New to CPAP - I have a few questions

[TinyTot87]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to CPAP and I have some questions. First, I need some advice/suggestions. I got a full face mask which is very comfortable but sadly does not allow me to sleep on my side. Therefore, I've had to buy a CPAP pillow to my dismay as I loved my other pillow that I bought a year ago but it isn't compatible with my mask. Unfortunately, I can't wear any other mask because I have a very small and narrow face. I still have some anxiety about trying to sleep with my CPAP mask because the pillow that I use is quite firm and more than what I'm used to or to my liking but I've only just started using that too. I also need a little more time to adjust to the therapy but does anyone have any suggestions on what could ease my anxiety around the CPAP? I meditate before I go to bed but I still find that the initial thought of using the machine causes me some anxiety (I also have GAD too). Does it typically take awhile for the anxiety/discomfort to go away once you start using CPAP ? I don't feel as tired when I wake up (I've only noticed a small difference) but mostly I feel the same so I guess the benefits may take longer for me to kick in. So, has anyone used this pillow in the link below? I'm trying to find something with medium firmness, which this pillow has, but is hopefully softer than my current pillow.

https://www.amazon.ca/IKSTAR-Sleeping-C ... 4b9bf7d0d6

Secondly, can you use products like Lysol to clean the CPAP masks? I've cleaned the machine with warm soapy water before but I was also told that alcohol wipes work too but I don't have any. My full face mask also has the soft foam lining the edge to lessen irritation on my sensitive skin and pressure.

Finally, I was told to clean my CPAP machine weekly for safe measure to avoid any dust/dirt build up. I'm just wondering if I could clean the machine and mask every 2 weeks instead? I'm a rotating shift worker so it seems to be easier to remember every 2 weeks when I'm coming off of my day sets as opposed to my night sets. Thanks for the answers and advice!

[Janknitz]

I have a buckwheat neck pillow--one of those U-shaped pillows (Bucky brand). I can add or remove the buckwheat filling to make it softer or harder. Try something like that on your favorite pillow and adjust it to your comfort. Let the open part of the "U" be where your cheek and mask are to keep them up off the pillow. That might be the solution for your side sleeping comfort. You can also simply adjust the straps on your mask so that they are less likely to get pushed by the pillow--sorter on the "top" side, a bit longer on the "bottom" side of your face.

It's hard to understand this, but a lot of the anxiety you are experiencing with CPAP is caused by the APNEA, not the CPAP. When you have untreated apnea, you are spending all night bathed in stress hormones. When the apnea is well treated, much of the anxiety goes AWAY. So keep on working at it. One morning you will wake up feeling calm and wonderful and you will understand what this is all about. You'll still have bad nights, but gradually they will fade away. Keep at it, and focus on the positive. Your goal is to be able to put the mask on and simply go to sleep, without too much thought.

A lot of people use scent free baby wipes. I would not want to use a Lysol wipe and have that held against my skin with a seal that does not "breathe" all night. It's not meant for skin contact and might break down the material of the mask cushion.

I clean my machine and masks . . . hardly ever. Not dead yet. I do change the disposable filters frequently.

[galeforcewinds]

Hi TinyTot87,

I'm relatively new to CPAP, too. But since none of the long-time members have answered your questions yet, I thought I'd take a stab at a couple of them.

First, do not use Lysol to clean your gear. You want to use something that is gentle on the silicone and which will not leave behind some dangerous chemicals for you to breathe. The manufacturers recommend a gentle dish soap such as Dawn or a vinegar solution.

Second, do you need a full face mask? You say you can't wear another mask because you have very small and narrow face. But your face size and shape shouldn't matter much with some of the nasal masks and nasal pillow masks out there. And you'd probably find it easier to sleep on your side with nasal/pillow masks. I use a ResMed P10 for Her nasal pillow mask which comes with a soft fabric headgear. I suspect that you could go back to using your old pillow with a mask like this. (Personally, I'd find the minimalist P10 mask to be less anxiety-provoking than a full face mask.) There are A LOT of masks out there--if your mask isn't working for you because you can't sleep on your side with it, I'd give some other masks a try. The caveat is that you might have to deal with mouth leaks with nasal/pillow masks, but there are ways to fix mouth leaks.

[NoOnesPerfect]

Assuming you are using the resmed airtouch f20 mask, resmed says it doesn’t need cleaning as long as it gets replaced regularly (monthly). Per the resmed website:

The UltraSoft memory foam cushion doesn’t require cleaning as long as it’s replaced regularly. You have the option of wiping it down with a dry cloth or non-alcoholic wipe, but never get it wet.


As far as side sleeping - I used that mask for quite a while, and I am a side sleeper. I never needed a special pillow, and I had no leak problems until I needed a much higher pressure - I was using a setting of around 8 cm h2o, but now that my typical setting is closer to 16 cm h2o I have to look for solutions to leaks. Why do you feel you can’t use your existing pillow?

I clean my current mask (resmed f30i) and frame daily using cpap wipes, but I rarely, if ever, clean the rest of the equipment. I wipe the machine down every month or two to remove loose dirt or dust, and the water chamber when there is some mineral buildup, and I have had no problems in 5 years.

[TinyTot87]

Hi TinyTot87,

I'm relatively new to CPAP, too. But since none of the long-time members have answered your questions yet, I thought I'd take a stab at a couple of them.

First, do not use Lysol to clean your gear. You want to use something that is gentle on the silicone and which will not leave behind some dangerous chemicals for you to breathe. The manufacturers recommend a gentle dish soap such as Dawn or a vinegar solution.

Second, do you need a full face mask? You say you can't wear another mask because you have very small and narrow face. But your face size and shape shouldn't matter much with some of the nasal masks and nasal pillow masks out there. And you'd probably find it easier to sleep on your side with nasal/pillow masks. I use a ResMed P10 for Her nasal pillow mask which comes with a soft fabric headgear. I suspect that you could go back to using your old pillow with a mask like this. (Personally, I'd find the minimalist P10 mask to be less anxiety-provoking than a full face mask.) There are A LOT of masks out there--if your mask isn't working for you because you can't sleep on your side with it, I'd give some other masks a try. The caveat is that you might have to deal with mouth leaks with nasal/pillow masks, but there are ways to fix mouth leaks.

I appreciate the reply =) I actually tried the nasal mask and was given it when I first received my machine. However, I found it suffocating and extremely hard to breath with as I felt restricted, even though I breath through my nose anyway. I also ended up feeling really gassing and swallowing a lot of air (the air pressure has since been turned down). Also, the strap did not securely fit on my head and dug into my ear and left a small painful welt. The nasal mask also pressed up hard against my nose when I tried to sleep (felt like a painful bladed hand pressed against my nose all night long) and made my nostrils sore. I understand that nostril soreness is normal in the beginning but I barely slept that night because of it. I was then given the full face mask which I responded well to immediately and I was actually able to sleep when I started using it. I was also told that my airway (nose) narrows when I tried breathing through one side when assessing why the pillow mask was so hard to sleep with and adjust to. The full face mask allowed me to feel like I was breathing properly with comfort.

As for other face masks, I tried another face mask, the AirFit P30i, where the hose is on the bottom of the mask as opposed to the top, and the clinician tried attaching it to my head but she said that it wasn't securing properly and she couldn't tighten the straps further without causing discomfort and head aches. She also told me that because my nose is so small (I had an extra small sized nasal pillow mask in the beginning), the nasal portion of the mask wouldn't align properly with my nose and therefore not provide a proper seal. According to her, I would be experiencing constant air leaks through the nasal portion of the mask, especially when I rolled onto my side, and that the bulkier face mask was the best solution for me to maintain a proper seal as a lot of the straps are made for average sized heads. I know a lot of masks exist to fit various sized faces, but I've got a face that can fit into youth sized sunglasses and feet that can also fit into a big kids size 4. So it seems that aside from looking into a custom 3D printed mask, there aren't a lot of options for me. Even with my current mask, I have the straps sitting on the top of the head a little further back to prevent further leaks from the mask itself as it fits looser if I place the straps where they're supposed to be. I experienced more leaks when I moved the straps further up my head. Essentially, the back portion that cradles the head sits at my neck but it's not uncomfortable and ensures that the mask stays secure (it still slips sometimes).

[TinyTot87]

Assuming you are using the resmed airtouch f20 mask, resmed says it doesn’t need cleaning as long as it gets replaced regularly (monthly). Per the resmed website:

The UltraSoft memory foam cushion doesn’t require cleaning as long as it’s replaced regularly. You have the option of wiping it down with a dry cloth or non-alcoholic wipe, but never get it wet.


As far as side sleeping - I used that mask for quite a while, and I am a side sleeper. I never needed a special pillow, and I had no leak problems until I needed a much higher pressure - I was using a setting of around 8 cm h2o, but now that my typical setting is closer to 16 cm h2o I have to look for solutions to leaks. Why do you feel you can’t use your existing pillow?

I clean my current mask (resmed f30i) and frame daily using cpap wipes, but I rarely, if ever, clean the rest of the equipment. I wipe the machine down every month or two to remove loose dirt or dust, and the water chamber when there is some mineral buildup, and I have had no problems in 5 years.

My current pillow is memory foam and it's very soft and comfortable but the mask is pushed to the sign when I lay down to go to sleep. Even if I'm on my back, I still experience the odd mask leak. But the softness of the pillow that my head sinks into presses into the mask causing it to leak a lot of air. I literally had to sleep on my the edge of my pillow to prevent contact as much as possible. Although this new pillow is much more firm, my mask doesn't move. The pillow creases a little when I lay my head down and that crease put pressure on the side of the mask unfortunately.

[zonker]

I do change the disposable filters frequently.

i only check my air filter when someone in the forum brings it up. so, thanks! it was time for a change.

[TinyTot87]

I have a buckwheat neck pillow--one of those U-shaped pillows (Bucky brand). I can add or remove the buckwheat filling to make it softer or harder. Try something like that on your favorite pillow and adjust it to your comfort. Let the open part of the "U" be where your cheek and mask are to keep them up off the pillow. That might be the solution for your side sleeping comfort. You can also simply adjust the straps on your mask so that they are less likely to get pushed by the pillow--sorter on the "top" side, a bit longer on the "bottom" side of your face.

It's hard to understand this, but a lot of the anxiety you are experiencing with CPAP is caused by the APNEA, not the CPAP. When you have untreated apnea, you are spending all night bathed in stress hormones. When the apnea is well treated, much of the anxiety goes AWAY. So keep on working at it. One morning you will wake up feeling calm and wonderful and you will understand what this is all about. You'll still have bad nights, but gradually they will fade away. Keep at it, and focus on the positive. Your goal is to be able to put the mask on and simply go to sleep, without too much thought.

A lot of people use scent free baby wipes. I would not want to use a Lysol wipe and have that held against my skin with a seal that does not "breathe" all night. It's not meant for skin contact and might break down the material of the mask cushion.

I clean my machine and masks . . . hardly ever. Not dead yet. I do change the disposable filters frequently.

I know you replied 10 days ago but you're right - it has gotten easier to use CPAP. I sleep longer throughout the night and this morning was the first time I woke up feeling refreshed and not tired. It was interesting how you said that a lot of my anxiety was from the APNEA. I was also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder so that wasn't helping. BUT - I am no longer feeling anxious about using the CPAP and I'm even willing to take it with me to other houses or place of rest now where as before I'd be unwilling to. I know the change of masks made a big difference.

[Janknitz]

I know you replied 10 days ago but you're right - it has gotten easier to use CPAP. I sleep longer throughout the night and this morning was the first time I woke up feeling refreshed and not tired. It was interesting how you said that a lot of my anxiety was from the APNEA. I was also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder so that wasn't helping. BUT - I am no longer feeling anxious about using the CPAP and I'm even willing to take it with me to other houses or place of rest now where as before I'd be unwilling to. I know the change of masks made a big difference.

That's great to hear. I wouldn't say I'm "anxiety free" but it is so much better than when my apnea was untreated!