I don't know much about cpap causing heartburn, but one of the things I learned from this forum was how it affects cpap therapy. It was explained to me that cpap uses air pressure to hold open the soft tissue in the throat. If you have heartburn, even mild barely noticeable heartburn, that can irrit...

I wanted to post a quick update and thank everyone for the comments. I got my new Swift FX Bella nasal pillow mask this afternoon and gave it a quick test. I have to say I expected to have more trouble getting used to it than I did. It fit pretty well and worked great. The behind the ears straps wer...

Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it! I had heard of using pantyhose to compensate for mask headgear issues, but for some reason never thought to apply it to my situation. Of course my first mental image was of wearing them like I was going to rob a convenience store. I am not attached...

I have had a similar experience where I suddenly felt like I wasn't getting enough air and also found my sleep deprivation symptoms returning. I thought I might have a defective machine too. It happened to me at least 3 times so far over a number of years. It was subtle and took time for me to notic...

I have tried a few masks over the years and tried to make due with a few duds till I finally found the Mirage Activa masks. I tend to have a beard so that causes seal problems with some masks and the activa handles it fairly well. I also have some trouble finding headgear that works for me. I have a...

You may want to look further into resolving your heartburn to improve your cpap therapy. I have mild heartburn myself and read on this forum a long time ago about how acid-reflux and GERD were detrimental to cpap therapy. The way it was explained to me was that the soft tissues in our throats are he...

Howdy, I was wondering if anyone had any advice for determining when to upgrade your cpap machine? I am having some difficulty when I look at the various models and try to figure out if the newer versions have real improvements or just marketing hype. For example my BiPAP auto is now a few generatio...

I am starting to look at new masks myself, I have been happy with my Mirage Activa LT mask for the most part. Rested Gal suggested trying the super soft strap pads from http://padacheek.com/ for a problem I was having with the headgear irritating the back of my neck. It worked wonders for that and I...

Could this be due to acid reflux (for the throat) I don't have much advice about the tear ducts, I had some dry eye issues myself but that was from small leaks in my mask seal squirting small gusts of air in the direction of my eyes. I did want to talk about your Acid Reflux problem though. One of ...

I thought about epoxy or superglue, but I was pretty tired at the time and didn't want to figure out how long I would need to wait for the fumes to not be an issue. I have actually really liked the toothpick solution so far, they are in there very securely and don't stick out on the inside. On the o...

The Resmed masks like my Activa LT have some ports where you can plug in oxygen lines and whatnot if required. They come with a soft plastic cap designed to plug those holes if you are not using oxygen. If that port cap were to fall off, you would loose a significant portion of your air pressure thr...

I would also question how long it has been since you last got your pressure settings prescribed? If you have gained or lost weight since then I have heard that can affect your pressure needs. It seemed to be the case for me. I was prescribed 17 cm of pressure originally but have been doing much bett...

I can't speak too much to your fears, but I hope you don't let the cPAP stuff get you too down. I had almost the opposite reaction when I heard I needed cpap, I was so tired that I was desperate to get started. I will say hang in there and that it really is all worth it. When my cpap treatment final...

I think the padacheek solution is EXACTLY what I am looking for. I had actually thought about trying to create a similar solution with cotton pads, but the padacheek neck guard is way better and far more secure looking. I am really excited to try it as there is a unit designed for this already on he...

I have my pressure setting at 21 on my bipap and I was really looking forward to the whole "make it easier to exhale" thing. In my case, the bipap setting turned out to be too distracting and annoying so I went back to straight cpap mode. I liked that it was easier breathing out, but there were too ...