Thanks to Mike for noticing my CPAP mention on Twitter and pointing me to this site. I figure I'll jump in with both feet:
Just got my Respironics REMstar Plus M Series with Heated Humidifier and ResMed Mirage Swift II nasal pillow yesterday. Pressure = 8 cm H2O. My DME (Lincare in NJ) sent an LPN who showed me everything about the equipment -- enough that the manuals (which I did read) were redundant -- and answered all my questions. Good service.
My first night with the new air pressure was not quite the magical miracle I had been hoping for. Woke up many times during the night -- but, notably, not from lack of breathing.
Items to note:
- The airway pressure is, I assume, going to take getting used to. It's an overall foreign sensation, and I sometimes find that my ears overpressurize through my eustachian tubes.
- The vent holes on the mask make a distracting rushing-air sound. Yes, I realize this is from rushing air. I know this is an important part of the equipment design and, in this case, I suppose I've got it relatively easy, since I've got a fairly low pressure; I can only imagine what it sounds like at a pressure of 17. But it's still new and strange.
- With regard to the previous two points, I do use the ramp function on the CPAP machine, and it does help -- but I still find myself rising to consciousness and noticing the pressure and noise.
- On the positive side, the mask makes surprisingly little contact with my face, especially in contrast with the full-face mask from my sleep study. The straps actually aren't all that bad; they're maybe a little snug. I'm experimenting with the tightness to determine just how much is necessary to keep the mask on my nose. My biggest complaint would be that one of the little plastic buckles presses against the back of my head when I'm lying on my pillow. I'm guessing there's a way to pad that?
I guess my main question is: Is this all pretty standard for a first night with CPAP?
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