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Are you new to CPAP? When I was new to this treatment, I put my mask on really tight. I was worried my pressures would blow the mask off my face. In the morning, my reward was a beautiful red mark all around my face wherever the mask touched the skin. I learned to loosen up a bit and let my worries go and things got much better.

Some people are actually sensitive to the mask seal and do wind up with the reddened, wind-burn-like skin wherever the mask touches the face. The mask liners really do help these folks. Mask liners have taken a step up from 6 years ago when I started on CPAP. They look like no loose fabric hangs out to brush up against the eyes. Much better. The ones I'm admiring are the Silent Night mask liners. I've never ordered them, but I had a good experience ordering an SD card and reader from this online vendor...cpapXchange.com and the ad for the liners came with my package. I have no idea how much they cost, but, as wiredgeorge has noted, they're all kind of expensive. This ad says the Silent Night ones are reusable, so maybe you can leave one installed on your mask for up to one week? That would make the price better!

While you're waiting for your liners to arrive, you might try washing your mask each night. I use fragrance-free biodegradable dish soap and rinse really well, then air dry. Let's see if this helps.

The humidifier is that clear thingy attached to your machine. Use distilled water to fill the humidifier chamber to the fill line. Hopefully your machine is already set for the humidifier and will automatically start working for you. I'm with wiredgeorge, though...you are most likely breathing through your mouth.

A simple remedy for mouth breathing is to place your tongue against the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue against the backsides of your upper front teeth. This is restful. Once you turn your machine on, your treatment pressures will apply light suction to keep your tongue in position all night. Close your lips. Add some soothing thoughts such as: I'm ready to go to sleep now. Everything is where it's supposed to be. When I wake up in the morning everything will be right where I left it and my mouth will be closed. This feels so comfortable...etc." And then, allow yourself to drift off into sleep while you're still thinking these thoughts. The power of our minds is so amazing. This was how I cured a life-long mouth-breathing habit. It really worked.

I really like sleeptech's comment. He's spot on.

If you like, you can verify what is actually happening to you in your sleep by getting the Sleepyhead application (for free) online, an SD card and SD card reader (I got mine at cpapXchange.com). You can then install the SD card into your machine (the little "cabinet" at the upper left-hand side of your machine) to record your sleep. When you are ready to see your sleep data, remove your SD card from your machine and slide the little lever on it downwards. Your SD card is now locked and you may now place the card into your reader and plug it into your computer. Voila...follow the directions and your data appears. This will not interfere with the data sent wirelessly to your doctor. You'll be able to confirm your actual sleep pressures as they fluctuated the night before and much more. When you're done viewing, remove your SD card from your reader and remember to slide the little lever upwards into the unlocked position. It is now ready to be placed back into your machine to record your sleep for another night. Enjoy!

Try sleeping on your side instead of on your back. Sometimes I feel suffocated while sleeping on my back, too. I think this happens to a lot of folks. Also, back sleeping tends to increase the number of apneas. You have an automatic machine that will adjust to your airways' needs. Relax, forget about your treatment pressure and let your machine work for you. Try your best not to fight your machine with your mind. Think calming thoughts and allow yourself to drift off to dreamland.

Yes...with CPAP, AHI is often brought down to 1 - even from the first night! This is an amazing therapy.

Yes...CPAP pressure can, and sometimes - but not always, does increase with stuffy nose. Or so I've found with me.

Yes...a stuffy nose can make you feel like you're suffocating. It does for me anyway.

Hi again purplefan100. Check on your "Introduce Yourself" post. There is something there for you.

Hi Kinikea.

Actually, CPAP is always the first treatment recommended for OSA, no matter what the level of AHI is. CPAP is the most effective and least invasive of all the different treatments offered. The dental devices are not without their drawbacks, as some OSA patients have sadly learned. The drawbacks include potential rapid-onset TMJ disorder, which is really no fun at all, and a permanently distorted bite and/or muscle atrophy, tension and jaw pain that doesn't go away. Many dentists believe that the risk of these things happening is very slight or that the technique wearers use for treatment dismisses the problems. But believe me, if you ever develop any of this stuff, you will earnestly hope that no one else ever does. We really don't know how often disfunction and/or disfigurement occurs from these dental devices used for treating sleep apnea because no medical researcher, that I know of, has actually studied this.

I use a dental device that a TMJ dentist/specialist issued me for TMJ Disorder. My TMJ Disorder was brought on by the treatment pressures of CPAP. I use this device, (which resembles a twin block), each night along with my CPAP. He permanently changed my bite (lower jaw drawn forward into a position that relaxed the TMJs) through the use of crozats, upper and lower, which were worn all day, even when eating, for about two years. I removed the daytime devices at night. I've worn the nighttime device from the beginning (5 and one-half years now). This maintains my jaw in the corrected position. I will wear this at night for the rest of my life. The nighttime device is maintained about twice per year. This treatment immediately relieved my pain, plus it improved my appearance and enabled me to use and benefit from my CPAP therapy. I was blessed to have found my TMJ dentist when I did.

Welcome to the forum, purplefan100. The machine that you get will be determined by the type of sleep apnea that you have. They all seem to be very fine machines. You can relax and just go with the flow on this one.. Don't worry about not knowing anything. You will learn as you go and there are a lot of folks here on the forum that will respond to your questions and calls for help. Just post what you need on the forum and help is on the way.

Your biggest decision is going to be about the mask. Did you like the mask that was given to you for your titration? The titration is the time period that is used (usually overnight, at least) to determine what your prescribed pressures should be. Anyway, if you liked the mask that you used, then why not go with it? My husband and I used this strategy and found out, within the first 2 months of CPAP, that we didn't really like those first masks for a bunch of reasons. Fortunately for us, a few of those reasons were medical in nature and our health plan allowed us to change to different masks at no cost. Most health insurance plans cover this. We chose the Resmed Swift FX nasal pillows and have used these ever since. They are minimally invasive, comfortable and there was much less leakage. But, then again, your choice of masks might be limited by your prescribed treatment pressures. Let your sleep tech guide you with this. There are no mistakes here...just a learning curve. Most of we CPAP long-timers are still on the learning curve. You will find what works for you.

You're in good company. Relax and enjoy the ride.

With auto CPAP a minimum pressure is set and a maximum pressure is set. The machine then adjusts the pressure as needed according to your ongoing apneas. More pressure is applied for bigger obstructions and less pressure is applied for lesser obstructions. Thus your airway is kept clear so that your body can get saturated with oxygen...100% saturation and you're really humming along. Most of us with untreated OSA experience desaturations when our levels fall below 95%. That means we are not getting enough oxygen to saturate our bodies. My husband's level falls to 80% if his apnea is not treated with CPAP.

So, you see, these auto CPAP machines are wonderful for those of us with simple OSA (obstructive sleep apnea).

You mentioned, in an earlier post, that you had a stuffy nose and cough. It's possible that your body is needing a little extra pressure from your CPAP machine during this time in order to keep your airway clear. Don't worry. Your machine isn't "stuck" on 20. It'll go to a lesser pressure when 20 is no longer needed (when your body and airway no longer need that extra pressure).

Hang in there. Drink lots of fluids and get better soon.

Please communicate with your doctor.

How is it that you are setting your own treatment pressures? That's usually done by a respiratory therapist via a physician's prescription. If you're using auto CPAP, then there's usually a doctor-prescribed range, along with a ramp pressure and ramp time. If your doctor has not done that for you, then it would be best for you to request it, go from there and communicate your comfort level with your doctor and ask what he/she recommends that you should do.

If you fiddle with your pressure settings on your own, you should at least let the doctor know what you have done so that it can be recorded in your medical record. This becomes very important when you're passed around between different providers of healthcare. So, in answer to your question, if you're now comfortable with your current settings, why not keep things as they are and communicate what you've done to your doctor. Leave yourself open to your doctor's input. Let him/her guide your care. That's what he/she went to medical school for.

There're a lot of valuable suggestions that forum contributers have for guests of this forum, but prescribing pressure settings is not one of them.