Will I ever get used to CPAP?!!

[alwanna]

First week user and I am exhausted! I wake up 5 or 6 times a night adjusting and fuming and feeling desperate. (I use a nasal mask) Sometimes I wake up feeling like I am choking. Many mornings I wake up belching I suppose from swallowed air.

I try exhausting myself during the day in hopes of sleeping through the night. Last night I didn't use CPAP, I desperately wanted to sleep!!

I am bound and determined to make this work as I know it is the best thing for my health. Is it to early to ask my RT if I can try a different type of mask? Nasal pillows. I sleep on my side and stomach. Would this type be less "in the way"? I also and a mouth breather at times but there is no way I can wear a full face mask. UGGHHHH!

Any suggestions would be so appreciated. I am so glad that I found this site. You all seem brillant when it comes to CPAP. i feel like I know absolutley ZERO1

[rosiefrosie]

No it is not to early to ask about another mask. I use nasal pillows and sleep on my side without problems. You might want to try some different types of pillows and there are many out there. I use a cpap pillow that has cut outs on the side of it that my mask fits into and it is a memory foam pillow. For the mouth breathing you can try a chinstrap. Some people tape their mouths or use denture adhesive strips. I tape my mouth shut to prevent mouth breathing and this works well for me. You will need to experiment and you will find a way to make it all work, it may take some time, but hang in there. There will come a time when you can't sleep without your machine. I know I can't.

Good luck and I know some others will stop by with more suggestions for you.

rosie

[LSAT]

If you are a mouth breather you will need to get a chin strap or start taping your mouth shut. I feel a FF mask is easier than those alternatives. Don't discount the FF mask until you try one.

[park_ridge_dave]

If you are a mouth breather you will need to get a chin strap or start taping your mouth shut. I feel a FF mask is easier than those alternatives. Don't discount the FF mask until you try one.

Same here! I use the Quattro and I have a pressure of 12cm. I would try a FF before I dismissed it "out of hand".

Whatever happens hang in there! and we are here to help!

Cheers,

Dave

[Janknitz]

I'm about 4 months into being a hosehead, and I wouldn't say I'm exactly "used to it" yet. I hear it does eventually happen, and a lot of people say around 6 months or so.

BUT that does not mean you will not sleep or be comfortable for all that time. You will. As soon as you get a comfortable mask and a comfortable setting on your machine. And you will start to feel the benefits of your therapy. One morning you will wake up to find you slept all night or most of the night, and you will feel great in the morning. Then you have to figure out what was “right” about that night, and try to reproduce it. Eventually, most nights will be good nights. It is an adjustment, but it will happen.

It is NOT too early to ask your RT if you can try different masks and, in fact, you should not wait too long. Usually you can return a mask within 30 days (the major manufacturers will take masks back from the DME's for up to 30 days, so even if the DME tries to lay a guilt trip on you, don't buy it), but that clock is ticking and I'll bet that your DME isn't available on weekends.

I use nasal pillows and they are 1000 times more comfortable than a nasal mask or ff mask IMHO. I sleep on my side and get no pressure anywhere from the nasal pillows. They are lightweight and comfy. Right now I am using the Swift LT for her--I think they are great, though I really want to try the Swift FX because that's even more minimalist. The headgear on the LT touches your face beside your nose, but it doesn’t obstruct your vision. I can even scratch my nose if it itches—pure heaven!

If you are a dedicated side sleeper you can try my trick for training myself to keep my mouth closed during the night. Here’s what I did. I sleep kind of “hugging” a big bed pillow because I have a shoulder problem in my left shoulder (the one on top). So I just jammed that pillow up under my chin to help keep my mouth closed. I also put some Chap Stick on my lips which makes them slightly tacky—it’s just a reminder to keep my lips shut. It works well for me.

Other people tape their lips shut with medical tape or even blue painter’s tape. If you use the search function on this site, you will find instructions on how to do this. A lot of people swear by it, though I’ve never personally tried it (my skin is very sensitive).

Hang in there and don’t despair. It sounds like you have that determination to make it work. Keep asking for help here and we will be glad to give you any advice we can.

[Wulfman]

First week user and I am exhausted! I wake up 5 or 6 times a night adjusting and fuming and feeling desperate. (I use a nasal mask) Sometimes I wake up feeling like I am choking. Many mornings I wake up belching I suppose from swallowed air.

I try exhausting myself during the day in hopes of sleeping through the night. Last night I didn't use CPAP, I desperately wanted to sleep!!

I am bound and determined to make this work as I know it is the best thing for my health. Is it to early to ask my RT if I can try a different type of mask? Nasal pillows. I sleep on my side and stomach. Would this type be less "in the way"? I also and a mouth breather at times but there is no way I can wear a full face mask. UGGHHHH!

Any suggestions would be so appreciated. I am so glad that I found this site. You all seem brillant when it comes to CPAP. i feel like I know absolutley ZERO1

It would help if you filled out your profile with your equipment and pressure settings.
You've obviously swallowing air. That could be a sign of GERD or other things. There are various tweaks to machine settings or even changing machines that can help with that.

What makes you THINK you can't wear a full face mask?

Are you doing nasal cleansing before bedtime? Nasal breathing is preferable to mouth-breathing with this therapy.


Den

[Janknitz]

I will say to those encouraging you to get a FF mask that FF masks are NOT very comfortable for side sleepers without a lot of tweaking--they tend to leak a lot and cause pressure to your nose unless you then get a special pillow and perhaps RemZZZZ's or other things to reduce the pressure and leakage. What a PITA!!!!!!!!! I can't even imagine trying to use a FF mask while lying on my stomach.

I found when I was using a FF mask (admittedly I only tried one, the Mirage Quattro) I had to sleep in very awkward positions simply to keep the thing from leaking and I ended up with a pressure sore on my nose.

Alwanna said she is looking for something that is less "in the way"--FF masks are more in the way, if you ask me.

[Wulfman]

I will say to those encouraging you to get a FF mask that FF masks are NOT very comfortable for side sleepers without a lot of tweaking--they tend to leak a lot and cause pressure to your nose unless you then get a special pillow and perhaps RemZZZZ's or other things to reduce the pressure and leakage. What a PITA!!!!!!!!! I can't even imagine trying to use a FF mask while lying on my stomach.

I found when I was using a FF mask (admittedly I only tried one, the Mirage Quattro) I had to sleep in very awkward positions simply to keep the thing from leaking and I ended up with a pressure sore on my nose.

Alwanna said she is looking for something that is less "in the way"--FF masks are more in the way, if you ask me.

I'm going to STRONGLY disagree with you......especially as far as side-sleeping. (I'm a die-hard side-sleeper) On the other hand, the bed pillow can make a huge difference with this therapy. "Standard" pillows really SUCK. If they're soft, they can push the mask out of alignment when your head sinks into them.......which exacerbates the leakage problems.


Den

[alwanna]

Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions and SUPPORT!

Idid go back and fill out my profile for equipment. I have ProStar Plus with Clex, comfort gel blue nasal mask and pressure of 13 with Ramp starting at 6.

I do know that I wouldn't be able to use a full face mask because I am very claustrophobic and have a panic disorder. If you don't have these problems it is really hard to understand them. As for swallowing air I do have GERD and will talk to my "sleep Doc" about that problem. Thanks. Did not know it could effect therapy! I do keep my humidifier very low. I don't seem to have too much problem with that. Thank God!

The worst problem is the mask. I would appreciate suggestions on nasal pillow types so I know what to ask for and try out at the DME.

I am going to order the CPAP sleep pillow. I am glad to hear its successful with some. Sounds like a good solution for me. I was getting ready to cut a whole in my own pillow!

[LSAT]

I will say to those encouraging you to get a FF mask that FF masks are NOT very comfortable for side sleepers without a lot of tweaking--they tend to leak a lot and cause pressure to your nose unless you then get a special pillow and perhaps RemZZZZ's or other things to reduce the pressure and leakage. What a PITA!!!!!!!!! I can't even imagine trying to use a FF mask while lying on my stomach.

I found when I was using a FF mask (admittedly I only tried one, the Mirage Quattro) I had to sleep in very awkward positions simply to keep the thing from leaking and I ended up with a pressure sore on my nose.

Alwanna said she is looking for something that is less "in the way"--FF masks are more in the way, if you ask me.

I also want to disagree with you...I am definitely a side sleeper and have no issues with leaks on my FF Quattro. The key is cleaning your face each night and using cleaning wipes on the cushion every AM.

PS...I feel more claustrophobic with the small nasal mask than withnthe large FF.

[brazospearl]

I understand the unwillingness to try a full face mask because of a panic disorder. One thing I like about my Hybrid is that it has nasal pillows and covers my mouth, but it doesn't cover my nose. I can even wear my glasses with it on, so I can read before I go to sleep. I sleep on my side with it, and that has not been a problem. I use a small buckwheat hull pillow with about a third of the hulls removed.
All of this is just to get to this point: try more masks! Better to try them now and get a sense of what works. Be open to everything...you might be surprised at what works!

[Hope1952]

I used the Forma ff mask for the first three months (https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... -mask.html) and have now switched to Mirage Liberty ff which is nasal pillows and a covered mouth. (https://www.cpap.com/productpage/mirage ... llows.html) I frequently get a stopped up nose so I occasionally need to breathe through my mouth. The nasal pillows are so much more comfortable for my nose and the mask itself feels much less like a ff mask. I have the cpap pillow but personally prefer my feather pillows which I keep zipped up in allergy-free pillow cases. I can mold them to fit around my mask, neck, head and body. I'm a side sleeper.

I'd like to say you are not alone in the struggle and most of us understand what you're going through. Don't give up and it will get better.

[Max250]

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[carbonman]

Any suggestions would be so appreciated.

posted 7/5/08

EVERYONE...

Thank you! Thank you!

I know it isn't going to happen over night.
I know that there is going to be trial and error.

I AM going to hang in there.
I AM going to take my life back.

I AM going to keep asking hosehead questions and
hope that you all will continue to bear w/me.

THANK YOU!!

alwanna, I never get tired of reading newbie posts, like yours,
because it gives me reason to reflect on my beginnings.

I did, infact, keep asking hosehead questions and
all of these wonderful people did continue to bear w/me.
I did, infact, hang in there and
I have taken my life back.


Believe and let your determination return your life, too.

[Brenpbb11150]

Alwanna,
I have been on Cpap for almost 5 months now...I started out feelling the same way you do. The first few nights I thought that I would never make it on cpap. The first few nites I slept with my machine about 3 hours and week by week I started using it more and more.I am now up to 7 hrs a nite and I can't wait for bedtime to come so I can put my nose on and drift off to that wonderful sleep that I so much have needed for such a long time. You sound like you are very determined to make this work for you and I really hope that you do so you can experience the beneifts of it. I have done well with the mask that I have now and have not had to try different masks. Hang in there and let this forum help you through the difficult times that you experience. This is a wonderful group of people and we are so fortunate to have people here to answer our questions. I do feel that if you are a mouth breather that the FF mask would be a best benefit for you if you can have help in selecting the right one. Your DME should work with you on your mask fittings.
Good luck and I hope you can soon have the benefits of a good nights sleep.
Best Regards
Bren