How many people tested positive for sleep apnea? I have my overnight in a couple of days and was just wondering.

Tory, My husband is a stomach sleeper also, but he has severe sleep apnea. After he got the cpap, he has felt much better. There are other symptoms involved with sleep apnea, not just stopping breathing. Although, that is serious enough!! The way the doctor explained it to us, is that imagine how your body would react if someone placed a pillow over your face several times a night. You actually never get into the deep REM (rapid eye movement) sleep that you need for your body to be completely rested. One thing that really was improved for me by using the cpap, is that my blood oxygen level was up higher than when I didn't use the cpap.

In response to the concern some have about getting used to the cpap and it's headgear. It took longer for me to get used to the nasal pillows and headgear than it did my husband. The only way I got used to it was to just keep using it, and if I threw it off in the middle of the night sooner or later I would wake up and put it back on.

As far as the dry mouth goes, my cpap has a heated humidifier that practically eliminates that problem. Most, if not all, later model cpaps can be purchased with a humidifier.

Hope this helps some of you give your cpap another chance. It really does improve your health.

Edited October 4, 200916 yr by DianaG
added a word

Interesting posts. I have my overnight in one week. I have been meaning to ask about it here. What type of clothes did you wear, did you take a sleeping pill prescribed by the pulmon. Dr., etc.

I have to call to see what time I can check out. I know I have to check in at 9:00 P.M.

Does it really take as long as they say to hook you all up to the electrodes?

I take sleep meds and I did take them for the study. Seems to me it took about 15 min to hook up all the leads. I woke up at 6:00 am and they said I could go home if I want, they had what they needed.

Ive had my cpap for 10 years now and dont go anywere without it ! I even go on hunting and camping trips. Those of you that dont like it, you should try it with the humidifier. I didnt like mine at first. They switch me to the comfort gel mask and added the heated humidifier ! Big difference. Those that are going in for the sleep study, just were some comfortable PJ's there going to hook up about 15 (not sure on this) electrodes to your head throat face ears and a couple to your leggs. You sleep in a hotel like room and they moitor you u using 2 way speaker micropfone and infrared camera. Some Dr will do a split session. First 90 minutes without CPAP then the rest of the night with. I stopped breathing 61 times in 90 minutes and had 73 shallow breathing episodes in the first 90 minutes. After they hooked me up to the machine, all that went away. CPAP is a life saver for me.

Liftingchic, try different ones. I first had a mouth mask with nasal pillows. I'd wake up because of dry mouth, nose hurting due to the air pressure/dryness and the pillows would blow out of my nose. I like the idea of the pillows though. I decreased the air pressure on my left nostril by putting a rubber band around the base of the pillow. My skin around the edge of my nostril was irritated, so I cut a piece of flannel with two holes and put them under the rubber bands. I then made a strap with flannel and velcro to hold the pillows in my nose.. I still had problems though. I now have a nasal mask and love it. Not the gel kind (that irritated my skin), but with a rubber cushion. Also switched my machine for a Fisher/Paykel sleep Style 600. This machine puts out more humidity and comes with heated coils in the tubing. Hence, rain out is less likely so you can do higher humidity. With the nasal mask I could actually turn down the humidity. A feature I liked on the old machine that this one doesn't have is that when you breathe out the air pressure goes down. But I've gotten useto this. Also I purchased on-line a filter that attaches to the tube but before the mask. Was surprised by how much dirt was captured by this filter even though the machine has a filter too! Would recommend getting the filter to everyone. Check it out on cpapexchange.com. You really have to hang in there to get useto it. In the beginning I also experienced some chest soreness. I guess from the air pressure blowing up my lungs, but that has gone away. Another thing I did...with the nasal mask I have this plastic thing across my forehead. Couldn't stand the two cushions on it. They created pressure points on my forehead and hurt. So, I took the cushions off and now cut a piece of a hand towel and put that between my forehead and the hard plastic. Now no problems! Yes, I really worked at making this work. I watched a TV show about a person who had a heart attack because they had sleep apnea and their heart just couldn't handle the stress anymore. Convinced me! Get creative! :biggrin:

Thanks for the reply I have tried a few of your suggestions but still not having any luck... I am thinking about asking my doctor for like a sleep pill or something to relax me.. I am so tired all the time, and I know i am not getting the sleep i should or need to be getting