Spoke too soon!

[muirwoodsue]

Last week I posted on how my first week was just wonderful. I just slept like a rock and didn't move at all during the night. Many of you commented that this was great - but unusual! How true those words were - but I didn't know it at the time.

Week 2 has been a different story. I use a nasal pillow and chin strap. All week the chin strap kept moving off the back of my head. The nasal pillows now hurt my nose (maybe I have the whole thing on too tight) but I wake up many times now because of I hear a loud SSSHHHHHH from the stupid thing leaking or moving off my face. Last night I was blowing raspberries! I know that my mouth must be opening alot during the night. Plus now I have such gas! Geez. The thought of getting a full face mask is just not appealing to me. I want to give the pillows a chance. When I lay on my back it's fine, but when I sleep on my side, I seem to have lots of leakage. Not to mention that exhaust of hair from the nasal pillow from the front. Who's idea was that? Nice cold air blowing on you.

In addition, my AHI went from 2.1 the first week to now 4.4! I am set to 10. My leakage is about the same - 33 minutes average. I do get over 8 hours a night on the machine.

I know it's just trail and error - and that I bet I'm gonna need a full face mask. I feel like an alien wearing all that crap at night. I know it looks so sexy and appealing too!

If I didn't feel so much better than before CPAP, I would just chuck the whole thing!

So - I just needed to "vent" a bit. Aahhhh -the life of a hose head!

[JoeFF]

Wow, your experience sounds just like mine1 I have been on CPAP 3 weeks now. My first day I went home, told my wife I was going to the bedroom to put on the mask and try to get used to it in hope that would get a little sleep that night. I went to sleep at 7:00 P.M. and slept all night like a baby. The next four or five nights was the same way; I thought this whole CPAP thing was a piece of cake. The following week a different story. I think my body finally caught up on sleep and I was extremely rested. I started having problems sleeping with the nasal pillow, waking up during the night, feeling overall miserabile with my CPAP therapy. I am happy to say that my third week has been much better. I am finally starting to get used to the feel of being attached to a machine blowing air up my nose and having something attached to my nose and head. it has been a little struggle, but this board has been a tremendous help. I have adjusted my starting pressure and my Bi-Flex setting some and it is now more comfortable. I also ordered a tube covering from Pad A Cheek to help make me more comfortable. I hope that real soon wearing my headgear and sleeping with the machine will become like second nature to me, until then I am going to keep working to make sure I use the machine.

[howkim]

Do you use any kind ofsmall strap around the back of your head? My chinstrap (long piece of 3-4" wide white elastic with velcro at one end) came with two smaller (~9inch long,~3/4 inch wide) elastic strips with velcro on both ends. I use one around the back of my head to keep the large one from slipping frontwards.

[SleepyInIndy]

To keep your chinstrap in place, you might want to consider the Pap-cap. It completely solved my slippage issues. The cap keeps things nice and stable. Quick and responsive service also.

While I use a different nasal mask, I occasionally get the sore nares syndrome. There are several ointments you can apply to help the healing of the tender parts and watching how you adjust the mask will have an impact. Just try to not use a petroleum product as it could compromise your mask.

The other thing that can mess up with the nasal mask is your hose control. A dragging/pulling hose can upset things very quickly.

There is one mask that does ot vent stright out, it's called the Headrest I believe. I haven't had the chance to try one yet, but it will probably be my next adventure. It is the only one that allows for the comfort of sleeping companions that I am aware of.

[sleepisgood]

Howdy!

I had similar problems with the chin strap sliding, which made the mask slide and leak, so I had to really tighten the straps. The RT at my DME said it happens a lot with women, because we have longer hair than most male hoseheads. .

She recommended attaching the chin strap to my hair with a couple little hairclips, the metal ones that snap open and closed and look like V's when they are open. That did the trick for me, and I was able to loosen up my headgear straps so the whole thing was more comfortable.

Good luck!

[muirwoodsue]

Good ideas everyone! I can certainly see about the hair issue with women. My chin strap is just a strap of blue with velcro on the ends and a little "pouch" for the chin. My nasal pillow has a strap that goes around the back of my head and one that goes on the top. I am going out today to get some of those clips for my hair/strap.

It's frustrating, but I really want it to work!

Thanks everyone.

[alnhwrd]

If your mouth is coming open while you sleep and you do not want a FFM, then you should try taping your mouth at night. It can seem a bit weird at first, but it will let you keep using the mask you like and should bring your numbers back down.

[jda1000]

Hey - there was a typo in your post - you said "I feel like an alien wearing all that crap at night" when I'm very very sure you meant to say "CPAP at night....!"

Hehehe...

[robertmarilyn]

Hey - there was a typo in your post - you said "I feel like an alien wearing all that crap at night" when I'm very very sure you meant to say "CPAP at night....!"
Hehehe...

I think this is a typo too:

"Not to mention that exhaust of hair from the nasal pillow from the front."

Unless you have really, really long nasal hair

mar