Well, on Wednesday we finally received Ricki’s new CPAP. Now she has to get used to it. And we have two weeks to do so (we can return the machine within 2 weeks of purchase for a full refund).
Last night started out OK. But she was after a bath (with damp hair), and complained of the air being too cold. I gave her a warm scarf to wear around her throat, but she still complained. (Apparently a humidifier can be purchased that will help with this, but we will not be able to purchase one until next week.) Even so she wore the CPAP last night on and off as long as I was at the computer (which is by her bed). But she was half awake, and not pleased.
Tonight (Thursday evening), she point blank refused to wear the CPAP after a few minutes. Promises of prizes didn’t help. I was fearful of her developing a negative attitude, which, once set upon, would likely not change when the humidifier would be bought. So I decided to let it go for a bit.
Now, however, I saw that she was asleep, and tried to put the mask on her. She fought back a bit, but eventually I got it on her, and as I held her hands she quickly fell into a deep sleep. She wore it for about ten minutes, but then woke up and took it off.
Maybe tomorrow afternoon I will have her wear it a bit as she reads a book, to get more used to it.
5 comments:
You never what might work with a child with special needs or issues. I hope you find a solution. I do know two adults that use a cpap and I think one of them would be willing to speak with you if you wanted.
wow, that was fast!
having riki wear the mask for periods of time when she is awake is a great suggestion. many people experience a feeling of claustrophobia from the mask alone, even before there is any air blowing.
a humidifier is CRUCIAL to many people's success, especially when there is heat on in the home. however, it's important to regulate it so that there is not "rainout" (condensation that comes into the mask and is very unpleasant).
there is also an accessory available that will heat the hose portion (very very slightly), kind of like a heating pad, so that the air is warm but not moist, if that is more comfortable.
be aware that some of the usual behavior modification "tricks" might not work w/the cpap because some of the behaviors are not necessarily under the person's control. it's not uncommon for people with a cpap to pull off their mask in the night w/o even realizing it...getting to the point of being able to keep it on for a full night can take a long time - possibly longer than two weeks - can you negotiate w/the company to have a longer trial period? or to have them offer other types of masks because it could be only the mask itself that is causing the problem?
one other thing to consider is the "ramp" feature. it is usually prescribed here as a way to help the patient feel more comfortable because it starts the blowing slowly and then builds up to the prescription level; however, for patients with a low prescribed level, the ramp feature often doesn't blow "enough" air, and the patient actually feels as if they can't breathe...
keep trying - this is something that can be hard to get used to (i know - it took me two tries!).
http://www.cpaptalk.com/CPAP-Sleep-Apnea-Forum.html?sid=2264cafdad99cc1710c67ffd6805c59b
i forgot to include this above; a very good online forum w/lots of practical advice for new users. there are some "personalities" there who are sometimes hard to deal with, but since it's online, it doesn't really matter, you can just take what's important to you and leave the rest.
and when i said it took me two tries, i meant that i tried it for a few months and then didn't use my cpap for over two years; last month marks the one year mark of me using it successfully (second try).
I have a friend who uses one and never complained about it.
check with a "support group"
thank you all; mikimi no need
Post a Comment