Need some support!

Hello CPAP peeps. I've recently been diagnosed with this fun incurable sleep illness. I was at first excited about the potential improvements to my life that I may experience using this CPAP device. Turns out i hate that little machine. Seriously. It seems like a 1930's solution. Anyway I was just wondering if people who are a bit further down the line from me could give me some dentification for my current experience using the CPAP deice and hopefully some hope that it improves.

I have a full face mask. I sleep on my front with my face virtually in the pillow. The worst possible position for this illness. I bought a special pillow but no pillow can allow me to sleep with one side of my face literally pushed into the pillow. I can get quite close to my normal sleeping position. Annoyingly that little bit seems to make quite a difference and i'm struggling to get to sleep. I AM NOT a fan of having a mask on whilst trying to sleep and having air blasted into my face. For half an hour it's on a low setting and then it blasts it at tornado speeds into my face. It blasts my mouth open like i'd stuck my head out of a plane and opened my mouth. That half an hour is supposed to be to allow me to fall asleep. Is that meant to be a joke? Fall asleep with that thing on my face in half an hour?

I also get some leakage blowing into my eyes which isn't fun and out the lower part underneath and to the side of my mouth. I've remedied this by having the mask on pretty tight. Moving a bit can loosen the straps and cause leakage.

I must sleep but it feels like really bad quality sleep and I haven't lasted longer than about 05:30 before I take it off and go to sleep without it in the spare room.

Does anyone closely relate to this experience? Should I be making any changes to my mask? Will I get used to this? Does it get like LOADS better to the point where I actually see some benefits in my day to day life from this wearing this thing?

It does get better faster than you can believe right now. Post your equipment and you will get lots of help here. I wish someone would make a snorkel like devise to go on the vents for stomach sleepers. Until that time you might want to look up the falcon position.

Sleeping on your side depends on mask and pillow.
First you need the mask that fits; then you need to have a pillow that works with it--in all positions.
The Sleepweaver Advance and Elan cloth masks are ideal for side or even stomach sleeping,
but someone sleeps on their side with nearly every mask made.
Sometimes, you just have to practice--we get used to our masks in time.
This only happens if it is the right one for the face you happen to be given.
A mask liner may also help: Pad-a-Cheek are reusable, and quite nice.

I have a soft down pillow that I can punch in at the side and have a nice little hole for half of my face, and the other half works itself out.

I am an ex-belly sleeper turned supine sleeper to facilitate CPAP.

I started out a little over a month ago with a full face mask (ffm). After two weeks of chasing leaks and neck strain from the headgear, I switched to nasal pillows and started sleeping much better (I was barely sleeping with the ffm).

Have you checked out the topics in the top menu for new users?
Have you tried spending some time with your mask on and/or machine on while awake? This trains your brain to accept this foreign (alien) on your face.

I have come to the point where in my treatment where I actually find my CPAP relaxing and found my daytime breathing improved now.

Just know you are not alone - many of us started out frustrated.

I sleep on my side/belly (some call it Falcon I believe). I started with nasal mask but switched to nasal pillows as I was more able to sleep in my desired position with less leaks.

Please do not despair. It takes time to adjust and sort out the best therapy. I reckon most people on here have tried at least a few different combinations of equipment before they find something suitable. It's worth the effort.