New mask...having lots of air hunger issues again

When I first got my cpap, I couldn't tolerate any mask at all. I tried two or three masks during the titration study, and left after a few hours never sleeping at all. Thus, my doctor just gave me an auto titrating cpap. Coming here made me really motivated to make it work. Eventually after trying several masks I was able to realize I could tolerating the minimalistic masks best. I used the P10 the longest. I big issue I had with my "wide open" APAP range was air hunger. I constantly felt like I was gasping for air, and needing to open my mouth to catch up on breathing. On advice from here, I upped my minimum to 6, and got rid of ramp. That solved my air hunger issue.

Eventually, having learned to tolerate the P10 at home, I went on to have a real, in lab, titration study. I had no apnea at a pressure of 6, but they still recommended a pressure of 8.

I like the P10 well enough, but I have a problem with it being too minimalistic. The mask falls off my face when I roll over. Sometimes this happens when I'm too asleep to notice, and I wake up with it on the floor. I added a hose clip. Now I wake up with it underneath my chest instead. I also find my nostrils get sore after awhile with the nasal pillows, so I wanted to find a better option.

That led me to the Dreamwear, which my DME let me try. It's by far the most comfortable mask I've tried. I don't notice I'm wearing it at all and it never leaks. I can toss and turn all I want and it stays firm.

My first night using it, I was back to lots of air hunger. I realized I had to turn the mask setting from pillows to nasal. The air hunger was gone, and I woke up 7 hours later with the mask still in place- completely unheard of previously for me. About double my longest stretch on cpap without waking up.

Nights since then the air hunger seems progressively worse, culminating yesterday (I was sleeping during the day- worked overnight last night). I turned the pressure up to a 7.4 minimum, and felt like I was gasping for air. Mentally I felt calm, and I could obviously tell the air was there, but I felt compelled to breath faster and faster until I was dizzy and headache. Then I started feeling bloated and had to get up and walk around and burp up air. What the heck? I put it away. That was the end of cpap yesterday.

Any ideas why my air hunger has suddenly returned? My next thought is to just try straight 8.

Maybe these responses might help?
viewtopic/t108973/DreamWear-air-flow.html#p1039390
If that doesn't work, cause I'm so freaking tech challenged, search 'dreamwear air flow' for the post.

Michelle-OH wrote:Maybe these responses might help?
viewtopic/t108973/DreamWear-air-flow.html#p1039390
If that doesn't work, cause I'm so freaking tech challenged, search 'dreamwear air flow' for the post.

Thank you! That thread describes exactly what my issue is to a T. I did search before posting, but I kept searching "air hunger," a term not used in that thread at all, so I never found it. It sounds like I need make sure the opening is lined up perfectly with my nostrils, and maybe try the next size up cushion. I'm using the small. I really hope it's that simple.

The dreamwear mask interests me, but I just bought my first mask Airfit P10, so it will be a while before I qualify for another mask thru insurance. Not that they covered the P10 actually, so I may try a dreamwear in the future and would love to hear how it works out for you!

Making sure the opening on the mask is angled up toward the nostrils made ALL the difference in the world on this. Thank you for linking the thread that had that advice. Trying to make it fit snugger I had it basically blowing the air onto my upper lip and hardly any getting in my nose. The second I angled the mask up, everything was better. Sometimes the simplest fix is the best.

Glad that helped! Also glad to hear you are liking that mask as I might try it in the future.