Quote:
Originally Posted by Northendzone
So I was recently diagnosed with having sever sleep apnea (I apparently stop breathing 31 times per hour) and picked up my CPAP machine last night.
Had a hard time falling asleep with teh mask on my face and dithced it at around 1 am - I know it was night 1, but it was frustrating.
Anyone else out there have sleep apnea or use a machine?
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I've had mine for about 4 years now. My snoring was out of this world and this machine possibly saved my marriage. I got used to it fairly quick. I remmeber really over tightening the mask at first as air leaked into my eyes which made going to sleep difficult. I also had a wicked acne outbreak on the bridge of my nose which was a cross between the mask rubbing on the skin and the exfoliation the machine provided (it has a humidifier on it to). Getting the mask to fit right is the key, it can take a lot of adjustment to be comfortable, leak proof and not too tight.
I suggest don't get in the habbit of taking it off, or not using it. Mine is an Auto-pap so it is set up for me. It starts at a higher pressure (8 cmH20) so that it can reach it's ideal setting for me faster. I can hit a button to reduce it to 4 cmH2o which I often do if I'm having problems falling asleep or if I wake up during the night.
I really notice now when I don't use it (camping) or take it off in the middle of the night. Sore throat, light headedness, crappy. I have tried the dental appliance which does nothing for me, custom or off the shelf, my apnea is more then mild which is what those products are. My apnea is in fact severe. My snoring is in fact deaffening, I have snored since I was 6 or 7 years old. Now being 30lb's overweight and after a few drinks, the apnea machine is a godsend. Just a real pain in the ass when it comes to travel.
One other thing, I use to have a lot really cool dreams, now having a dream is rare, I will sometimes force myself to go to sleep on the couch so I can have a dream.