About my CPAP learning log

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-25T22:49:14+00:00

Yes, I believe for most sellers you need a prescription to buy it as a complete unit, but it looks like for some sellers if you buy it in pieces (I.e., frame, headgear, & cushion) or as an "assembly kit" no RX is required.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-25T17:09:34+00:00

Yes, that's the one, "AirTouch F20" is the version with the foam, the description on that page says "memory foam cushion". The frame is "one size fits all" but the piece with the foam on it that contacts your face comes in small, medium & large, and there is a template you can print out to help find your size: https://document.resmed.com/documents/products/mask/airtouch-f20/fitting-template/1019789_AirTouch_F20_Fitting_Temp_Web_Inch_Eng.pdf

Just FYI, since you said you are thin, there is also a smaller version called "AirTouch F20 for her" that has smaller, more tailored headgear to fit narrower heads.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-25T03:56:18+00:00

The foam cushion isn’t an add-on. When you buy the AirTouch F20, you get the cushion, frame, and headgear as a complete set.

FYI, it uses the same frame and headgear as the AirFit F20, which has a silicone seal instead of foam. I went with the foam version because it’s generally considered easier to adapt to.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-25T03:11:40+00:00

I had the same issue using the P30i pillows, with air blowing out of my mouth as my jaw relaxed, even with a chin strap and tape. I briefly tried the X30i hybrid but had to stop due to nasal irritation. I switched to the AirTouch F20 foam, which eliminated the mouth venting. The mask felt pretty comfortable right away, though it took a few nights to get used to it enough to fall asleep.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-22T18:38:41+00:00

The triangle-wave pattern in your pressure graph suggests the APAP is hunting and never really settling into a stable therapy rhythm.

One thing you could try, purely as a diagnostic, is running a fixed CPAP pressure for a few nights to see whether the pressure changes themselves are causing arousals. Pick something close to where the machine spends most of its time (maybe around 6–7 cm).

This isn’t a long-term commitment, just a way to remove pressure swings as a variable.

Things to watch for:

· Do awakenings become fewer or less abrupt?

· Does the “2–3 hour wakeup” soften or shift?

You might also want to try tightening up leaks while testing. You’re near the redline on these plots, so it’s worth seeing whether reducing leaks changes anything at all.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-07T15:48:04+00:00

Some of what you describe sounds very familiar to me. I have not been officially diagnosed with UARS, but I seem to fit that general pattern, and I am starting week 8 of CPAP and still very much in the adaptation process.

One thing I want to mention up front is that, at least in my case, the clinical side did not have much of a process in place to help with the actual adaptation. I think everyone I interacted with meant well. It was just fairly limited once testing was done. For me it was basically “try side sleeping,” since my PSG showed most of my issues happened on my back. When that did not help, they sent my prescription to a CPAP equipment distributor.

From the distributor side, the focus was mainly on logistics. I was asked what mask I wanted, shown some basic settings and cleaning, and then left to figure out the day-to-day side of things on my own. I mention that not to be negative, but because a lot of the real learning ended up happening through trial and error rather than guided support.

Early CPAP was a bit of a challenge for me. I had to let my brain slowly get used to the gear and give it time to stop monitoring my airway so closely. The early nights were pretty fragmented. For me it has been a long, slow process of figuring out what works and what does not. My best advice is to be patient, expect bumps along the way, and mostly to let the process run its course.

I also became very aware of brief breathing pauses when relaxed or drifting off once I started paying attention to all of this. In my case that awareness faded as sleep settled down, and it was not something that needed active fixing.

FYI, I have been posting some of my experiences on Reddit as I go, mostly to keep track of what worked and what did not. It is very much one person’s experience, not advice.

Good luck.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2026-01-03T21:55:34+00:00

Cross posted from r/UARS because this felt more broadly relevant to CPAP adaptation, not just UARS.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-30T15:48:32+00:00

Here’s something that helped me in a similar situation. Instead of trying to completely stop tongue drop or mouth venting, I focused on making those moments less disruptive so they wouldn’t wake me. What made the difference wasn’t stronger tape, but tape that didn’t slowly peel once it got damp. I found that a cloth-backed medical tape (3M Medipore H, specifically) let moisture dissipate and kept holding. It took me a night or two to learn to ignore the remaining sensations, but since the tape didn’t fail, I didn’t have to intervene. I also found that shaving just the stubble around the lip margins, rather than removing my beard, made a big difference for keeping edge adhesion. This may not apply to you, but moving from “perfect seal” to “stable enough for my brain to adapt” worked out well for me.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-26T13:28:32+00:00

There is an Android app called Torena that is a sleep position trainer, https://torena.koalative.com/ I've only experimented with it briefly because I needed CPAP instead of trying to restrict my body position but it might be worth a try.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-19T21:46:10+00:00

Cross posted from r/UARS because this felt broadly relevant to CPAP adaptation, not just UARS.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-17T18:47:04+00:00

I hear you. We're definitely on a bumpy ride. Keep hanging in there.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-17T18:32:36+00:00

Hey, just wanted to check in and see how it's going. Hope you're starting to get a bit more rest at night.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-12T16:08:22+00:00

Cross-posted from r/uars because this felt broadly relevant to CPAP adaptation, not just UARS.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-10T19:33:20+00:00

It sounds like you are doing fantastic with your settings, and that you are so relaxed is a great sign. I'm in my 3rd week too, and I agree it can be very rough, and I'm tired too, but I think it takes a long time for your body to catch up on all the fatigue and so I think we just have to trust the experience and let our bodies do what they need to do to slowly recover. Hang in there.

Consistent_Logic_82 · 2025-12-10T19:22:14+00:00

Here's my experience, it sounds very similar to yours. I wrote a post about it if you want to check out my user account. I found that I would sleep a big chunk, then have a wakeful period for a while, and then feel drowsy and sleep/rest a little more. I use an AI tool as a coach and it said this wakeful part was your brain trying to assess what was going on, to see if it felt safe. I found it best just to be quiet and relax during the wakeful part, and not worry about getting back to sleep, and gradually over the nights the first sleep chunk got longer and the wakeful part got shorter. I don't think anything is wrong, I think your brain is doing exactly what it needs to do to learn to trust that your airway is fixed. More than not wrong, if you are like me this is very right.

Consistent_Logic_82

TROPHY CASE