New user, mask choice difficulty

I am new to Capp, and have tried 3 different masks already. None of which seem to leave me "rested and feeling alert". I am tossing and turning all night, still struggle with the sense of claustrophobia the minute the machine is turned on. I am a side sleeper and have been unable to sleep on my side with any of the 3 masks I have tried. Help!

You'll need to give us some more detail to give you any useful help. Go ahead and register and fill out your profile with what equipment you're using, and then tell us what masks you've used so far. Some masks are better than others for side sleepers, and there are other things to look at as well, like the pillow you're using.

On the general claustrophobia, that's also something that will improve over time, and may be something you can solve with a different style of mask. First, let's get more information on what you're doing now.

finding the right mask is an important first step in successful CPAP treatment.

please follow linuxman's advice and finish your profile so we know what mask and machine you are using.

folks here WILL help you. they just need a bit more info.

You mentioned claustrophobia the moment you turned the machine one. You
may want to read this thread.



viewtopic/t88639/desensitization.html

What are your pressure settings - it's more likely that the low one needs raising (from a level not high enough to breathe comfortably at).

What masks have you tried so far? What are your pressure settings?

How new to CPAP are you? What time period (days, weeks) have you tried each mask for?
Most of us found it hard to get used to wearing a mask at first, try using your machine and mask while reading or watching TV to acclimatize yourself gradually. And maybe don't try to sleep with it all night at first, but slowly build up your usage hours until you can manage the whole night. Eventually it will feel a lot easier and less noticeable.
More info though please.

The mask issue is one place the Sleep Center and DME fell down for me. At my titration the tech came in with a mask, put it on and it worked pretty leak free. There was no discussion about what type of mask I wanted, needed, or my sleep habits. When I got to the DME they had the same mask selected for me. I pointed out that the prescription actually said or user preference. I tried on one other mask and did not like it o ended up with the one originally specified. Somehow we need to be able to try a wider selection of masks, sizes and types to see what feels the best. Preferably under actual use pressures and positions. The DME did say I could return the mask within 30 days to get a different one, but without trying out a bunch how can I know what I want/need?

TASmart wrote:The DME did say I could return the mask within 30 days to get a different one, but without trying out a bunch how can I know what I want/need?

You can't really without trying on a bunch of masks and learning what your own personal preferences are ...what you hate and what you love and what you can live with.

You can fine tune the selection by deciding what type of mask you want...nasal pillow, nasal cushion or full face mask.
The look at the many different mask options out there and decide what would be a deal breaker or deal maker for you and get you to fine tune a few more things but the final decision has to be from actually trying out the mask...and preferably laying in bed and under pressure.

I learned at the titration sleep study that any mask that touched the bridge of my nose caused some serious congestion issues so I had to limit any mask I looked at to the masks that didn't touch the bridge of my nose.
Left me pretty much with the nasal pillow masks to look at and one full face mask (the hybrid that didn't touch my nasal bridge but used pillows) to check out. So that's part of my own personal preferences and needs...each person is an individual and my personal preferences and needs might not be the same as the next person.

If you're a side sleeper, you need a pillow with a cut-out for the mask, or learn how to scrunch down to just the corner of your current bed pillow. I was in WalMart the other night and saw a box of "emoji" pillows - one was a unicorn, and I thought my mask would just fit inside that little "C" of the horse's neck!

Ed

I thought I would never find THE mask. I did find some that would work fairly well but I still swap out from time to time. I can't imagine having only one mask night after night. There were times that I thought I found the one and then woke up ready to throw it at the wall. I have several in my drawer and often switch during the night. So far the P10 is the closest but I am still looking. To make a short story long, it can take a long time to find the right one. It has for me.

I went through about 10 masks before I found one I can actually tolerate. I am looking forward to giving the new F20 a try later this week. This time, I hope to use more than just one night.

Read the mask primer in my Sig. That should give you some ideas

I found having my machine set for exhalation relief, really made a difference for that claustrophobic feeling. And later, a more minimal mask also helped. I'm a side sleeper and the DreamWear works great for me.