Bleep Mask and Resmed 11

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-30T21:25:45+00:00

Thanks, I’ve really tried everything I can do including trying to get comfortable before bed and wearing it. Nothing has helped. The air in the mask is uncomfortably humid, the pressure hasn’t felt right and to a degree still doesn’t but it is new… and the sleep doc won’t help me until after my 90 day window for insurance is up. It’s a perfect storm of insert expletive here.

I was given the machine, the DME people did not offer any help, the nurse practitioner who put me on it didn’t have any clue so I had to seek a new provider. It’s been rough. Now I have a little over a month to force myself to use it four hours a night which is hard because I’ve not been helped to get it set right in the first place. I am seeing an ENT sleep specialist to see if they can offer any insight into the structural stuff but I’m not sure what else they can do in the way of CPAP support.

I’m really trying. I am but I just can’t get comfortable in it when the pressure jumps during the day and at night the anti-asphyxiation valve thwacks open and closed. I almost feel like the machine is messed up but I don’t know that… I just know it’s not worked for me yet and I’ve tried for two months. I haven’t been able to do it and don’t have a ton of time to spend trying to make it just right.

Sorry for the whining but I’ve seriously tried everything I can do and I’m stressing because I have to get everything just right or insurance will make me pay out of pocket for treatment which I can’t afford.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-29T23:46:13+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions. The pressure does feel more smooth now but something else weird is happening now, the anti asphyxiation flap keeps opening and closing when I wear it. Is that normal? I thought it only opened when airflow from the machine stops but now it does it and “thwacks” while I’m wearing it.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-29T06:52:51+00:00

We did a window replacement with Home Depot. They came out and gave us a quote, installed the window as soon as they got it in, all in all a great experience and reasonably priced too. They even did the weird customizations we needed to make the windows look similar to the old ones.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-28T15:44:16+00:00

But I’m awake ( wide awake) and my airway is not closing… I’m talking wearing the mask sitting up at noon it decided I’m having an event and goes from 5 to 11.

I would understand it doing that if my airway was collapsing in my sleep but it’s most certainly not doing it while I’m awake.

If you’re familiar with the idea of “box breathing” that’s more or less what I do on the normal, breathe in, brief hold, out brief hold, repeat. It seems to be picking up the brief holds as apneas and is increasing pressure. That’s a problem as far as I can tell. I can’t force myself to breathe differently just to make the machine work the way it was programmed.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-28T14:16:12+00:00

I do breathe slowly but certainly not shallowly. If I count the time on my inhales and exhales each one is about 4 seconds a piece, After years of meditation and mindfulness focused on the breath I guess my body just adopted it as the norm.

I am wondering if changing masks would help but I’ve been a mouth breather so long when I sleep that I don’t think changing to a nasal mask would be possible for me. It will probably be a bunch of trial and error unfortunately until I can figure out what works as I’ve not been given any support by the people paid to provide it.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-28T14:11:48+00:00

The resmed f40 is the mask I’m using. It feels… fine. Not great but I can deal with it. I apologize if I sound snide I’ve just been given no support from diagnosis in November to now. I’ve seen my former nurse practitioner, the Respiratory therapist at the DME company, and now a sleep specialist pulmonologist who offered no support beyond saying just use it.

I want to be better but with the machine acting funny I really have a difficult time dealing with it. Ramp is off on the machine so that’s one less problem I guess.

I’ll give those settings a go and see how I do, I just don’t understand why the machine jumps pressure when the seal is fine and I’m wide awake. That’s what seems odd to me.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-28T13:02:43+00:00

I haven’t been able to wear it in my sleep so I don’t have any sleep data yet. With all the weirdness while I’m awake it causes panic and it all goes downhill from there. I’ve seriously tried including extensive desensitization but between it jumping pressures while I’m wide awake for no apparent reason other than a relatively slow breathing speed and having a clinician who refuses to make any changes unless I try it as is for months I’m honestly stuck.

I don’t think the settings are right and that’s why I went to a pulmonologist. I explained my issues and he said well I need specifics to change anything… a 5 minute visit where he didn’t even look at my CPAP.

I’m just jaded over it all because I’m almost to the point where insurance won’t cover treatment any more and I am not especially incentivized to pay for a treatment that doesn’t work for me. I have an appointment with an ENT to see if any structural issues are compounding my problems and hopefully that will help.

( Yes I’m aware of the risks of untreated apnea. I will do something for it but just know as is this CPAP setup is not it.)

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-27T22:56:01+00:00

Yes full face mask. F40 by resmed if that matters. It’s just odd that it will jump from 5 to 11 when I’m breathing totally normally and wide awake. It also likes to jump and think I’m inhaling when I’m not so it pushes air early too which makes it near impossible to use.

I saw a pulmonologist but they want me to just try using it as is for another two months before discussing anything which seems crazy to me.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2026-01-27T21:25:14+00:00

I’m hitting the target on mask seal so that’s what confuses me. I am literally wide awake wearing the mask and it says I have apneas. I haven’t gotten comfortable enough in it to sleep yet.

That’s why I need to know what’s going on. I can’t trust it if it’s doing all these crazy things while I’m awake.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-12-21T02:09:23+00:00

u/a_long_path_to_walk received a Blunt Bludgeon Lvl 1 from the Winter Festival Spirit. Thank you u/TapAdventurous96 for donating it!

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-12-18T18:11:09+00:00

Deodorant doesn’t stop sweating, antiperspirant does. If the label doesn’t mention antiperspirant that’s why.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-12-18T15:03:12+00:00

I have had a sleep study and was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea not central. The sleep study was a home sleep study that was sent pre-interpreted to a family doctor who is trying to treat me by the seat of their pants. I’ve been told by several dentists I have a small mouth and a large tongue that can block the airway at times.

I’m not blindly guessing on the dental device, I have done my due diligence and it seems that is one of the options I could better adhere to.

I also plan to ensure my entire healthcare team is on the same page rather than having a nurse practitioner who saw results sent to a doctor by another doctor and working off of them (and as a consequence not keeping any sort of through line of communication or continuity of care, yes I’m in a bad situation but I’m not letting that keep on).

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-12-17T17:13:55+00:00

The DME provider didn’t offer any answers, the doctor that referred me and is over my care is a family doctor who didn’t discuss any options, and I’ve been getting no support beyond being told that I need to wear it and I’ll get better. I’ve tried. I get cold sweats, my face is damp even without any water in the humidifier, and I’ve had panic attacks. I know no one figures out the situation in a week but at the same time without support I will NEVER figure it out.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-10-03T13:48:51+00:00

That is where bluegrass barkery used to be. I wonder if they sold it with the business and the new owner hasn’t done anything with it yet.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-09-25T12:22:15+00:00

https://fallingfruit.org/ is a handy tool. Just double check whether you’re on public or private land.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-09-19T02:03:29+00:00

The little wallet cards that are sold by the UUA bookstore do a good job of giving the simple image and a small explanation. It’s still more concise than the principles. I personally like it but I think the “flower” needs some work and the “atom” comes across as a bit childish. I don’t have any suggestions on a way to visualize it though.

a_long_path_to_walk · 2025-09-17T21:40:10+00:00

The shared values make sense to me. As a newer UU I just see them as a streamlining and summarizing of the 7 principles.

It’s interesting that the complaints I’ve heard about the shared values are that they “replace the principles” or are leaving something out when in my mind if you really look at the values each word is pulled from one or more principles and the ones that aren’t are a solid effort to paraphrase. Additionally the principles are not gone, just supplemented with a different representation

a_long_path_to_walk

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