going to sleep with CPAP

[PFCSLR]

Ok let me ask another question. Has anyone else had a hard time getting to sleep while wearing their mask? I keep feeling like I am wearing SCUBA gear, and the adrenaline form the feeling of exploring keeps me focused on my breathing and keeps me awake. Last night I woke up at 2:30 to pee and put my mask back on while drowsy. WOW DO I FEEL GREAT!!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get past the "SCUBA effect" so to speak, I want MORE of this!

My thanks to everyone who has helped so far your help has been greatly appreciated!!




Thank y'all,
Searn

[BlackSpinner]

Ok let me ask another question. Has anyone else had a hard time getting to sleep while wearing their mask? I keep feeling like I am wearing SCUBA gear, and the adrenaline form the feeling of exploring keeps me focused on my breathing and keeps me awake. Last night I woke up at 2:30 to pee and put my mask back on while drowsy. WOW DO I FEEL GREAT!!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get past the "SCUBA effect" so to speak, I want MORE of this!

My thanks to everyone who has helped so far your help has been greatly appreciated!!




Thank y'all,
Searn

Wear it while watching tv in the evening to get your body/mind used to it.
Use a liner to get the icky silicon feel of your face.

[nanwilson]

Ok let me ask another question. Has anyone else had a hard time getting to sleep while wearing their mask? I keep feeling like I am wearing SCUBA gear, and the adrenaline form the feeling of exploring keeps me focused on my breathing and keeps me awake. Last night I woke up at 2:30 to pee and put my mask back on while drowsy. WOW DO I FEEL GREAT!!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get past the "SCUBA effect" so to speak, I want MORE of this!

My thanks to everyone who has helped so far your help has been greatly appreciated!!




Thank y'all,
Searn

Morning
A small hint...don't take your mask of, just turn off your machine and unhook the hose from the mask. That way all you have to do when you get back to bed is hook up and turn on...no fiddling with the mask. The "scuba" effect will soon wear off and you will get used to all that gear on your face. Happy to hear you are getting the rest you so deserve!!!!!!
Cheers
Nan

[Maxie]

I made a pledge to myself to NOT take my mask off once I put it on and go to bed. I uncouple the hose if I have to go to the bathroom and reconnect when I return. I use auto on/off with my machine so all I do is plug in the hose, lie down and it's back to sleep. I think that once you get the mask comfortable it's good not to take off, I've scared the dog wearing my mask but he got over it!

[chunkyfrog]

When I woke up with a sweaty face,
I would use an unscented baby wipe on mask and face to make things clean and fresh again.
Mask liners are wonderful--all year long.
Eventually most of us feel weird without our gear on.

[PFCSLR]

I have noticed that the quick disconnect between the hose and mask is a great feature as everyone has mentioned. I have worn all kinds of masks through my life weather SCUBA, HAZMAT respirators, or SCBA. my individual issue is that all of these involved a certian level of adrenaline and or heightened alertness. Now my body is responding the same way to the CPAP mask. I know that it is a matter of mental conditioning, I am curious if anyone here has has similar experiences. Especially any military or first responders who might have had similar experiences.

I am happily anticipating the time when I don my mask and feel sleepy and ready to rest. I am envious of all of you who are already doing so. Please don't take my post as being ungrateful or rude, it in not meant that way at all. As with every new experience in my life I am very grateful for any and all advice, pointers, and help offered by those who have gone before me!





Respectfully,
Searn

[jjlady]

I can feel dead exhausted but the minute I put the mask on I am wide awake.

[JohnO]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get past the "SCUBA effect" so to speak, I want MORE of this!

My SCUBA experiences were all just of the Open Water - look at the fishies type, so it wasn't too stressful for me. I do think wearing the CPAP mask (I currently have a nasal mask) and wearing a SCUBA mask are pretty similar. I get the same rush when the machine fires up, and I need to start syncing my breathing. It is like the first dive of summer where you are 20 feet down and get anxious, and worry that you have forgotten how to breath! I just start breathing slow and steady for a few breaths, then try to focus on something other than my breathing. I often start thinking of a great vacation, or other pleasant past experience, and pretty soon I fall asleep. I've only been on the hose for 18 days, so I am by no means an expert, but that is what works for me.

As others have said, it might be easier to disconnect the mask from the hose if you have to get up. I tried that once, and almost destroyed my hose, as I was half-asleep, and tried to disconnect the rubber part of the hose end from the hose itself! Now I have a badly stretched segment at the end of the hose.

John

[PFCSLR]

Hey JohnO,

I know what you mean about making little mistakes while tired. While in Panama we were exhausted, but being 20, we decided to go diving for sea urchins. We knew a great place to go and see who could collect the most, so the race was on! Well I was tired and in a hurry to this little bed of them that was around 80' and I couldn't figure what was wrong with my vision, it was getting more and more blurry.....until I remembered to equalize my mask. I had a face hicky and blood shot eyes for a week and was the butt of all of my buddies jokes.

How long until your DME sends out another hose?

[n0hardmask]

I have noticed that the quick disconnect between the hose and mask is a great feature as everyone has mentioned. I have worn all kinds of masks through my life weather SCUBA, HAZMAT respirators, or SCBA. my individual issue is that all of these involved a certian level of adrenaline and or heightened alertness. Now my body is responding the same way to the CPAP mask. I know that it is a matter of mental conditioning, I am curious if anyone here has has similar experiences. Especially any military or first responders who might have had similar experiences.
Respectfully,
Searn

Howdy,
Interesting that you ask about military, etc experience. Because I was an AF pilot, I was used to pressure breathing a looong time ago. So even at 12 or 13, cmH2O, it wasn't too bothersome. I acclimated to that really well. My problems were taming the leaks- it got so if my or spouse's mask started squealing, I'd go nuts.
Hang in there; with the realizatiion that this is so HELPFUL, you should calm down and even look forward to using the mask... in fact, due to my daytime breathing challenges, I tend to want to take naps -with my SleepWeaver. It does get better, with practice.

[PFCSLR]

nOhardmask,

What did you fly? I used to play with y'all all the time either jumping or CAS. I never really got a chance to see y'all land though.

[xenablue]

Wear it for a few minutes in bed, watching some mindless TV while you tweak your mask to find the best fit - comfortable, but snug.

I've been at the for almost 2 years and that's still what I do every night (an episode of Jeopardy does it for me).

I also wore mine in the beginning to just watch TV in the living room to get my mind around wearing a mask. You have to convince your brain it's OK to give yourself over to the machine

Cheers,
xena

[BlackSpinner]

You have to convince your brain it's OK to give yourself over to the machine

"resistance is futile" ("press 2 for French in Canada")