Morning,

Appreciate the welcome.
Have had my CPAP for almost 5 years and must use it every night. My question is, I'm out of the country right now and am on 220 electricity. My humidifier does not work (I wake up in the middle of the night feeling like I'm in the desert, have to drink and go back on it. Can't be good for my lungs), yet works perfectly on 110. This is the 2nd machine. The first one did the same thing and was exchanged for that reason. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks.
Rette

Thanks for the welcome. I know I am late but that doesn't mean that I didn't appreciate it.
Pat K

Hi sleepyCarol Thanks for the intro. Been on cpap about year and a half 5 masks heated humidifier chi-san pad later here I am Glad To find you peeps.

Thank you for the welcome. Although I don't know much about "apnea" it is probably more because the VA Hospital I had worked with when I first contracted was trying to deny responsibility for all of the other things that were going wrong with me at the time, because of suspected "Agent Orange" exposure and other toxins where I was stationed for three years in the Army. It is one of those "the EPA says they did, the military says they didn't" situations! Haven't got it all sorted out, even yet after 35 years! Don't really have many questions...at least until I complained about the machine I was using drying me out (a difference in climate from Reno to Western Arizona). Now it seems that all I am dealing with is just trying to learn the new adjustments and how to get a mask that fits the way I am used to after the one I had broke (cheap Chinese plastic!) Thank you for being there to question and get answers from...The VA guys in Phoenix don't really seem to know much about the equipment except how to replace it when it doesn't work right...this is my third machine!

Thank you. I have already found valuable information. I, too, am new to the world of sleep apnea. I received my CPAP unit and nasal "pillows?" about a week ago. So far, things seem to be going fine. Have there been any discussions on the forum about the post-surgical dangers of OSA? I represent doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice actions, and have for some time been forming a strong concern that many of the post-surgical respiratory arrests relate to undiagnosed or undisclosed OSA. Winn

Thank you. I'm brand new to the apnea world. Just got my machine this past week and have many questions. 
Bryce

Thanks Carol. I'm a respiratory therapist based at a hospital but working on contract to an affiliated DME down the street. The sleep lab and pulmonary/ doc are my major referral sources for O2, PAP therapies, and overnight oximetry. We also get referrals from Giesinger Health System here in PA(I'm near Scranton). I have had diagnosed and CPAP treated OSAHS since spring of 2001 so i have dealt with or at least seen a lot of stuff dealing with other people and myself trying to get a good night's sleep. I look forward to becoming more involved in this valuable resource.

Hi Carol,

I'm not on this site much so I apologize for the late reply!!

thanks for the tips and assistance I really appreciate it!!

Thank you Carol!

Thanks, Carol, for the kind welcome. It's like the old days when there was a Welcome Wagon. I remember ladies coming to the house when we first moved in (I'm talking half a century ago!) and welcoming us to the neighborhood with a basket of goodies and coupons.

I guess it's not that way anymore, but here on the Forum you and a few thoughtful others are my Welcome Wagon.

Especially helpful is you guidance on the newusers forum and FAQs. I'm new here, but not a new apnea sufferer. I've been using a BIPAP for 5 years or so.

I need to start advocating for myself, learning what's new and better, what to expect from the doctor and equipment provider - and this seems the place to start doing it.

Thanks again for your kind message.

Thanks for the welcome! I've only been on the site for an hour or so and learned a lot. Looking forward to sharing more information!
John

Hi Sleepy Carol from Sleepy Kath lol! I'm in the UK and it's nearly 2 am so as a sleep apnea sufferer and helper, I should know better! It's been a really busy and stressful day here, but I didn't want to go to bed without thanking you for your welcome - it means a lot! I emailed Mike last night explaining that I joined this forum as I felt very strongly to post what I did. However, I pointed out to Mike that I do also run a business in the UK which provides sleep apnoea (UK spelling) comfort accessories which I import from you great lot in the states to help people here (where there are no such things) to get comfortable treatment to enable them to comply with their CPAP treatment. I didn't want anyone on here to think that was here to tout for business, as that's not my style (plus the fact, most of you on here from the states can get the comfort accessories at your end of the world anyway). I also provide information, help and support to the UK sufferers, and most of my knowledge has come from you great lot in the states, as the UK are many years behind the US. If you are interested, you can view my website at www.hope2sleep.co.uk and Mike has given me his blessing to be on here - knowing that I'm here and gaining extra knowledge (I'm sure) to pass on to the UK sufferers. I'm also on Twitter, which is where I found Mike.
Sorry for the long reply, but I truly wanted to thank you (and Mike) for the warm welcome.
Best get to bed now and practise what I preach lol.
Kath x
ps Changed my name to Kath@Hope2Sleep

Hi Sleepy Carol, my problem is i can not get the hose off the humidifer and the nasal mask can you give me some ideas

Hi sleepy carol,
It's been over a year since I visited this site. I'm so exhausted, my blood pressure is high, and my stress/anxiety level is through the roof. I thought maybe I was depressed; so I went to a shrink. She put me on Prozak. I've been on 30 mg now for about 2 months now. Nothing seems to work; so I talked to my primary care. She said, let's send you for a sleep study. I am scheduled for a sleep study July 7th; so I look forward to the results.

Hi sleepy carol,

I've been using my CPAP for 2 years now.
Regards,
bob

Thank You for welcoming me to the group. Sleep apnea is all new to me. four weeks ago I went to the hospital for congestive heart failure and a heart attack. Then I went for a sleep test and they tell me its all due to sleep apnea and now next week they want to operate and do the cppp procedure. This is all from a severe car wreck seven years ago that left me with eight vertabrae fused, pinned, screwed together with rods and plates and I coudn't sleep from all the spinal pain. I keep saying great what next...:O)

Thanks for welcoming me to the group. I have had sleep apnea for over 7 years that I know for sure, maybe longer, I forgot when I got my first C-Pap. I got my second one after Hurrricane Katrina destroyed my first one. Now I am on my 3rd one and am really trying to be compliant this time. I told my Dr that I had to be honest with him and told him I had not used my C-Pap in over a year. The last time I had used it was May 1-4 of last year when I was in the hosp after having gastric bypass surgery. He told me it was up to me if I wanted to live or die from not using the machine. So, I have a new machine that they can check compliance on and have been using it faithfully since getting it a few months ago. I still don't like the mask because sometimes I like to read or watch TV before I go to sleep and I can't with the mask. I guess living is more important tnan that, though.

Thank you for your message. I have been suffering from Sleep Apnea for years without knowing what it was or that it was so destructive. I was only diagnosed last month and just finished my first week on my new CPAP machine. I have had more sleep in one week than I have had in several months combined. I have already spent alot of time in this forum reading and learning. I appreciate the work and contributions of so many others. I look forward to getting better and contributing back. Thanks again for the warm welcome!

Thank you Carol :) Yes, I am new this this world of sleep apnea...well I have been having symptoms for years, but am working out that other people have the same conditions as myself. It is comforting to know. Thank you for the information, I am trying to find out as much as possible- so I am l am looking forward to reading up! I saw my GP last week and was referred to a sleep specalist in the next couple of weeks, so I am interested to find out more from them too!