Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
lynninnj
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by lynninnj » Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:37 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:
Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:27 pm
When putting on the mask, I pretended I was a jet pilot, astronaut, or SCUBA diver.
My imagination made cpap an adventure--not a punishment.
Now, I'm just a sleepy frog bedding down for the night.
scuba diving amphibian…. interesting…..

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Wulfman...
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by Wulfman... » Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:57 pm

ykf7b0 wrote:
Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:22 pm
Tonight is my 15th night trying to sleep with the cpap and I have not slept at all with it on. The longest I've withstood it on my face is almost 3 hours and it has cost me so much sleep I now feel awful. If anyone hate's their machine as much as I do and feels the cpap is counterproductive to their health I would love to read about it.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!

I've been in love with my therapy (including equipment) since the first night. Having been on volunteer fire departments and using air packs this was a piece of cake. You need to do much more reading on what bad things Sleep Apnea does to a person's body over long periods of time.......it's a SLOOOOOW death sentence with lots of medical ailments which drag you down further and further.
The sooner you get the right attitude and take control of your own therapy, the sooner you'll start to enjoy this therapy and the benefits.

Den

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(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
"Passover" Humidification - ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - Encore Pro w/Card Reader & MyEncore software - Chiroflow pillow
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KittyMom22
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by KittyMom22 » Thu Nov 03, 2022 5:49 am

joepublic23 wrote:
Wed Nov 02, 2022 8:27 pm
Yes. CPAP is awful, most patients quit within the first year, yet for some bizarre reason people call it “The Gold Standard.” I am surprised that anyone can actually fall sleep using one.


I tried CPAP for 3 months. The sensation of something touching my face prevents me from physically being able to fall asleep. I knew this would be huge problem, as I cannot fall asleep if I am wearing a watch or my wedding ring. I told the doctor and respiratory therapist this when I was prescribed the CPAP. I feel like they didn’t believe me.

Initially I thought the sensation of the mask would be the problem- with my initial nose only mask it was not- the problem was exhaling. This forum helped me change the settings and I got a new full face mask. I would lie awake in bed for about an hour or so every night. If I started to relax enough to sleep, my jaw would drop and the mask would leak, preventing sleep.

I got a different face mask that didn’t leak, but it was less comfortable and I couldn’t fall asleep due to the sensation of it touching me. I couldn’t fall asleep with melatonin. I fell asleep once with Benadryl, then it didn’t work. I took Ambien 4 times. The first 3 times I DID fall asleep for a few hours but the 4th time I still couldn’t fall asleep. That was the last time I tried to use the insomnia box. Never again.

My insurance just approved an oral appliance for me. We will see if I can fall asleep with something in my mouth.
Hi Joe,

I sympathize, I really do. Some people have different levels of sensory tolerance.

I also have an MAD (mandibular advancement device) but hadn't really used it, which is why I was prescribed CPAP. Ironically it was during the 6 weeks I waited for the machine that I got used to my MAD, which is partly why I'm so annoyed now with CPAP, because I feel I have to do it for the insurance but was starting to feel better with the MAD.

I had braces in 2015. I thought I would be okay with the MAD because I dealt with braces, but it was still really different. However, like braces it takes time to toughen the tissue inside your cheeks so you don't feel any rubbing. So stick with it even if you only have it in a short time at first. The good thing is there's no electronic monitoring or usage minimum so if you only have it in for 10 minutes that's fine.

The worst sensation for me was the big bumps where the elastic things attach on the sides. They poke up under either side of your upper lips. You'll hardly notice it after the inner cheeks toughen but it's quite annoying at first.

It's also very strange to not be able to open your mouth all the way. You can't speak but you can sip water (well, dribble it into your mouth) which is important for me as I drink ice water at night.

There are different levels of tightness. Ask for the loosest one at first. Your dentist will fit it for you after taking a mold of your mouth. Your jaw will ache but that also goes away in time. For me it was relatively quick once I started wearing it for longer periods (an hour or more).

Clean it well with your toothbrush and toothpaste every day and air dry or it gets funky. You're not supposed to use denture cleaner. (oops)

If you wake up and want to take it out, there's a kind of suction formed around your teeth and the thing is big, so it can feel panicky in a half-awake moment that you can't remove it. But you can! Squeeze the top part down and the bottom part up with your finger and thumb to break the seal, then you can remove it.

At first I thought I'd never get used to it, but by the end of the first month I found myself forgetting it was in my mouth and just starting my day. I definitely felt more refreshed, even at the loosest setting. I really hope it works for you!

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earlvillestu
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by earlvillestu » Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:58 am

snoozebunny wrote:
Wed Nov 02, 2022 8:47 am
I am also new to CPAP. I can totally relate to how you feel. I received my cpap AIrsense 11 a week ago and it was one of the worst weeks in my sleep history. I seriously tried very hard to be compliant, but FFM (full face mask) was keeping me from falling asleep and staying in sleep. After 1-3 hours, I had to get the FFM mask off to get some sleep. I hated my CPAP and wondered why I did the sleep study in the first place!

Last night I got a new mask (Brevida nasal pillow) from my DME supplier and it was a game changer. For the most part, I could sleep with this new mask on, it did not bother me at all. I read somewhere that for the new users, nasal pillow types of masks should be used (not FFM) so new users can be more compliant. I know I was ready to return my CPAP if FFM was the only option.

I also got a chin strap from a DME vendor, but I did not use it, I just used a bit of 3M surgical tape to loosely tape the middle of my lips, trying to keep them close. It seemed to do the trick for me. Perhaps, you should consider trying one of the nasal pillows if FFM does not work for you?

By the way, I was told by my DME supplier that I was within my 30 day mask guarantee period, so insurance would not be billed for the switch. check with your DME vendor to see if you can get a new mask?
Mileages do vary. I started on CPAP in May, with a full face mask prescribed by my doctor. It was too small and I would wake up with part of it in my mouth, and after a week I bit through silicone in the middle of the night, which destroyed it. It looked like a pillow mask would be a good idea so I tried that, in three nights I could not get it to seal with any of the pillow sizes, so gave up on that. (I acknowledge that I could have kept trying with it.) Went back to a different full face mask (see photo in my avatar) , which is working fine. It's ugly as sin and I wouldn't go as far to say it's comfortable, but I tolerate it 8 to 10 hours a night with no problem, my average AHI is about 0.4, last night it was zero, I've gone as many as five straight nights at zero.

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Last edited by earlvillestu on Thu Nov 03, 2022 10:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

joepublic23
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by joepublic23 » Thu Nov 03, 2022 7:08 am

Thanks for the advice. Since there is no insurance monitoring requirement I plan to gradually ease my way into it by wearing it awake. I won’t attempt to sleep with it until I get to the point where having it in my mouth doesn’t totally bother me. Then I will wait till the weekend, since I tend to have an easier time falling asleep since I am not stressed out about getting up early to go to work. I will probably use Ambien on my first attempt so I can (hopefully) get started with a virtuous cycle of success.

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JJR
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by JJR » Mon Nov 21, 2022 9:41 pm

I don’t hate the machine, but I don’t love it either. I may have had a “good” night’s sleep twice since starting CPAP. I fall asleep fast, Go for seven hours, and wake up before my alarm. I may get up to pee once in the night but go back to sleep fast. So I can’t complain. I hate having to rely on a box plugged into the wall to not die in my sleep, but oh well, There are lots of things in life worthy of greater scorn. I do envy those who wake up feeling rested, but I’m used to not being one of them, so life goes on.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri Nov 25, 2022 5:37 pm

There is apparently enough "sensory intolerance" that it seems to be
something the medical community ought to FINALLY take a stab at solving.
It's high time that there is some relief for sufferers of this mysterious affliction.
Kind of like PMS--only you don't have to be female.
Why is misery of too few not worthy of attention?

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KittyMom22
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by KittyMom22 » Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:18 am

I still hate mine. Didn't think this through very well. Planning to ditch it so the insurance co will stop charging me.

Why did I think that strapping a plastic mask over my face full of warm air would be a good idea? I'm already dealing with feeling hot all the time and of course this makes it worse. Wake up sweating multiple times per night. I've also got two compressed discs in my neck and there's no way to sleep comfortably with the mask on. Last night I woke up with intense itching where the mask touched my skin and frantically tore it off. I really don't need a silicone allergy on top of everything else.

I do appreciate that the technology has come a long way and that it's a lifesaver for others. It's just not for me.

Before anyone asks, yes I've tried multiple pillows and changed masks, and I have a $200 cooling blanket.

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lazarus
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by lazarus » Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:04 am

KittyMom22 wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:18 am
sleep comfortably with the mask on.
Some have found hose management to be key and use something like this:

Image
KittyMom22 wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:18 am
intense itching where the mask touched my skin
Some have used mask liners. Others find night skin-prep particularly important in the dry months.
KittyMom22 wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:18 am
warm air would be a good idea?
Getting air temp and humidity correct for you should be possible with settings. It can take trial-and-error to find the sweet spot.
KittyMom22 wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:18 am
feeling hot all the time . . . sweating multiple times per night.
A significant sleep issue for many, male and female, young and old, with multiple triggers and solutions. I wish you success in finding workable ways of coping with it and finding any relief possible.

And just so you know, I'm proud of you for having put in the work that you have. It would be nice if things had clicked in place for you long before now as you give it the full shot. I was hoping it would.

And I'm still cheering for you to keep finding ways of dealing with and improving everything in your life, including good breathing and sleep at night.

Say hey to the kitties for us.

-Jeff
The people who confuse "entomology" and "etymology" really bug me beyond words.
---
A love song to a CPAP? Oh please!:
https://youtu.be/_e32lugxno0?si=W4W9EnrZZTD5Ow6p

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JJR
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by JJR » Wed Nov 30, 2022 11:51 am

I need to Oscarize some data. The other day I woke up almost but not quite feeling rested (the third time since CPAP?) but last night was terrible sleep. The MyAir app said I slept well last night and the app for the Sleep Comfort bed said I slept well, but they are both full of crap and I might as well delete both apps.

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lazarus
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by lazarus » Wed Nov 30, 2022 1:17 pm

JJR wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 11:51 am
I need to Oscarize some data. The other day I woke up almost but not quite feeling rested (the third time since CPAP?) but last night was terrible sleep. The MyAir app said I slept well last night and the app for the Sleep Comfort bed said I slept well, but they are both full of crap and I might as well delete both apps.
Although many benefit from a variety of apps, OSCAR certainly provides more detailed, useful data for trouble-shooting sleep-breathing complications. That said, there can often be much more to sleep issues and general feelings of being rested than just one's breathing.
The people who confuse "entomology" and "etymology" really bug me beyond words.
---
A love song to a CPAP? Oh please!:
https://youtu.be/_e32lugxno0?si=W4W9EnrZZTD5Ow6p

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zonker
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by zonker » Wed Nov 30, 2022 1:26 pm

lazarus wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 1:17 pm

Although many benefit from a variety of apps, OSCAR certainly provides more detailed, useful data for trouble-shooting sleep-breathing complications. That said, there can often be much more to sleep issues and general feelings of being rested than just one's breathing.
Image

lazarus speak with straight tongue. after years of determinedly lowering my ahi, i find that a low ahi doesn't do the trick for me.

i'm now exploring other "solutions" to my poor sleep and doing much better.
people say i'm self absorbed.
but that's enough about them.
Oscar-Win
https://www.apneaboard.com/OSCAR/OSCAR-1.5.1-Win64.exe
Oscar-Mac
https://www.apneaboard.com/OSCAR/OSCAR-1.5.1.dmg

lynninnj
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by lynninnj » Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:47 am

KittyMom22 wrote:
Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:18 am
I still hate mine. Didn't think this through very well. Planning to ditch it so the insurance co will stop charging me.

Why did I think that strapping a plastic mask over my face full of warm air would be a good idea? I'm already dealing with feeling hot all the time and of course this makes it worse. Wake up sweating multiple times per night. I've also got two compressed discs in my neck and there's no way to sleep comfortably with the mask on. Last night I woke up with intense itching where the mask touched my skin and frantically tore it off. I really don't need a silicone allergy on top of everything else.

I do appreciate that the technology has come a long way and that it's a lifesaver for others. It's just not for me.

Before anyone asks, yes I've tried multiple pillows and changed masks, and I have a $200 cooling blanket.
I am like Lazarus- I wish you had taken to the pap more readily.

Still, so many questions.

Did you ever share data with even one knowledgeable poster here (given your dislike of public sharing)?
Determine if you’re leaking?
Find leaking solutions?
Optimized settings so you don’t feel like shit all day long?
Did you learn how to change your own settings so you can get your comfort settings optimized?
Did you consider getting a mask with a smaller footprint like the P10s pugsy was offering up? Then taping if still mouth leaking?

So many questions. Rhetorical mostly- to ask yourself.

Given the likelihood of interrupted sleep due to menopausal reasons, mom moving in, changing living conditions, this just seems like that “one more thing”.

And I bet by now the cats could care less. So at least there’s that.

Perhaps things will get easier for you. I hope so.

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Machine: AirSense 11 Autoset
Mask: ResMed AirFit N30 Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Newbie who loves her machine!
Beware the schoolyard bullies, mean girls, and fragile male egos. Move along if you can’t be kind.

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JeffL
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by JeffL » Thu Dec 01, 2022 12:03 pm

Do you need to use a full face mask? I use nasal pillows and took to it the first night without every having a problem.

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Pod153
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Re: Does Anyone Hate their CPAP?

Post by Pod153 » Fri Dec 02, 2022 11:35 pm

I am on my second night with CPAP. I have worn it for 6 hours each night. I have slept for only one hour each night. I have taken Benadryl. I cannot sleep, at all. I just lie there feeling like I’m suffocating. I have never had insomnia before.

I think it’s a sensory issue with both the mask and the airflow. My AHI was only 5.4.

Short of a miracle I don’t see how I can continue on CPAP. Only getting a hour of sleep a night will kill me long before an AHI of 5.4 will.
I live in the UK, so my access to various aspects of healthcare may not be quite the same as yours.