We went and picked up my new CPAP machine this morning. It took just over an hour to go over all of the finer points of the machine, including use and maintenance and cleaning, plus trying on the different masks and getting the one I picked "preliminarily fitted". I also got copies of the reports from both sleep studies, which, actually, I'd been really hoping to get to see.
Picking the mask out wasn't that hard. Because of my breathing issues (i.e. the perpetually clogged nose), the mask has to cover my mouth, too. This left four masks, including one that also had "nose pillows".
The first one I tried was the one they used for my second sleep study. It had been pretty comfortable during the sleep study, except that they had to keep adjusting it. When I tried it on, though, there was a significant amount of leakage through the bridge of the nose, directly at my eyeballs.
Then I tried this one. Mostly because SweetPea thought it would be amusing. Also, though, the technician said that some people who have higher prescriptions like this mask because it distrubutes the air pressure over more surface. Also, he said that some people prefer that the tension is distributed over more of your face. Personally, though, I found it disconcerting to have the air pressure over my entire face. Also, I really didn't like the mask going over my eyes like that. I have issues with not being able to see at night (why I have never worn a sleep mask). Even though the mask was completely transparent, there was still kind of that fear there. Not cool.
This was the last one I tried on and the one I ended up getting. I was amazed at how comfortable it was, and there was virtually no leakage whatsoever. Yay!
I still have to get it set up and all of that. It's going to involve some rearranging of furniture. The technician said it should go lower than me, preferrably on the floor. Well, on the floor next to my head is my nightstand, which also has stuff on it that I need near me. So... I've got some figuring out to do.
Now we're going to have a round of Fun Facts from my sleep study.
Ready?
The first sleep study, I fell asleep 5.5 minutes after "lights out" (seriously, I told y'all, I have no problem falling asleep). My first "waking" episode was 24.5 minutes later. It took 138 minutes for me to hit my first REM cycle after falling asleep. I was in REM sleep for a grand total of 12.5 minutes throughout the night, for a total of 4.4% (normal is 25%). My average heart rate was 88 bpm.
The second sleep study, I fell asleep 14 minutes after "lights out", and woke for the first time 30 minutes after falling asleep. I never hit REM sleep, not even once. That's right, I spent 0 minutes in REM sleep, for a total of 0% of the night (normal still being 25%). My average heart rate was 82.7 bpm. Also, the second report specifically recommends that "driving should be avoided if excessive daytime sleepiness is a concern." NICE.
In both studies, I spent the bulk of my sleeping time in Stage 2 sleep (78.4% and 83.1%, respectively). Normal is 50%.
It was definitely interesting to see so much about how I sleep. Especially since a bunch of it really sheds light on why I'm so tired, even when I "sleep" through the night. Maybe now I can get some real rest.
This is going to be So. Weird.
The technician was going on and on about how much better people feel after they start using these, and was rattling off the conditions that have been helped or cured by this simple act of getting enough air all through the night. Hell, most of them didn't even apply to me, but the thought of getting enough sleep, of my body going through the proper sleep cycles and actually being able to rejuvinate during the night... I am so excited! And, also, kind of nervous.
Wee! Adventure!
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