Chris309

Sadly had a bad night, woke up to painful tip of nose and leaks all over the place. Tried adjusting straps to no avail. Gave up in the end, got up and read a book for an hour, which is ok if you dont have to go to work. Went back to bed knackered, put mask back on and fell asleep.

After all that myAir score this morning was 95 out of 100. It said 7.18 hours usage, good mask seal and mask on and off 5. Well I certainly didn't feel good after that result. Yes my head is clear, no more headaches or oxygen deprivation etc, but I felt shattered due to lack of sleep.

Now the myAir site is ok, but the video and instructions are not particular to my mask, the advice by my sleep technician is that you adjust both straps at the same time.

So I did some more research on here and found this site http://www.hope2sleep.co.uk/amara-view-full-face-minimal-contact-cpap-mask.html Now what I like about this site is the instructions and video are specific to my mask only and much more helpful. One thing that surprised me is that contrary to pulling both lower or upper straps together as advised by my sleep technician and what I have been doing up till now, is that you only adjust the strap where the leak is coming from, which makes sense. So having watched the videos and read all the instructions I am hoping tonight I might have somewhat better results, so fingers crossed, will let you know how I got on.

Cheers George will bear in mind re sizes. I think I am still getting used to the mask. Last night I got another 100 out of a 100, so I'm over the moon. I was still fidgeting about with the mask last night so was quite surprised of the result. I can only think that I am still not used to it, I have loosened the upper straps and the pressure on the nose has gone, no pain there thank goodness and still getting a good seal. Im also a lot more relaxed when I go to bed now. I have to say seeing the 100 result makes me feel a lot more confident.

Hi wiredgeorge,

Thanks for the advice buddy, much appreciated. The headaches were only for the first two nights of using my CPAP, after that no more headaches, neck pain or sickness. After all those years I finally found out it was due to the sleep apnea and have never felt better, big weight of my mind.

Regarding the use of the rest room, when I was a police officer I became a tutor constable and my students were always told by my colleagues the first thing you will learn from Chris is where every toilet on your beat is, especially in the winter. So I am used to going to the toilet more than the average person, so I will be very interested to see if it changes now I am on a CPAP.

Thanks for explaining the function, it did not explain it in the book about a break in the night and how you went about it. I used common sense but nice to know it was the right way.

I guess it's early days yet, the claustrophobia aspect has gone thank goodness, just got to stop the air leaks around the mask. Nose really hurt last night, so bad it woke me up, but when I adjusted the straps the relief was instant. Strange how you can wear the mask one night and it's perfect and yet the following night it leaks all over the place. Would I be right in saying strap adjustment most nights is the norm?

My CPAP is on auto, so the pressure is low when I first put it on, when it detects I am asleep it ramps it up. The slight issue I have is that the pressure sometimes wakes me up as it is so strong. I think it's because I am not used to it, also the air is cold but I am being issued with a cover for the hose which should cure that according to my sleep technician. Otherwise I dont seem to be able to adjust the pressure on my model, only the time before it ramps up which is why I have it on auto.

Hi NiceSilverBison,

Thanks for that. I only had the headache after the first two nights of using my CPAP, guess it was just a follow on from all the previous years of headaches. From night two the headaches have completely disappeared including the neck pain and sickness. Seems sleep apnea was the cause and I feel so much better knowing that, big relief.

So do you find that every night you readjust the fit or is it still me getting used to it. One night I get it right, get a good sleep and a brilliant reading, unclip the straps in the morning without touching the adjustment and the following night Im getting air seeping out and have to go through it all again?

Hi folks, just an update. First thank you very much for the advice, really nice to have fellow sufferers around who are there if I need them.

Reading back I am also amazed how our doctors never think about sleep apnea when you tell them about your health issues, as for the past three years or more I had been going to my local health practice complaining about constant headaches, especially in the morning along with severe pain on the right side of my neck and feeling very sick. I saw over this period three different doctors, the first stated that I was suffering from stress and to take it easy and relax. The other two doctors seem to have just read the previous doctors notes and said the same. The stress got worse over the years as I was wondering what was wrong with me. I thought it might be caffeine withdrawal or maybe I something wrong with the old brain box, tumor or such. Anyway the wife had been complaining about my really loud snoring at night and that I was holding my breath, sometimes upto a minute or more when asleep. I am now described as a professional driver by trade and I was getting more and more tired behind the wheel during the day. With the wife's observations we decided another visit to our doctor was in order. This time I saw a completely different doctor, a female for a change, and having told her what we thought it was and the symptoms she immediately booked me in for a sleep test.

I am now six days into my using my CPAP and the headaches have completely gone, no more neck pain or sickness and my blood pressure has dropped. I feel so much better knowing now what was causing those symptoms and therefore the stress of not knowing has gone. This could have been sorted out three years ago had they even considered sleep apnea, but I guess doctors cannot know everything.

MyAir score for the past five days have been 66, 91, 89, 94 and 100 so I am over the moon with regard the last reading. Still waiting for last nights though. I seem to have mastered the claustrophobia but I still have a few minor issues and that's getting a good seal from my mask. Like most is all about experimenting, its described as a nasal pillow but as it covers my mouth it is deemed as a full face mask. It is ok if I sleep on my back but like most I prefer to sleep on my side and that is when it becomes an issue. If I tighten the bottom straps it blows out around my eyes and visa versa it blows out around my chin. So over the past two nights I have had it so tight it has been pressing against my nose which has now become quite painful. So last night I loosened it right off, the pain stopped and I seemed to get a good seal. I think its just plain bloody temperamental and that one night is never like the rest and you will forever be adjusting the straps. Like everyone says persevere and that's exactly what I am going to do.

So basically I hope this helps any newbies who come on here, I feel so much better in myself and I am quite sure it will only get better. All I have to do is get used to the mask as it's early days yet and also get back into a regular sleep pattern that will hopefully come about when I go back to work on Monday I hope.

Hi my name is Chris and I am from the UK. Recently diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and have used my new CPAP machine two nights now. I am 61 years of age, x-army, x-firefighter and a retired 30yr service police officer.

I appreciate this forum is mainly American, no problems there , but it's amazing how different our health systems are. Some of you may be of the impression that our National Health System over here is about to crash. Well no it's not, it might be going through a bad patch but that's only because our government will not give it sufficient funding, but hopefully that will change for the better.

In my case I have been snoring for quite a long time, three years or more, so bad that my wife has had to sleep in another room. She was also complaining that I hold my breath for over a minute at a time. I became aware that this may be sleep apnea and I had to do something about it. I was feeling very tired especially at the steering wheel. I had no energy, very lethargic, headaches, depression etc.

In the UK if you have a road traffic accident and sleep apnea is involved it makes you car insurance invalid and you could be illegally driving a motor on a road. You have to declare it and seek treatment before you can drive again. So I saw my doctor who referred me to a specialist in sleep disorders at our local hospital. I had a home sleep survey which showed that I had obstructive sleep apnea with a AHI of 8.6. (I think that's right) Now all of this is being explained to me whilst I am suffering severe sleep deprivation, so I am still not too sure what they were on about. So a week later I am issued a brand new ResMed AirSense 10 with a Phillips Respironics Amara View mask.

All of this took less than six weeks and it has not cost me a penny apart from my taxes and National Insurance which we all pay for in the UK. This includes my new CPAP machine along with follow up consultation for the rest of my life. I can even get a change of masks if I do not get on with my current one along with CPAP replacement should it break down or just need replacing over the years. Not bad for a supposedly failing heath service and this is for everyone of our citizens.

First night I slept for only 4.42hrs, woke with an awful headache and feeling very tired. Myair score came to 66 out of 100 points and my events per hour came to 0.6, which I gather is brilliant. I really struggled with the mask and felt quite claustrophobic, bearing in mind I have used breathing apparatus as a firefighter in demanding situations along with the army, also I am a qualified scuba diver, so I thought that would be the least of my problems. Following night ie last night I slept for 7.44hrs, again woke with an awful headache but felt a little more with it. This time my score was 91 out of 100 points and my events per hour came to 0.5 this time. So I am guessing I should be extremely happy with this outcome. Last night I woke during the night and had to rip off my mask due to claustrophobia, I calmed down and replaced it only having to take it off again. I managed to calm myself down, eventually replacing it, getting comfortable and finally drifting off to sleep again. I am guessing this is quite normal, at least I hope it is. I cannot get comfortable sleeping on my sides and I find the most comfortable position is on my back slightly propped up, again is this right.

I have read and reread all the paperwork on my CPAP and either I'm being dense or just plain stupid but I just dont understand some things. I am one of these people who need to go to the toilet at least once maybe twice a night due to a small bladder, and I am really not sure what I should do. I have been pressing the Start/Stop button, disconnecting the hose and going to the toilet with the mask on. On returning connecting the hose and then hitting the start button. I then spend the best part of 15 minutes playing around with the mask until I get a comfortable fit. The booklet only tells you about starting and stopping the therapy at the end of the night. So am I doing it right. Apologies for being such a dimwit. Also this effects my result which really has nothing to do with my sleep apnea.

My next assessment is in April so at present I have no one to talk to about any of this, so any advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.