British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

Hello.

Last Sunday I went to the Sleep Clinic to try out the CPAP.

I first tried the nasal mask but couldn’t get on with it, as am a mouth breather probably due to my constant blocked nose, which seems to be a hereditary thing.

So I got the nose and mouth mask on and tried this for a bit - this felt more natural. I quickly tried the nasal again to make sure. This seemed worse after trying the nose and mouth mask just before.

As such, went with the nose and mouth mask. Tried to sleep, but couldn't sleep during the night. I might have nodded off for a short amount of time but that was about it. I mentioned my experience to the sleep technician but I think it was looked at as a 'need to get used to it' type thing. Home I went with my new machine and lots of hope!

However, the trouble I had and am having is breathing just doesn’t feel right. I have to make an effort to breathe in and out (more so on the out side). I can't seem to breathe normally - I have to either fast breathe or take long breaths in and out. I can’t breathe subconsciously like I do when I am awake (or without the mask on).

I have read up a fair bit on people new to CPAP, and guessed that it is indeed just something I need to get used to, as a lot of people seem to take a while getting used to it. The mask doesn't bother me - I didn’t like the prospect of the mouth and nose mask to start with because of the fear of suffocation, but a quick read up on here got rid of that!

Is it normal to feel short of breath on CPAP? I'm going to give the clinic a ring in a while but thought I'd see what others thoughts are. I'm not sure whether it is something I will get used to, or whether because I am a mouth breather.

I have persevered with it - had it on every night since picking it up in the hope I just need time to get used to it, but every night is the same and not getting better. I just can’t go to sleep despite being more and more exhausted, and I've spent the whole week more tired than ever! I used the ramp function plenty to help, but still cant sleep.

Any thoughts will be most welcome.

Regards,



Greg.

BTW - this is a great forum. I've picked up so much from it...

Hi Greg welcome to the forum,

The problems you describe are all quite normal for a new person starting out on cpap ,we have all been there and can tell you that things will improve over time .Stick with it keep using the mask and machine and gradually you will see things getting better for you.

Take Care,

Regards,

Hello Nuneatonman37.

Thanks for your reply, including the reassurance.

I am hoping it is something I will simply need to get used to and not some problem that cant be solved. The trouble is, it is difficult to keep the motivation up as I'm more tired than ever!

I spoke to the sleep technician last night and I increased the pressure from 6 to 7.5. I was worried that increasing the pressue would make it even harder to breathe out but surprisingly, it did feel easier to do so. Reading the instruction manual for the mask helped it make sense - the more pressure the more that pushes your own breath out of the vent masks.

I still didnt get any sleep last night though, but hopefully will tonight with the pressure at a more suitable level and some more faith in it.

Thanks again - your comments help a lot in appreciating my situation is not unique and that I should get used to it.

I will update again to let you know how I get on.

Regards,


Greg

Hi Greg

I can relate to having a constantly blocked nose and also use a full face mask.

I'm fairly new here too

Well done on perservering with the CPAP, it can't be easy. It may be that it's something you need to get used to or it could be that they'll look at other alternatives. Bi-Pap sounds like it's designed for people who are struggling the same way you are. Have a look at the link below.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-bipap.htm

Hope it all works out for you!

Hi Greg,

Breathing out against the pressure does take a bit of getting used to.
Breathing in shouldn't be much of a problem as most breath normally when they first start and almost gulp air. However if the air is very dry if can be a struggle after a while, the cure is a humidifier. If you have one and the problem is dryness especially after a couple of hours, turn the humidifier up a bit.

Otherwise it is just getting used to it.

Hello.

I'm back for a quick update and to mention another problem...!

Firstly, I've got round the struggling to breath problem by increasing the pressure again. It was still a struggle to breath at the suggested increase from 6 to 7.5. Reading the manual several times over (doesn't take long as hardly comprehensive), I noticed this part:- "At low CPAP pressures, the flow through the mask may be insufficient to clear all exhaled gas from the tubing", so I wondered if upping the pressure more would help get rid of my breath and therefore struggle less. So I did what I was told not to do and changed the pressure myself. I nudged it up to 8 - felt the same, then up some more until I got to 10. This felt different - I felt I could breathe out a lot more normally. I then shoved it up more to see how it compared and any higher was getting a bit too windy. The maximum 20 was hilarious - it was so powerful that it really made me realise how absolutely shattered the 'severe cases' must be if they can fall asleep with a mask on at that setting!!

So I left it at 10. Still could not get to sleep on it. I have persisted with it though which is making me more tired than ever (even took it on holiday for a week with the hope something would 'click' and I would get a good nights sleep, at last).

I then had my first review at the sleep clinic and I mentioned it had been a nightmare so I increased the pressure out of desperation to try anything. 'Tut tut tut' was the look on the clinician's face! I explained my reasoning (i.e. from the manual) but they were not convinced and suggested I may have actually needed to turn the pressure down. I wasnt buying this.

The clininician suggested that before we change anything, I should take an oximeter home for a couple of nights to measure my oxygen levels and any drops aka apnoeas (I think it was to try and prove I was wrong in a scientific way!). I duly did this, but for three nights and then returned the oximeter to the clinic.

I had a call from the clinician once she analysed the info. She mentioned that my oxygen levels dropped on several occasions to the low 80's which shows I am having apnoeas. Her advice from that was that I should INCREASE the pressure more to try and keep the airways open. Hmmm - quick recap went through my mind - the pressure was at 7.5 - naughty boy moi increased it to 10 - I get the disapproving eyebrows look and suggest to me that if anything I should have turned it down - and now you're telling me to turn it up. Oh if only we were communicating by webcam she would be able to see my tired but smug look . Incidentally, when I had the oximeter on, I think I actually slept with it on for those three nights, as I woke up with it still on whereas normally, I get fed up not being able to get to sleep with it on and take it off at about 4am. I felt even worse for those nights though.

Anyway, so I whopped it up to 12. The pressure feels ok, and I'm eventually getting to sleep on some nights but I'm still totally shattered. The clinician did say it is not uncommon for people to still be taking the mask off after 6 months! I'll go mad before then....

Other than the update above and in fact the main trigger for me coming downstairs and get on the PC is this....

The last couple of nights I have been experiencing a really dry mouth and throat. I mean - sandpaper in the Sahara type dryness. It seems to wake me up, and it is so dry I struggle to move my mouth about and have to get the mask off a bit sharpish. It doesn't seem like there is any humidity coming through - the water is very warm, but it doesn't seem like before.

Strangely, this followed a couple of nights of too muchwater/vapour in the mask - it was so warm that I took my duvet off as felt my whole body was really warm, and the water kept trickling on my face which was irritating.

Has anyone any thoughts on this - am I doing something wrong - is something faulty/not set correctly - has anyone else experienced this? I tried increasing the humidity settings and the water level has dropped a bit, but that hasnt changed anything and the dryness is unbearable.

Thanks for reading and the support,



Greg.

Suggesting anything is a bit difficult without talking to you directly. Plus I am not a doctor or an expert. But here goes with a few suggestions that you can either take on or dump.
Some of the others may have other suggestions.
Firstly, you say you have increased the pressure and are getting on better.
You might to increase it slightly more. The reason I say this is because I think your throat is still almost closing when you do fall asleep causing it to vibrate together, not enough to make you snore, but enough to give you a sore throat. Could this be a possible cause for your sore throat do you think?
Water appearing in the mask could be the start of rainout where the humid air starts to condense in the tubing and gets blown into the mask, resulting in water droplets appearing in the mask and causing a nuisance. More of it could be condensing than you think and if your machine in low down it could be running back into the humidifier. When rainout is bad it can build up in the tube and gets to the point where it almost blocks it and the air has to forse its way past causing a gurgling noise. Increasing the humidity will only make things worse.
Answer is to keep the room warmer or get a cover for the tubing, these come heated or non heated.

Hope this may be of some help.

Okay. 8 months later, and it hasnt got any better yet!

I'm now on my fourth type of mask thankfully provided by the East Grinstead sleep clinic. I started with a full face and then tried a nasal mask. Being a 'mouth breather', I didnt get anywhere with the nasal mask so reverted back to the full face. Still no joy. Still perma-shattered!

I then got a more expensive full face which sat on my face better and more comfortably although it is rigid so cant adjust it other than the straps. Still cant sleep on it.

The technicians asked if I could be 'not letting it work' as if I am putting up mental blockers and resisting it - consultant asked that recently too. I quickly assured them that I dont think it is the case and have been very optimistic about it all. In fact, being so optimistic has probably helped me to persevere for these nightmare 8 months. I have only missed a handful of nights from going through the routine of sticking it on, not being able to get to sleep on it or lobbing it off within a couple of hours when I am almost getting to sleep, so I'm please with that.

Saying that, n the early days of using the first full face mask I did manage to sleep through the night with the mask on for two nights. But.....I was more tired than ever when I woke up. A micro-second of joy when I realised the mask was still on by was followed by the realisation that I was more shattered than ever before.

Recently, had another follow-up with the technicians and the consultant. They seem to be looking to me for ideas! I did ask if it coud be something else - CSA instead of OSA, and also if CPAP could be the wrong machine for me and whether APAP or BIPAP may be better. I get the feeling they are very pro-CPAP a bit like the VHS vs BETAMAX side taking of old, and dont really want to consider the other two. Maybe they cannot haggle as good a deal on those!

Anyway, to go through the motions, I got a fourth mask. This time, I got the nasal pillow. Yes, shouldnt work because of the mouth breathing aspect (borne out of having a small nose which is often blocked), but I'm willing to try anything as I want something to work.

I'm not sure what is causing me to not be able to sleep on these masks. It isn't normal to dress up like a scuber diver when you sleep, so I wonder if my brain simply cant deal with it. Or can my body simply not cope with trying to breath like I have my head of the car window at 80mph on the motorway? I dont know, but it seems like the clinic have just about run out of suggestions now. A lot of the problems have been mask fit. I have a small nose which I understand makes it difficult to get the mask to stick to the face. Whatever causes it means that with the full face and nasal masks, they just wont stay on my face when I whop the pressure up. I have had a few nights when I was really sleepy but couldnt get a tight fit and ended up yanking it off in a delirious state and very frustrated after only 15 minutes or so. Tried rinsing them in the shower to make them more sticky, vaseline around the seals etc - no joy.

However, the nasal pillow is different - I get a seal -Semi-Yippeeee!!! Yes, I have the mouth breathing aspect, but I hope I can get used to it. A couple of weeks in and I'm still having trouble sleeping with it although it does feel much less comfortable and much less obtrusive on my face.

A few days ago, I slept through the night again for two nights, then didnt sleep on it, and then slept through the night again. The same situation as the two days before though - more tired than ever when I woke up. This is (eventually) where I get to my questions.

Is this normal - sleeping on it and feeling worse? Secondly, what is the solution - do I need to increase the pressure? Would it make sense that although it is on, the pressure is not high enough to keep my airway open which makes me feel worse. The clinic cannot seem to offer a lot of advice on the pressure so need to work it out for myself.

Apologies for the waffle - I might be off-loading my frustrations with it but at the same time may have helped you lot out by sending you to sleep!

Any thoughts are more than welcome!

Hi Greg and welcome!

I am concerned reading about you controlling your own air pressure. YOU SHOULD NOT BE TAMPERING WITH THE PRESSURE AT ALL!!

Assuming that you received your CPAP because you were diagnosed with having Obstructive Sleep Apnoea because you underwent a sleep study at a clinic, the data recorded will have shown at what pressure your airways remain open for sufficient oxygen to pass into your lungs when asleep. The machine will have noted the MAXIMUM you need.

Once set at this level by the sleep clinic nurse or technician you should NOT play with it. The machines used in the sleep study have calibrated the settings you need and you could be interfering with your health and the effectiveness of your machine by tinkering with it.

Firstly GO BACK TO THE CLINIC and get your machine reset to the levels shown during the TITRATION STUDY.

Then adjust your mask to fit comfortably WHEN LYING DOWN. The mask should NOT be jammed rigid against your face. The whole point is to allow the flexible edge to rest against your face and be flexible so that it can move when you do and still keep a seal. Think of a hovercraft's skirt.

Then try a few nights. You might want to see if your CPAP can be fitted with a C-flex gismo which is a valve which makes it easier to breathe out. This is not an APAP or BiPAP but a simple modification on the CPAP.

Other members have suggested how to handle rainout - the water leaking from your humidifier through the mask onto your face. Their advice is sound.

Please go back to the clinic and get your machine correctly calibrated and ask about the C-flex. CPAP is not a device which should be altered by anyone other than a professional sleep technician. Well done for persevering because OSA IS a major lifestyle change, but using it persistently (as you have done) should set you up for better sleep and a better quality of life. It sometimes takes some folk longer than others, but full credit to you for keeping on even when things seem to be going backwards; do keep in touch.

Hello Alsacienne.

Thanks for your reply.

Just to clarify - I'm not fiddling around the pressure setting here and there! I change it myself, but that is as directed by the clinic technicians.

That's where I have noticed the difference with the masks. Pre-changing it I have less air leaks, but post-change where I have then moved it up (as advised ) above 10, I then start getting leaks (or more noticeable leaks).

When I mentioned I need to work it out for myself, I mean that when I speak to the clinic, I seem to have to offer the suggestions. For instance I put it to them that perhaps where I have had trouble breathing out could mean that the pressure needs turning up a bit. The responses to those sort of questions and more recent searching for answers seem to be met with a vague 'we're running out of ideas so maybe give it a go'.

In terms of the original settings and the sleep study, I don't recall anything calculating the max pressure. It seemed to be more of a 'lets start at 6 and see how we go'. I am fairly confident that being naturally inquisitive, I did ask them how they come up with the pressure to use and the answer was non-scientific. This would make sense as the starting pressure was 6 and I am currently at 14.5 which is quite a difference. I felt suffocated on the lower settings though. I will be having my usual monthly catch up with them soon, so I will ask them how it was calculated and if it can be done again, perhaps properly if it wasnt done so originally.

Thanks for the advice on the C-flex - sounds interesting so I will follow it up.

The rainout seems okay now. Not sure why as I dont think I've done anything much really - perhaps changing the humidity/warmth settings. I'm allowed to do that! Maybe I'm just getting used to it.

I'll have another whirl with the full face masks, but at the moment I'm keen to keep going with the nasal pillows as I don't get leaks and it feels a lot less intrusive on the face.

Going back to my question, do you think it is normal that when I do sleep through the night with the mask on, I feel worse?

Dont worry if you think it is, I wont rush off upstairs and turbo-charge the pressure setting...

Regards,



Greg.

Hi Greg!

Thanks so much for getting back to me! I'm really sorry if I 'read something between the lines' about your resetting the machine yourself! Glad the technicians are on board, but it might be worth going back to the doctor who originally did the sleep study. Have you ever had your tonsils out? If not, they might be swollen and be causing you some problems.



I'm delighted that you are persevering despite the lack of quality sleep. Masks, in particular nasal pillows, are being developed all the time, and hopefully you should find a 'new generation' one that feels more comfy.



Hmmm. This is why I think you might need to have another sleep study done, because if you feel rotten after sleeping through the night (and the technicians can't resolve this problem by changing the pressure), it might be that you aren't actually 'sleeping' during the night but having waking episodes (which you wouldn't actually remember) and this would make you feel lousy on waking. It's no fun feeling like this ... I remember it well.

Do go back to the doc. Glad the rainout issue is resolved, and now you deserve to get your quality of sleep better. I think you are managing your difficulties very well, even if you are not getting good sleep, because you are being consistent in using your CPAP and that's a MAJOR step forward.

Perhaps the next step is to take a look to see if there is any truth in what you said earlier on, even though you say you felt optimistic .. and have had excellent compliance despite such poor sleep .........



I'm not saying that you are not optimistic or failing to cope, just that it DOES take time psychologically to adapt to CPAP therapy not only for oneself but also for one's partner and family, and also if the person using it has to travel eg for business ...........

I'm at a loss to explain why you are feeling so lousy after 8 months' on CPAP and with some good nights' sleep, so any avenue might be worth exploring, even the good old glass of warm milk or relaxing bath before bedtime.

Do post again soon and hopefully pass on better news.

Wow! I have just read all your posts, questions and answers and am so impressed that Greg has managed for so long to persevere - good one Greg!

I have had my CPAP for three weeks now and mostly it has been difficult. I began with a nasal mask and was having such enormous difficulty with filling up with air (with the resulting unpleasant side effects next day) that I went back to the Sleep Unit and they adjusted the breathing out pressure (so I could breathe out all the air - I think it is a time thing) and gave me a full face mask. I find I can use one of the masks for a couple of nights and then find it doesn't seal properly and go back to the other. Full nights on either mask are infrequent at present, mostly I tear it off around 3 am. I feel a right twit and have therefore found the blog extremely validating as obviously this is not an exact science and not easy to cope with. I must ask about nasal pillows, I have quite a small face and nose and leaks are the bane of my CPAP life, my darling husband is happy to lie and let me wear the WW1 gas mask, but even he draws the line at the piercing squeals from the leaks, nasal pillows might work better.

Underlying all of this I think, is my horror/fear/disbelief that I will have to use this thing for the rest of my life. I like being spontaneous and find anything that I will always HAVE to do, to be anathema! In the documents it always refers to "your treatment", I believe treatment is something that has a finite life, I will one day be treated i.e. cured?? Does anyone else know about this lifetime nonsense?

Keep it up everyone, it is nice to know I am not alone (even though I know the RIE Sleep clinic has 7 people through it every night!!

Welcome Kiwiscot!

You've now joined a club with an impressive membership ... but as we can't see inside other people's bedrooms, we don't exactly know how many of us there are in it!



It DOES take time to adjust to CPAP both physically and psychologically. Three weeks is a great beginning, and well done. It's really important to celebrate all victories in life however small. They are still VICTORIES and WELL DONE YOU. We all have problems with that breathed-in air ... and it usually has to go out of the body at the opposite end to which it entered, so please don't feel freaky or embarrassed; it's just a question of what goes in must come out. And it happens to EVERYONE everyday whether or not they are using a CPAP!! (We're just a wee bit more switched on to the air intake business than most!) I'm glad that using the flex system helped with the pressure.



It does take time to adjust to the feeling of a mask on your face. Try lying down and THEN tightening up the mask. The mask should not be rigid against your face, even if you are afraid that it might move and leak if it's not fixed tightly. The seal works like the skirt on a hovercraft in that it is intended to move a bit against your face as you move. You are NOT a right twit for taking your mask off in the night. You are just like nearly everyone who's started CPAP therapy! The body needs to get used to the idea of something being in close contact with it all night. And you are asleep when you take it off, so there's not much chance of your learning to stop doing so by simple willpower! It's a question becoming accustomed! You might like to try to wear it during the day whilst watching the TV for example to help you acclimatise. Slowly and steadily will have the desired effect. And ANY hours on CPAP asleep are better than none.



Now this is probably the most important part of your post, and I appreciate your courage and honesty in owning up to being horrified about the 'for life' aspect. You have suddenly come up against a totally unexpected lifestyle modification, which you certainly were not expecting and which you honestly have no control over. Frustrating, sinister and very scarey. And that's the truth.

And sadly, it's not nonsense about needing to manage sleep apnoea for life. Note that you cannot CURE sleep apnoea, but you can manage it effectively so that the alarmingly high risks of untreated sleep apnoea (strokes and heart attacks because the body needs oxygen that you aren't able to take in in your regular, unassisted breathing) drop back almost immediately to normal once you become compliant on CPAP treatment, which means that you are far less likely to suffer a serious if not fatal medical incident in your sleep than anyone else. So firstly, CPAP therapy is healthy, not only because it makes it far less likely that you'll have one of these serious health conditions, but also because you will get a better quality of sleep - not waking up many times in the hour - and this will mean that you are in better health and more energetic the next day.

And as for 'lifetime', well I can thoroughly understand how frightening this must seem. But, when used correctly, your CPAP will give you a longer and better quality of life so that's more than your average bod can expect.

Your partner will love you because your snoring is no longer affecting his or her life and sleep!

And it WILL become second nature, once you accept that you are not to blame for this condition, or that there was something that you should have done to stop this from happening to you. It's unfortunate, but is totally beyond your control. The good thing is that it can be actively managed to keep you well and healthy. And you are certainly not alone. There are loads of us about, but you can't know because you can't see into our bedrooms at night!!

It IS a lifetime commitment, but so are bloodthinning tablets for a haemophiliac or insulin for a diabetic. These folk didn't bring their medical conditions on them, neither did you with your OSA; but, like those using CPAP therapy, they have a full and healthy life ahead of them if they keep following their treatment programme and stay in contact with their docs. Medicine and medical practices are all progressing and equipment is becoming smaller, more comfortable and more sophisticated all the time.

We all want to believe that we are in control of our bodies and minds. Sometimes it's just not the case. As regards OSA, there is NO CURE for this condition - even surgery ... because the soft palate regrows after several years and you need to be operated on again ... - but it can be MANAGED successfully for sufferers to live full, happy and unrestricted lives .... travelling abroad for business and holidays, quicker and safer recovery after anaesthetics in hospitals or at the dentist's, happy and satisfying intimacy with their sexual partners, and a full lifespan ............. all of this is NORMAL and what CPAP users can expect when using their equipment every night.

Please don't get downhearted. We are here to help and support and encourage. It would be good to hear from you again.

Hello.

Here's a bit of an ahem, update, and possible direction change....

I've still had no joy with the CPAP. It seems to be a combination of not being able to get a mask to fit properly as well as not being able to tolereate the air pressure when breathing in and out. In terms of the masks, I am building a bit of a collection and now on my 5th. The two face masks are more cumbersome and large so not that nice on the face, the nasal mask is the less intrusive on the face but I cant breathe enough through my nose (deviated septum), the nasal pillow mask is the smallest and the least noticeable on the face but have the same problem as the nasal mask. The most recent one I got a few weeks ago looked promising - I'm told it is a new design and is a combination of nasal pillows and mouth mask so I thought that would help as seem to be more of a mouth breather and as the nasal part are the pillow type, would give me a good seal. But I cant get into a comfortable breathing pattern to get to sleep on them and my heart rate feels like it is increasing as find it difficult to breathe in and out naturally. Since early 2010, I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have woken up with one of the masks on, but Im too tired to bother!

I discussed it at the sleep clinic and as asked many times before, I asked if there is another type of machine I should try as I just cant get on with the CPAP. Every other time I have had a flat 'no' to that - they only seem to like CPAP and never want to entertain the other types of machine no matter what I say. But this time, the technician had a look at the data on my original sleep study test and mentioned that my main problem is during REM and outside of that it is not too bad. So that combined with me struggling against the wind of the CPAP may suggest that it isnt the right sort of machine for me! She then mentioned they have a different type of machine I could try for a couple of weeks - an automatic CPAP (F&P Icon Auto). This keeps the pressue down low until you fall asleep and then increases it when you're asleep. Whoahh - this sounds spot on so I was up for giving that a go with a new fresh positive outlook on it. Incidentally, I switched back to the original face mask as although it is large and well strapped in, it does give a reasonable seal and is not too bad on the face and is the only mask I have woken up with it still on my face.

It felt so much better with the auto pressure system. It adjusts as you are breahting and the minimum pressure is set low at '6'. It is comfortable like this and I dont feel out of breath. This is looking good. A couple of days in, not much joy. I'm still positive so keep trying. After probably the third day, it dawned on me that I woke up with the mask still on - yippee! And then each day after that, I have been waking with it on. It is still taking me a long time to get to sleep but it is staying on. This is big progress.

However, I am not feeling any better or if so, it is very marginal.I wonder if it has helped slightly as the other night I took the mask off after about 15 minutes and didnt put it back on, I then woke up the next morning feeling worse than normal. So it is tricky as I have made a lot of progress of waking up with it on and doing so regularly, but I'm not waking up refreshed or anywhwere near it.

Next step, feed this back to the clinic as from what I read and hear from the clinic is if you're not feeling any better despite keeping the mask on, the pressue might not be high enough. I asked them if I could have a higher maximum pressure (set to '15' or '16') to see if that helps.

However, I got a call this evening from perhaps a new person - I have not spoken to this lady before so am assuming she is knew. The conversation was quite different from previous discussions. The technician asked me about my weight. My BMI is down a bit from when I had the original sleep study but I'm still clinically a fat porker. The lady suggested that I may in fact have Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (aka Pickwickian Syndrome) and she seems pretty confident I am classic case of this. Whoaahhhh! This seems like a bit of a change from the OSA, and means more that I am not breathing deeply or quickly enough when I am asleep. Now, I am a fair size - 17.5 stone and 5ft11 but I dont feel morbidly obese which seems to be more associated with this condition. I do however have a fairly wide neck which I put down to pushing a lot of weight in the gym when I was younger and building that up.

The technician wants me to come in for another study which I am keen to do. I really struggled with the first one in early 2010 and couldnt have slept much, but I think I will be much better with it next time. So it would be good to get a fresh test and also find out if it is this OHS. If it is, they would then recommend a BiPap macine which people who have this and struggle with breathing on CPAP get on with a lot better. I am keen to give this a go although it is in someways a bit more concerning about the problems that can arise down the line from the OHS. In some ways, it could be positive as it may be that losing weight sorts out the problem whereas it doesnt seem like it always does with OSA. But losing weight is a struggle for me. I gave it a good crack last year and cycled nearly 2000 miles to help lose weight, but nothing much seemed to disappear apart from the money in my wallet from buying a new bike.

BiPAP sounds good in that it has a different pressure for breathing in and then for breathing out. I do wonder though if I may struggle with the pressure though and mentioned this to the technician and she mentioned they have a ramp feature on them. The trouble with the ramp is it takes me a lot longer to go to sleep than the ramp takes to get up to full power, so I will have to wait and see. I am liking the auto CPAP as when then the pressure is low, it is low enough to almost not notice and comfortable enough to sleep on. The technician is confident that the BiPAP works well in cases sounding like mine, so fingers crossed.

I posted this today to provide an update (waffling length I'm afraid - might sort someone's insomnia out!) but to also ask if anyone else has had a similar experience of struggling with CPAP and then moving to BiPAP and whether it is easier or more tolerable.

If you've got this far - thanks for reading!


Greg

Hi Greg! Thank you for an honest and very helpful post. I am sorry that you are still finding it hard to get a good night's sleep and would have hoped that the APAP that you'd been given would be the answer.

Good luck in chasing the solution by other means ... you can still count on the support from members of this site, and you might even in time be able to help others in your situation who are still battling for a good night's sleep.

Sometimes the path to treatment of OSA and related matters does not run smooth and takes longer than one would hope. Please let us know if your next sleep study makes any difference to your treatment and hopefully to your sleep! Many of us are well-built and have experience of trying to reduce our weight, live and sleep normally and stay sane, so you're in good company.