Living With CPAP

CPAP is a long-term treatment. To achieve the full benefits of CPAP, use it every time you sleep—during naps and at night. Most people should use CPAP for at least 7.5 hours each night for the best results.

CPAP machines are small, lightweight, and fairly quiet. It's possible to take your machine with you when you travel.

Knowing how to maintain your CPAP machine is important. You also should see your sleep specialist for ongoing care as he or she advises.

Maintaining the CPAP Machine

It's important to properly maintain your CPAP machine. Refer to the user manual or ask your home equipment provider how to take care of the machine.

Parts of the machine need daily or routine care and cleaning. For example, if your machine has a humidifier, you will likely need to clean it daily. You also may need to replace parts of the machine after a certain amount of time.

Your home equipment provider should be able to provide replacement filters, masks, and hoses for your machine.

If you suspect a problem with your CPAP machine, call your home equipment provider. Don't try to fix it yourself. There's a small hole in most machines that lets the air that you exhale out and keeps the air supply fresh. This isn't a defect in the machine, and you shouldn't try to cover it.

Getting Ongoing Care

Many people have questions when they first start using CPAP. Talk to your sleep specialist about how to handle followup questions. He or she can answer some questions, but your home equipment provider may need to address others.

It's important to continue to work with your sleep specialist as you adjust to CPAP. Ask your sleep specialist to recommend a home equipment provider that has a lot of experience with CPAP.

Your sleep specialist may ask you to schedule a followup visit about a month after you begin using CPAP. He or she will want to see how well you're adjusting to treatment. After that, you may have followup care every 6 or 12 months.

Most CPAP machines record the amount of time you use them on a computer card. Your sleep specialist may ask you to bring the card in to see how well you're doing.

During followup visits, your sleep specialist may need to adjust the air pressure setting of your CPAP machine if:

• You gain or lose a lot of weight
• Your symptoms, such as daytime sleepiness, persist or recur
• You have another treatment for sleep apnea, such as upper airway surgery or a mouthpiece

During followup visits, be sure to tell your sleep specialist if you're not happy with your CPAP machine. He or she may suggest switching to a different machine that may work better for you.