How to reduce my events while using my Cpap

Thank you so much. I am going keep a log on the items you suggested and see how it goes.

Hello, @muffy - thanks for the suggestions on tracking events and other factors for CPAP use and what you have learned.

Since you have four years of experience with this diagnosis, you may have some good input for others or receive some insights from others in these CPAP discussions:

- On CPAP and sleep https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cpap-and-sleep

- On cleaning a CPAP mask https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cleaning-your-cpap-mask

- On mask challenges https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/leaking-mask

I'm reading these posts with interest. My mom just got her CPAP machine today with full mask - she's a mouth breather. She's not keen about the headgear. She's worried about feeling too encumbered to sleep.

Any tips about the first night that I can pass along to her?

Hi Colleen @colleenyoung, I'm a mouth breather also and I was a little apprehensive at first. I think having a mask that is comfortable is key. I got my CPAP last July and have been through 4 different types of full face masks. My sleep medicine doc told me if I had trouble at first to just wear it an hour or so watching TV to get used to how it feels. I went cold turkey though and didn't have too much trouble. One problem I had was the hose getting in the way (I toss and turn a little during the night). I found a hose stand that holds it up above your head that works fairly well. You can put the stand under the mattress at the top of the bed or on the floor next to the bed to keep the hose above the head.

That's so nice for you to be helping your Mom. I think what worked for me is being determined to make it work. The first couple weeks were not very good for me - I felt like I was even more tired than before. But after about the third week, I got the hang of it and realized I was able to sleep more efficiently and not as long (I get about 7-8.5 hours a night, rather than 9 or so). And I did feel less tired. So, your words of encouragement will help. Also, about 2 1/2 years after I began using my CPAP, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. I am so glad that I was using the CPAP so I did not feel guilty about my apnea contributing to the cancer. Does that make sense?

John, thanks for the tip. I have been a CPAP user for over 4 years, and the hose is still an annoyance. So, I might try the stand.

@johnbishop and @muffy, your wise words help a lot. It is so important for people to be patient - guess that's why we're called patients. Improvements are rarely immediate and that contraption will definitely take some time to get used to.

In lieu of having a stand, we've put the hose over the headboard. It is conveniently shaped to hold the hose in the position you suggest, John. Do you find that since you've become accustomed to the CPAP that you toss and turn less? My mom also moves a fair amount, but I think it might be the apnea waking her.

Muffy, thanks for giving value to words of encouragement from the caregiver. That is certainly going to be my role. She will be quick to think that she failed if it doesn't work right away, which is precisely why I'm looking for these tips. If she wears it even for an hour or two tonight, I will consider that the first success. We don't expect a 9 hour stint of sleeping like a log. Her major health issue at the moment is incredible fatigue. Knowing that this symptom may become worse before it gets better will also help her stick with it and give it the good ol' college try. How long was it before you started to see improvements in your tiredness?

Yes, that guilt thing or rather excusing yourself from guilt makes total sense to me, although we both know it's not logical. But I get it. Did you know that there is a Lung Cancer group on Connect here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lung-cancer/ I hope you'll share your experiences and wisdom there too.

@muffy - here's the one that I have. https://www.amazon.com/Eliminate-Tangles-CPAP-Hose-Holder/dp/B003UAHWOE/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=cpap+hose+stand&qid=1552437059&s=gateway&sr=8-4

It does take a while to get used to using the CPAP so a little use is still better than none. I did use mine the whole night from the beginning, but not everyone can.
A small adjustment can make a big difference in the mask fitting. Using some kind of background noise can help hide the sound of the machine though you do get used to it. As for how long to recover from the fatigue, it took a long time to get to the deficit in sleep so it takes a while to catch up. Expect at least 3 weeks to really feel anything and at least 3 months to get the full effect. Some people have felt an effect after one night, but I do not believe that is usual. Best of luck for your mother's health Colleen.

@colleenyoung, I had mine over the headboard also but it was touching the floor and I wanted to get it off the floor a little without having the extra hose laying on the bed. I think the apnea does cause you to move around some too. I sleep on my sides mostly and have to keep switching when my knee starts hurting more...wakes me up. Another side benefit of the hose stand is when I roll over the hose stays above my head. I have friends that I have known a long time that use a CPAP and I never knew about it. They've all said it takes about a year to get the full benefit of using one.

Great advice from @muffy. I think you really have to be determined and make up your mind you will stick with it through thick and thin. When I went to my sleep study appointment I chatted with a man in his 50's that absolutely hated it and told me he rips it off at night and is angry that he is told he needs it. That kind opened my eyes a little bit that I had better be determined to make it work since it could possibly be a life saver.