I keep removing my airmask during sleep. HELP!

johnnyo3535 · Post by **johnnyo3535** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:39 am

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I remove my mask during sleep, thus rendering the whole process useless. Has this happened to anyone else and if so, what's the solution?

Thank you

New User - JOHN

neversleeps · Post by **neversleeps** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 1:34 pm

Hi. Click on the search icon at the top of this page. For keyword, you'll want to enter exactly this: taking + removing + off + night

You'll be given 15 matches that discuss this issue. Here is a particularly good one from that list.
Click on this: Taking the mask off

You are not alone!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 1:55 pm

Thank you so much for the link!

Jan in Colo. · Post by **Jan in Colo.** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:57 pm

It is probably in those links somewhere, but I'm pretty sure I read on this board that if you constantly have the problem of taking off your mask, it could be that you don't have your machine set up high enough. The theory being that you could feel a lack of air or "suffocated" while sleeping and automatically rip the mask off. So if you are usually set at maybe 8 and increased it to maybe 10 or so...you might not still have that same problem.

I'm a newbie and don't know what the heck I'm talking about...so be sure to veryify that somewhere before trying it. Just trying to help...
Jan in Colo.

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:41 pm

And then there is having your signicent other use duct tape!!!!!

yellowcason · Post by **yellowcason** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:04 pm

i had this problem to start but i eventually stoped. I acutally ( my husband thought i was crazy) would talk to my self in the mirror with my mask on before going to bed and I would tell myself out loud to keep the mask on.

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:33 pm

I believe it was a little over 3 months before I was able to sleep all night with my mask on but it was well worth the effort. You will get there. Like you, I would awaken with my mask on the floor, beside me on the bed or on the table. One of my reasons for taking it off was because of having so much trouble exhaling against the pressure of 14. Just keep on sleeping with it as long as you can and when you realize it is off, Put it back on.

The first morning you wake up and realize that you mask has been on all night will feel soooo good. Keep on keeping on! Also, you may already have it but a heated humidifier (in my case a stand alone works better), may contribute greatly to your comfort. That was one of the things which seemed to make things much better for me, along with Ayr Gel for my burning nose. Good Luck!

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:25 pm

Hi, I am a newly diagnosed apnea sufferer who has only been on CPAP for a week. It's all still a blur, went for the results of my sleep study expecting to be told I have a mild apnea, was told I had severe apnea, low blood oxygen saturation dipping into the 53%-55% range at times and 106 RDI, including one pause of 1 min 12 seconds without breathing.

Medical rep came urgently the same night with a plethora of CPAP info and machines to choose from. In Canada, gov pays 40% costs, insurance covers 80% of the remainder. I got a new Remstar Pro 2 with CFLEX.

I find that although I am not usually claustrophobic, I do feel somewhat claustrophobic with the mask. I have an initial pressure of 10 cm2 (doc says I need 10-14, starting on low end until titration) although this may need to be increased (titration sleep study happening soon).

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:30 pm

Anyway, I have been able to increase my time with the mask on from 45 mins to 1.8 hours in one session. Even with this limited usage, I am feeling a noticeable difference. Hopefully, I will use the mask for longer and feel even better with time.

I am also going to try turning off the CFLEX function as some people have said it is difficult to exhale with it on and I find that when I wake I feel like I can't breathe out and am suffocating.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:35 pm

I acutally ( my husband thought i was crazy) would talk to my self in the mirror with my mask on before going to bed and I would tell myself out loud to keep the mask on.

Yellocason, I've read of others who did essentially the same thing you did and conquered their problem of taking the mask off in their sleep.

Helps to have a comfortable mask, comfortable pressure, comfortable amount of humidity (lots, some, none depending on preference) and comfortable sleep environment. But if those things are in place, sometimes the final key could be talking to oneself about it before going to bed. Not so crazy as it sounds.

Jan in Colo. · Post by **Jan in Colo.** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:53 pm

Leedsquietman...

You and I have similar stories! I actually am married to an ENT doc who thought I "Might" have mild sleep apnea....went for my sleep study and found I had 77 arousals per hour, 85 AHI, 22? periodic leg movements per hour, bad enough to cause arousals....and my oxygen level went into the 50's and 60's as well. Severe, severe, severe sleep apnea, nothing mild about it.

Kind of shocking to hear those numbers about yourself, isn't it? Shoot, when we go to sleep, we're half dead, aren't we? Who knew?

I'm lucky in that I am totally determined to be compliant with this CPAP thing....I do not WANT to be half-dead at night! I want OXYGEN! So I have really not had many problems with the whole thing at all. I'm willing myself to do it and my experience has been going well.

Re: claustrophobia. Have you tried the Swift mask? Try that, there really isn't much on your face at all. If you have problems adjusting it, do a search on this board for "swift" and you will find loads of messages about getting it to work right.

Hang in there, you will get used to it. And you will feel better than you ever have before....and be healthier than you have been as well. That oxygen thing is really kind of important! It's okay to have a bit of a learning curve to go through, being a "hosehead" is a slightly strange experience, but it is certainly do-able and absolutely necessary for some of us "lucky" ones, lol. Keep writing to this forum, there are lots of people who have conquered any problem you may encounter and they will talk you through whatever problems you encounter. But don't give up!

Jan in Colo.

gracie97 · Post by **gracie97** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 1:29 am

John,

Another possible cause of mask removal, IMHO: Nasal congestion.

Sinus congestion usually peaks (due to circadian cycles of body chemistry) around 3-4 a.m. You may go to bed with no noticeable congestion, but develop it in the wee hours of the morning without realizing it, perhaps with only the removed mask as evidence.

If you're using a nasal interface and your sinuses stuff up in the night, removing the mask will be an automatic strategy.

Some people feel that adding more moisture to the CPAP air helps.

The simplest and seemingly least toxic method I've found of reducing nasal congestion is the over-the-counter sinus mast cell stabilizer mist, NasalCrom.

Grace

WAFlowers · Post by **WAFlowers** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:44 am

The only times I woke up to find I'd removed my mask were when I experienced some rainout (hose condensation from the heated humidifier being turned up too high). I theorize that the annoyance of the moisture bothered me enough that I removed what was bothering me without really waking up.

This happened 2 or 3 times while on a business trip (the room was colder than I was used to at home, leading to the rainout). Every time I'd eventually wake up and put the mask on again after turning down the humidifier.

I keep removing my airmask during sleep. HELP!

I keep removing my airmask during sleep. HELP!

Thanks