Two days in

Or more correctly, two nights. After being diagnosed and going through the sleep study, I was prescribed a CPAP. Picked it up two days ago and put it right to use. Looking forward to getting used to it and getting some good sleep but at least in the first two nights its been tough going. Any and all comments are appreciated.

During the sleep study, they put a full face mask on and with all the other stuff it was rather oppressive. So the doc suggested maybe trying a nasal mask first since I hadn't during the sleep study. In the Tech's office, trying things on the nasal mask does seem much less cumbersome and claustraphobic, and the machine seems pretty quiet. The Tech told me to try to use it at least two or three hours the first night and work up from there. I guess some people give up quickly on it and have trouble getting started, I can relate.

So the first night, it didn't seem too bad when i put it on and got started but the sound of the machine, I hadn't bargained for. As I breathed in and out, the pitch of the machine went up and down, and was quite distracting. Maybe some earplugs are in order.

I had to of course keep my mouth closed and breathe through my nose only. I thought this would be tough, since I seemed to breathe through my mouth normally when i sleep or so I thought. But that wasn't too bad. If I opened my mouth, it was uncomfortable with the air moving through, so it seems to train me to keep it closed. Guess that means I would make a good dog.

As the night wore on, I seemed to wake up about every hour. The pressure from the mask, and the irritation in my sinuses with the air moving through the way it does, kind of gave me a mild to moderate headache that I've had the last two days to some extent. My sinuses feeld kind of irritated and puffy. I think that may mean I need to up my humidity. Its on a 4 out of 10 now, so I'll try a 5 tonight.

The first night I had the mask on about 2 1/2 hours, last night four hours.

On the good side of things, I'm pleasantly surprised of the freedom of movement. I can lay on either side easily, I tend to move back and forth to get comfortable, and the tube and mask doesn't seem to get in the way. So hopefully it will be a matter of adding some humidity annd getting a little more used to it every night. But at least for the first two nights, waking up everyone hour is really a drag, and I'm even more tired that I was before.

Thanks for reading. Jim.

Welcome to the forum, Jim.

If you haven't yet, go up to the yellow lightbulb icon and read "Our Wisdom". Lots of reading there, but it'll help you to be more knowledgeable and better able to cope with this new way of sleeping.

We've all "been there.....done that". Take it a night at a time......"baby steps".

Hang in there.

Den

Welcome!

You sound like you're experiencing much what many of us did when first starting. I also encourage you to hang in there : )

You'll identify, for you, what changes need to be made and make them over time. Eventually, you'll settle in to a routine that will be comfortable for you. I've been on APAP for over a year now and while I would love to not have to wear a mask or deal with drying, cleaning, etc, I can say that it really isn't that big a deal. I think of where I would be if I didn't live now, and instead lived when there were no machines that were data capable, no light silicone masks, no state of the art period - or worse yet, no apnea therapy at all. Then I'm grateful and mask up, knowing I'll potentially live a longer healthier life.

Don't hesitate to post even what you may think is a trivial annoyance. Nothing is trivial when trying to get a good night's sleep!

Welcome to the forum! What I have found that works best is to use a white noise generator of some kind, like a fan, and that will usually drown out the noise of the machine. Some will put the machine on the floor or in the drawer of their nightstand. You may need a bit more humidity, or you may need less, or you may just need to let your sinuses adjust. I had problems with a stuffy nose, sinuses and headaches in the beginning, but those subsided and eventually passed. Hopefully you will sleep more and more each night and start getting some good sleep again. Best of luck to you!

jimfromgeorgia wrote: but the sound of the machine, I hadn't bargained for. As I breathed in and out, the pitch of the machine went up and down, and was quite distracting.
Thanks for reading. Jim.

J from G, you're on the road to recovery.
Keep an open mind.
If something doesn't work, try something else.
Lots of options here. Lots of answers here.

I had a hard time w/the sound of the machine, at first, too.
I adjusted my attitude toward the machine.
Now, for me, it's not a distracting sound, it is the
sweet sound of health.

I named my machine and mask, Grace.....

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

....but this is just me.

Whatever it takes, put that mask on. Believe.

All the best on your journey!!! I'll be seeing you on down the cpap road.

My sinuses feeld kind of irritated and puffy. I think that may mean I need to up my humidity. Its on a 4 out of 10 now, so I'll try a 5 tonight.

Just wanted to say some people do better with the humidifier off, just the air going past the water on the way to you (called "passover humidification"). More humidity sometimes makes you more stuffy. I found this to be correct for me. Also, I tried the full face mask during sleep study, found it claustrophobic, but wound up with it when I got my machine, and I do like it. Your real life is _very_ different from a sleep study!

Caveat, I am a newbie myself, 1 month using the machine.

Chris

jimfromgeorgia wrote:I had to of course keep my mouth closed and breathe through my nose only. I thought this would be tough, since I seemed to breathe through my mouth normally when i sleep or so I thought. But that wasn't too bad. If I opened my mouth, it was uncomfortable with the air moving through, so it seems to train me to keep it closed.

Jim, I had the exact same experience! When I first started on CPAP, if I opened my mouth there would be a huge rush of air, and I would wake up and close my mouth.

Then I started sleeping through the night without waking up like that, and I thought, "Gee, I've trained myself not to breathe through my mouth."


Imagine my surprise when I found out what I had trained myself to do was ignore the rushing air so I could continue to sleep. The same as I trained myself to ignore the feel of the mask on my face so I could sleep, ignore the sound of the mask so I could sleep, ignore the sound of the machine so I could sleep, ignore the hose resting on various parts of my body so I could sleep...........