Hello,
I have been using a cpap for a while but don't get but about 3 hours a night on it. My RT says I have to get 4 or more to be compliant or for it to do any good. Is this true?
Thanks,
Marty girl

Hi Marty Girl!

Every time you sleep without your CPAP is like taking two steps backwards.  Your CPAP usage is letting your body heal and without it, your health is deteriorating.  Why are you having trouble using it?  Post the specific issues you are having and we can help you overcome those difficulties.

Vicki


_________________
That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Hi Vicki,
I have FM and don't get to sleep til late and my hubby gets up early. I know I could sleep in another room, but that is one more room I have to 'keep up', and so far I don't keep up with much now. It seems that once he leaves or I wake up in the morning the mask has to come off. I use a ped. mask and it fits just fine. It seems to weak in the morning...?...I just had the pressure raised to 12 maybe it needs to go up more?
Thanks,
Marty girl

Does your DH wake you?  Maybe you could work on not waking at that time (though I do like to say have a great day when mine leaves).  I used earplug so i would not hear him.  I too have FM BTW....and I like a spotless house...but I do not worry as much about it any more.  The other thing I normally do (not tonight though) I try to go to bed at the same time every night to allow for a full nights sleep.

Do you know what makes you have to take the mask off?  Is it habit, is it comfort?  And could you clarify it being "weak in  the morning" or was that the same as somthing I often do and you meant leak.  I doubt your pressure neds to be higher if you were just retitrated...IMHO.

Vicki is right...not wearing the mask wipes out any good you did while wearing it.  I wear mine whenever I sleep, including naps.

I bet we can all headbang and help you come up with solution(s)...we ahve all been there and done that...and find ways to work it out.

Hello  hello,
Thanks for the replies!
I do tend to wake up when my husband gets up, usually starving...and we have a thing to of saying good by before we leave the house   . I did move into the guest room/junk room/my closet/...room last night. I was able to go back to sleep after waking up twice. I do sleep better by my self, but the 'big' bed is more comfy! I hope when I move several rooms around I will be able to get a better matress for the guest room. As far as the being 'weak' in the morning..The pressure seems weaker in the morning. I can't stand 'ramping up' I just go straight to 12 or on. I guess I feel like I am gasping for air or not getting enough air when I wake up???

Having FM you probably know about not getting to sleep or staying asleep! Going back to school didn't help me with my sleep patterns either. All-nighters in Architecture for 5 years...Then only to be able to work for 2 before calling it quits. oh well...
BTW how do I fill out my profile? I see we are in the same state!
Thanks,
Marty

First of all, your profile. Clink on the link at the top of the page that says MyProfile.

The pressure in the morning does seem less for most all of us. It isn't, its just that we've gotten "used" to it during our sleep and have come to a comfortable "agreement" w/it. I've woke up in the morning wondering if my xPAP was still on and working only to pull my mask off to a great rush of air!!! Yup, its working.

If you have trouble getting to sleep w/your CPAP it may well be that you no longer need that Ramp feature to help getting to sleep or it may be that the bottom Ramp pressure needs to be set higher. Many times that starting Ramp pressure is set at 4 cms which is way too low for most everybody to breathe comfortably w/a mask on. Most of us need AT LEAST 5 cms or even higher.

Proper sleep hygiene IS important so you know the importance of regular sleep hours as much as possible.

You realizes, of course, that if you don't establish compliance w/your xPAP you are going to lose it. You can't expect insurance to pay for something that you don't use and are going to end up storing on the closet floor. Get on that RT to help you determine what your problems are (besides irregular sleep time) and get them corrected. That, supposedly, what he/she is being paid for.


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

Hi Crohnie Too,
Thanks for the reply. It sounds like what you said..." its just that we've gotten "used" to it during our sleep"  makes for good reasoning as to why the air pressure feels so low in the am. I tried just loosening the mask and turning it off for a few min. and then turning it back on helps! I don't use humidifier, I wake up in a puddle and I can't count on myself to be consistent in changing the water every day...so I don't want to ask for more trouble with complications that could arise from using it inconsistently! Some days just getting something to eat is 'doing well.' I have never used the ramp feature... gag!...gag...that really does make me feel like I am sucking for air. Going straight to full on hasn't bothered me. I put my hair up in a pony tail on the top of my head and use an elastic hair band from the grocery store clipped in place so it doesn’t slip off, to keep my mouth shut...(A miracle for some of us southern girls *har-har* ) I have tried all the chin strap offerings from the RT and just couldn't get them to stay in place or one that didn't make me want to rip it off...this works, so I'll keep doing what works. I used a pediatric. mask and have no problems with the mask itself. It would be great if we could get aromatherapy through the cpap!    I have been sleeping more in the guest room especially that my husband had been having to get up about two hours after I get to sleep. I seem to sleep best from about 4am till about 11am. That may be the FM or a holdover from all-nighters from college?

I have gotten up to my compliance time of 4 hours, and have been able to keep it at about 4 hrs. 30 min. for about a 10-12 days...My RT said the insurance co. doesn’t check on compliance...I am buying my machine so maybe there is a difference because of that....BUT, why use something if it is not helping...or if you don't use it right. I am hoping to see some changes soon, although I do think my 'brain fog' has been less. (Not as confused all the time.) I was on a very 'tight' trial medical protocol when I first started the cpap but I am no longer on that and I feel like I am almost back to where I was before I started it...It made depression worse and diet issues more complicated. I also found out I had a B12 def. so now that that is being treated as well, I am looking nowhere but up.

As far as hours used...is there a minimum number of hours needed to see progress? The RT says compliance is 4 hours, but does it really take more than that to make improvement. I will keep trying to increase hours anyway... I do take naps without it.  

How is it that you "loose progress when it is not used"? I don't really understand that concept.

Does the length of tubing used effect your progress. I use a 10-foot tube. Would using a 6-foot tube be better?

I will ask RT for a daily print out from my smart card and for a copy of my sleep test results to see if there is any 'on paper improvement'.

Thanks again for the advice and encouragement,

Marty

Hi Marty...

I think what the RT is referring to is that the machine may not record/show data under 4 hours....therefore if compliance needs to be proved...the machine will not prove it.  Compliant is using the machine 100% of the time, every time you sleep.  The losing progress part is that every time you sleep without the CPAP you suffocate yourself over and over again...with every event you have.  That puts the body through a lot of stress, burns your braincells, and also makes the FM worse.

I saw results with my B12 injections within 4 or 5 days...but then, I use my machine 100% of the time.

The longer the hose the less efficient it is.  The longest hose that can be used is a 10 foot hose.  If you can handle the 6 foot then stick to that.  I use to use a 10 foot one and found that the extra length and weight was cumbersome.

What part of FL are you?


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BiPAP Auto M 13/8 Mirage Nasal Swift. 20 years+ undx'd. RLS/PLMD, Hypersomnia & more.

Marty Girl wrote:

... I don't use humidifier, I wake up in a puddle and I can't count on myself to be consistent in changing the water every day...so I don't want to ask for more trouble with complications that could arise from using it inconsistently! ...

You "are" using distilled water and ONLY distilled water in your humidifier? You can turn it to a lower setting to avoid that "rain out" and avoid the condensation moisture yet help to avoid the dry mouth and dry, swollen nasal passages. The water really doesn't need to be changed every day if it is distilled water. A lot of us just keep adding water to it daily as needed and just empty once a week and rinse out the tank if that is your worry.

Marty Girl wrote:

... It would be great if we could get aromatherapy through the cpap!    ...

You can. Google PurrSleep.

Marty Girl wrote:

... I seem to sleep best from about 4am till about 11am. That may be the FM or a holdover from all-nighters from college? ...

As long as your hours don't cause a problem w/your husband go ahead and sleep from 4AM to 11AM - regularly, every night. Sleeping regular hours is important to establishing good sleep hygiene.

Marty Girl wrote:

... I have gotten up to my compliance time of 4 hours, and have been able to keep it at about 4 hrs. 30 min. for about a 10-12 days...

Good for you. Keep trying to get more hours in sleeping w/your xPAP. Ideally you will want to build up to sleep at least 7, preferably 8 hours with it.

Marty Girl wrote:

... My RT said the insurance co. doesn’t check on compliance...I am buying my machine so maybe there is a difference because of that....BUT, why use something if it is not helping...or if you don't use it right. I am hoping to see some changes soon, although I do think my 'brain fog' has been less. (Not as confused all the time.) I was on a very 'tight' trial medical protocol when I first started the cpap but I am no longer on that and I feel like I am almost back to where I was before I started it...It made depression worse and diet issues more complicated. I also found out I had a B12 def. so now that that is being treated as well, I am looking nowhere but up.

As far as hours used...is there a minimum number of hours needed to see progress? The RT says compliance is 4 hours, but does it really take more than that to make improvement. I will keep trying to increase hours anyway... I do take naps without it.

How is it that you "loose progress when it is not used"? I don't really understand that concept. ...

Look at it this way, assuming your needed pressure was found and set you are sleeping w/o apnea events and desaturations whilst you are sleeping w/your CPAP. BUT EVERY TIME YOU SLEEP W/O YOUR CPAP you are back to depriving yourself of adequate oxygen and encountering apneas and hypopneas. You really won't see much progress if any until you are using your CPAP EVERY HOUR THAT YOU SLEEP.

Marty Girl wrote:

... Does the length of tubing used effect your progress. I use a 10-foot tube. Would using a 6-foot tube be better? ...

Your pressure and settings have to be set accordingly for either a 6 foot or 10 foot hose. Assuming your RT set you up w/the 10 foot hose he/she most likely also set your CPAP accordingly. You could ask, just in case, but I'm sure you were set up correctly.

Marty Girl wrote:

I will ask RT for a daily print out from my smart card and for a copy of my sleep test results to see if there is any 'on paper improvement'. ...

Your data is stored indivdually for only 5 nights at which time the first of the five nights is rolled over into the total averages and the most recent night becomes the fifth night. You can hardly expect your RT to download and print out data every 5 days.

If you would look on the top of your CPAP the brand and model name should be printed easily to see. Tell us what brand and model it is and we can tell you if it is fully data capable or just compliance data capable only. If it is fully data capable we can probably tell you how to access your nightly data via the LED screen each morning.

By all means I would ask for a copy of the doctor's dictated results report (1-2 pages) and the full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs (5+ pages) for both your sleep evaluation AND your titration study. You will be able to see the improvement between your sleep evaluation w/o CPAP and your titration study w/CPAP and that might provide you w/more encouragement to stick w/CPAP therapy and work up to sleeping 7-8 hours w/it EVERY NIGHT and EVERY TIME YOU SLEEP including NAPs.

Thanks again for the advice and encouragement,

Marty[/quote]


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

Marty Girl wrote:

As far as hours used...is there a minimum number of hours needed to see progress?

Every time you sleep without your mask, you are starving your heart and other internal organs of oxygen.  You should be using it all the time, every time.  Even naps.

It's like asking "How many cigarettes can I cut back on to see progress?".