Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by White Beard on April 7, 2009 at 10:53am

Sherry the full face mask setting is to be used with the Hybrid or Liberty mask as they have nasal pillows but also cover the mouth, I don't know what the setting is to be for just nasal pillow mask I will try and find out for you, what is the make and model of your nasal mask? ResMed has a chart with the mask and machine and ehat it is to be set at. Also maybe part of your problem with the machine is that you skipped the learning circuit, for this machine to work properly you need to run the learning circuit! You were told wrong about skipping the learning cirucuit! This machine doesn't have a ramp, so if it is set up properly, when you first put your mask on and use the machine every night, the machine will sample your breathing pattern for a while 2, 3, 5, or so minutes maybe longer, and then it will try and maintain you at that breathing pattern, that is one of the reasons it is important to do the learning circuit. This machine can be a bit tricky to set up, if you don't have a DME that knows allot about the machine, Actually it is not tricky but you do need to get the right advice! If you need any help please let me know! I will be in and out today but I will check her often to see if you post! Keep trying you will get it to work right! White Beard

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sherry on April 7, 2009 at 12:31pm

Actually..I had 2 sleep tests in the lab. The first one went well until the middle of the night, when the air started blowing so hard I could not breathe..it finally corrected itself, but the doctor told me that the tech should not have allowed that to happen, and so I had the 'privilege' of going back for a second sleepover.

However..between the 2 studies, I went to the clinic for a mask fitting, due to my leakage problems. There I was fitted with the Swift LT, which I then used for the second sleep test, and worked great till my nose got pinched.

I saw on the ResMed site, the nasal pillow only mask is NA, but the mask fitter at the clinic told me it WOULD work. So don't know if she is aware of the machine I am using or not.

I think the problem here is, they are using the results from the first study, that went badly. I have a call in now to check on that. My doctor has been on vacation, she has been very good about following up, but I have not met with her personally. The only results I have seen were from the first test.

I have a call in to get this straightened out. I hope this is the problem; as I said earlier, I feel like the cpap witch, lol. It has added to the confusion having so many people involved. The mask fitting person (not sure her title/position) is the one that evidently sets up the parameters for the machine/prescription, I remember her reading it to me as she typed it into my medical history, and that is who the CRT talked to about the setup/machine. Another doctor went over my first test results with me. The doctor I saw originally has called me and kept me updated, but I have not seen her personally again. My insurance is paying someone I have never seen, and ditto for the person signing the prescription. It makes it hard to know, who to call??

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by White Beard on April 7, 2009 at 4:33pm

The mirage Liberty is listed for the ASV but they are right ( with their added note) the smart stop doesn't work right if you just take the mask off, but I disconnect the machine hose from the mask hose first and the auto off works fine that way, and the mask will pass the circuit test with no problems, but it needs to be set on full mask like the chart says! To get the machine to operate right you do have to use the right masks and go through the circuit learning routine!

I am sure Sherry once you get it set up right you will be glad you have that machine! There is nothing like it if your having centrals! Good Luck to You!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sherry on April 10, 2009 at 12:01pm

Remember I said I felt like the cpap witch?..well..

I took my ResMed ASV back to the supplier. Now don't hyperventilate! I have every intention of getting another, but not from this company, and not till after my doctor has confirmed the settings, I get the right mask, that I can have a card reader, that the Results screen is enabled, and some other things. I have found a local supplier, stopped by and talked with the CRT and feel like this supplier is going to be just what I need, as well as much closer nearby, and with 24 hour service. That would have helped the night I was blowing the curtains around at 1130 pm with my ears popping.

I felt I had to stop the clock is because my insurance's policy is to lease the machine for a month, then purchase it. I felt like I was using up my month because I had not used the machine but twice in 9 days, and the settings were not right. I had gone in and enabled the Results menu, and also lowered the pressures, and I realize that is (illegal) and not something I should be doing. The whole thing was creating a lot of frustration and anxiety on my part, and I didn't see how to fix it. After calling the doctor's crt and being made to feel like I just wanted a cute little machine, and to use the wrong mask, I really didn't see how calling my doctor's office again was going to get things straightened out. And I figured they would send me back to the same supplier; I thought if I got the next machine from them, they would be the contact for future problems, and I do not want to deal with them again.

I talked with my insurance company and told them I was returning the machine due to poor technical support, they entered it in my file, and will give me another month's lease with a new supplier, they were quite accommodating..

I delivered to my doctor's office a letter listing the issues that were creating a lack of confidence on my part in my treatment. I did not feel like a telephone conversation would work, at this point. I have seen that the work order was dated over a week before my 2nd sleep study, so am wondering if the settings were updated after my 2nd sleep study, or are from the first one which my doctor told me was inconclusive and needed to be repeated. This, along with the wrong mask, could be why I had so much difficulty. I am now waiting on a call from my doctor to meet with her, discuss the 2nd sleep study, and go from there.

Please realize I am being treated at a very large medical center with a teaching hospital. I have the doctor that I saw initially, and have talked with her on the phone, but not seen her again. Another doctor went over the first sleep test with me. The lady that fitted my mask (do not know her title/position) is the person that had handled all the contacts with me and supplier about the machine, mask and prescription. My doctor was on vacation when I got the machine, and another doctor talked to me about that. So I definitely have a 'Who's on First??' problem, I think, and I want my first doctor to review all that has happened. I didn't see how to get that done without stopping treatment.

On another note..I have mentioned what I felt was poor support from the supplier, who is a national company, I suppose with local franchisees. When I returned my AVS, I was surprised to learn that there was no refund for unused month (21 days). Because I had previously been given some inaccurate information (was told ResMed ASV was $10,000 retail, but insurance to be billed $4056, I think MSRP is $5900; $365 for 2i humidifier) I called the same company in another state and asked about their prices. They confirmed that the lease was not prorated, which would have been nice to know going in. They would bill the insurance company $3023, and 2i was $190.

Is such a wide variation in prices normal? I know the internet suppliers often have steeply discounted prices, but it seems there should not be 30% and 50% price differences in the same company, in similar metropolitan areas (capital city of the state, large universities, etc).

I am usually pretty tolerant, but I am starting to wonder about this whole process. I have seen in the discussions where changing doctors etc seems to be a fairly common occurrence. Of course, I realize that people who are having problems are more likely to look for information elsewhere, just as I have done, and so use sites like this; the happy campers aren't going to be up at 2 am surfing discussion groups on the internet, lol. I realize I don't have the credentials to argue with the doctor, and I try to compensate for my Baby Boomer control issues... but there have been so many issues, my red flags are waving, and I feel like my only option is to draw a line and to start over.

Do you think I am overreacting? I can eat crow if I have to.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike on April 11, 2009 at 5:49pm

I don't think you're overreacting. I think you're reacting,appropriately,to an unacceptable situation. and i wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the majority of apneans out there never reach forums like this because they don't have any problems. Quite the contrary: apneans are having tons of problems -- i truly believe the majority of them do, at least every one i've spoken to -- but instead of actively trying to figure out how to solve their problems,they just kind of assume that the doctors/ suppliers have their best interests at heart and that if they needed to do anything,they would do it. Right? WRONG!

sherry said:

Remember I said I felt like the cpap witch?..well..

I took my ResMed ASV back to the supplier. Now don't hyperventilate! I have every intention of getting another, but not from this company, and not till after my doctor has confirmed the settings, I get the right mask, that I can have a card reader, that the Results screen is enabled, and some other things. I have found a local supplier, stopped by and talked with the CRT and feel like this supplier is going to be just what I need, as well as much closer nearby, and with 24 hour service. That would have helped the night I was blowing the curtains around at 1130 pm with my ears popping.

I felt I had to stop the clock is because my insurance's policy is to lease the machine for a month, then purchase it. I felt like I was using up my month because I had not used the machine but twice in 9 days, and the settings were not right. I had gone in and enabled the Results menu, and also lowered the pressures, and I realize that is (illegal) and not something I should be doing. The whole thing was creating a lot of frustration and anxiety on my part, and I didn't see how to fix it. After calling the doctor's crt and being made to feel like I just wanted a cute little machine, and to use the wrong mask, I really didn't see how calling my doctor's office again was going to get things straightened out. And I figured they would send me back to the same supplier; I thought if I got the next machine from them, they would be the contact for future problems, and I do not want to deal with them again.

I talked with my insurance company and told them I was returning the machine due to poor technical support, they entered it in my file, and will give me another month's lease with a new supplier, they were quite accommodating..

I delivered to my doctor's office a letter listing the issues that were creating a lack of confidence on my part in my treatment. I did not feel like a telephone conversation would work, at this point. I have seen that the work order was dated over a week before my 2nd sleep study, so am wondering if the settings were updated after my 2nd sleep study, or are from the first one which my doctor told me was inconclusive and needed to be repeated. This, along with the wrong mask, could be why I had so much difficulty. I am now waiting on a call from my doctor to meet with her, discuss the 2nd sleep study, and go from there.

Please realize I am being treated at a very large medical center with a teaching hospital. I have the doctor that I saw initially, and have talked with her on the phone, but not seen her again. Another doctor went over the first sleep test with me. The lady that fitted my mask (do not know her title/position) is the person that had handled all the contacts with me and supplier about the machine, mask and prescription. My doctor was on vacation when I got the machine, and another doctor talked to me about that. So I definitely have a 'Who's on First??' problem, I think, and I want my first doctor to review all that has happened. I didn't see how to get that done without stopping treatment.

On another note..I have mentioned what I felt was poor support from the supplier, who is a national company, I suppose with local franchisees. When I returned my AVS, I was surprised to learn that there was no refund for unused month (21 days). Because I had previously been given some inaccurate information (was told ResMed ASV was $10,000 retail, but insurance to be billed $4056, I think MSRP is $5900; $365 for 2i humidifier) I called the same company in another state and asked about their prices. They confirmed that the lease was not prorated, which would have been nice to know going in. They would bill the insurance company $3023, and 2i was $190.

Is such a wide variation in prices normal? I know the internet suppliers often have steeply discounted prices, but it seems there should not be 30% and 50% price differences in the same company, in similar metropolitan areas (capital city of the state, large universities, etc).

I am usually pretty tolerant, but I am starting to wonder about this whole process. I have seen in the discussions where changing doctors etc seems to be a fairly common occurrence. Of course, I realize that people who are having problems are more likely to look for information elsewhere, just as I have done, and so use sites like this; the happy campers aren't going to be up at 2 am surfing discussion groups on the internet, lol. I realize I don't have the credentials to argue with the doctor, and I try to compensate for my Baby Boomer control issues... but there have been so many issues, my red flags are waving, and I feel like my only option is to draw a line and to start over.

Do you think I am overreacting? I can eat crow if I have to.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by White Beard on April 12, 2009 at 3:00pm

sherry
I think you did the right thing, You have educated yourself and you see how they are treating you and you are not happy with that, (which by the way I am in full aggreement with you on) So many people seem to have problems with getting proper sleep apnea care, it really is ridiculous, not to mention shameful! It just about seems to me that, the sleep apnea "industry" thinks they have "fix all product" that is terribly difficult for patients to adjust to, and they think they can just ram it down our throats anyway without any fuss or complaints, and we shoundn't even question anything about it! Or know anything about it! Personally I think it is because to many people are getting involved in this field just for the money and they don't know enough about any of it to adequately serve their patients. I know that I am using allot of generalities, but isn't that just about the way it seems to be? And forget about us people with Complex sleep apnea, or having Central apneas, it is bad enough with Doctors and Sleep centers, but it seems like there is so many DME's that don't have a clue about the proper machines for treating us or how the machines work or even how to properly set them up!
sherry I don't think you are over reacting, I congratulate you for standing up and doing the right thing! Good Luck to You!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sherry on April 17, 2009 at 10:22am

Well..after some very frustrating things ( 1 -- the supplier area manager telling me there was no card reader capability for the Adapt SV, and that basically I did not understand my insurance benefits nor anything else {he would be happy to set up a 3 way call so 'we' could talk to my insurance company} and 2 -- my doctor (who is a 'fellow' not a doctor on staff) calling and saying it was the right sleep test, no card reader available, the nasal mask would work, and it basically was all my fault that I did not get good instructions from the CRT, I should have asked more questions and made sure I got what I needed, and finally, it might take 6 months before I adjusted to the machine and I just needed to struggle thru???? ) I was pretty discouraged. I started an update for you, but discarded it, as it depressed me further. I was at the point of saying to heck with it all..

Then yesterday I got a call from my 'fellow' doctor..she had talked to her 'attending' (good thing I watch Grey's Anatomy so I know what these terms mean) who is one of the program directors--who said if the pressure was too high (6-16) it was OK to lower it to 4-14 to see if that would work better, then they could raise it if that didn't work. That I could get a machine with a card reader (but may not be an Adapt, since everyone but the ResMed company, and you guys, say it can't read cards! ResMed really needs to do some education on that ), that they had had a lot of problems with the DME who gave me the machine, and that I could use the local company I wanted, AND she understood how I was confused as my 'fellow' doctor's name was not showing up on any paperwork, all the billing, prescriptions etc had her name or other doctors I had never seen on them, and she was going to change that as it was confusing to other patients, too..

I was so happy to get this call..I felt like I was not being just difficult, but did have some valid complaints. Then the mask fitting lady who is the 'expert' called me to apologize for the bad treatment from the DME...she said they had been having problems with that company. I told her I would not be using them any more, and had already talked to the local company, it turned out she had worked with them before, knew their CRT and said she is great!!! and will do me such a good job..

So a happy ending, at least, so far. I have sent the 'fellow' a thank you, as she could have just left things the way they were, she did not have to bring it up to her attending, who was the program director. However, she was pretty cold during the first call, and I feel, had I not been protesting the charges for the 2nd sleep study that she had told me was 'free of charge' , she probably would not have gone any further--as if she was going to actually investigate things, she would have talked to the program director before she called me the first time, not after. And I would still be frustrated.

Bottom line, I once again have some confidence in this process (doctor and DME) and feel that I can interact with all involved without them considering me just to be a whiner and complainer..and do what is needed to improve my health, which is the most important thing.

So thank you guys for telling me to stick to my guns..I really did start to think, I was just a whiner and complainer. And it does appear there is a high level of inconvenience before adjustment to the therapy.

Which leads me to my next question--it appears that the adjustment period is very difficult for most patients. When I asked my 'fellow' about reducing the pressure, she immediately said That won't work for you, the sleep study said you need ranges of XX-XX to correct your apnea.

This seems a little like telling a 10 year old who has never learned to skate, but wants to be a figure skater, OK, I will help you, the first thing we are going to work on is a triple axel, as you will have to do that to win a gold medal in the Olympics!!

Yes, we all want perfection, but it is seldom achieved without a long training process. I know the CPAP machines have a ramp up period, but still--why is it not possible to start the patient with very low pressure, just to let them get used to wearing the mask and some airflow, then gradually--only raising the pressure after the patient is sleeping OK at the current pressure level--increasing the settings until the patient is at the target level, over a few weeks or a few months-- instead of starting out at the target level.

I have talked to a lot more people that tried the process and stopped using it, than those that are using it, because they just could not tolerate it--and neither could their bed partner. However, if there had been a gradual acclimation period, maybe they would have been more successful. After all, not using the therapy at target level for a month while getting adjusted to the process, seems to still be much better than not using it at all.

I wonder if the practitioners are made to have the various sleep studies, and use the therapy, so they can experience what their patients are going thru? It might be a real eye opener--especially if they have to do it for 6 months, lol..

I will see what machine I get, and if it is still an ASV, and you want to hear about it, I will detail my experiences..

Once again, thank you for your support. It was so great that I could be open and honest about my treatment here, and get feedback in a neutral setting. Most of us do not like conflict, and challenging your doctor has to be right up there at the top of the list of Things to Avoid. Had you guys not been here to say, Yes, that is a valid concern, or No, that is perfectly normal--I would probably have a $5000 machine sitting on the nightstand, unused...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike on April 18, 2009 at 3:35pm

Sherry,

Please do follow up with us and let us know how your situation develops. We'll be happy to help you navigate this terribly difficult process. I agree wholeheartedly with you that if a patient cannot tolerate the prescribed target pressure setting, that the doctor should "break you in" with a lower pressure for a few weeks, and then gradually work up to the targeted pressure. A good physician would do that. Sub-optimal treatment with the prospect of getting the patient acclimated to the optimal treatment is better than no treatment at all. Duh. There, I just said that and I didn't even need to go to medical school for that one, yet i'm still way ahead of the doctors there. The reason your doctor doesn't want to do that is that it's much more work to plot out a course and monitor your progress than to check off a box and be done with you. Just laziness.

sherry said:

Which leads me to my next question--it appears that the adjustment period is very difficult for most patients. When I asked my 'fellow' about reducing the pressure, she immediately said That won't work for you, the sleep study said you need ranges of XX-XX to correct your apnea.

This seems a little like telling a 10 year old who has never learned to skate, but wants to be a figure skater, OK, I will help you, the first thing we are going to work on is a triple axel, as you will have to do that to win a gold medal in the Olympics!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sherry on April 18, 2009 at 4:36pm

I talked with the DME Friday, and they are going to bring the machine to my house and set it up and show me how to use it!! I just can't believe it..that will be so much better than setting it up myself, as they will make sure it is ready to use, the mask is right, it fits, etc etc. What a relief! My husband is going to be present too, so he can ask about things that affect him, so it will be a family event.

The CRT told me that they get a lot of customers from the first company I was using..he asked me if they had sent me the machine, as several of their former patients have told him they did not get any one-on-one instruction at all, they just received the machine via UPS with the User Guide.

The area rep from this company (the one that said I just didn't understand my insurance benefits) told me I could have requested that they bring it to my home and set it up, but that sure was not an option anyone told me about--I got a call and was told to come and get it, end of story.

Somehow, there needs to be a better understanding between the doctors and the suppliers of what the patient should get..patients should not be left on their own to negotiate their best deal and make sure the training is complete. It is hard to decide if you got the right info when you don't know anything about the product.

It is a shame that my doctor's office stated they had a lot of problems with this DME, but went right ahead and sent my prescription to them anyway. Almost like setting you up for failure.

My suspicious mind is wondering if part of my experience was not because my 'doctor' is a trainee..I may have been her first patient, who knows..and not yet knowledgeable enough to smooth the process out.

I'll keep you posted..thanks again.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by White Beard on April 20, 2009 at 10:18pm

Sherry I a have been away from this forum for quite a while, just from reading your post it sounds like you have had a dificult time, so what type of machine are you getting? I will tell you right now that those other people were lying to you! I have the ResMed VPAP Adapt SV and I have the ResLInk attached to it with a Card in it! And I take the card out once a week and put it in my card reader and down load the detailed data onto my computer using ResSCan 3.5 software! I have been doing it since last June when I got the ResLink and card and cardreader and software! I should have sent you directions on how to get in to the setting part, then you could have done the setting your self. Anyway they should have set it up properly for you to begin with! When you get your new machine Insist they leave the clinicians guide for the machine with you not just the users guide!

One thing that bothers me, is the machine if set up properly should not give you any breathing problems, as it will adjust to your breathing pattern, and then will just try and maintain it, through out the night, and when it senses that you are going to have an apnea then the machine will do what ever is needed to prevent you from having an apnea, and after that passes it will go back to maitaining your normal breathing pattern!

Good Luck to You.... White Beard

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sherry on May 1, 2009 at 5:25pm

After my previous week of chaos, I am now with the ASV program!

I picked up my new Respironics BiPap Auto SV machine from the new DME, where I got very good information on how to use the machine, facemask and a lot of other things, it was a completely different experience from my previous DME. I was given the Swift LT mask to use, as prescribed, although I still had the Opus mask I had gotten with the ResMed machine. (They did not have a Swift LT for her, but in 6 months when I can replace this one, I will be getting one of those, they fit much better than the regular Swift). I was very pleased to note that the humidifier was part of the deal and I did not have to pay $365 up front, non-refundable, for it, as when getting the ResMed machine. I was also very happy to see the Respironics had a data card slot, and even happier that the CRT told me to bring it to him, he would upload it to the doctor, and would print me a copy for my records. He also provided me with a copy of my prescription, at my request, and said I should have one anyway. All in all, a very positive experience and much different from my first DME. I’m so glad I put my foot down and stopped using them!

I got the machine home and set it up, since the Swift LT was very similar to the Opus, I decided to go ahead and use the Opus. The doctor had lowered the pressure settings from the 6-16 on the Adapt SV, which was blowing the curtains, to 4-14 on the Respironics. I turned everything on, put the mask on etc, airflow was MUCH less than the ResMed experience (but probably due to using Opus mask, which is not recommended on Adapt SV, as well as higher pressure settings).
Anyway, I thought I was ready to go! I had been very much looking forward to the therapy, as I have the ‘run over with a big truck’ feeling when I get up in the mornings, and it takes me about 5 minutes of deep breathing to get my oxygen level up and to feel like a person again. Very worrisome as I now know just how bad this feeling is for my health!

Unfortunately, I had not prepped like I should have (see below), which resulted in my using therapy @ an hour the first 2 nights, getting frustrated and taking the mask off.
The next 2 nights, it took me @ an hour to fall asleep, I have been a little tired when I have woken up, but it is a lack of sleep feeling, not the ‘run over with the truck’ feeling. Before using therapy, I always would fall asleep if sitting on the couch for any period of time (like more than 20 minutes), and often sleep an hour or so. The last 2 days, I have not felt sleepy at all and have not napped any! I feel good, and want to do things I have been putting off for years, like exercising. As a matter of fact, last night I got back up as I just was not sleepy at all, and read till 130 am, when I got back in bed with my mask and went right to sleep! This morning I was a little tired, but still refreshed and felt full of energy, a feeling I have not had for a long time.

The Respironics adjusts with my breathing, it is set lower than the Adapt was (4/14 vs 6/16, at my request), so it isn’t as aggressive when I start out, and it has a setting where I can adjust how fast it switches from inhale to exhale, which has really helped..it was set on a 2, with 1 as fast as it goes. The first night I felt like I was on a ventilator, it was breathing for me, very uncomfortable, and one of the reasons I only used it for an hour..but once I read the manual I adjusted it to a 4, which works well when I am falling to sleep, much slower and doesn’t make me feel pressured to breathe. I assume it is going higher in the night as I have apneas, but I am not waking up from the pressure changes as I did in the lab. Overall, I am very pleased with the Respironics, although the Adapt would probably have performed the same way had it been set right and with the right mask. However a real plus for the Respironics is that I can use the nasal pillows mask, which is much more comfortable for my nose and face construction.

I can only see a few of the results, the CRT told me he would enable them if I wanted, but I am actually having so few problems that I am not worried about leaks etc etc, and will wait till I get the data report after a few weeks, to see what is going on, he said he will go over it with me, which will be better than me trying to analyze it. For right now, I can tell it is helping me feel better, after I get more used to sleeping with it, I can work on making further adjustments if there are indicators that need improvement. After all, as they say, I have People that can help me with this! Right, you guys?

For those having problems in the start-up stage, do whatever it takes to get your configuration comfortable, and you will be able to tolerate the rest. Don’t feel bad about insisting on changes till you have it where it is working for you the way it should.

I thought I knew the drill since I had had the Adapt for over a week and had read a lot both here and on manufacturer‘s sites about the process, but the benefit of 20/20 hindsight has shown me there were a lot of things I should have done to make my first few days of VPAP therapy much easier on me and my husband:

* Completely read ALL the manuals and information I received, before using the machine
* Paid a lot more attention to adjusting the mask--the lack of comfort of the mask is the core of all my bad experiences, I should have paid much more attention to mask fit, which I found out the hard way, is CRITICAL.
* Should have tried on the different sizes of nasal pillows for myself no matter what the CRT said; I was told I needed a medium, but I find a small actually fits much better, due to the shape of my nostrils, on the Swift LT mask, however on the Opus, I need the medium! The shapes and the angles of the pillows are different and that makes a real difference in the fit!
* Should have started with mask loose and then tightened, instead of making it very tight and then spending 2 nights waking up with a sore nose, and letting it out incrementally. It actually works as well, and feels much better, adjusted rather loosely, maybe because I like to sleep on my side and it lets it (the Swift LT) squish a little. I had the idea it should be firmly affixed, but find some wiggle room is better.
* Should have used the Swift LT and forgot about the Opus--which has larger nasal pillows for all sizes, the cheek pieces are much more rigid, which causes it to shift and pinch my nose when I lay on my side, and the angle of the cheek piece to the nasal pillows is fixed, all of which make it MUCH more uncomfortable! Using it blew the first night, and I spent an hour comparing the masks to see how I could adjust them and fix the problems, and what the differences were.
* No matter how good the CRT mask fitter was, should have done a comprehensive road test, while awake, of positions, pillows, etc etc. instead of just trying out the mask while lying on the bed reading a book--it worked great for that! but not for sleeping. If I had to do over, I would spend the afternoon in bed working on these things before trying to sleep with it.
* Should have tried the hose running to the top of my head sooner! As is best way to keep it out of the way. Preferably in conjunction with item immediately above.
* Should have found a pillow/configuration that was comfortable BEFORE trying to sleep--after 4 nights I still haven’t done this, and it is still causing me discomfort, shame on me! I think a very small pillow, with not much overhang on the face side, will work best, just got to find one.
* Should have had my hubby sleep separately till I got used to the machine--the first 2 nights, I only wore the mask for an hour or so, as I needed to make adjustments but did not want to turn the light on mess with it, because I would wake my husband. Unfortunately, with all my tossing and turning he wasn’t sleeping anyway. He told me the noise from the hose sliding over the headboard as I kept jerking on it and adjusting it, was the worst irritant to him. Much better if I had gotten all those logistical problems fixed before exposing him to it. The sound of the machine doesn’t bother him at all, it is all my activities that he notices.
* I admit I’m still sensitive to how I look to my husband in this getup! And it really does interfere with snuggling, he has proven to be very sensitive to the exhale vent blowing on the back of his neck for some reason, lol...

Thanks again for all the great advice and support in my time of need, you kept me going when I was ready to quit.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on May 2, 2009 at 1:36am

Does the machine have a settling feature. This is kind of like a ramp. Usually will range from 5-45 minutes. If it does not come on as sson as you turn the machine on you might have to access it through the clinical menu. The reason I ask is because of the gush of air you are describing when you fall asleep. When we fall asleep almost everyone tends to have some sleep events called onset apnea. In a lab setting we do not count these towards your AHI. However your machine might. These events might be initiatiating the machines algorithm a little early.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page