Sideffects of CPAP for sleep apnea? And moneysaving treatments for side-effects?

SarahShattered

My DH uses a cpap mask. It's changed our lives. Sometimes he gets sore skin on his forehead from the pressure of the pads, so it's useful to hear about loosening it. I think he thinks it won't be effective if it's looser. I also love the idea of putting something on the filter for a blocked nose.

I love the sleep mask.... irrespective of the massive benefits to my DH's life.... it's made my night's sleep wonderful, so I'm a happier wife and mum. I also find the noise of it strangely soothing Much better than being woken by the tremendous snoring/massive intakes of breath noises letting me know he's fallen asleep without putting his mask on :eek: :rotfl:

BigMummaF

Just thinking......would it help to put some of the wadding along the inside of the straps, so its between the strap & your face?
Haven't tried it myself, cos I've fiddled with all the straps to make my mask fit. Perhaps I've just been lucky......

kittykirsty

Hey all!!

I went back to the hospital yesterday for my 2 week checkup. Felt a bit bad being so negative, but the woman was so nice about it all and said it just needs some tweaking. I said that i have been lightly snoring from time to time so she upped the pressure a bit. Also that the mask sometimes leaks so she's given me a new one to try!

She also said that even though i've been taking the mask off through the night without realising it, i've actually averaged 6 hours a night with it on, so much better than expected :j

I said that i wasn't really feeling as much benefit from it as i thought, and maybe i need to start looking at my diet. Also, the first hospital referred me took some blood to test for an underactive thyroid ('cept they didn't tell me what they were taking the blood for, i had to have a sneaky look to find out for myself). They never contacted me with the results, so i was presuming it was ok, but the woman yesterday suggested i go to my GP anyway and ask them to test it.

So with the different mask hopefully the marks will stop and with the pressure raise i might be able to keep it on through the night better!! I might try the wadding around where the mask digs in, i don't think it can hurt to try!

Also went to Curry's the other night to buy a humidifier for the room. They only had one model, and the only one left was the display one. They also couldn't find the box or the instructions! :rotfl: It was discounted anyway, so i thought how hard can it be to figure it out or get a manual on the web :rolleyes: . Took it home, and can't figure out how to work it ! Myself and OH both have Computing Science degrees, so we figure it must be broken! Can't be us being dim now, can it? So if anyone knows how to work a Russell Hobbs warmmist humidifier 12748 let me know please!

SarahShattered, thanks for joining in! I was worried that my OH wouldn't like the machine and its noise, but he says he really prefers it to worrying about me stopping breathing and having to nudge me to get me going again! Or snoring as loud as a foghorn :rotfl:

Maybe this thread can be like our CPAP/sleep apnoea diaries, it's good to read other people's experiences with this! How is everyone else getting on?

BigMummaF

Have to admit that I've not been as regular using Brends as I should, but I have had an awful head cold. Used her last night tho, so heading back in the right direction again!

I think you'll be surprised at how much it does change how you're feeing, even tho you don't exactly notice just yet. Keep at it. BMFx

Violetta_2

BigMummaF wrote: »

Have to admit that I've not been as regular using Brends as I should, but I have had an awful head cold. Used her last night tho, so heading back in the right direction again!

I think you'll be surprised at how much it does change how you're feeing, even tho you don't exactly notice just yet. Keep at it. BMFx

Totally agree with you BigMummaF I wear my mask every night and didn't think it made much of a difference then about 6 months ago I got a tooth out I didn't use cpap that night in case my mouth bled. I knew how much of a difference it made the next day, I felt really really awful.
I find I sleep better with a cold or cough with my mask on than I used to BC (before Cpap gedditt :rotfl: sorry cpap joke).
Glad you got on so well at the hospital kittykirsty good luck with the new mask, what is it like.
PS I call mine Darth

Violetta_2

Hi all, just wondered how everyone was gatting on?
How is the new mask Kittykirsty is it helping, did you get something sorted with the humidifier?
I've had another bad cold and yet again my ears have ended up bunged up and I'm nearly deaf again. This never used to happen to me so I've decided that the cpap is blasting all the cold mucus into my ears:eek: (or something equally bizarre:D )

SarahShattered

Violetta wrote: »

I've had another bad cold and yet again my ears have ended up bunged up and I'm nearly deaf again. This never used to happen to me so I've decided that the cpap is blasting all the cold mucus into my ears:eek: (or something equally bizarre:D )

Hi Violetta,

My OH tells me that his consultant instructed him not to use the cpap mask when he has a cold. Something about the bugs lurking in the mask, hose and filter etc.... I'm not sure, but it's something to consider

Violetta_2

SarahShattered wrote: »

Hi Violetta,

My OH tells me that his consultant instructed him not to use the cpap mask when he has a cold. Something about the bugs lurking in the mask, hose and filter etc.... I'm not sure, but it's something to consider

Thank's SarahShattered I keep meaning to ring the sleepclinic so I'll do that soon and ask them. When I had my original check I was having about 111 instances in an hour :eek: and my O2 levels dropped below the 70% where they stopped measuring so i think it might be dangerous for me to go without for a few day's while my cold clears up. I'd be hell to live with I know that:rotfl:
Are you less shattered now that OH is on CPAP.

mrcow

Well I had no idea this thread was here!! How nice to hear such positive things about CPAP.

My OH has been referred for CPAP. He's had apnea for years now. We've all suffered because of it. He also had quite serious anxiety last year (which was hard for the whole family and really made us rethink our priorities especially as we had another baby on the way) which I think looking back has all been down to lack of sleep. It affects his moods, his work, his home life, his driving, his social life, my moods, his weight...I could go on and on.

Anyway he'll hopefully be picking up his machine at the end of the month. I have to say, I had no idea that the sleep apnea could be the cause of so many problems. I think sometimes when you live with something like this, you just take everything at face value without really thinking about the root cause. Now I'm feeling guilty that I didn't push for him to get this seen to years ago. Sadly we didn't know that such things even existed to treat the condition.

I'm hopeful about the machine. At the moment he's not even allowed to drive anywhere so it's impacting us quite significantly (especially as he has to drive for his job).

Are the results seen usually instantaneous? Will he be able to drive again straight away do you think?

Also, the hospital have said that he will be on a CPAP "trial". Does this mean that he won't get to keep the machine even if it's working well?

Violetta_2

Hi mrcow not sure if your oh will get a machine to keep straight away, think it can sometimes depend on where you live. If you have a look on the Sleep Apnoea Forum you'll see some people may have to wait quite a while which is a scandal considering how vital a CPAP machine can be:mad: . There is more info there re DVLA and getting a driving licence back.
It can take a wee while to realise you are feeling the benefit and to get used to CPAP, I wish you and your oh good luck.