.

Keep trying, make changes, you can do it, and it's so wonderful to SLEEP!
I didn't have any trouble at all and neither did my wife. She cfan't hear anything and I hear the surf crashing onto the beaches miles away.It's so re;laxing. I sometimes have trouble with the seal, but that is all.
Funny this topic should come up, as I'll be on my CPAP 4 weeks on Thursday.

Actually, I started out pretty well, my second night was rough, in that I was using a pillow style mask and it just felt claustrophobic. Fortunately, I also had the same mask I did my sleep study with (ResMed micro nasal mask), and switched to it. From the third night on, I did better with the micro mask, until I'd sleep the night (waking several times to go to the bathroom) and in the morning waken not realizing the mask was on my face.

I have not felt I've had a great night sleep yet, but I know that changing sleep patterns is a tough business, so I know it's long term. And I'm committed to continuing the therapy for my health.

Then a week and a half ago, I came down with a chest cold that expanded into a sinus cold and I couldn't wear the mask with closed nostrils. I would get an hour or two and have to sleep without the CPAP because of congestion (which I pretty well expected would happen, talking with my father and others on CPAP machines).

This week I've cleared enough to go back on the CPAP, but now I'm re-sensitized to my mask. The last 2 nights I've got only about 3-4 hours sleep, waking in the early hours (2-3am) unable to psychologically keep the mask on and fall asleep again. Funny thing is, I know the fear/reaction is completely irrational, but it's certainly real (I don't need to tell anyone here how real it feels).

So that's been a little discouraging — but my goal is to take more naps during the day (right after work) and continue to de-sensitize myself to the mask by trying again each night until I'm able to go a full night without a reaction. I think it's simply a matter of dedication and slow de-sensitization.

I think had this chest/sinus infection not come so early in the adaption to the CPAP I would be doing better, but hey, that's life, you have to deal with what you have and fight on. :-)

It is very encouraging to have this community out here — thanks Mike for setting this up for all of us! I know that when I encounter setbacks like this, I can call on the knowledge of everyone here to help.

Mike
This conversation has been a real eye opener for me. It's encouraging to read about other people who have managed to overcome -- or at least tolerate -- the same adjustment problems I've been having.
I personally empathize with those who had, or having a variety of problems with sleep therapy., I began mid to late January 09, it hasn't been the easiest of journeys. I have had insomnia most of my life, but after beginning cpap, I was awakened several times a night -mask problems- I realized that insominia was a major inconvenience, but sleep deprivation was the most devastating problem I faced . I felt like I was trapped in a sleep walking state, everything was a blur., I hate to recall the fatigue and muscle pains that accompanied the lack of slee.. Eventually that passed, then my nose became infected. I took ten days off for my nose to heal. Other than that I have used cpap every night. After the first couple of weeks, I realized I needed to back-off to about 4 hours a night, that soon stretched to 7 hours. I continue using cpap because I know I can't allow my breathing to stop many, many times a night without it comprising my health more than it has.in the past.
I identify with Barbara Keily, she has a bag under one eye, I have them under both. I thought it was the sleep deprivation, however, when that passed,, the blasted bags stayed. Perhaps someone else knows the cause. I still awaken with a dry mouth and throat like you, Michelle Van Horn, do your best to stick with it. And, I join Mike Rohde in thanking Mike for starting this site, for all the work he does to maintain it. It is a place for sleep apnea peers to support and help, and encourage one another. Ruth.
It took me a bout a month to get use to it.
Be Blessed
Blessings,TrinaLynn

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