i hate it. i hate it i hate it i hate it. right now i have an activa mask (http://www.cpap-direct.com/Detail.bok?no=503) which was actually an 'upgrade' from the standard mask i first received. its supposed to be better for more active sleepers (I'm very restless and do tend to roll around a lot...i'm also a stomach sleeper which makes any sort of mask...difficult).
since i've been diagnosed, i've not yet used the cpap machine regularly. some of it was due to moving from AZ to FL shortly after the diagnosis...then switching insurance companies at the new place...but I still have yet to make it thru the night with the mask on. Not for lack of trying. Some mornings i'll remember ripping it off after a couple of hours because i just couldn't fall asleep...and some mornings I don't even remember ripping it off. I've put in a request for a nasal pillow 'mask' (I think Dana suggested that as a possible alternative)...and waiting to see if they can get me one. But I'm really short on patience at this point and if the nasal pillow (if/when I get it) doesn't work out fairly quickly, I think I'm going to insist on surgery. They normally are hesitant to do a surgical procedure because the success rate is pretty low (40%?) and it's a painful procedure. So they do try and persuade you to give the CPAP a fair shot before deciding on surgery. At this point I think I've given it a chance, and it's just not working out well. But that's just me. I've talked to a number of people who did get used to wearing a mask pretty quickly...and a few even say they can't imagine going to sleep without it. As far as the machine itself...a lot depends on the machine. The first machine I got in AZ was pretty loud...but even so my wife said she preferred it over my snoring. It was also not small. My current machine is much smaller and much more quiet. It does not require a lot of maintenance (that I'm aware of...). Basically just cleaning the mask every couple of days with some water. You're supposed to change the water in the humidifier daily...but I normally change it weekly. As far as getting up and hitting the head...the activa mask detaches from the hose pretty easily. it's also easy enough to just pull the whole mask off of your head. I wouldn't be too concerned about that as an issue. On 2/15/06, Earl, George <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>> I know there are a few others on here with Sleep Apnea - I have a > >>> question for you people. > > So do I, specifically to those of you who use a cpap . . . > > How does your cpap affect your sleep? Can you roll around, sleep on your > side, your stomach, pull the covers up around your neck, still hear the > clock radio? > > How big a deal is it to disconnect to head to the bathroom during the > night and then reconnect again? > > How does your partner feel about your cpap? > > How has the cpap affected your 'romantic' life? > > If you are single and dating or exploring relationships, at what point > do you have 'the cpap talk' with your new flame and what do you say to > her/him? > > Does the cpap require maintenance? > > Do you have to go back to the sleep doctor for a checkup on a regular > basis? > > What does insurance typically pay for? > > Thanks! > > zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz > > George > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:197145 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
