Newbie: Congestion and Different Masks

[Kristen999]

Hello!

I've been trying to use CPAP for off and on for a month now and only made two hours at the most. The Med Supply store and Respiratory therapists have been helpful, but none of their suggestions seem to work. I hope I could get some tips because I'm stating to feel defeated. I'm a pressure level of 11. I'm a 34 and have obstructive and central apena. I have a very hard time falling asleep but my doc says once I get used to cpap that type of insomnia will go away.

I'm a mouth breather sometimes, but my dentist says my lower jaw is too small and my mouth opens because my tongue has no where to go and TMJ aggravates things. I've use CPAP for hour every day to adjust to wearing the masks, but at night when I lie down, it's a different story.

Congestion:

No matter what mask I wear, I get stuffy to the point it's uncomfortable to breathe on CPAP. I have heated tubes, I've used the auto mode on the humidity and even raised to 7, but within 40 mins I get really stuffy. If I sleep without cpap at night, I wake up with little stuffiness, but nothing major. I use sinus rinses and even that saline gel, but nothing keeps my nose from getting congested. 10 mins after the mask is off, my breathing is clear again.

Any tips or suggestions?


Masks:

I started on Airtouch F20. But I can't take the pressure points of my sinus even with the fuzzy cushion not to mention its super uncomfortable.... And when I had the humidification to 6, I could not take how warm the air felt over my face.

I switched to a nasal mask, but even with a chin strap, my mouth opens, waking me up. It's very frustrating. I have no idea if my mouth opening is related to the fact I can't breathe or if it's another issue.

I got a Airfit F30I. I like having the nasal opening under my nose and I can tolerate the mouth piece, but the pressure points over my teeth and end of my mouth are too much.

Is this just an adjustment thing and I need to keep acclimating? Anytime I use CPAP at night and can't get through the first 60-90 mins, I can't get back to sleep so I'm left exhausted. In fact, I haven't fallen asleep on any mask at all.

My Sleep Doc prescribed Ambien, but I don't know if will fix things. Aka congestion and I don't want to depend on it to sleep.

Where do I even begin? Thank you!

[imrj]

takes a while getting use to....i use an F20 and works great for me...but at the beginning i thought everything was garbage.....i will admit sleep meds helped me get over then hump until I got used to the mask, used it for 90 days or so then slowly tapered down, dunno if I would have made it w/o some help at first.
wear it sometime during the day if you have to, you will look silly, but it will help your mind adapt to it unconsciously

[Kristen999]

takes a while getting use to....i use an F20 and works great for me...but at the beginning i thought everything was garbage.....i will admit sleep meds helped me get over then hump until I got used to the mask, used it for 90 days or so then slowly tapered down, dunno if I would have made it w/o some help at first.
wear it sometime during the day if you have to, you will look silly, but it will help your mind adapt to it unconsciously

That's good to know. Thank you.

[Miss Emerita]

Several excellent suggestions already. I have just one additional thought. For some people, little or no humidity helps with congestion. It’s a very idiosyncratic thing. So try experimenting with your humidity settings.