new CPAP user needs help — chin strap? humidifier?
Question:
I don’t have much experience yet…but I’ll share my whole 3 nights with you! I have the nasal pillow attatchment and the humidifier. It takes some getting used to…but I think it’s worth it. I woke up during the sleep study with the CPAP and needed the humidifier there with the same symptoms you mentioned. After they attatched the humidifier I was able to sleep. I tend to grit my teeth at night, so I don’t have the problem of opening my mouth. However, as I understand it…they offer a chin strap that could help you keep your mouth closed at night. After only 3 nights, I still find it difficult to get accustomed to…but I do notice that I am more alert during the day now and tend not to fall asleep as much. Hang in there….it has to get better!!
Response:
On 23 Aug 1998 16:09:53 -0400, g…@aramis.rutgers.edu (MM Login) wrote: >But the real dilemma is whether to ask them for a humidifier add-on, >which my supplier said was available. It sounds like it might help >with the congestion and dryness, but I wonder whether it’s worth the >extra maintenance. I’m also afraid I’ll open myself up to all sorts >of airway infections from the water. Can anyone share their >experiences, (positive or neg) with humidified CPAP? Any other helpful >suggestions for an xPAP newbie? Any and all answers greatly >appreciated.
I say get yourself a humidifier. In fact, get yourself a *heated* humidifier. It will make a tremendous difference in the drying out of tissues and congestion. When I started on CPAP (all of seven months ago), I had the same problems you report. I now have a chin strap and a heated humidifier. The added maintenance for the humidifier is negligible and the likelihood of critters growing in it is virtually nonexistent. There’s nothing in there for anything to grow in. Just use distilled (and therefore sterile) water in it and you should never have a problem as long as you clean and sterilize it once a week or so. I’d far rather have my humidifier than the Flonase. Best to you, Skip
Response:
It could have been a dream on or about 23 Aug 1998 16:09:53 -0400 when g…@aramis.rutgers.edu (MM Login) stunned my sensibilities with: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi, and thank you in advance for reading this rather long message. I >was recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. Although my RDI is low (16) >my syptoms are quite bad- severe sleepiness/fatigue and Fibromyalgia, >which is suspected to be sleep-disorder induced. After my doc had a >chance to go over my test results, I was very promptly given a >HealthDyne Tranquility Quest along with a Sullivan Mirage mask. So >far I’ve had two nights on the machine, but I find I actually feel >*worse* using it. First night I managed to make it through to morning >with the mask on. Second night I became congested and could not >breath with the mask on, so I took it off after only an hour and a >half. If I leave the mask off for a while my congestion tends to >clear up on its own; putting the mask back on only brings it back. >The CPAP air blowing in my throat seems to irritate the upper-airway >tissues, causing my nose and throat to feel swollen. I should mention >that I had surgery a few months ago to repair a deviated septum, >remove my uvula, and widen (slightly) the soft palate. Although it >didn’t seem to help my EDS or other symptoms, the surgery did help me >to not feel as if my throat was choking me all day long, and to breath >better through my nose. The CPAP seems to bring back all the old >pre-surgery troubles due to the swelling. After a few hours off the >machine, the swelling goes away. >I’m sure part of the problem is due to the fact that my mouth comes >open while using the machine. Several times I’ve been awakened by a >gush of air coming out of my mouth. And when I wake up I have >terrible cotton mouth. I suppose my mouth coming open could also >account for some of the dryness & congestion. So for this I’ve made >plans to ask my supplier for a chin strap. (Anyone have suggestions >for a homemade version in the mean time?) snip >PS: I’ve been lurking in his group for almost two years. I was always >fairly certain that I had some form of sleep disorder, probably apnea. >But it was only until recently that they were able to confirm it in a >sleep study. It took *three* studies before they actually recorded >it. In the first two studies I was very apprehensive and worried I >wouldn’t "pass" the test. As a result I think I slept very little and >very lightly, which resulted in them diagnosing me as having >"fragmented sleep with diminished sleep efficiency", a little RLS, but >no significant respiratory events. It wasn’t until my third study >that I was comfortable enough to sleep in the lab and they recorded >the apneas. Morale of the story- if you’re having trouble getting >diagnosed, keep going back until you feel you’ve really had a "good" >night’s sleep in the lab.
In an ideal world you could sue your ENT physician for doing UPPP without first trying CPAP. You should be able to get punitive damages and unlimited poly studies for a year. Also, in an ideal world you could sue your sleep physician for making a sweeping diagnosis based upon inefficient sleep due simply to anxieties. This is highly damaging to a patient’s credibility, and makes the pursuit of further poly studies unbearable if-even attainable. Here you should be able to take their house and car for defamation of character. In an ideal world. D
Response:
Humidifier is no extra major ordeal to maintain and is often recommended and is extremel helpful to reduce irritation to nose. It moistens the air coming thru your cpap; ck with your dr. i think you’ll like it; are you trying a chin strap for your mouth opening; also maybe your pressure is too low that you’re opening your mouth so much. iakl…@aol.com
Response:
iaklein, ask your doc if chinstrap is needed. If so, the very best is about $23+change.. It is called Veronique and can be obtained mailorder from HealthTeam NW (aka Bill’s CPAP of Seattle). Bill turned me on to the Veronique. He is a fellow OSA sufferer and very knowledgeable, helpful and honest. regards, eric pearson er…@nospammindspring.com On 25 Aug 1998 03:30:35 GMT, iakl…@aol.com (IAKLEIN) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Humidifier is no extra major ordeal to maintain and is often recommended and is >extremel helpful to reduce irritation to nose. >It moistens the air coming thru your cpap; ck with your dr. i think you’ll like >it; >are you trying a chin strap for your mouth opening; also >maybe your pressure is too low that you’re opening your mouth so much. >iakl…@aol.com
Response:
Hi, and thank you in advance for reading this rather long message. I was recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. Although my RDI is low (16) my syptoms are quite bad- severe sleepiness/fatigue and Fibromyalgia, which is suspected to be sleep-disorder induced. After my doc had a chance to go over my test results, I was very promptly given a HealthDyne Tranquility Quest along with a Sullivan Mirage mask. So far I’ve had two nights on the machine, but I find I actually feel *worse* using it. First night I managed to make it through to morning with the mask on. Second night I became congested and could not breath with the mask on, so I took it off after only an hour and a half. If I leave the mask off for a while my congestion tends to clear up on its own; putting the mask back on only brings it back. The CPAP air blowing in my throat seems to irritate the upper-airway tissues, causing my nose and throat to feel swollen. I should mention that I had surgery a few months ago to repair a deviated septum, remove my uvula, and widen (slightly) the soft palate. Although it didn’t seem to help my EDS or other symptoms, the surgery did help me to not feel as if my throat was choking me all day long, and to breath better through my nose. The CPAP seems to bring back all the old pre-surgery troubles due to the swelling. After a few hours off the machine, the swelling goes away. I’m sure part of the problem is due to the fact that my mouth comes open while using the machine. Several times I’ve been awakened by a gush of air coming out of my mouth. And when I wake up I have terrible cotton mouth. I suppose my mouth coming open could also account for some of the dryness & congestion. So for this I’ve made plans to ask my supplier for a chin strap. (Anyone have suggestions for a homemade version in the mean time?) But the real dilemma is whether to ask them for a humidifier add-on, which my supplier said was available. It sounds like it might help with the congestion and dryness, but I wonder whether it’s worth the extra maintenance. I’m also afraid I’ll open myself up to all sorts of airway infections from the water. Can anyone share their experiences, (positive or neg) with humidified CPAP? Any other helpful suggestions for an xPAP newbie? Any and all answers greatly appreciated. -MM PS: I’ve been lurking in his group for almost two years. I was always fairly certain that I had some form of sleep disorder, probably apnea. But it was only until recently that they were able to confirm it in a sleep study. It took *three* studies before they actually recorded it. In the first two studies I was very apprehensive and worried I wouldn’t "pass" the test. As a result I think I slept very little and very lightly, which resulted in them diagnosing me as having "fragmented sleep with diminished sleep efficiency", a little RLS, but no significant respiratory events. It wasn’t until my third study that I was comfortable enough to sleep in the lab and they recorded the apneas. Morale of the story- if you’re having trouble getting diagnosed, keep going back until you feel you’ve really had a "good" night’s sleep in the lab.
