Hello all.  I was diagnosed in the middle of July, and got my CPAP July 22.  I didn't discover this wonderful forum until today, so I may not have the best machine out there.

However, I contacted the place where I got my machine and mask (which I'm assuming is a DME, I appologize, I'm new at this), because I hadn't noticed a difference since I started using it.  I've been using a Respironics comfort gel nasal mask, but I'm suspecting I'm a mouth breather.  I've noticed myself breathing through my mouth after I've put my mask on as I'm falling asleep.  I have an appointment tomorrow morning to go in to get fitted for a full-face mask, but I don't know what to bring!  My current mask?  The full machine?  The data card?  Any help would be amazing!

I know that I wasn't going to get results from using CPAP overnight, but it's frustrating that I've been using it religiously every night for a month and a half and haven't noticed any difference.

Thanks so much!

hlh5f9 wrote:

Hello all.  I was diagnosed in the middle of July, and got my CPAP July 22.  I didn't discover this wonderful forum until today, so I may not have the best machine out there.

However, I contacted the place where I got my machine and mask (which I'm assuming is a DME, I appologize, I'm new at this), because I hadn't noticed a difference since I started using it.  I've been using a Respironics comfort gel nasal mask, but I'm suspecting I'm a mouth breather.  I've noticed myself breathing through my mouth after I've put my mask on as I'm falling asleep.  I have an appointment tomorrow morning to go in to get fitted for a full-face mask, but I don't know what to bring!  My current mask?  The full machine?  The data card?  Any help would be amazing!

I know that I wasn't going to get results from using CPAP overnight, but it's frustrating that I've been using it religiously every night for a month and a half and haven't noticed any difference.

Thanks so much!

DME is your durable medical equipment supplier.....the people you get your supplies from.

You shouldn't need to bring anything except your data card.  Your DME should have a machine on hand and will set it at your pressure.  Hopefully they will have plenty of different masks available for try-on.  Bring your old mask with you in case they want it back (since it's been longer than 30 days I doubt it) but leave it in the car.

make sure you try on a variety of new FF masks -- there are 3 major manufacturers, each with several styles. Ill-fitting FF masks seem to be notorious for digging into your nose so a good fit is essential. Try the mask on lying down, both on  your back and on your side, at your full pressure. I would bring my pillow!

Thanks everyone.  I ended up taking the whole machine.  They didn't look at anything.  They had 5 full face masks on display, and the woman didn't recommend two of them because she said they were older models and not very popular.  I ended up trying the other three, laying down, with the sample cpap machine on my pressure.  (No pillow though).  I ended up with a Fisher and Paykel Forma, which I liked when trying on, but it seems like no one here has one.  I wasn't given the chance to try on the Quattro, and wish I had been.  We'll see I like it tonight.  Anyone have any experience with that mask?