Getting use to CPAP masks.

[John W]

Hi Everyone.

I was issued with a machine one week ago, a number of masks were tried before the nurse decided which one would be best for me, the first night I tried I was fine with the light on but as soon as the light was turned off I felt as if some one was suffocating me so I had to remove it.
I tried to use it the folks in three nights but it had the same affect, I contacted the hospital and they arranged an appointment 3 days later. During this appointment I was given a nasal mask to try but I found it difficult to not try and breath through my mouth I was then given another mask that is softer but is bigger and has an adjustment screw and pads that fit on my forehead I am now having the same problem, I feel I will never get use to this machine. Can anyone give me advise on getting use to this.

[zonker]

Hi Everyone.

I was issued with a machine one week ago, a number of masks were tried before the nurse decided which one would be best for me, the first night I tried I was fine with the light on but as soon as the light was turned off I felt as if some one was suffocating me so I had to remove it.
I tried to use it the folks in three nights but it had the same affect, I contacted the hospital and they arranged an appointment 3 days later. During this appointment I was given a nasal mask to try but I found it difficult to not try and breath through my mouth I was then given another mask that is softer but is bigger and has an adjustment screw and pads that fit on my forehead I am now having the same problem, I feel I will never get use to this machine. Can anyone give me advise on getting use to this.

welcome to the zoo! please see the link in my sig regarding newbies. in particular, the bit about filling out your equipment. not so important now, but it will be down the line.

without knowing specifically which mask you are using, i will say there is a generic way to get used to the mask. wear it when not in bed. wear it sitting up in a chair while reading. wear it while doing other tasks. that is, wear it NOT connected to the machine.

your brain is fighting you on this and that's perfectly natural. at some deep part of your mind, it's thinking that there is some creature on your face trying to harm you! so it will help your brain if you wear the mask while doing something routine to get used to it.

you can do this. most of us have gone through it.

good luck!

[ragtopcircus]

For me, wearing it during the day with the machine ON helps. I even find it relaxing now. With the air off, I feel like I’m not getting air ....

The P30i mask feels most like wearing no mask at all. Some might prefer the Dreamwear. Of course, the pressure takes some getting used to, but that might be easier than claustrophobia.

The F30 or Amara View will provide the pressure relief of a full face mask while covering a lot less of your face. They also stay well away from your eyes, which might help psychologically, even with the lights off. Also, because they have less frontal area, the straps don’t have to be as tight.

For an F20, using padacheek liners may allow slightly lighter strap tension. They may also feel less foreign than having the mask directly on your face.

For claustrophobia issues, I can’t imagine any mask with a forehead strap helping ....

[rick blaine]

Hi John W,

"I tried to use it the folks in three nights"

Is that your auto-correct's version of "the following three nights"?

I notice you say "the nurse decided" and "the hospital" – and not "the technician" and "at the DME". Does this mean you're posting from outside the US?

If you can enter your location, and also make of machine (eg, Philips, ResMed) and model (of machine: Dreamstation, Airsense), it will help people better advise you.

[John W]

Hi Rick.

Yes it was my auto correct .

And yes I live in the UK.

Not sure I will ever get use to wearing any mask

Can someone guide me to where I need to fill my equipment details in please.

[slowriter]

I was issued with a machine one week ago, a number of masks were tried before the nurse decided which one would be best for me, the first night I tried I was fine with the light on but as soon as the light was turned off I felt as if some one was suffocating me so I had to remove it.

Because you were not feeling like you were getting enough air, or you were feeling claustrophobic?

If the former, could be your pressure is too low, or you have ramp on. If that's the case, the problem was not the mask.

[ChicagoGranny]

I felt as if some one was suffocating

That's symptomatic of the machine pressure (or machine starting pressure) being set too low.

Can someone guide me to where I need to fill my equipment details in please.

https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info

[John W]

Hi Slowriter / ChicagoGranny.

Originally my machine as set at 4 ramping up to 12, I felt 4 was to low and 12 was to high, when I returned to the Hospital they reduced the max to 10.
I tried to use it again without using the ramp but without success, I have now tried sitting with justthe mask on during the day as suggested elsewhere on this forum but again felt very hot and claustrophobic, this is now starting to me and I feel I will never get use to it.

[slowriter]

Hi Slowriter / ChicagoGranny.

Originally my machine as set at 4 ramping up to 12, I felt 4 was to low and 12 was to high, when I returned to the Hospital they reduced the max to 10.
I tried to use it again without using the ramp but without success, I have now tried sitting with justthe mask on during the day as suggested elsewhere on this forum but again felt very hot and claustrophobic, this is now starting to me and I feel I will never get use to it.

If you're starting pressure is 4, that's too low.

[ChicagoGranny]

Originally my machine as set at 4 ramping up to 12, I felt 4 was to low and 12 was to high, when I returned to the Hospital they reduced the max to 10.

We really need to see what equipment you have. It's important to know the model to see if it's an APAP or a straight CPAP.

I have now tried sitting with justthe mask on during the day as suggested elsewhere on this forum

I know this is a very popular suggestion on the forum. However, I feel differently. We have to wear a mask all night long. Who the hell wants to sit around also wearing it during the day? Maybe newbies should just try it on for a few minutes while relaxing on the sofa?

[Pugsy]

Are you using the humidifier or is it just the blower?

[John W]

Hi All

I do not use a humidifier just the blower.
I have a Air touch F20 mask ResMed Mirage Quattro Full Face mask and a Philips Respironics Dream Station pump.

[jon.koelker]

Hi - I'm pretty new to this also, still in the first 90 days - and I have had my share of struggles with it. although I now feel like I've hit on a system that will work for me.

Like you, I started with a FFM, the Philips Dreamwear. The first couple of nights were rough - I felt that I couldn't breathe, got claustrophobic and had what felt like a panic attack. I had to get it off my face immediately. Part of the issue for me, I think, was the sensation of being able to inhale (with the machine), but unable to exhale (against pressure). I tried to calm myself (prayer is a help for me) and force myself to realize that I really could exhale, it just felt different from the way it normally does without the mask. I tried just letting it be what it is and to let myself go with it. This seemed to help so that by about the third or fourth night, I wasn't getting the panic sensation and the urgent need to rip it off my face anymore. Now I just allow myself a few minutes after settling down in bed to wait for my respirations to slow down - and they will. I don't find myself fighting against the pressure.

I've had other issue, primarily mask leak and the associated sound that makes it difficult for my wife to sleep, but I'm working on those and getting it tweaked. I don't think you're at that point yet - sounds like you're still in the 'I don't want this foreign object on me' phase. Personally, I didn't wear the mask around during the daytime as some have done - what I did do, though, was to put it on and lie down on the bed for some time prior to going to bed to just get the used to the feel a little more each time. I've also made adjustments on the ramp time and that's also been a help.

Hang in there - it does get better.

[John W]

Hi Jon

Thank you for the reassurance

I will keep trying but not sure I will ever get use to it up to yet I've only managed a few seconds every time

[Janknitz]

For now, I suggest you commit to practicing every day while awake.

First, I want you to examine the mask carefully. The Resmed Mirage Quattro has an anti-asphyxiation valve. (You don't need one on a nasal mask, because you just have to open your mouth to avoid asphyxiation ). Right above where the hose connects, there's a silicone flap. The force of the air in the hose pushes the flap to seal the anti-asphyxiation port. If there is no air in the hose, there's nothing to push that flap to seal off the port, and and you can breathe the air in the room from that port. So there's NO WAY that you can suffocate in this mask. I hope that helps a little for you to relax, but when I was getting used to it, it only helped a little. I still had panic attacks from claustrophobia. Nevertheless, it's important to understand how the mask works. All full face masks have some sort of anti-asphyxiation valve.

So here's what you do.

First, you need to increase the minimum pressure to at least 6. Almost all of us feel like we are suffocating at 4. You have to do this in the clinical menu, and I'll let someone else tell you how. That will go a long way toward less sensation of suffocating.

Now you should sit or lie in a comfortable position and wear the mask with the machine on for 30 minutes at a time. Watch TV, listen to music, read a book, practice mindfulness or relaxation exercises. If you have a panic attack, take the mask off, calm down, and put it back on until you have clocked 30 minutes in the mask. If you can't stand to have the mask on even for a minute, hold it against your face without the straps, knowing you can always move it away from your face if you panic. The most important part is to always begin again if you take it off in a panic.

After a day or two, when you feel that panic begin to build, promised yourself you will only take it off after you have counted to 10 slowly. Count to 10 slowly then ask yourself if you really need to take it off at all. Take if off if you need to, calm down, and repeat. Or try counting to 10 a second time and see if you really need to remove it. Your goal now is to increase the time before panic attacks. When you can easily go a half hour without taking off the mask, extend the time to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, you should also be trying this at night, in bed, but where you really work on extending the time is during the day. When you can get to 1 hour purposefully awake, then you can switch to increasing the night time use. Same rules apply. Count to 10 slowly. Remove the mask, calm down, put it back on and start again. Try as hard as you can not to fall asleep without the mask on.

I had terrible panic attacks at first, and other phobias that didn't seem related like driving across bridges. When I finally conquered sleeping in my mask all night and waking calm and relaxed, guess what? My bridge and other phobias were much improved, too.

With apnea, we spend all night bathed in a cocktail of stress hormones as our body tries to get us to breathe. It takes a toll on us. Once the apnea is adequately treated, our stress reduces significantly. Claustrophobia lessens or disappears.

Quitting is not an option. Your claustrophobia alone tells you that you have very severe symptoms that are affecting your heart, your brain, your central nervous system. If you quit your efforts to get used to CPAP, you are going to have a host of severe medical issues (if you don't already). So keep going, keep working at this. You must not stop!