Always removing CPAP mask unconsciously!

[maskremover]

Hey everyone!

I hope I can find an answer to my problem here. I keep on removing my mask during my sleep. I don't notice it. I feel like my sleep would be so much more relaxing and restful if I stop removing it.

Any tips or tricks? Please? I am desperate!

[OkyDoky]

Hey everyone!

I hope I can find an answer to my problem here. I keep on removing my mask during my sleep. I don't notice it. I feel like my sleep would be so much more relaxing and restful if I stop removing it.

Any tips or tricks? Please? I am desperate!

What mask are you using? Are you comfortable sleeping with the mask? If so you have to make it difficult to remove. Tape the straps where it wakes you up when you take it off. Put socks on your hands. And when you wake up to what you are doing, put it back on. Keep telling yourself this is a good thing to do. Your brain has to be retrained to a new normal.

[LSAT]

Hey everyone!

I hope I can find an answer to my problem here. I keep on removing my mask during my sleep. I don't notice it. I feel like my sleep would be so much more relaxing and restful if I stop removing it.

Any tips or tricks? Please? I am desperate!

.

You have got to make yourself comfortable with the mask on. Try wearing it while you watch TV or just relaxing in the evening. After a few days you should overcome this problem. It would be helpful to know what mask you are using.

[garagelogician]

Hey everyone!

I hope I can find an answer to my problem here. I keep on removing my mask during my sleep. I don't notice it. I feel like my sleep would be so much more relaxing and restful if I stop removing it.

Any tips or tricks? Please? I am desperate!

How long have you been on CPAP? Have you ever had a night where you don't remove it? Do you know your pressure setting?

If you have a data capable machine, you can download a program called Sleepyhead that will let you look at the data your machine collects. While not the only possible cause, your pressure settings might not be high enough.

This video may help (he talks some about this very problem): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_paIBpMcWk

[Sir NoddinOff]

There's been a lot of good threads on this in the past few months. Try using the search box right under the CPAPtalk logo above. Type in removing mask or taking off my mask. And so forth, I'm sure you get the picture.

[SewTired]

I didn't have this problem for 5 months, and bang, as soon as the furnace was running regularly, I started taking my mask off in my sleep. I switched around to my different masks and still did it. I found that I had to go back to the Swift FX. I'm not sure if the problem is related, but it vents appreciably more than my other masks. I only switched to other masks because the venting annoyed my cat.

[chunkyfrog]

Maybe the bedroom temperature has changed, and the mask either makes you sweat or chills your face.
You could try a mask liner; you can cut your own from an old T-shirt or new Viva towel.
If that helps, Pad a Cheek makes very nice reusable ones that can last for months.
If you could let us know what mask you have, we can help you better.

[maskremover]

I really need your help guys. I am not having a proper night of sleep and I am always feeling tired. I really miss feeling good when I wake up.

I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea for now 3 years +. At first, I did not remove the mask. I stopped being compliant at some point and when tried to reput the mask (now 1 year +), I keep on removing it in my sleep. I have tried everything: alarm on machine to wake me up, putting socks on my hands so I don't remove the mask, changing the humidification, changing the pressure... EVERYTHING. There was time where I was lucky enough and woke up to see the mask removed, I tried to put it back, but I felt so uncomfortable, like I can't breath with it.

I downloaded SleepyHead and tried to read the data, but I hardly can understand it. Maybe if there is someone here I could send it too and that person can read it and let me know the problem.

My CPAP machine is: System One Resperonics. My mask is ResMed AirFit F10.

I wake up every morning feeling so exhausted, dry nose (even though the humidity is on max), headaches from time to time, confused, tired. I force myself out of bed. I know the CPAP is helping, because even with the small amount I am wearing it, it helps a lot. If I don't wear it, I am unable to get out of bed.

Throughout the day I feel like I have mucous in the throat and I spit small amount of mucus (through clearing my throat... making unpleasant noises). But my doctor told me I don't spit much which is not worrisome and there is no color, so not worrisome.

My doctor is unable to provide me with answers to why I remove the mask. I hope someone here can help out. I am a student, I have juvenile arthritis and hypothyroidism on top of that. I really hope my sleep could get better so I my other conditions become less exacerbated too.

Thanks so much for your help everyone.

[OkyDoky]

Begin by taking the water out and looking on the bottom of your Blower unit for a REF# then put it in your equipment profile. This link will help. wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile
If the link doesn't show you can type it in the Comments section.

You can post here your Sleepyhead screenshots. Here is a link that will help. It is 3 pages so at the bottom of the page click on the next topic. https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize
I have also put together these tips to help.
On the left side turn off the calendar by clicking on the triangle by the date.
Also the pie chart doesn't give us very much info so you can turn it off by going to File - Preferences -Appearance - Uncheck Show event break down pie chart
That allows us to see the machine details on the left.

The graphs that are usually helpful are:
1. Event Flags
2. Flow Rate
3. Pressure (not mask pressure)
4. Leak
5. Flow Limit (only with Resmed machine)
Put your graph in that order by grabbing, by the labels, with your mouse and dragging it where you want it.
Now grab the line between the graphs and resize them until you get them in one screenshot.

Take a screen shot after you organize your graphs.
F10 will close the right sidebar ( or click file - view - uncheck right side bar).
F11 ( or click file - view - check fullscreen toggle) on your keyboard before you take your screenshot and it makes it full screen with no ID info.
Take a screenshot by pushing F12 or under View - click on Screenshot
Screenshots are found on my computer under Documents - SleepyHeadData-Testing - Screenshots

Then at Imgur you have to sign up for an account then sign in. upload your pic.
Click on the triangle by your ID in the upper right corner and a menu will drop down.
Choose Images this will take you to a screen with your uploaded images on it. Click on the image you want.
Click on Large thumbnail then copy the Linked BB code into your reply. Here is an uploaded screenshot for example.

[maskremover]

Thank you so much for your quick answer. Here I did all that you asked!

[maskremover]

http://i.imgur.com/89aC2i8.png?1

[OkyDoky]

Must have missed something somewhere. If you look at the image I posted and see the bottom right corner where I underlined Large Thumbnail (click there)
then where I circled the Linked BB Code (copy it and put it into your post). Then you will have a thumbnail that can be clicked on to enlarge. Try it on my screenshot.

[englandsf]

Two quick questions -

One - why do you use a FFM? - can you breathe through your nose? Nasal pillows like the P10 are much less invasive.

Two - have you tried LOWER humidity, you may be running wet and I find high humidity in an FFM very claustrophobic - which may be making you rip your mask off.

Just a couple of simple thoughts...

[maskremover]

I posted a link to the image too!

I use a facial mask because i have tried a nasal mask. We thought that usimg a facial mask would make me not take off my mask. And i also sleep with my mouth open sometimes.

Ive tried all humidity settings in the past. Low, high. All of it.

[OkyDoky]

I posted a link to the image too!

Did you click on your link? It's like looking at a building one brick at a time on my laptop. At least no complaints that I can't see.
It definitely shows that mask removal is your main problem now. It kind of throws it's hands up because it can't keep up with the leak.
I'm just thinking that on your mask if you loop some material on both lower straps at the bottom and pin it to a tee shirt that you sleep in then when you remove the mask it's not going to go far and maybe the air will wake you. Then when you put it pack on restart the machine. That's something that came off the top of my head since you say you have tried everything else.