Newbie Q:How long did it take you to get used to it?

[flylow]

I was really nervous when I first started as I had panic attacks during my titration as the pressure ramped up to 10 cm. My heart raced and it took me an hour to calm down. I did manage to sleep the rest of the night and did wake up another time with the same panicky feeling but mangaged to calm down on my own and fall back to sleep.

When I got my machine, I went straight to cflex at a setting of 3 and very very quickly, I adapted. The last two or three years .... I lost track .... have been spent trying to find the right mask and tweak my therapy. My point is that whatever the reason for your trouble, you need to keep on trying to adapt. Perserverance is the key. Finding this web site and all of the caring people here is probably the most important thing you can do.

A lot of folks start off in the same way as you. The difference, at least so far, they do not seek support that this group provides and everything eventually goes in the closet. Keep with it and continue to use this group to help work through the adjustment period.

[MapleG]

I am new to CPAP and have had 15 days with the machine so far. I guess I am one of the lucky ones, as I seem to have adapted more or less right away. I knew as soon as I tried a nasal mask that it was not for me, so I am using a full face Quatro.

The day I got the CPAP, I just hooked it up and figured I would see what happened. Next day was a work day so I was a little concerned about a sleepless night, but it was not as bad as I thought. I figured anything had to be better than being constantly tired during the day and dreaming of taking naps at every opportunity.

So, after 2 weeks how do I feel? I feel pretty good. I don't need to take naps any more. I do feel a little suffocated at first (and I put the ramp up to 6 to start instead of 4), but I just told myself any comfort issues were more in my head than in reality. Obviously I would not be suffocating with the device on, and I don't feel the need to rip it off in the middle of the night. About 1/2 the time I sleep right through...other nights I wake up, just shift my position and go back to sleep.

One thing that helped me keep a postitive attitude was to think about people in the hospital. When you go to a hospital, if someone asked you can you sleep with IV's in your arm, etc you would answer no way, but the reality is sometimes you have no choice. I got this CPAP to improve my health overall, so what is the point of getting it and not using it? You don't learn to drive a car overnight, so it may take a while, but I am sure the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

[oleford]

I too am new to this. I have a full face mask and I just got the LT nasal pillows and I can't seem to tolerate either. I feel like I'm "suffocating". Jan

[BleepingBeauty]

I too am new to this. I have a full face mask and I just got the LT nasal pillows and I can't seem to tolerate either. I feel like I'm "suffocating". Jan

Hi, neighbor, and welcome to the forum.

First, it'll help everyone here to help you if we know what equipment you're using and your pressure setting(s). (Click on User Control Panel, top left of the page, and list your equipment in Text, then click on Submit. All of your info will appear in each of your posts.) It also helps to know if you're using the Ramp feature and/or any exhalation relief.

Feelings of suffocation seem to be reported most often when the Ramp feature is in operation at a very low starting pressure. If that's the case for you, do you know how your machine is configured re: Ramp (and everything else)? Once we know what machine it is, we can tell you how to adjust (or shut off) the Ramp feature so that you're more comfortable.

There's lots of help to be found here, so it's a good thing you made it.

[dkdc]

I have been on the fitlife mask for over a month. I am hoping to get used to wearing a mask - this is my fourth one and by far the best fitting one.

It still seems hard to sleep well with the mask on. It is a given that I sleep poorly without a mask - that has been proven. But, do you think it can take months to get used to a mask and sleep soundly?

I often wake up and can't tell if the cpap is running without inhaling and exhaling a big breath - or looking at the machine - so it isn't the airflow that bothers me. I think it is the mask, any mask, strapped to my forehead. How bout someone invent a room that the air pressure can be raised in???

Anyway, sleepy without the cpap and sleepy with it. My next move is to try out a buckwheat hull pillow - maybe that will make the mask more comfy. I am naturally a side and back sleeper - but not being able to go on my side is a problem. Not "tossing and turning" is a problem.