CPAC Machine

I call mine 'darth' and the spare one that is for the nose only..'son of darth'.......my husband and I laugh about it.  Sexy it may not be, but believe me it makes you feel so much better because you are breathing all night!

When I travel I just pack it up and take it....it is no drama, it has its own case.  I got an automatic machine so I don't have to adjust it.  I can't wait to be free of it though, but since I was told by the cardiologist that there had been changes to one side of my heart because of the sleep apnea, I have accepted it and moved on mentally.  One day I will be free of it.

Hey the other thing I got the one with the humidifier and I got a really bad chest cold prior to surgery I put eucalyptus in the water and it really helped with clearing my chest and getting me to surgery on the scheduled dates, so there are benefits.

You could turn it into kinky sex play.....lol, just kidding!

Anne

Awwwwwwww.  I'm sorry.  I know just how you feel, but I had to turn mine into a joke because  I have six sons--SIX.  They are relentless.  We call it my 'snorkel'.  And while I can't wear it all night yet, I'm up to 5.5 hours and my fourth (maybe fifth) mask (since September).  I keep trying.  I don't want to die!  My dad was diagnosed in his early 40s with it, and he was a slim, fit police officer at the time.  The doc says while WLS may help my OSA, it's not a sure thing.  So I'm not figuring WLS (when I finally decide what I'm having, leaning HEAVILY toward sleeve now) will cure my OSA, darn it.

We're Trekkies.  The first thing one of my sons said when he saw me wearing it was "Resistance is Futile." 

I do hope your WLS cures it for you!  I would love to ditch mine someday.

Robin

You are not going to have to spend the rest of your life with the machine because you are getting surgery in less than a month. May people get rid of the CPAP soon after surgery......It will be ok. And you might feel more rested after you use it. No go and may the force be with you...I could not resist...LOL...SORRY ! 

Ceelions - If you have a CPAP instead of a Bi-Pap which releases pressure and makes it easier to exhale, you might want to look into switching machines. They tried to give me a regular CPAP at the medical supply place after I used a Bi-Pap during my sleep study. I knew better than to accept it based on my hubby giving me a heads up. They had to call the sleep study center and get them to change the prescription, but I'm glad I made the switch.

I found the nasal pillows to be much more comfortable and tolerable to wear. Even if you have to pay for a second mask, this type is not all that expensive.

Resmed Mirage Swift: http://www.resmed.com/en-uk/products/masks/mirage_swift_ii_nasal_pillows_system/mirage-swift-ii-nasal-pillows-system.html?menu=products

Just a couple thoughts on how you might be able to get through the approval process. Good luck!

I hate that I have to wear it, but I LOVE my CPAP.  I never had a good night's sleep in my life before I got it.  I always wondered why I slept so light and woke up so often.  With the CPAP, I wake up after 8 hours, not having moved at all.  I won't even lie down for a cat nap without it.

Having sad that, I'll be glad when I don't have to bother with it any longer.  My machine is set at 17, which is very high, so my apnea is fairly severe.  During sleep, my 02 sat was getting very low, and I would stop breathing for 90 seconds at a time.  Hopefully, surgery will alleviate that condition.

BTW, learning to love the CPAP is all about getting the right mask.  The Mirage Activa mask is the most comfortable mask out there, and I have tried quite a few in my 5 or 6 years of CPAP use.

Thanks everyone, its 3:10 a.m. here and I am up, I did try to use the darn thing but I feel like I am suffocating, oh well I will keep trying.

Ceelions

We're Trekkies.  The first thing one of my sons said when he saw me wearing it was "Resistance is Futile." 



LOL, glad to find another trekkie in the house... I too got a CPAP machine last week.  It's certainly not sexy, but honestly I can't complain as I sleep great...

I suspected for quite some time that I had sleep apnea.  When my spouse told me my snoring was getting worse and that it sounded like I was gasping for air, I knew I had it.  When I went for my sleep study they were running behind and I just happened to fall asleep before they hooked me up, they told me we can tell you already that you have it.  It turned out they had to set me at 17 which is very high.  I also stop breathing for over a minute at a time.  I also was having a not so common problem at home or in a hotel room when traveling and that was that I would fall out of bed.  I hurt myself pretty badly a couple of times.  We think it was because when I would stop breathing I was moving around trying to get air.

I researched what can happen to you if you continue with the sleep apnea without a CPAP and you can really cause serious damage.  I agree, it was pretty bad a first.  It was even worse being set at 17.  They gave me a CPAP and I felt like the mask was going to blow off my face.  When I went back to have a report run from the card in the machine, the respiratory therapist suggest a BiPap.  You breath in the air at whatever your machine is supposed to be set at but when you exhale, it drops down so you do not have to push the higher amount of air out.  It is much more comfortable.

Masks - I have tried 3 different kinds.  At my test I used the nose pillows (or whatever they call it) so that's what I started out with.  Then I tried the full face mask (mouth and nose) because I thought I was a mouth breather.   Then I switched to the nose mask that looks like a triangle and that has worked out best for me.

I had my surgery on 11/14/08 and I am down around 70 pounds.  There is already a difference.  I've been told when I fall asleep on the couch (with BiPap) that my snoring is much better and I don't sound like I'm gasping for air.  I will go for another sleep study in a month or two to see if I still need the BiPap or if they can lower it even more.  I believe I will be able to stop using it sooner than later.

I made it very clear to the surgeon and anethesiologist that I had sleep apnea.  I was concerned that when they put me under for the surgery that I would be so relaxed I would stop breathing.  They assured me that it is standard procedure to have an air tube down your throat during surgery.  I will tell you that if I hadn't brought my machine with me they would have used theirs because with the pain medication, my oxygen level went down way too low.

I'm used to the BiPap now and have more energy during my day and do no start nodding off at work or in the car.

Sorry this is so long, but give it a try.  You will get used to it and feel much better.  The odds are you will be able to stop using it after your surgery and with some weight loss.

Best of luck.

Laya

Ditto pretty much everything already said, but my attitude was "suck it up and do it."  Yes, it is a little uncomfortable until you fall asleep, but after you fall asleep, you won't know a thing, HA!  Also, I slept better with it than I'd slept in years.  And by four months post-op I didn't need it any more.  So I will, tongue-in-cheek and in the friendliest of manners, say "Suck it up and do it!"  :-)    --Dorothy

Thanks everyone, I  think I have the bipap machine, I tried 2 machines and the first and cheapest didnt release the air I just knew that wasn't going to work for me, so they tried me on another one and that was easier, but I do still feel like I am suffocating everytime I open my mouth.

One month to surgery and any doubts I had about having the surgery have been erased, this will certainly motivate me to stick to program and loose enough weight that I don't need this thing for one second longer than I have to.

Ceelions