Sleep Apnoea and CPAP

kjbsrah1 · 07-04-2020 10:09pm

tiny14 wrote: »

Hi all new here & new to using cpap machine!! Was diagnosd recently with obstructive sleep apnea and im finding it so hard to get used to machine longest its stayed on is 3hrs where i must pull it off!! My sleep is terrible and disruptive as in i sit up aslep and sometimes turn wrong way and fall out of bed or sometimes wake like this & doze off again sitting up or my partner will lie me down has anyone here had this? Was so happy to find a forum coz i dont no anyone that has it!! Im 46 yr old female & feel like an old woman x

Hi. I am 3 weeks in now with my cpap machine. Several nights I pull it off me in my sleep. I actually don’t think I’ve woken up with it still on me yet.
I’ve had a sore nose from the plastic part having to be strapped on so tight.
Last night I thought what the heck that I would sleep without the machine and I have to say I woke this morning with a headache and feeling of heaviness. So I guess even pulling it off was better than not wearing it at all.
Seems to be a case of just rolling with it and waiting for an ‘aha’ moment. Knowing it is making a positive difference.
I have the Philips Dream Maker machine.

tiny14 · 08-04-2020 12:27am

tnegun wrote: »

What machine did you get?

I am using f&p free style its the rental one

tiny14 · 08-04-2020 12:34am

kjbsrah1 wrote: »

Hi. I am 3 weeks in now with my cpap machine. Several nights I pull it off me in my sleep. I actually don’t think I’ve woken up with it still on me yet.
I’ve had a sore nose from the plastic part having to be strapped on so tight.
Last night I thought what the heck that I would sleep without the machine and I have to say I woke this morning with a headache and feeling of heaviness. So I guess even pulling it off was better than not wearing it at all.
Seems to be a case of just rolling with it and waiting for an ‘aha’ moment. Knowing it is making a positive difference.
I have the Philips Dream Maker machine.

Im using the f&p sleep style its one i rent!! Thanks so much for reply sorry to hear you have soreness from it & maybe i dont have it tight enough an thats why i can pull it off during night!! But as you said few hours better than nothing til we get used to it & i have to admit even after the couple of hours when i get up i dont have that heavy feelig in my head as bad or my neck!! Do you experience anything like i do like sitting up in bed aslep amd sometimes falling out of bed as you may wake before hitting floor? I just cant get over how fast & bad it got for me but im hoping to persevere with this and it gets better an feel energy again but im trying to loosw weight too im about 2-3 stone overweigt & it might help & hope u get used to mask & nose gets better

tiny14 · 08-04-2020 12:37am

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

You just have to hoor it out I'm afraid. I have to say it didnt take me long at all. Do you have a humidifier on the machine, as the tube tends to be a bit longer than the regular one. Maybe if you get a harder pillow,where your head doesn't sink into it and dislodge the mask?, I found this helps me a lot.
It will become 2nd nature after a short while and you wont feel like an old woman.

Thanks a mil for reply it seems that way! Im on 2 pillows as im bit clauster phobic & feel if im
On 1 pilow il smother lol cant win lol but il keep using it an hopefully sooner rather than later il reap the benefits & im trying to loose weight to help also

tnegun · 08-04-2020 10:08pm

tiny14 wrote: »

I am using f&p free style its the rental one

Is it the auto or the cpap model? Im asking as I had a very hard time getting used to a pain old cpap it was like strapping a leave blower to my face and took weeks/months, switched to an APAP and never looked back.

chuky_r_law · 10-04-2020 2:32pm

i have a philips dream station. i have been using it since december. i am getting more and more used to it, but i have to say my mouth and lips just dry up all the time while i am using it. i usually wake up a couple of times every night gasping for water. i have the humidifier but it does not seem to make any difference. is this the same for everyone?

tnegun · 10-04-2020 7:52pm

I find I can almost do without the humidifier if I have no leaks if the mask leaks I know straight away as my mouth is so dry. Is the humidifier on the highest setting? Mine has an auto mode but I find that useless and set it on the lowest or second lowest setting and that works for me.

Masala · 10-04-2020 10:51pm

Hi all... am having a lot of leakage recently. Wife wakes me to tell me air is escaping furiously!! Am finding that I am wanting to sleep sideways a lot and it knocking my mask off sync

Also have gotten into a habit of sleeping on my arms to raise my head when I am sleeping sideways. Have desperate pains in arms during the days can’t raise arms overhead my head without pain.

With lockdown .., can’t get to see consultant. Starting to feel tired during the day again and falling asleep in front of tv!!!

And was doing sooooo good!!!

10-04-2020 11:01pm

Masala wrote: »

Hi all... am having a lot of leakage recently. Wife wakes me to tell me air is escaping furiously!! Am finding that I am wanting to sleep sideways a lot and it knocking my mask off sync

Also have gotten into a habit of sleeping on my arms to raise my head when I am sleeping sideways. Have desperate pains in arms during the days can’t raise arms overhead my head without pain.

With lockdown .., can’t get to see consultant. Starting to feel tired during the day again and falling asleep in front of tv!!!

And was doing sooooo good!!!

Not sure if you drive, but if you or your wife do drive why not?

It's a medical issue and attending a medical appointment is not prohibited by any of the restrictions, it's being encouraged because they are actually starting to worry that people are ignoring other health issues.

If your consultant won't see you and is offering this as an excuse I'd be pissed off at them.

Hope you get some help with it.

tnegun · 10-04-2020 11:07pm

Masala wrote: »

Hi all... am having a lot of leakage recently. Wife wakes me to tell me air is escaping furiously!! Am finding that I am wanting to sleep sideways a lot and it knocking my mask off sync

Also have gotten into a habit of sleeping on my arms to raise my head when I am sleeping sideways. Have desperate pains in arms during the days can’t raise arms overhead my head without pain.

With lockdown .., can’t get to see consultant. Starting to feel tired during the day again and falling asleep in front of tv!!!

And was doing sooooo good!!!

I sleep sideways too and wear the mask a little tighter than I should and sleep right on the edge of the pillow so that the mask hangs off the side, I do wake a few times during the night when I've rolled over but just reposition myself to the edge and get another few hours. There are special pillows with cutouts but I've never used one

forzacalcio · 13-04-2020 11:25pm

Hi all

So Ive been renting the AirSense 10 from Resmed for the last year. It does the job fine but paying €110 per month and now looking into buying one. So Im about to start research on it. Is that machine fairly decent? I have severe sleep Apnoea and tbh this has changed my life. Am I best to stick with what I have and just buy the one I have or move onto something newer? Am I stupid going out and buying one? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

tnegun · 13-04-2020 11:39pm

Can't comment on that machine but I stopped renting 8 years ago and bought my machine out right and have never looked back so I'd say do it. I had to figure out how to program the machine - its very easy the difficult bit was getting access to the correct menus.

kjbsrah1 · 14-04-2020 11:14am

I have the Dream Machine from Philips. It has been supplied to me on prescription from my consultant by a company based in Athlone but with Clinicians all around the country - not sure if I can name the company?).

I rent it for €104 a month (fairly sure that's the amount, but have only paid for half a month and am due my first direct debit for a full amount to leave my account next week so will know for sure then - am writing this on my pc in work and my paperwork is at home).

What I was told is that people usually rent for the first 3 months and then make a decision to buy (or not) the machine. With this company apparently if you decide to buy they allow you to continue to pay for the machine at the same monthly amount until its paid off. They include the months already paid so overall you pay the actual amount of the machine not the machine price plus the months rental already paid.

Myself, I would stick with the machine I have been prescribed. If that machine is not working I will work with the company my consultant has prescribed me to use as they have all the varients and machine attachments etc to make sure I have what works for me. I think that makes sense. Maybe I am putting too much trust in my consultant, but each time I have met him I have been impressed with him and have found him to be very knowledgeable (obviously) about the whole sleep apnoea condition - he was just the right side of eccentric

I have also researched the company he recommended and it was him that said that if what I get supplied with initially does not work for me, or if I am not comfortable with it, to keep getting onto the company to make sure they get it right. Its not a one size fits all so for some people it may take time to get everything to click into place.

For myself, I have not really used the machine the past week as I was getting fed up with the sound of it, the air blowing cold and noisy, the uncomfortableness of the head straps, the waking up gasping for breath, and waking up every time I moved. BUT ... I know the only way for it to work is to persevere so will be back with it properly from tonight. I guess that in 'normal' times, the clinician would have been back for a visit and I would have tried different types of head pieces/masks but for now I am stuck with the one I was given initially about 4-5 weeks ago. Things can only get better

nibtrix · 14-04-2020 1:01pm

kjbsrah1 wrote: »

the air blowing cold and noisy...

Hi, this just jumped out at me, do you have a heated humidifier or heated hose? The kit I have has a heating element in the hose and it warms the air that passes through. To be honest I had to turn it down from the auto-setting as I found it too warm - I like it cool!

kjbsrah1 wrote: »

I guess that in 'normal' times, the clinician would have been back for a visit and I would have tried different types of head pieces/masks but for now I am stuck with the one I was given initially about 4-5 weeks ago.

In my admittedly limited experience you don't get to try multiple types, as the headpiece and masks can't be shared or passed on to someone else. I could be wrong though.

Boulevardier · 07-05-2020 7:20pm

I am a CPAP user with sleep apnoea and a BMI of about 35. However, I do not have heart disease or diabetes.

I was a bit worried when I heard a public health expert mention sleep Apnoea and obesity in an item about Coronavirus this evening.

Does anyone know if sleep Apnoea and obesity, in and of themselves, count as "underlying conditions" for Covid 19 purposes?

tnegun · 07-05-2020 8:23pm

I think any chronic health condition counts as an underlying health condition.

Masala · 08-06-2020 12:29am

Hi all. Anyone using a ResMen AirMini..?

Am thinking of ordering one from the States... but would appreciate any feedback from current users

Daisy78 · 09-06-2020 7:40pm

Suspect I have sleep apnoea and am waiting on my initial consultation with the consultant. I’m going private but even at that it had been indicted that it could be October before I’m booked in for the sleep study. I reckon I’ve had this for years, my symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, very poor concentration, light headedness, etc. which have become chronic since the start of this year. So looks like il have to tough it out until I get the sleep study. Has anyone any tips on how to manage it in the absence of equipment such as a CPAP machine? I’ve heard that humidifiers can help but that didn’t have any discernible impact on me.

tnegun · 09-06-2020 8:28pm

For me sleeping on my front if I don't have the machine seems to help, before I was diagnosed I slept on my front all the time and often wondered was it related as in my subconscious had figured out this way works!

Drumpot · 03-07-2020 9:52am

Anybody suffer from anxiety as a result of the apnea? Also, did people notice they go through periods where apnea wasn’t too bad and then like a season it switches on?

I’m prob gonna have to go private to get this sorted. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea (moderate to severe) a few years ago. Was put on machine and when I asked to speak to consultant (cause I wasn’t sleeping with mask) he took me off it in a very blasé manner. Said something snotty like “I can see from the reports it’s fixing the apnea but if it really was helping you should be coming in here thanking me for changing your life”.

My doctor was livid when I went back to him and I’ve been waiting on public since. It seems to be kind of not so bad sometimes and worse at other time’s. Had a test in December again (to see where I was at) and didn’t sleep with the things hooked up to me so it was no surprise when they said there was no apnea. I even asked can you have sleep apnea without sleep and they didn’t really say anything.

I don’t snore much so it’s not obvious apnea. I Woke up choking about two weeks ago and my anxiety levels have been consistently rising since around that time. Does anybody identify with that? Having a choking episode and it affecting anxiety levels and then creating insomnia? I’ve had insomnia issues all my life but the last few years it’s improved a lot down to therapy and support groups (don’t drink alcohol anymore either).

Don’t know if I’m now stressed because of the lack of sleep but end up getting up at nights now to goto toilet. Skin is irritated (this happens when I get bad sleep consistently), I usually shave off all my hair on face and head as it’s constantly itchy. Also coincided with indigestion and savage hunger pangs at night and in morning!

Just wondering if anybody has had similar issues that were addressed with the machine. Also wondering if the choking/apnea Are significant factors in anxiety and insomnia.

Lastly, planning on seeing my doctor to arrange private care. I don’t have health insurance but will throw some mkemy at this problem as it’s debilitating at this stage.

corwill · 03-07-2020 10:46am

If you're not sleeping properly, everything is harder, and it certainly manifests itself in increased stress and anxiety in many people.

Edit - that f**king consultant. All you probably needed was a steer on a different mask or a pressure adjustment.

3DataModem · 03-07-2020 5:40pm

Masala wrote: »

Hi all. Anyone using a ResMen AirMini..?

Am thinking of ordering one from the States... but would appreciate any feedback from current users

I switched to an airmini. At first I was concerned about the lack of humidification, but I actually like it more than the Airsense I was using (the way the pressure builds).

I have also switched to the memory foam masks. Huge difference.

FaganJr · 03-07-2020 8:04pm

3DataModem wrote:

I have also switched to the memory foam masks. Huge difference.

Memory foam masks?? Do tell more??

tnegun · 04-07-2020 10:05am

I had a foam mask and I agree it was much better than the regular silicon but didn't last nearly as long I think I got a couple of months out of it if even where I can get 6 plus from the silicon. Once the foam gets wet from attempted washing, rainout or drool its damaged and eventually hardens. You're not supposed to wash them at all but I found it unavoidable.

FaganJr · 04-07-2020 6:48pm

tnegun wrote:

I had a foam mask and I agree it was much better than the regular silicon but didn't last nearly as long I think I got a couple of months out of it if even where I can get 6 plus from the silicon. Once the foam gets wet from attempted washing, rainout or drool its damaged and eventually hardens. You're not supposed to wash them at all but I found it unavoidable.

Oh that rules me out, drooler

Philster · 09-07-2020 1:33pm

Daisy78 wrote: »

Suspect I have sleep apnoea and am waiting on my initial consultation with the consultant. I’m going private but even at that it had been indicted that it could be October before I’m booked in for the sleep study. I reckon I’ve had this for years, my symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, very poor concentration, light headedness, etc. which have become chronic since the start of this year. So looks like il have to tough it out until I get the sleep study. Has anyone any tips on how to manage it in the absence of equipment such as a CPAP machine? I’ve heard that humidifiers can help but that didn’t have any discernible impact on me.

On the assumption that you have sleep apnoea, without a CPAP machine there is only a few things you can do to hopefully minimise things:

Avoid sleeping on your back,
Probably avoid alcohol and anything such as sleeping tablets or medication that cause sedation
Lose weight if you need to and can do so (very hard if you have untreated sleep apnoea)
If you have hayfever, allergic rhinitis make sure you take decongestants or prescribed medicines to keep your nasal passageways open.

I was due a repeat sleep study in May (I'm also a private patient) but was cancelled; so did a zoom consultation with my consultant and she said having another sleep study in October might be optimistic but that's because I'm already on CPAP. They are trying to avoid patients with CPAP going in to hospitals for sleep studies, in case you have COVID-19 as the air vents on the masks would spray the virus around like a garden hose (her words not mine).

I know exactly the symptoms you are talking about and it is horrendous. Unless you have them yourself no one can even begin to imagine how awful you feel. I hope you get your study soon.

RJ67 · 22-07-2020 7:35pm

Hi I was trying to buy an airsense 10 apap from the resmed supplier here in Dublin. They wanted 1720 euro for a new machine. I can get the machine and masks and filters for about 2 years supply plus delivery from USA for just under 900 dollars. Then they tell me they are not allowed sell international. Why not? Huge difference in price. Anyone got any experience in successfully buying a machine abroad. This will be my 4th machine. Currently using an old resmed s8 elite.

jesus_thats_gre · 22-07-2020 8:40pm

Just ordered one from here - 755 all in:

https://www.eu-pap.ie/

Philster · 22-07-2020 8:46pm

RJ67 wrote: »

Hi I was trying to buy an airsense 10 apap from the resmed supplier here in Dublin. They wanted 1720 euro for a new machine. I can get the machine and masks and filters for about 2 years supply plus delivery from USA for just under 900 dollars. Then they tell me they are not allowed sell international. Why not? Huge difference in price. Anyone got any experience in successfully buying a machine abroad. This will be my 4th machine. Currently using an old resmed s8 elite.

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Just ordered one from here - 755 all in:

https://www.eu-pap.ie/

I know someone who got one a month ago with the travel bag, filters, heated hose and humidifier for approx €615 including free delivery. Resmed have a UK site. Sign up for that and either buy now or wait for a sale as they did (15% discount sale). If you sign up for membership loyalty thing you get an extra 5% discount so they were able to get 20% off. They needed a NI address so used their aunt's. There are other discounts available when you are buying items from the UK which you will see when filling in the form online...use a NI address.

Edit:RJ67 remember we are the only country were we must pay VAT on CPAP items and rental. That's why it is so expensive. If you buy items in other countries they are obliged to add on 23% VAT when shipping to the ROI. You'll see that on a lot of the UK sites.

NIMAN · 22-07-2020 9:06pm

The OH has been telling me for quite a while I should go see the GP as I suffer from it, that I stop breathing fairly often and jolt during my sleep as I start breathing again.

I also am a shift worker, so I used to put my tiredness simply down to that. But perhaps this has been playing into it too? Making things worse?

I do often feel shattered during the day, and most mornings I find a real struggle to get going. I am often light headed too, but as mentioned, simply put this down to decades of shift work and rubbish sleep patterns.

Must get a GP visit organised now that restrictions are relaxing.

Sleep Apnoea and CPAP

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