[Spring~Fields]

I have a Respironics RemStar Pro with Cflex series. After reading your comment about noise I went in and turned it on to just listen, and this one is quiet except for the oxygen flow at the mask. Maybe you are losing some pressure around the mask as you sleep or as you lay a certain way, perhaps that is the added noise level, I am not sure.

I have a similar story of fatigue, up and down nights, tossing turning, worn out in the mornings and never knowing why. Doctors for insomnia and their meds to no avail, then a doctor referred me to a sleep clinic, where the diagnosis of sleep apnea was supported.

It took me three months of trial and error through resistance, then one day on Redszone I read traderumor on here telling me about the CPAP and something in the way he wrote seemed to strike a cord with my mind and I stopped resisting and fussing over it and just wore it and got use to it. Most of the previous sleep disorder patterns went away but the doctor and I did use some meds for a period of time to get my sleep patterns adjusted back to, you know, a more normal pattern of say midnight to seven or eight am. As over time I had just became out of wack and basically stayed up until I could fall asleep.

After a couple years they had to add two liter of oxygen to mine to maintain the sleep consistency and quality that you are speaking of deep relaxing rest for the duration of six to eight hours.

I have used both types of mask. All my life I had slept with the mouth open and feel more comfortable breathing through the mouth. I became trained/conditioned to breath through the nose by using the nose mask with the CPAP and find that easier for me now. I tried the mouth mask and felt like it was blowing out my cheeks, and that was distracting.

No one mentioned it here in this thread yet, so I will:
One thing they did not cover with me at the sleep clinic or the doctors office until afterward and some symptoms showed up of lung and sinus irritations was to make sure that the hoses and mask are cleaned daily with a mild soap and warm water. Also keep an eye on the filters to make sure that they stay in pretty clean shape, regardless of what the manufacturer or other reps say, I mean sometimes they want to wait much longer to change the filters. I wash out the sponge ones regularly, and change the paper ones about once a month or two, I keep an eye on their appearance. I don’t want those machines blowing whatever directly into my lungs if it can be avoided.

Questions:
Lately though, regardless of attempts to be thorough on clean filters, hoses, mask etc. After CPAP use I have found an increase in nostril or lung irritations that sometimes has led to lung congestion. I am wondering if anyone here has had a similar occurrence, and why that might be? All parties indicate after checking their machines, indicate that their machines are in proper working order, but, I am finding a consistency in the symptoms with their use and I don’t have the background or expertise to debate or remedy the problem. Any input that would help would be appreciated, because this last time it went into a full blown lung infection and sinus, like the flu or pnuemonia for the past eight days.


I would agree with their benefits of quality rest and sleep, as well as keeping one alive and breathing during sleep. I have lost almost 100 pounds also, that helps too. I have more work to do though.