SleepyJules

Hi. I also developed a sore on my nose, but on the bridge of my nose, after just a few weeks of using the CPAP. I had to stop using the CPAP until it cleared up and was then sold a Gecko Nasal Pad (at a huge cost!) I've been using that for a few days now and it seems a lot better. There is still a slight reddish mark where the sore was and I'm just praying it doesn't break open again.

Hi. I had a titration study a couple of weeks back. I took the machine back to the sleep clinic after the first night for them to adjust the pressure as it was set too high. I swallowed so much air I thought I would pop the next morning. My AHI before the CPAP was 30. It's now fluctuates between 2 and 8. The pressure setting was originally 18 but is now 13 or 14, I'm not sure which.

Strongly advise you start using a CPAP. I have had months of what you experience, including dreadful nightmares, when my husband has to wake me several times each night. I've been using the CPAP for just two weeks with life-changing results! So much more energy - I now feel like a "normal" person during the day. Occasionally I switch off the machine to try and sleep naturally, but I go straight back into the gasping snoring and nightmares.

That's great news. I'm also experimenting with humidifier settings and ramp settings. After only two weeks I'm very happy with my results. My only worry is a horrible sore on the bridge of my nose which is painful with the mask on at night. I wonder whether I have been sold the wrong mask. It's a Mirage Quattro size Small. I definitely don't have a small face although my nose is quite small. So I have to cover the sore with cotton wool and plaster to fit my mask comfortably.

Yes, they should. I've been using my CPAP for two weeks and mine has dropped from 30 to as low as 2. Currently fluctuates between 2 and 8. And that's on a low setting. A setting of 18 was recommended but mine has been reset to 14. 18 was just too high. My energy levels have risen considerably.

I was diagnosed in October 2016 but was not interested in trying a machine, due to the cost and also the logistics of it all. I tried all sorts of things including sleeping tablets, but despite thinking I had slept okay I was still exhausted during the day. My health deteriorated to such an extent that I couldn't take my dog for his daily walk (my only form of exercise!). As I'm due to visit my daughter in the UK for six weeks I decided it's time to do something about it. So I finally relented two weeks ago and bought a machine (a Resmed S9 - second hand) and haven't looked back. No longer do I dread bedtime (horrible dreams all night!) but feel totally refreshed when I wake up. It's been an expensive project but well worth every cent.