New CPAP machine

My husband will be getting a new CPAP machine for the first time this coming Tuesday, June 9th, after having had a sleep study almost a couple of weeks ago.  That was fast!  I had to wait for the sleep study doctor to see me first, then call them about the machine, before they would send it out.  His doctor and sleep study place worked faster than mine, thank G-D!

Denise Phares/kitties4

wow I can't believe how long it is taking to get machines for you guys.  The place I did my sleep study at diagnosed me and sent me home that morning with a programed machine.  I was surprised.  It makes sense though, if the person needs it, just give it to them to make sure they are still alive to work out the details.  Granted I did have to sign my life away when I left lol.

Glad he is getting his machine and will hopefully sleep better now.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea on 5/8/09 and sent home with the CPAP machine the same day.

It took me even longer to get my CPAP than my husband.  I had to wait until the results got back to the sleep doctor first, even though the nurse who did my sleep study with the CPAP said right away that I had no apnea with the machine.  Metro Health Hospital moves very slowly when it comes to things like this.  I had to wait until they contacted my insurance company to see if it was covered or not.  Then I had to have an appointment with my sleep doctor in person before they would get a salesman to bring the machine out to my house.

Even after I had the appointment, I had to call them, because it had been weeks since I had seen the sleep doctor, and still, no CPAP.  I can't believe that you guys got it right after the sleep study!  I wish I had!  Oh well, I guess things move slower in Cleveland, Ohio than where you are.  My husband getting the CPAP today is much faster than how long it took me to get it.  But again, he had to wait until his doctor got the results of the sleep study, contacted our insurance, and then had a salesman contact us for an appointment to get it.  Things move slower in Akron, too, I guess.

While we were on vacation last week, I did not remember to clean the CPAP machine parts in over a week.  Sure enough, the next to the last day of our vacation, the machine started making a whining noise, and I had to sleep without for two nights in a row, before I finally cleaned them this past Sunday, June 7th.  That Sunday night, the whining was no longer there.  I usually clean the parts twice a week, and have no problem.  But after sleeping with it for at least 2-3 months now, I really missed having it those two nights!  I had to take a sleeping pill both nights because of my anxiety about sleeping without it.

Now my main problem is getting back on my 7 hours a night schedule that I had before my vacation.  I'm having to take sleeping pills to get to sleep faster, and I don't like depending on sleeping pills at all.  They tend to make me groggy the next morning.

Denise Phares/kitties4

Denise Phares/kitties4

Last evening my husband received his new CPAP machine from a therapist who dropped in at our house last night.  He showed Michael & me how to operate the machinery, and I got one surprise from the whole thing - his mask is a full face mask, while mine is just a nasal mask.  He got a full face mask because he had a tendency to open his mouth while sleeping, and I didn't.  Fortunately, he doesn't have claustrophobia issues like I do, and I had to get over feeling claustrophobic with just my nasal mask, but eventually, I got used to it.  His snoring disappeared, and he didn't get up once to go to the bathroom like he usually does.

He did remark this morning that it did seem strange to him to be wearing a mask on his face during the night, and I said that feeling was perfectly normal.  I have that feeling every night when I first put mine on, then it fades as I drift off to sleep.  If I wake briefly in the middle of the night, I notice wearing the mask feels perfectly natural to me by that time.  I do like wearing my mask regardless of this feeling, because I usually feel so much better in the morning when I get enough sleep (7 or more hours) and don't use sleeping pills.  I'm just glad his mask finally arrived!

Denise Phares/kitties

I'm impressed that he was able to sleep with the CPAP.  THey delivered my CPAP yesterday and I tried to sleep for 2 hours and couldn't fall asleep as I felt like I was sufficating!!!!  Mine is only set on 4 and the salesman gave me a "Swift for Her LT headgear"  It has only a nasal mask the has 2 holes and goes under your nostrils....It felt comfortable, but becasue the pressure is so low I keep opening my mouth to breath or have to push out my nose REALLY hard to not feel like I am sufficating. (My ears were even popping.)  Do you have any suggestions.....I had no apparent sleep problems before and sleep very well without it, but II can't feel like I am dying.....FYI I did sleep during the sleep study but the pressure must have been higher while I was falling asleep b/c i couldnt really open my mouth.
Any suggestions would be great!  I only have 3 weeks until my surgery and I can't go in like this.

BTW, it took over a month between my CPAP sleep study and the machine arriving yesterday.