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Cpap and getting better sleep: What's your experience?
I was in the hospital for pneumonia and while I was getting a nebulizer treatment the therapist asked if I use a Cpap at home, at the time I didn't have one. Now mind you I was only sleeping for 2 hrs a night during my pneumonia bout (2 weeks) and the therapist asked if I were open to using a BPAP (what they call it in a hospital) it was a large machine and I said of course. Upon using it I still only slept for 2 hours but it was a very restful 2 hours of sleep and was welcomed. I told my Pulmonologist and got set up for a sleep study, and it is all history. I sleep more restful (have much less visits to the bathroom at night) and use it religiously. Medicare covered my testing and machine. After my test my doc told me I stopped breathing x amount of times a minute, and was restless (tossed and turned) an ungodly amount of time during my test. On the follow up test (with the Cpap) the number decreased significantly. My sister snores like a constant thunder storm and she went for a test and got her Cpap, and now she doesn't snore at all and tells me she sleeps much better.
There are two ways to use the machine, with a nostril mask (so to speak) and a full mask (you usually see on TV movies). The latter is what I use, I couldn't get use to the nostril application, and if you were to catch a cold, I don't know how well it would work, but I use the mask never the less. Hope this helps, and do read the instructions about your machine.
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Thanks Jim! Merry Christmas to you and all of our CPAP friends too!
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2 ReactionsJohn, hope you have better luck with sleeping on your side than I did. 6/15/18 TKR followed by staph infection. Knee pain prevents me from sleeping on either side. Even with a chin strap and AirFit P10 pillows, still have a difficult time trying to sleep on my back. Best Wishes BJ
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1 ReactionMany of you have interacted with @thankful in the Mayo Clinic Connect Sleep Health group's CPAP discussions. Check out today's member spotlight and learn a bit more about him, where he's interviewed by @johnbishop, whom you also may know from talking about sleep apnea.
– Fly Fishing, Gardening and the Northwest: Meet @thankful https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/about-connect/newsfeed/fly-fishing-gardening-and-the-northwest-meet-thankful/
Follow the About Connect page to read all the Member Spotlights: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/about-connect/
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1 ReactionI have been recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and have been told that I have an average of 30 events per hour. This is my second night of using my CPAP machine which is a Philips Respironics Dream Station with a Dreamwear Gel Pillow Mask. I am not falling asleep until 2:30 a.m. and waking up at 4:30 a.m. I am basically getting two hours of sleep a night. I am beside myself and feel like this CPAP machine has stopped my life. I have an appointment today with the respiratory therapist because I feel like the mask does not fit me properly and the machine makes a loud whirring noise when I inhale, keeping me awake. I am very sound sensitive. I guess I am looking for reassurance that I will eventually find the right combination of machine and mask and get used to my new sleep scenario.
Hi, @cece55. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I moved your discussion here to this discussion, "CPAP and Sleep," so that you can connect with others who are discussing their CPAP machines. Simply click VIEW & REPLY in your email and you will be able to read previous posts and respond to other users' posts to you, like @johnbishop, @bernese53 @sleepy0 @thankful @alanbruce @johnhans.
Sounds like it's been challenging with trying to get used to the machine. I would say that many Connect members have talked about an adjustment period of becoming comfortable with the machine, its noise and feel, and with masks - often trying out multiple to find the most suitable one.
Good to hear you have an appointment today with a respiratory therapist. Are you hoping to figure out a way to better adjust your mask, or get a new mask to try?
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2 ReactionsHi Lisa,
I want to know if the louder sound when you breathe in that is keeping me awake (it is coming from the machine) is normal for all CPAP machines and I want to try another mask. They have started me on a ramp of 4 for 45 minutes to fall asleep but I feel like I am suffocating and am wondering if it is because the mask they gave me is wrong for my nostrils or 4 is too low for me. After the 45 minutes pass, I am so hyper-vigilant and uptight, sleep will not come and everything becomes more problematic than it probably is.
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2 ReactionsYes it is normal to hear the difference in noise when you breathe. Today's machines and masks are much quieter than they used to be. It does take a while to get used to it all, but it does happen. I find I can calm myself down by slowing my breathing which makes it quieter. You could always have your doctor adjust the ramp time down so you can get into a full sleep quicker. Many people start out using the machine for as long as they can tolerate and then increase the time used each night. I encourage you to keep on using the machine as untreated sleep apnea can cause very serious health problems. Come back for any more questions you may have.
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3 ReactionsThank you for responding so quickly. Is 4 the normal place for ramp even though I feel like I am suffocating? Again, it could be the mask. Also, when I am breathing, I am a slow breather. I feel like the machine is dictating the timing of my breaths and actually increasing pressure even though when I look at my display, it hasn't changed. When this happens, I feel like I need to take a breath and it is too soon. I look forward to the day that I can encourage someone!
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1 ReactionI am not sure what you are referring to when you say 4. Are you talking about a setting or the pressure the machine is set to produce? I do not have the same machine you have so if it is a setting I would not know. The pressure is usually set by the range allowed which usually is between 5 and 20. Mine is set for 10 to 20. In that range if you have an automatic machine which most are these days, it will set somewhere in that range that the machine has detected as needed to stop a sleep apnea event. My machine averages 14.
Hi, @cece55. I would like to add my welcome to Connect along with @lisalucier and other members. I also have the Philips Respironics Dream Station but I have a full face mask that covers the nose and mouth. You do hear the breathing noise but hopefully it will get better for you. I had trouble initially too. My Sleep Medicine doctor had the air pressure settings on mine set from 8 ppm to 12 ppm and the ramp up set at 4 ppm. If you press the top right side of the big button that turns it on it changes it to the ramp up pressure. You can change the ramp pressure and time. Here's some information that may help:
-- https://www.thecpapshop.com/blog/cpap-ramp-feature/
I had a tough time getting used to the 8 ppm starting pressure as it felt a little overwhelming at first so I would hit the ramp button and to change it o 4 pmm and it would gradually go up to 8 after 20 minutes. I think you can set the ramp up time and the pressure to start with. It would be good to talk with your sleep medicine doctor about it. My biggest issue is the mask. I've tried several and some have been better than others so that may be another question for the doctor to maybe try something different. If you are on medicare you can switch to a different one in the first 30 days.
Keep working at it...you will find it getting better after awhile.
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