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My CPAP Experience
Being a newbie, I just wanted to post my early experiences with sleep as I think I may have the mask leaks issues beat and am proud that last night I broke my record and recorded a .9 AHI over 7.1 hours.
I put it down to not only getting used to CPAP and
apart from the normal sleep hygiene routines I now:
1.Have one cup of Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon tea after dinner, I not longer drink caffine at all.
2.I use a Lavender infuser in my lounge room for a couple of hours before bed.
3.Have Lavender flowers in my room.
4.Take a Night Multi vitamin called Rest and Restore which has a calming effect and works on my central nervous system during the night and gives me an energy boost the next day.
5.I take one Valarian Forte 30 mins before bed, prior to and at the start of CPAP, I was on perscription medication which didn't work and probably made me worse. I now only use herbal.
6.Put a drop of Vick's Vapour Rub under my nose (I wear a FFM)rather than using a nasal spray.
7.I make my own mask liners.
8.I dampen the cloth on the plastic head rest a couple of hours before going to bed (I have oily skin) the head rest was moving and causing me leaks this doesn't seem to happen anymore.
9.I have found a very small, hard pillow which goes under my normal pillow, I find this is similar to a CPAP Pillow and my mask doesn't move when I turn on my side.
10.I put a pillow either side of my body to keep me in place.
Sorry for the long list my sleep tech was interest as she had never heard of some of the things I do to get a good nights sleep.
Hope some of these tips may help others to get a good nights sleep.
I put it down to not only getting used to CPAP and
apart from the normal sleep hygiene routines I now:
1.Have one cup of Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon tea after dinner, I not longer drink caffine at all.
2.I use a Lavender infuser in my lounge room for a couple of hours before bed.
3.Have Lavender flowers in my room.
4.Take a Night Multi vitamin called Rest and Restore which has a calming effect and works on my central nervous system during the night and gives me an energy boost the next day.
5.I take one Valarian Forte 30 mins before bed, prior to and at the start of CPAP, I was on perscription medication which didn't work and probably made me worse. I now only use herbal.
6.Put a drop of Vick's Vapour Rub under my nose (I wear a FFM)rather than using a nasal spray.
7.I make my own mask liners.
8.I dampen the cloth on the plastic head rest a couple of hours before going to bed (I have oily skin) the head rest was moving and causing me leaks this doesn't seem to happen anymore.
9.I have found a very small, hard pillow which goes under my normal pillow, I find this is similar to a CPAP Pillow and my mask doesn't move when I turn on my side.
10.I put a pillow either side of my body to keep me in place.
Sorry for the long list my sleep tech was interest as she had never heard of some of the things I do to get a good nights sleep.
Hope some of these tips may help others to get a good nights sleep.
Views: 1045
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on
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This is great news Terry and amazing to think you've got your AHI down to 0.9 already! Your nightly routines are a prime example to us all in how we can't just put on our masks and trust the CPAP to fix everything - we have to work to find out what helps us even further. One of the most important things we can do, which you've addressed (and Dr Parks talks constantly about), is to ensure we can breathe through our nostrils. I use Breathe Right strips and no longer need the prescription nasal spray.
What do you make your mask liner out of? I use the Respironics Fitlife mask which doesn't need a liner, but on the odd occasions when I have a change and use one of my other masks, I resort to a homemade liner too, which I made out of an old t-shirt and is far cheaper than using the RemZzzs......plus it's washable!
I told you it wouldn't be long before you were an 'expert' and thanks for posting this, which will help other members and people who visit our forum!
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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on
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Kath,I bught a 6 pack of Remzzz's and used them as a template then first used an old t-shirt which does the job. I then went to a fabric store and bought some material I think it was 50% Cotton and 50% Polyester. You can use 100% cotton it just depends on your preference and how they feel on your face.
I believe you can buy Microfibe from fabric stores which is what the Remzzz's are made of.
I bought a square metre (3 ft) for $4.00 and have only used about half of that in two months.
I wash them every second day and throw them away after 4 - 6 uses.
I also use the material for the head rest and wrap a piece on each side of my chin strap to stop marking.
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Same here Terry. I used to sell Remzzzs on my website until another UK supplier got sole UK rights which stopped me selling them, but if people only knew how easy it was to make them they could save loads of money ;) It's a pity Remzzzs don't make them so people can re-use them, but I suppose that's clever marketing!
Terry Vella said:
Kath,I bught a 6 pack of Remzzz's and used them as a template then first used an old t-shirt which does the job. I then went to a fabric store and bought some material I think it was 50% Cotton and 50% Polyester. You can use 100% cotton it just depends on your preference and how they feel on your face.
I believe you can buy Microfibe from fabric stores which is what the Remzzz's are made of.
I bought a square metre (3 ft) for $4.00 and have only used about half of that in two months.
I wash them every second day and throw them away after 4 - 6 uses.
I also use the material for the head rest and wrap a piece on each side of my chin strap to stop marking.
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Permalink Reply by Rosemary Kemp on
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Here here to making our own liners! It's a bit like the way I like to re-fashion the headgear but I use the ones I have been given from my hospital to redisign things that work for me. They have been very supportive towards me about my doing this. I do lots of loose hand stitching so that the fabric can stretch as well as it is designed to and I use shop bought velcro to extend or alter the fixing points of the straps.
Some of this stuff we need to make the cpap more comfortable is just so expensive and things which have just one use are so expensive and therefore are impractical and unsustainable if your budget is restricted; however wonderful it is. I started making my own liners ages ago with cotton lawn (is that the spelling?) which I bought from a fabric supplier on ebay! I've got masses of fabric which will probably last for a couple of years!
I suppose there is a place for making stuff entirely independently of the big suppliers / shops, which saves loads of money. The adjusting of the headgear is actually more expensive than using them as they come of course - but that is to end up with a superior product to any I can buy as that makes a bespoke piece of equipment which means less leakage. (Hope that ramble makes sense!)
Rosemary
Same here Terry. I used to sell Remzzzs on my website until another UK supplier got sole UK rights which stopped me selling them, but if people only knew how easy it was to make them they could save loads of money ;) It's a pity Remzzzs don't make them so people can re-use them, but I suppose that's clever marketing!
Terry Vella said:Kath,I bught a 6 pack of Remzzz's and used them as a template then first used an old t-shirt which does the job. I then went to a fabric store and bought some material I think it was 50% Cotton and 50% Polyester. You can use 100% cotton it just depends on your preference and how they feel on your face.
I believe you can buy Microfibe from fabric stores which is what the Remzzz's are made of.
I bought a square metre (3 ft) for $4.00 and have only used about half of that in two months.
I wash them every second day and throw them away after 4 - 6 uses.
I also use the material for the head rest and wrap a piece on each side of my chin strap to stop marking.
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Hi!
Instead of vicks, I'll drop a couple of crystals of menthol in the humidifier, that helps really well with congestion and is mega cheap!
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Now, that sounds like a good idea Symmit!
Rosemary
symmit said:Hi!
Instead of vicks, I'll drop a couple of crystals of menthol in the humidifier, that helps really well with congestion and is mega cheap!
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