3 Weeks and I'm Ready to Give Up

Well I spent a ton of money on a sleep study and machine and I'm thinking I have made a huge mistake. I'm seriously thinking of selling my machine and recovering what I can and cut my losses. The mask is just killing me. It wears out the bridge of my nose and cuts me between my nose and mustache. I either have problems with leaks or terrible marks all over my face from straps. I'm trying to think of alternatives. My AHI at the sleep lab was only 4.7. My RDI was only 9.5. I thought anything under 5 was considered normal. I never achieved REM sleep and I bet that has a lot to do with where I was. I also take medication that tends to suppress REM. (Thanks to 49er, I found a website that is helping me taper off of it all.) I wonder if that was my problem all along. I can't remember a time when I could stay awake during the day and concentrate or focus. That's also a side effect of the blasted medicine that I was given by the doctor. (20 mg Lexapro and 2 mg of Xanax daily.) I also tend to be very stressed out all the time, which I'm sure plays a part in all of it. I'm just very discouraged. Between my mask killing me and the fact that my diagnosis was so mild, I just wander if it is even worth the treatment.

It's okay to feel like you wanna give up. And you can. But you always have the option to make a come back. Maybe you just need a break.

Well it could be meds or it could be apnea's or both. You do really sound like you could use more sleep whatever the reason. The good news is that you have a good machine and that looking for a mask most place have a 30 day return policy, so you don't have to buy 23 of them to find the right one. There are so many kinds of masks and you do not have to put up with one that does not work. I use a simplus full face (nose and mouth) and it is working for me as long as I resist over tightening it. Tighter does not always mean less leak with these things.

There are many settings on your machine, some are "required" for what condition you have and others are comfort so you will put up with treatment.

There are many great people here, but they will need more info. What are your settings? what kind of apnea's do you have? do you use "sleepyhead" free software? (if not get it and a card reader so you can know what is happening while you sleep). How many hours are you sleeping a night? with the mask on? Most likely more questions from others.

You already have the machine, if you are willing to put in more time/effort, the group here will help you find out for sure if you need to be using one.

Is there another thread on here, started by you that is already talking about the above things?

Is there a reason why you haven't tried other masks? Nowhere does it say you have to suffer to use Cpap!

I also have mild apnea and have been taking an SSRI for anxiety and depression. However, I don't believe that the med is causing my apnea. In fact, I think that the apnea makes the depression ad anxiety worse. So I'm trying to stick with the APAP for at least three months to see if it helps. I'm a month in now. Re: masks, if you haven;t tried the nasal pillow type, you might want to. They are much gentler. That's what I use, and it is pretty comfortable. Re: whether you need the CPAP therapy, your modest AHI would seem borderline, but what about your symptoms, i.e. day time sleepiness?

Okay I have gone back and read your other posts. I didn't see any sleepyhead data posted, why not?
These machines do not adjust themselves. I have only seen one person so far say the machine did everything they wanted right out of the box.
This stuff is important to your therapy.
you want to see if you can get a good return on your investment in a study and a machine, well let's go then. help us out.
If not, well then best of luck! (I mean that, not being snarky)

" I think that the apnea makes the depression ad anxiety worse" lack of good sleep makes everything worse. This is good insight into what's going on with your treatment.
Head down, keep moving-don't let anxiety and depression rob you. Forget what you feel about it and just do it, why not? If it does not work, so what! No damage done. If it does work then great, you won without risking anything.

Thanks everyone. I am going to use this thread from now on and quit starting new ones. That way whatever is said will be in one place. I'm reading what you guys are saying. I'm a little slow these days (lack of concentration) so it will take me a while. I also need to seriously think about what to do. I have heard the P10 is a great mask but that it doesn't fit everyone because the straps aren't adjustable. I've also heard they give you Ms. Piggy nostrils. The FX's also have great reviews. I wish there was a way to make your machine read what your apneas are without treatment, kind of like the first night of testing without a machine. I'll be back.

Are you using any "comfort" items. Pad A Cheek makes some great items that help with mask comfort. Also, our host has a website that has nose pads and mask liners to improve comfort.
Every strap on my mask has a pad or liner on it. Makes a huge difference in the comfort level.

Hi rockncountry,

Finding the right mask for your face is the hardest part. Clearly, what you have now is not working for you. Those with facial hair and many others do best with nasal pillows.

You can see the most popular nasal pillows on our host's site here: https://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks/nasal-p ... p-mask.php Some of them have free return insurance and other have it available as an option.

I did a couple of polls here that you might find interesting to see what others are using: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104522 and just today: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106883

You can do this! It's just a matter of finding the right mask for you. When I first started I had all the same problems you mentioned and it was painful! Luckily, I found the Breeze nasal pillows and they have served me well even though I am currently trying another couple of masks to see how they work for me. Just don't give up. The toll apnea takes on your body and mind are great.

Sounds familiar

My sleep apnea is severe, so it was pretty obvious in the diagnosis phase that I have sleep apnea. But I want to show you my sleep graph. It was very clear that my sleep cycles were so messed up that I could not get to REM sleep. It had nothing to do with the sleep test conditions. Once they put on the cpap,my sleep normalized into very distinct sleep patterns including deep sleep and REM.

Check out the obvious difference once the cpap starts. Yes, this is more obvious when somebody is severe untreated and then well treated. But, even somebody mild can have great treatment once the right mask is found and optimum settings are used.

I didn't achieve REM during my titration. I have always dreamed, but have poor sleep architecture or so the study says. It says to attain an ideal weight (I'm 5'8" and weight 170) and they want another study done if I lose 10% of my body weight. Yeah right...ain't happening. That's why I bought my own machine.

rockncountry101 wrote:I have heard the P10 is a great mask but that it doesn't fit everyone because the straps aren't adjustable. I've also heard they give you Ms. Piggy nostrils.

Incorrect. It most certainly is adjustable...the headgear itself is elastic and stretches a lot plus there is additional adjustments in terms of tension with how close or far apart you have the straps.
You might want to watch the fitting video if the P10 interests you.
Also...any mask can give someone piggy nose if the straps are too tight.
I don't get piggy nose at all with the P10.

Main drawback for the P10 is for the people who have really large heads. The elastic might not stretch out enough.

The Swift FX nasal pillow does have more ability to fine tune the fitting adjustments.

Watch the fitting videos (available at the mask product page at cpap.com).

I love the P10. I don't really notice it when I'm sleeping. I feel lucky that I hit a home run on my first "mask." I would definitely try a nasal pillow before giving up.