Can't sleep like this.

I've tried the Airfit P10, Swift FX, Swift FX Nano, DreamWear, and now the Nuance. I have not been able to fall asleep with any of them.

I lay there breathing like Darth Vader and can. not. sleep. As soon as I take the mask off and roll on my stomach I can sleep -- bad sleep-apnea sleep is better than no sleep at all.

I had hoped for a life-altering transformation.


Airfit P10, Swift FX: Uncomfortable on my nostrils. No way to stop thinking This thing is on my nose, this thing is on my nose...

Swift FX Nano: Couldn't lay on side easily...on stomach is out of the question. So have to lay on my back the whole night like I'm in a hospital ward.

DreamWear: The most comfortable, but the material irritated my skin, even after washing it.

Nuance: I have tried this only once, last night. Was hoping for more comfort. Feels the same as P10 and FX but with more difficulty getting a good seal. Went back and forth between sizes trying to get a good fit.

Wearing the mask, with machine running, while watching TV has helped others get comfortable with it.
Sleeping without the machine should never be an option if you have apnea.

You can sleep on your front with the mask (most of them I think), because many other people do it... if you're forcing yourself to sleep in an unnatural position for you, it won't work. Have you tried wearing it while on your stomach? There are ways to adapt.

Might need to try something new?

Never used a nasal mask, ffm, sleep on my stomach most of the time. Took me a couple months to figure it out, but been 9+ years since. Rarely have a bad night.

Trench wrote:I've tried the Airfit P10, Swift FX, Swift FX Nano, DreamWear, and now the Nuance. I have not been able to fall asleep with any of them.

I lay there breathing like Darth Vader and can. not. sleep. As soon as I take the mask off and roll on my stomach I can sleep -- bad sleep-apnea sleep is better than no sleep at all.

I had hoped for a life-altering transformation.


Airfit P10, Swift FX: Uncomfortable on my nostrils. No way to stop thinking This thing is on my nose, this thing is on my nose...

Swift FX Nano: Couldn't lay on side easily...on stomach is out of the question. So have to lay on my back the whole night like I'm in a hospital ward.

DreamWear: The most comfortable, but the material irritated my skin, even after washing it.

Nuance: I have tried this only once, last night. Was hoping for more comfort. Feels the same as P10 and FX but with more difficulty getting a good seal. Went back and forth between sizes trying to get a good fit.

Hi Trench,

This site gives pictures of what is known as the "Falcon Position" which shows you how to sleep on your stomach with a mask. Hope it this helps.

http://www.uarsrelief.com/sleeppositions.html

+1 for using the cpap machine and mask while you are wide awake and watching tv or surfing the net. It's something that you can get used to - and surprisingly quickly. Do not use the ramp, as you're not trying to fall asleep but just get used to the machine. You may need to raise the minimum pressure to a level that is comfortable to breath with. The folks here can tell you how to do that.

If you have skin irritation due to the nasal pillows, Lansinoh is recommended.

When you have sleep apnea and you sleep without cpap, you are doing additional cumulative damage to your body and mind. If you need cpap, you need to find a way to make it work for you.

Trench,
Your right, it is very difficult to switch from sleeping on your stomach to your back or side. It took me months, feeling just like you do. I would finaly flip on my stomach and immediately feel relief, but found it impossible to do this with the mask on. I finally got sort of used to it, and I don't think I change positions much any more. I usually sleep on my back now, sometimes either side. Keep at it, you will eventually adjust.
Jim

Trench wrote: As soon as I take the mask off and roll on my stomach I can sleep -- bad sleep-apnea sleep is better than no sleep at all.

This is why you can't sleep with your mask on. Every time you take it off, and fall asleep, you teach yourself that the way to fall asleep is to take the mask off. The best thing that you can do is plan a 3-4 day weekend within the next few weeks. Take a couple of days off work to accomplish this. Don't bother with your CPAP until then. You are just making it harder every time you go through the cycle of putting the mask on, taking it off, and falling asleep.

From the first night, NEVER sleep without your CPAP. Notice, that I didn't tell you to sleep with it. You cannot force yourself to fall asleep, but you have control over whether or not you put the mask on your face. If you want to take the mask off, go ahead. Just get up, and go do something else. Surf the net. Read posts on this message board. Look up inspiring stories on you tube about people who had success with CPAP, and imagine how good its going to be once you are finally adjusted. Then try going back to bed, putting the mask back on. Have some things to do like clean up your garage or basement over the weekend, but don't plan on doing anything that you couldn't do while exhausted. Your body cannot stay awake indefinitely, and I guarantee within the first two nights, you will sleep a few hours with the CPAP but only if you never sleep without it.

I recently looked back at my data from the first week, and I can't believe how horrible the first few days were compared to now. My first night, I had 9 sessions (meaning I took my mask off 9 times) and slept about 3 hours total. The second night was a little better, and the third even better. The very first time you sleep 2 hours straight, you will get real, uninterrupted deep sleep. If you have severe OSA, this is something you haven't had in years. About 5 hours of sleep without OSA will put you on par with 8 hours of sleep with OSA.

Hi Trench. Been going through a lot of the same issues as you, and am about one month in too, and last night I made it 7.5 hours with my mask on! How much of that I actually slept, I really don't know. But it was on, and I was resting and I definitely slept some. I tell myself that 5 hours sleep with the mask is better than a week of sleep without it. My AHI without the CPAP is 42! And my RDI is 70! So my poor heart and brain have been taking a beating for a long time. It's time to give them a break.

The turning point for me came a week and a half ago at my neurologist's (she is also my sleep doctor) office. She told me she was concerned that the mask is causing me anxiety and insomnia, and referred me to a psychologist (my first appointment is this Monday). I was thinking she'd tell me to go ahead and give up, and we'd explore other options for me. She did no such thing. She said "I also use a CPAP, and my pressure starts 2 points higher than yours. I would never sleep without my CPAP. I put it on and go to my cozy place. I can talk normally with it on now. Unlike a struggle with, say, weight loss, this is a struggle that will end. Your brain will begin to associate the mask with sleep and you will like using it. And the struggle you're facing now will be over. You say you hate every mask and you switch masks every night, sometimes in the middle of the night. You have to stop doing this. Pick the mask you hate the least and commit to it. Let your brain begin to associate one mask with sleep. Put the others away, somewhere you cannot get to them in the middle of the night. Turn off your phone and stop checking your AHI in the middle of the night. Remember that the air you're breathing is filtered by a HEPA filter. You are breathing cleaner air than almost everyone on the planet. You are very fortunate. Think about these and other positive things when you sleep. Your wonderful, comfortable bed, your clean air, this quiet peaceful time you have for yourself."

Her little talk really encouraged me. I picked a mask (Philips Respironics Wisp nasal mask) and sleep with it every night now. I am up to almost sleeping the entire night with it. There have been nights when I wake up in the middle of the night and take it off and go to the bathroom. I get back in bed and lay down with the mask still off. And I think to myself "if I don't put it back on, I'm hurting my heart, and I'm hurting my brain. And I'm hurting every person who loves me and wants me to be well". And I put it back on and drift back to sleep. Some evenings it takes awhile to fall asleep. Other evenings I fall asleep quickly. But this was the same before I went on the CPAP.

I tried: Philips Nuance Gel Pro, Quattro Mirage full face for her, Philips Pico, Philips Dreamwear, Airfit P10 nasal pillows for her, and Philips Wisp. That's six masks that I hated. I decided I truly cannot stand something in my nose. Having something over my nose is the lesser of the evils. I woke up in a hysterical panic with the full face mask the two nights I tried it and ripped it off, practically screaming after two hours. The Dreamwear made me sound like Darth Vader; I was breathing so loudly it kept me up literally two nights the entire night and I had to call out sick to work! The Wisp and the Pico I didn't like, but could tolerate. So I went with that when deciding which was my "keeper". The Wisp no longer bothers me and I've almost got breathing normally with it down now.

I am not a quitter. Neither are you. You can do it! We both can. The blocks you are experiencing are psychological and you can overcome them. If you need someone who can relate, send me a message. My AHI is still a little high (like 7.5) with the CPAP, so I'll start working on that soon. But first I'm working towards never sleeping without my mask. It is literally a lifesaver. Maybe thinking of it that way will help you. Best wishes.

You may have to take a sleep aid.

Most things in life that have any real meaning require some struggle... sometimes even evolving into a knock-down-drag-out brawl (as in your case).

You can do this if you want to experience real sleep, but you have to stick in there. Come to CPAPtalk as many times as you want, come back especially when you feel failure is looming large. Never be afraid to ask for help - most of us have faced problems as complex as yours.

Side note: a month on ambien may not be a bad idea but work with your sleep doctor regarding that.

Love the elephant avatar.

I think we all have been in your position, I have never thought of quitting because there is no better alternative.

It takes persistence, willpower, research (and this forum has been a lifesaver for me) and trying different masks, etc.

It takes time, I'm only two months in and I feel like I am successfully getting to a point where I am feeling I can make it.

Last night was almost perfect and I know I am getting a better machine and mask to be even better.

Don't give up but it does take work and persistance.