What to know about CPAP machines?

I would say, enjoy it.

My sleep studies changed my life. The studies were uncomfortable and weird -- "Here, wear all these electrodes, go to bed a strange place with cameras watching you, and sleep normally" -- were they kidding?

But the outcome was worth it. I've now been a CPAP user for 20+ years, and I love the thing.

Thank you. I don’t wake up feeling refreshed and energetic in the morning. I hope the CPAP will help.

It will.

Some people have some trouble adjusting. I didn't. After two nights, I felt so much better that I didn't ever want to sleep without it.

The polysomnography will vary depending on the policies and the experiences of both the supervising physician and the respiratory technologist who sits and watches you all night. In my case, I had to check in near 2000 hrs and be fitted with many electrical leads. At least six on the scalp, which entails scrubbing your skin with a slightly abrasive scrubber and alcohol to remove dead skin and oils. This is to ensure good contact for each lead. This takes some time. Also, leads to your chest for cardiac input, and sensors on the lower limbs to detect body movement. There will be at least one camera over you recording your turns, REM, etc. In my case, I had to go to sleep with a CPAP mask in place and don't recall it being intrusive or annoying.

Some people find it all a bit much and they can't sleep. Try to just go with the flow and think about pet projects with multiple steps. You should fall asleep. In my case, the gentleman awakened me a while later because one of the chest leads had detached. Also, at some point they begin to titrate you if you have slept through at least one REM cycle, usually about 90 minutes. Once they have that rough baseline, they commence to titrate using their own machine and from there you get a prescription next consultation with the sleep specialist.

Your prescription for CPAP is unique to you and is meant to help the machine to increase flow through your airway. It uses just enough pressure to to keep you 'splinted', meaning open. Since exhalation and inhilation mean different pressures, your machine will measure your flow and back off or increase the flow as you cycle through each breath.

This is going to require adjustment and learning for you. Many find it tough to adapt, or even to accept that they have a real problem with apnea. Some find that the machine forces air through their lips when they fall asleep and their lips lose tone. This requires modification of the way you sleep, or a chin strap, or, as I do, taping the lips closed using medical tape. If that sounds freaky, I have done it for six years and know of no other way to get a decent sleep....which I do like a baby. If you tape, fold over a small tab on one end of the strip for easy grip and removal. I know...now...that this is important.

If you would like more help, consider looking into apneaboard.com where resident gurus will coach you through refining your settings if your care-givers can't, or won't, help for some reason. Unfortunately, we see a lot of that at apneaboard, and it's the reason we exist. BTW, I'm just a resident there, and have no other interest or role other than being given the lofty title of 'advisor'. Advisor to the Board, that is, not an advisor for patients.

Thank you for the information. I had no idea that i had sleep apnea and this is all new to me. I know very little about CPAP. The nurse practitioner that i saw and ordered the initial sleep study, called me to tell me my results showed severe sleep apnea . She asked if i would be amenable to go to the sleep center for a sleep study with the CPAP for “titration.” I will see her a week or so after that. she told that she will be the person ordering the equipment.

Titration is the process of determining the true, real, or minimally effective, dose, value, content....etc. While you are asleep, and after noting several rounds of obstructive apnea and hypopnea (low breathing flow) [and not 'hypoxia', although they tend to run hand-in-hand], the tech will commence flow via a CPAP machine and he/she will increase and decrease values, both during inspiration and expiration. The body often relaxes and sleeps better not fighting a constant flow such as that needed to splint your airway during intake. So, there is a setting for EPR (expiration pressure reduction) where the machine senses that you have finished inhaling and it backs off the flow to let you exhale more naturally. It's a comfort feature, but comfort is really important with all the other intrusiveness and changes you'll have to adapt to over the next few weeks.
Your best ally in all of this novelty is your own attitude. If you want this to work, if you're determined to learn lots, and you are hell-bent to succeed and not be defeated or afraid, you'll succeed.

Thank you for the information.
Does the mask cover your mouth and nose or just the nose?

There are masks for both.

I have always used a nasal mask. It works well for me.

I use the nasal cushion called the N-20, It covers only the nose, but rests against the upper lip and around the periphery of the nose. The hose goes into the front of the cushion which can be off-putting or intrusive for some people. I just learned how to manipulate the hose so that it doesn't tug or otherwise interfere with my sleep. In my case, in case you are interested, I drape the hose over my midriff and then lay the top cover over it. It comes from the machine's rear, over my stomach, and then loops back up and over to my mask. It doesn't interfere with tossing and turning that way, and the coverlet helps to keep it heated over and above the temperature setting for comfort that the user must determine for herself and set accordingly.

Thank you, this is all so new for me.