Hating the mask? Maybe this will help someone.

Breathing · Post by **Breathing** » Sun May 20, 2012 7:38 am

I work in an Operating room, so I wear a mask at work. When I first started working in the OR I hated the mask and couldn't wait to get it off. I felt like it was strangling me. There were many times that I just wanted to rip the thing off of my face so I could breathe! After 6 months to a year, I got to where I did not notice it. Now (20 years later), I don't even notice if I have a mask on; I have to reach up and check before I walk into a sterile area to make sure I have a mask on. That did not happen overnight, and I had to talk to myself a lot the first few months. There is no choice - if you are in the OR, you are wearing a mask, You can't take it off for a while and then put it back on. Put it on and leave it on. Newbies in the OR, especially claustrophobic ones sometimes even need to leave the room momentarily to take off the mask and splash cold water on their face. Then the mask comes back on, and back into the room they go. You would not want your surgery done by someone who took off their mask because their subjective sense was that it was suffocating them! Objectively, the mask is not suffocating you. If you calm your mind down and take a few slow breaths you can prove to yourself that you are breathing just fine. You can also lay in bed on your back with your hand on your abdomen, and feel your abdomen go up and down as you breathe. Another "proof" that you ARE breathing. The "suffocating" sensation is in your mind, not your body. (I know, easier said than done.)

Last night I took my mask off. The chin strap slides down from my chin to my throat over time and I wake up feeling like I am being strangled. I ripped the thing off and put it on the bedside stand and went back to sleep.

When I woke up this morning and was actually awake, i was thinking that a scuba diver, or a military fighter pilot can't take off their mask and say, "I hate this thing, it is suffocating me!" they have to overcome their natural aversion to it, like I had to overcome my natural aversion to the surgical mask. Over time, I think it will get easier. I just need to wake up completely when I take it off and have a little talk with myself about it.

I did not feel like a failure for taking my mask off last night. It was annoying me, and I wanted it off. Tonight I will be better prepared mentally to say, "ok. take it off for a minute if you have to, but it HAS to be on before you go back to sleep....." Maybe get up, wash my face. etc., something to take a break, but not to make it so that a habit is being formed of taking it off and sleeping without it.

Most people don't wear a mask in their everyday life, so this is a hard thing to get used to. I think knowing that it can be done, and that it takes a long time, might make it a little more bearable.

Let me know if you find this helpful.

HoseCrusher · Post by **HoseCrusher** » Sun May 20, 2012 10:42 am

Well said.

It is all about conditioning and training.

Perspective and education probably plays a part too.

I visualize myself as healthy and vibrant. Then I try to conduct myself in a way to realize my goal. Part of this includes stinting my airway at night.

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Sun May 20, 2012 11:07 am

You would not want your surgery done by someone who took off their mask because their subjective sense was that it was suffocating them! Objectively, the mask is not suffocating you. If you calm your mind down and take a few slow breaths you can prove to yourself that you are breathing just fine. You can also lay in bed on your back with your hand on your abdomen, and feel your abdomen go up and down as you breathe. Another "proof" that you ARE breathing. The "suffocating" sensation is in your mind, not your body. (I know, easier said than done.)

This is so TRUE!. Your mind will do all sorts of tricks. People come here and state that the mask is suffocating them, they are different and the mask is the problem. It isn't, it is their mind but you can not convince them of it. I am pretty good a self hypnosis but even I had a problem in the night. About 2 weeks after I started I was suddenly waking up thinking I couldn't breathe with this mask. This was nonsense since I had been fine for several hours before that and happily wore it for 2 weeks before. I would lift the edge of the mask to let the hurricane be felt and said to myself "see there is lots of air" and I would fall back to sleep instantly. This happened for about a week, then it disappeared.

I have done a lot of mind stuff as part of pain control training. It is quite amazing at what you are capable of doing with your mind. Just pick a memory, relax and "see" it, "smell" it, "Hear" it , "feel" it and your body will react exactly how it would to the real thing. Which is why if you believe that the mask will choke you, it will feel exactly like that.
This is why attitude is so important. This is also why I jumped so hard on the poster who wanted people to confirm how hard, painful and awful cpap therapy was because when you do that you set people up for failure.

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:35 pm

Treating the claustrophobic feelings like a problem to overcome
beats the people that sit back, claim to have a phobia, and give up, as so many have.
My hat is off to anyone who faces these difficulties and defeats them.
For those who truly have a phobia, they should seek help if needed and not give up.

-tim · Post by **-tim** » Mon May 21, 2012 7:54 am

If your mask is suffocating and your minimum pressure or starting ramp pressure is 4 or 5, an increase can often fix it.

Maxie · Post by **Maxie** » Mon May 21, 2012 9:00 am

Very thoughtful post. I don't like having anything on my face and I am claustrophobic so I found a system, (nasal pillows) that solved that issue (not going to call it a problem!). It's only a problem if you make it one and like Breathing said, you have to work through the issues and figure out a way to make it work. Thank you Breathing!

terence999 · Post by **terence999** » Mon May 21, 2012 11:04 am

I have had about five masks. They all hurt my face. I have a deviated septum but I still breath mostly through my nose but I don't breath well. I have had the feeling of lack of air with the mask on and with it off. I have used the cpap for five months. I am unimpressed and find it a major pain in the ass.

John

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Mon May 21, 2012 11:18 am

terence999 wrote:I have had about five masks. They all hurt my face. I have a deviated septum but I still breath mostly through my nose but I don't breath well. I have had the feeling of lack of air with the mask on and with it off. I have used the cpap for five months. I am unimpressed and find it a major pain in the ass.

John

Attitude is everything. You may not consciously feel the results but your internal organs sure do. They don't require you to be impressed. Besides it took you more then 5 months to get into this shape, for most people the cure is not instantaneous and it takes time to rebuild your internal organs including your brain.
Many people go through many masks before they find the one that works, mostly because we all have different shape faces and different kinds of skin.

n0hardmask · Post by **n0hardmask** » Mon May 21, 2012 11:49 am

terence999 wrote:I have had about five masks. They all hurt my face. I have a deviated septum but I still breath mostly through my nose but I don't breath well. I have had the feeling of lack of air with the mask on and with it off. I have used the cpap for five months. I am unimpressed and find it a major pain in the ass.
John

John,
I think I can identify: I had the deviated septum operation, then got yet another sinus infection. ENT said I needed a turbinates reduction; I decided not to, cause I heard they come back. Shortly thereafter, the wife and I got on xPAP, and seeing her challenges with FFMs, I bought a SleepWeaver cloth mask. Its SOFT but has a tendency to leak excessively. Well, last Thursday I had a second sleep study, titrating with the SleepWeaver.
Mind you, the crusty technician looked at my paperwork and said he didn't believe in chin straps, only FFM for mouth-breathers; but we went forward. The SW mask and chinstrap (and Bruxism guard) passed the test. Did not get woken up for a FFM due to leaks. Boy am I thrilled. And the SW is infinitely more comfortable than a FFM or even the Comfortline2 I got as a backup.
Suggest you give the SleepWeaver a try.

mlasham · Post by **mlasham** » Tue May 22, 2012 12:36 am

My problem is my nose gets really itchy, and I have to poke my finger in under the mask to have a scratch. Then I get leaks and have to mess around resealing the mask .
I switch between nasal pillows and a full face mask, and am trying to work out which is best.
Pillows are most comfortable but I wake up a bit due to mouth breathing I think. Full mask should have me sleeping better if not for that damn itch.

Hating the mask? Maybe this will help someone.

Hating the mask? Maybe this will help someone.

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Re: Hating the mask? Maybe this will help someone.

Re: Hating the mask? Maybe this will help someone.

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