Wakng up, taking mask off

[Sparky lulu]

Does this happen to anyone else?
I have been using my FF mask for 6 months now. About a month and a half ago I started taking the mask off in my sleep and only realizing it much later in the early morning. I get as little as 2 hours use but never more than 4.5 because of this. I fall asleep fine with it. No problems there. But, I am such a restless sleeper that I never ever ever get to full deep sleep.
I was really hoping that using the mask would allow me to sleep the kind of sleep I've been dreaming about but that's not the case.
I had also hoped that my waking blood sugar would be lower because of the mask but that didn't happen, either.
In other words, why am I wearing this thing? I don't snore when I sleep on my stomach, but I can't sleep on my stomach with the mask. I wake up as many times during the night as I did without the thing.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Short of just stopping this whole endeavor altogether?
And, yes, my mask fits fine. No leaks. And, when I do wear it, my AHI is as low as 2. Sometimes as high as 4.5. Which is a significant improvement over the 50 that I was experiencing during my sleep study.
As I said, falling asleep with it is not a problem. It's what happens when I am out that is the problem.

Thanks.

[Julie]

Hi - it happens to many people, though more usually when they first start, rather than later on... can you please give us the name and model of your machine, mask and pressure settings?

[Dani]

I found that when I was using a chin strap I had all kinds of problems. Taking mask off while sleeping, waking up bloated in excruciating stomach pain. I have a nasal mask and tend to be a mouth breather. When I first got my CPAP I had a full face mask, but I was getting a stomach full of air. so they switched me to a nasal mask with a chin strap and was still getting air in stomach and was taking off mask. For a while I just figured it was better to sleep with it a little bit than none at all. But then one evening my chin strap was in with my laundry and when I was ready for bed it wasn't dry yet, so I just slept with the mask no chin strap. I haven't worn the strap since nor have I taken off my mask while sleeping or made Darth Vader noises with my mouth.

[Guest]

I have a philips respira. I have to get the make and model later. But, I don't have a chin strap. I have never needed one. In fact, my deviated septum makes it so difficult to breath through my nose that I either have to use a decongestant or just breath through my mouth. But this doesn't bloat me.
It took me a couple weeks to get used to the mask and, once I did, I had no issue. But, this is just weird. I tried to turn the humidity off, full, mid level and nothing was working.
But, I will say that not once since I have been using the machine, in the entire 6 months did I get that kind of great, uninterrupted, deep deep sleep.
I'm seriously wondering why the fuck I am using this thing.

[LSAT]

I have a philips respira. I have to get the make and model later. But, I don't have a chin strap. I have never needed one. In fact, my deviated septum makes it so difficult to breath through my nose that I either have to use a decongestant or just breath through my mouth. But this doesn't bloat me.
It took me a couple weeks to get used to the mask and, once I did, I had no issue. But, this is just weird. I tried to turn the humidity off, full, mid level and nothing was working.
But, I will say that not once since I have been using the machine, in the entire 6 months did I get that kind of great, uninterrupted, deep deep sleep.
I'm seriously wondering why the fuck I am using this thing.

To save your life. If you are breathing through your mouth you should be using a full face mask. If you are removing your mask in your sleep...tape it on or use a chin strap over the mask.You still have not told us what mask you are using. REGISTER and fill in your profile.

[49er]

Hi Sparky,

I have had some big time adjustment problems to pap therapy and have developed some health problems as a result. Please do what you can to make pap therapy work so you're not in my position. LSAT hit the bullseye by telling you are wearing the mask to save your life. And if you could fill out your equipment profile as he suggests, that would be great.

You mentioned an issue of blood sugar. Do you have diabetes? Is that under control as that could be affecting things?

By any chance, do you have an elevated heart rate when you wake up? Because if you do, that needs to be check out with your doctor,

How are you sinuses and nasal issues? Any problems there that need to be investigated further?

Finally, why are you wearing a full face mask? Many people think they need one when nasal/nasal pillow masks would work alot better. But you could be one who does so I am just trying to find out exactly what your situation is.

Hang in there and don't give up.

49er

Does this happen to anyone else?
I have been using my FF mask for 6 months now. About a month and a half ago I started taking the mask off in my sleep and only realizing it much later in the early morning. I get as little as 2 hours use but never more than 4.5 because of this. I fall asleep fine with it. No problems there. But, I am such a restless sleeper that I never ever ever get to full deep sleep.
I was really hoping that using the mask would allow me to sleep the kind of sleep I've been dreaming about but that's not the case.
I had also hoped that my waking blood sugar would be lower because of the mask but that didn't happen, either.
In other words, why am I wearing this thing? I don't snore when I sleep on my stomach, but I can't sleep on my stomach with the mask. I wake up as many times during the night as I did without the thing.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Short of just stopping this whole endeavor altogether?
And, yes, my mask fits fine. No leaks. And, when I do wear it, my AHI is as low as 2. Sometimes as high as 4.5. Which is a significant improvement over the 50 that I was experiencing during my sleep study.
As I said, falling asleep with it is not a problem. It's what happens when I am out that is the problem.

Thanks.

[Day_Dreamer]

By any chance, do you have an elevated heart rate when you wake up? Because if you do, that needs to be check out with your doctor,

When I have a bad night I sometimes wake with my heart racing. I assume its trying to give my body the o2 needed from a apnea cluster. I took a nuclear stress test in Feb and it showed no problems.

Could you please elaborate

THANKS

[Nick Danger]

Hi, Sparky! I know it is frustrating. 6 months is surely long enough to get comfortable with CPAP, right??? In my case it took over a year. At some time after around a year, it got to the point that I had trouble falling asleep if I DIDN'T have the mask on and the machine running. That's what you're going for - it takes time and perseverance. Keep going and I'm confident you'll get there.

As others have said, you're doing this to improve the quality and length of your life. I still feel restless at night, sometimes. I don't feel that I'm getting that paradise level of sleep you describe. But you know what? I can now watch a movie from start to finish. I no longer fall asleep in the middle of conversations. I can drive for over an hour without having to pull off to the side of the road because I caught myself waking up while driving (catching yourself waking up while driving is much scarier than feeling yourself nodding off while driving).

Regarding your comment about the ease with which you fall asleep - that's actually a marker for sleep apnea. I had a therapy client once and during intake, I said "Do you have a problem with hydrocodone?" He said, "I have no problems with hydrocodone - I only have problems when I run out!"

Good luck and don't quit!

[49er]

By any chance, do you have an elevated heart rate when you wake up? Because if you do, that needs to be check out with your doctor,

When I have a bad night I sometimes wake with my heart racing. I assume its trying to give my body the o2 needed from a apnea cluster. I took a nuclear stress test in Feb and it showed no problems.

Could you please elaborate

THANKS

Definitely.

A few times, (not always) on the pap machine, I woke up prematurely with an elevated heart rate. Unfortunately, I blew this off as anxiety about waking up early and due to my extreme brain fog didn't connect this to being told I had tachycardia when my blood pressure was taken at various doctor visits. I blew that off as a white coat issue even when I was very comfortable with one doctor I saw.

You may be perfectly fine, particularly if you have consistently used your machine all the time which I admittedly didn't for various reasons. A racing heart a few times doesn't necessarily indicate a problem, particularly if your stress test checked out ok.

However, I assume you have done all the necessary things like checking your O2 level and make sure your pressure is adequate? And of course, if you still have concerns, I would definitely follow up.

In my case, there is no doubt I have a problem as I will bet I woke up more than a few times prematurely on the pap machine with an elevated heart rate. I probably only noticed it when it was severe due to the brain fog.

I am seeing a cardiologist for a meds evaluation and to discuss having a sleep study and titration through her office if I like the sound of how things are run. Hopefully, that will get me on the road to better sleep on the pap machine and more importantly better health.

Let me know if you have other questions. As I was writing this post, my brain felt like molasses so forgive me if I missed something.

49er



PS -

[Day_Dreamer]

My undiagnosed sleep apnea has resulted in high blood pressure. With CPAP I have reduced it, but I am still on a small dose of labatitol and it still gets high on some nights. I was running 6-7 AHI per night for a while and was awoken with a racing heart and elevated BP several nights.

Thanks
Feel better !

[49er]

My undiagnosed sleep apnea has resulted in high blood pressure. With CPAP I have reduced it, but I am still on a small dose of labatitol and it still gets high on some nights. I was running 6-7 AHI per night for a while and was awoken with a racing heart and elevated BP several nights.

Thanks
Feel better !

Ah, now your situation makes sense. Good luck in getting stabilized and thanks for your well wishes.

49er