new CPAP owner - first night - any advice?

I just got my CPAP today so this is my first night.  Any advice for a newbie?

Be patient!  it is going to a little while to get used to the mask and the functions of the unit.  It WILL help just remember to be patient!!! R

Um, ok, where do I go to learn to be patient?  Ha! By the way, Ruth, if I'm told to lose 29 pounds before I can have surgery and I get to, say 26 pounds, will they finally schedule the date?

The chances are if you get that close they will be good with it.  The point is making progress toward losing weight, showing committment, allowing your liver to shrink so the docs have an easier time of it.  I am not saying don't do it, I am saying it has happened that if you get that close they are good. Now, on the other side, if you fail to make any progress towards the goal they have set for you, they will put you on hold big time.  WW has a pretty stringent protocol and they will not put your health at risk.  Everything that is requested of you is for your own success.  The program has such a huge success rate, they HAVE to be doing something right!   You know this though.....Keep your eyes on the target!!  You'll get there!!!

My best advice is that you probably need to turn up the humidifier higher than they told you when you picked up the machine.  I tried it the way they told me for the first week or so, and thought I was going to die every morning...  Now that I have the moisture jacked up, it's not that big of a deal to wear it. Just hang in there.  If you can start with using it to get to sleep, even if you pull it off in the middle of the night, you will be making progress. Good Luck - I'm exhausted and about to go put on my CPAP right now. Let us know how it goes! John

I am extremely claustrophobic. I had to build up wearing it in increments. I could stand about 5 mins, hen 10 and so on...after I stopped crying when my husband turned the unit on for me for the first time...sheesh....after that, I slept great with it...and now, I don't need it anymore!

I got within 2 lbs of my pre-op weight loss goal and they set my surgery date for 4/21!  I was warned however, that if I didn't get those 2 lbs off by surgery date (or gained) they would cancel the surgery!  As for the CPAP, the first night is the worst, but it gets easier after that.  I've had mine for almost a year and I can't sleep without it.  I feel so much better now that I get a good nights rest.  You'll do just fine.

Thank you everyone for your responses!  Night 1 was kind of a struggle but ok.  I actually went to bed about 9:45 (fell asleep quite awhile later) but didn't take that sucker off until 6AM!  I'm so proud of myself for not ditching that thing.  I found it hard to roll over in my sleep because they gave me one of those machines where the hose comes down from your nose (approprately like an elephant's  trunk!  Ha!) instead of going over the top of my head.  I call the folks today and told them I wanted a different mask so they are ordering one.  I also had my doctor order an increase in the starting out pressure from 4 to 6.  It felt like I was trying to hard to breathe when I was falling asleep. Ok, tonight will be better I'm sure!  Thanks again! 

Congrats for making it the whole night! It  took  me about 3 months to get used to the pressure and leave it on all night. Turning up the humidifier does help alot BUT if you dont have to work the next morning try taking 2 benedryl. Thats is what helps me the most if I just pass out in a drug induced coma!

I love that answer and agree with you.  Benedryl is my drug of choice when I want to be zonked out!  Ha! Night 2 was better than Night 1 so I'm a happy gal!