CPAP/APAP (Breathing Machines)

[Boomerwang]

Anyone else using one? I just got mine yesterday. I sleep badly and get sleep apnoea and have done for years so I've been prescribed an APAP machine which keeps my airways open when I sleep. I've just used it for the first time and feel no different than usual when waking up. I woke up in the middle of the night with the air blasting full force suddenly.

I guess I expected miracles as I know a couple of people who use them, but they never shared much with me about their experiences.

I guess maybe it's a long term health improvement rather than an overnight success?

I've had one for about 4 or 5 years now. It initially took me a long time to get used to it, eventually swapping the full face for nose cushions. It's probably set to ramp up when you stop breathing. It can be a bit unnerving at the time, but is quite normal. Do persevere with it, but if you are complying with wearing it for the specified time and still feel tired, ring your sleep clinic and have the machine checked. Sometimes they can go faulty and need resetting.

I agree it can take time getting the right settings. Keep trying if it's no better after a week get back in tough with hospital/dr and let them know maybe the settings need adjustment

Thanks for the responses. I keep reading about things like specified times and statistics I'm meant to know about (American forums after a search) but I wasn't given any information whatsoever about these. I also wasn't told anything about my night at the sleep lab. The only reason I even know I've got apnoea problems is because I was handed an air travel luggage exemption letter to go with the machine which stated that I was diagnosed with the condition.

Do you ordinarily get a printout or something of your sleep lab results? Were you given any information other than 'here's how the machine works now off you go'?

I love my CPAP. I have had it for 6 years and can't sleep without it. I bought a special pillow with cut out bits so I could lie comfortably, and also bought my own mask because the one I got from the hospital gave me blisters on my nose. Good luck!

I didn't get a print out of my results but the consultant told me I had about 120 episodes an hour at the start when I was first diagnosed, and it's down to about 65 to 75 now..also my machine is automatic rather than with manual settings so it self adjusts to my breathing in the night. I don't have a humidifier either which the American forums seem to talk a lot about.

My dh has an APAP with humidifier, and has used it for 10 years now.
His tells him how may apnoeas he's had in the night, and a rise is usually because his mask isn't fitting properly (nasal pillows) or that he's bunged up with snot.

Its going to take some time before you feel better as you need to get used to the unit and see if the supplied mask fits and suits you. When you go to the sleep clinic next they will download the data from your machine and you can ask about your apnoea rate (over 300 for dh pre CPAP)

The data is automatically uploaded for me (resmed.com or something) and I can see the results myself. I started with only about 2 episodes an hour but after using the machine it's up to 5 now? I have the humidifier and heated tubing too and I'm glad for that. I've used it for one week now and last night I threw it off in a temper tantrum because it kept waking me up by blasting air so hard I couldn't breathe out again. Every time was because I had turned to lie on my back, so stopped breathing. I find it hard to sleep because of the noise (like darth vader) so it's a bit counter productive really. I'm still not sure if I feel better for it in the daytime. I wouldn't dare stop using it as I've got this thing for free and I should consider myself lucky that I've received help. I was told I have nasal polyps and since I speak with a nasal twang I assume I've always had them. Just wondering if it wouldn't be worth pursuing having them removed?

If its blasting air that hard, your mask probably isn't fitting properly