Newbie here - First night with my cpap

[Amabile75]

Hello everyone!

Tara here, recently diagnosed with severe sleep apnea & finally got my cpap machine yesterday. I'm super excited to have it & start getting good sleep & improving my health.

I had a few challenges last night in getting my mask to seal correctly (mostly user error trying to get it right the first time), but the biggest issue I'm hoping to get some feedback on is getting comfortable in bed. I'm primarily a side/stomach sleeper and that just didn't seem to work with a mask on. I thought maybe trying a neck pillow tonight may help as a lack of neck support caused me to wake up with horrible neck/shoulder pain (and accompanying headache). Does anyone have suggestions on how to sleep on your side without your pillow causing the mask to move and not seal? Or is it still just user error?

Also, even though I did sleep better overall last night, I feel like such a zombie today. Is that just part of the adjustment?

Thank you in advance to all who have any advice. I'm so excited to have a solution! I do expect it to take time to adjust, but knowing that I'm looking at having more energy & motivation again (and overall better health) has me feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve! Did I meantion I'm excited?!

[Julie]

You can Google 'falcon sleep position' and get some hits, and you can look into a Cpap pillow (Google), or you can read this (radical but has worked for me for years).

I sleep alone ('cept for my cat) and so can get away with this - I cut a 3" wide, 4" deep and 1' long 'trench' in my memory foam mattress starting at the head and going towards the foot, with an electric knife, and rounded top edges with scissors. I have a FF mask and when sleeping on my front with my head turned right, the mask dips into the trench diagonally or more vertically, avoiding a very sore neck in the a.m. I've also cut and fiddled with sheets to accommodate things, but have been sleeping like this for years, and so far so good. Important to mention is that my particular mask's vent holes are higher on the mask than most (which are usually at the elbow), so foam or sheet don't block holes but probably would for other masks.

[Amabile75]

Julie, Thank you so much for the feedback!! I'll definitely do some research on your suggestions!

[Kallippide]

Hi. I'm also a side sleeper and have been on my cpap machine for about 10 months now. I just can't fall asleep on my back at all. I use the Resmed Pillows. I sleep with my face almost buried in my bed pillow, but the air vent is not blocked. I tried one of the full nose masks, and that lasted about one hour. Wasted my money on that one!

Good luck.

And it does get much, much better.

[Sylvia54]

Does anyone have suggestions on how to sleep on your side without your pillow causing the mask to move and not seal? Or is it still just user error?

Also, even though I did sleep better overall last night, I feel like such a zombie today. Is that just part of the adjustment?

Hi, Your nasal mask looks bulky to me, just my opinion. The way I see it, the smaller and less intrusive the mask, the easier the adjustment to therapy.
Take a look at the Airfit P10 nasal pillow mask For Her, that's the one I like. I always fall asleep on my side and shift to my back off and on during the night. I have very little problem with losing the seal with this mask. And there's no velcro to adjust, just an elastic band for headgear, very easy to lay on my side. I wash mine once a week in warm/hot soapy water to keep it from stretching out. Not everyone likes nasal pillows and they can cause a sore or two as you adjust but that resolved quickly for me with alittle treatment. I sleep on a very soft spongy-like pillow that completely holds its shape. Bounces right back when I press down on it.

After months of persistent trial and error adjustments with apap, I'm just now more getting consistent longer sleep and feeling more refreshed. Hope this lasts. I've been using my machine for over 6 mos. Might have taken longer for me due to chronic insomnia that kept me awake half the night. I'm sure now that years of untreated apnea caused the insomnia. Keep in mind, everyone recovers in their own unique way. Some people feel much better within just the first week.

[Carol_in_the _valley]

Amabile, Good luck to you! I started my Cpap on Tuesday Oct 11, so am new too. I don't have the pillow thing sorted out yet either. Bought a D core pillow which keep my head in a better position for breathing but makes my right neck into my back HURT by morning. The hardest thing has been getting to sleep with all the adjusting and the feel of it all and the sound of the air. Took me an hour and a half to fall asleep those first two nights. I I woke up for adjustments during the night. And took it off the last hour I was in bed. So not much sleep really and didn't feel rested. What I LOVE though is that it is so easy to breath and my throat doesn't collapse!!!! No sticky breathing as I call it and no weird sounds from my throat. Did you find that part helpful or could you tell? It is just the beginning and I know it takes time to get it all worked out. I like the input and suggestions people wrote in reply to your post.

[Amabile75]

Does anyone have suggestions on how to sleep on your side without your pillow causing the mask to move and not seal? Or is it still just user error?

Also, even though I did sleep better overall last night, I feel like such a zombie today. Is that just part of the adjustment?

Hi, Your nasal mask looks bulky to me, just my opinion. The way I see it, the smaller and less intrusive the mask, the easier the adjustment to therapy.
Take a look at the Airfit P10 nasal pillow mask For Her, that's the one I like. I always fall asleep on my side and shift to my back off and on during the night. I have very little problem with losing the seal with this mask. And there's no velcro to adjust, just an elastic band for headgear, very easy to lay on my side. I wash mine once a week in warm/hot soapy water to keep it from stretching out. Not everyone likes nasal pillows and they can cause a sore or two as you adjust but that resolved quickly for me with alittle treatment. I sleep on a very soft spongy-like pillow that completely holds its shape. Bounces right back when I press down on it.

After months of persistent trial and error adjustments with apap, I'm just now more getting consistent longer sleep and feeling more refreshed. Hope this lasts. I've been using my machine for over 6 mos. Might have taken longer for me due to chronic insomnia that kept me awake half the night. I'm sure now that years of untreated apnea caused the insomnia. Keep in mind, everyone recovers in their own unique way. Some people feel much better within just the first week.

Thank you for the feedback!! I actually do have the p10 nasal pillow mask for her as well, I struggled a lot with having it up my nose so I'm trying to use it enough to adjust to it and start using it more. It may sound crazy but when I put it on I started having anxiety immediately! My supplier recommended it so strongly though I decided to just buy the 2nd one to get me through. (Hopefully that makes sense!)

I appreciate you sharing your experience with adjusting as well. I also had years of untreated apnea and battle insomnia some nights but luckily not all! I'm still so excited to have a diagnosis that makes sense and look forward to the improvement coming... But also tempering expectations.

[Amabile75]

Hi. I'm also a side sleeper and have been on my cpap machine for about 10 months now. I just can't fall asleep on my back at all. I use the Resmed Pillows. I sleep with my face almost buried in my bed pillow, but the air vent is not blocked. I tried one of the full nose masks, and that lasted about one hour. Wasted my money on that one!

Good luck.

And it does get much, much better.

Thank you! I'll definitely look into the Resmed pillows! I'm excited for it to get better!

[Amabile75]

Amabile, Good luck to you! I started my Cpap on Tuesday Oct 11, so am new too. I don't have the pillow thing sorted out yet either. Bought a D core pillow which keep my head in a better position for breathing but makes my right neck into my back HURT by morning. The hardest thing has been getting to sleep with all the adjusting and the feel of it all and the sound of the air. Took me an hour and a half to fall asleep those first two nights. I I woke up for adjustments during the night. And took it off the last hour I was in bed. So not much sleep really and didn't feel rested. What I LOVE though is that it is so easy to breath and my throat doesn't collapse!!!! No sticky breathing as I call it and no weird sounds from my throat. Did you find that part helpful or could you tell? It is just the beginning and I know it takes time to get it all worked out. I like the input and suggestions people wrote in reply to your post.

Awesome, we are in the same spot! Last night was a little better but still struggling to get comfy. I do feel like sometimes my breathing (the air in the mask) is so loud it keeps me awake but other times it's super quiet, I haven't figured that out yet. I noticed less noise from my throat but last night I also woke several times with my mouth open when that wasn't an issue the first night. I'll figure it all out soon, im sure.

[RogerSC]

I have a Tempurpedic neck pillow that I use most of the time. Sometimes I use a cpap.com papillow, depends on the mask that I'm using. WIth the current mask I'm using, the no-headgear TAP PAP, I use the Tempurpedic neck pillow and just kind of hang the mask over the edge of the pillow. Turns out to comfortable to me, also a side sleeper. However, pillows and sleeping positions are very personal, so you have to find what works for you. It may take some time.

One thing that you can try to prevent mouth breathing is to position your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth. Not pushing on your front teeth, just back a little from your front teeth is a small ridge on the roof of your mouth where you can rest the tip of your tongue. I find that if I work on doing this during the day, and also do it going to sleep, that it prevents air from going out of my mouth even if and when it opens at night. Doesn't work for everyone, some people just don't breath though their mouth at night, some use a chin strip, some use tape. Again, this is another thing where you need to find what works for you. Some people use a full face mask, if they can't avoid breathing through their mouth at night, and/or have frequent nasal congestion.

Anyways, sounds like you're doing fine. The AirFit N is a good nasal mask, it's lightweight, since it's part of the AirFit series that are designed to be lightweight, and has a quieter venting system as well. There are several fitting videos available on the cpap.com and youtube sites that might be helpful for you in getting the best fit for your mask and getting leaks down to a reasonable level.

Good luck!