First Night with machine

[andreb]

After getting laughed at for 1/2 hour by my wife.. called Darth Vader.. yadda yadda... I was on the first night. I fell asleep right away but found myself up a couple hours later feeling very uncomfortable. Is this just something you get used to? I HATE sleeping with anything warm on my face.. pillows.. blankets.. so using a mask may be tricky, but it is far more comfortable than the nasal pillows.

Oh.. btw...
HI EVERYONE! I'm Andre.

[Suzjohnson]

After getting laughed at for 1/2 hour by my wife.. called Darth Vader.. yadda yadda... I was on the first night. I fell asleep right away but found myself up a couple hours later feeling very uncomfortable. Is this just something you get used to? I HATE sleeping with anything warm on my face.. pillows.. blankets.. so using a mask may be tricky, but it is far more comfortable than the nasal pillows.

Oh.. btw...
HI EVERYONE! I'm Andre.

Hi Andre and welcome to the forum! There are some aspects of this cpap thing that we get comfortable with right away and others, not so fast. Hang in there, the results will come. Your frame of mind has a huge impact on results so focus on the good things that will come from consistent use rather than on the things you dislike about it. Mind over matter.

Suz

[Julie]

Andre, hi - It would help a whole lot if you go to the User Ctl panel under the main logo, then click on Profile tab, fill in all your equipment (and pressures) with full names and model #'s, and please use text vs icons... that'll all appear under your notes from now on and everyone will be able to see what's what to help you more quickly... without knowing what you're working with, it's hard to advise, but a tip or two... probably the majority don't get through the first night, or even the second, third, etc. with the mask on full time, or if they do they realize it could be the 'wrong' mask (we normally do go thru a few at least til we find the most comfortable one with the fewest leaks... too often whoever helped you to get the first one did not do a great job, did not have you lie down with it on, did make it too tight (often creating new leaks) and then set your machine to the wrong pressure as well.

You should be fine, especially if you can laugh (or at least your wife can), and good luck. One thing - each mask has a CO2 vent, usually near the angle where the hose meets the mask (small, with lots of tiny holes), but some masks have it higher on the mask, like mine, but in any case - be very careful when you go to sleep never to cover that with bedding because you'll start rebreathing the CO2 and that's not a good thing!

[gertrude]

Welcome Andre.

Is that your wife in bed with you in the avatar picture?

Seriously, I'm with you with the stuff on my face. I'm not claustrophobic about it, but I sweat into the mask and wake up feeling really uncomfortable. I'm about to try a sleepweaver (made of cloth) to see if it makes a difference. Some people have had leak trouble with it, but I'm hoping my face will like it. Another suggestion that might help with the feel of the mask on your face is to try some liners. They are commercially available, or you can cut one out of a soft old T shirt. I think this may be a long period of adjustment. I got a bleeding sore on my nose from the nasal mask and switched to nasal pillows, although I didn't like them at all when I tried them at the DME. Part of that was getting the right size for my nose. I think the one I first tried was way too large.

What I'm doing now is getting up, taking out the pillows, wiping my face and then trying again. A fan and lots of cool air in the room helps too. It is getting better, so patient adjustment is the key.

If you add your equipment using the control panel on the upper left, you'll get more specific comments. The written form is easier to see than the pictures, which all look alike.

[Maxie]

Sleeping with a mask on your face is just not natural BUT we do it because it keeps us alive. Even my dog was freaked out the first time he saw me in my mask but now he doesn't even notice. Just keep on keeping on!

[jlklinko]

Hi there
1) Congrats on completing your first night Andre!
2) Don't let your wife's teasing deter you....you need this therapy.
3) The full face mask does take time to adjust! It will get better and easier. (I have a full face mask too)
4) CPAP can be life changing with patience!!

[chunkyfrog]

Welcome, Andre.
Love the kittie.

[Sheriff Buford]

Andre: what you are going through is normal. It will take some getting used to, and trust me.... you will eventually get used to it. Keep up the good work!! You are doin' great!

Sheriff

[andreb]

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments. I will fill out my profile tonight. I would have done it here, from work.. but I don't know what in the world I have. It looks pretty though and lights up!

And no.. that's not my wife in the picture. I'd have to run and buy a pack of razors if she was that furry. That's our 2 year old Ragdoll son, Gus. He was extremely interested in me with the mask on last night. I'm really looking forward to this therapy being life changing. It's possible that my sleep apnea has been the root cause of some major medical issues I'm dealing with now.

[daveverdo]

Last night was also my first night. Fell asleep quickly but was up every hour or so until around 3AM. Still needed my afternoon nap today but I would say I felt better when I first got up than I normally feel. No headache this morning. I used pillows last night. Might try the full mask tonight. I spent most of the time trying to keep my mouth closed with the pillows. My jaw muscles are killing me right now.

Good luck.

Dave

[andreb]

Dave,
That was like me during my sleep study. I had pillows and would accidentally open my mouth and the rush of air would half choke me.

Let me know what you like better between the mask and pillows. I'm almost thinking about trying them again.

[Suzjohnson]

Andre & Dave - A chinstrap works wonders for keeping the mouth closed. It allows me to use the nasal pillow mask very successfully and if you don't like "stuff" on your face, it's the only way to go!

Suz

[zoocrewphoto]

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments. I will fill out my profile tonight. I would have done it here, from work.. but I don't know what in the world I have. It looks pretty though and lights up!

And no.. that's not my wife in the picture. I'd have to run and buy a pack of razors if she was that furry. That's our 2 year old Ragdoll son, Gus. He was extremely interested in me with the mask on last night. I'm really looking forward to this therapy being life changing. It's possible that my sleep apnea has been the root cause of some major medical issues I'm dealing with now.

I have 3 Ragdolls. One sleeps in the living room with my mom who also has sleep apnea. The other two sleep on my bed, and both checked me out the first couple mornings to make sure the mask wasn't killing me. Quinn (the photo I am using) adjusted her sleep location so that she is still within reach, but not in the line of fire of my mask exhaust.

[andreb]

Ha.. that's funny.
Aren't Ragdolls the best?

[daveverdo]

Andreb,

So how was night 2?

I used the full mask last night and fared much better. Still woke up a few times and had a few leaks around the mask but I felt much better than with the pillows. It's 2:00PM here right now and I don't feel like nap time yet but I may be hoping for too much after only two days.

Dave