I'm Out

[Annoyed At CPAP]

I went to the doctor as my wife had been complaining since before we were married about my snoring. I was never overly tired or anything like that. I am overweight and can't seem to lose it. So I did the sleep study and I was dianosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

I was put on CPAP in June and I haven't had a good night sleep yet. Been back to the doctor's 10 times to get help with masks and fittings. Every full facemask that I have used leaks into my eyes unless I tighten the headstrap to the point that it leaves welts on my face. I have tried a hybrid mask and the nose pillows tend to start leaking after about an hour of use.

I am exhausted and am stopping this stupid CPAP thing so I can actually sleep. What alternate treatments are out there for somone like me? I want to be prepared when I talk to the sleep doctors as I don't feel they have helped me at all. Most of what I learned I read on this site and then questions the doc and there techs.

[andyw715]

have you tried a nasal pillow mask (not hybrid)?

I like to live by the rule of less linear inches of mask to skin contact = less chances of leakage.
Also its much lighter of an appliance, for me less noticeable when I sleep.

[roster]

have you tried a nasal pillow mask (not hybrid)?

I like to live by the rule of less linear inches of mask to skin contact = less chances of leakage.
Also its much lighter of an appliance, for me less noticeable when I sleep.

He most likely was prescribed a full face mask because he breathed through his mouth during the PSG.

Now you advise him to use nasal pillows setting him up for more failure.

[kempo]

I went to the doctor as my wife had been complaining since before we were married about my snoring. I was never overly tired or anything like that. I am overweight and can't seem to lose it. So I did the sleep study and I was dianosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

I was put on CPAP in June and I haven't had a good night sleep yet. Been back to the doctor's 10 times to get help with masks and fittings. Every full facemask that I have used leaks into my eyes unless I tighten the headstrap to the point that it leaves welts on my face. I have tried a hybrid mask and the nose pillows tend to start leaking after about an hour of use.

I am exhausted and am stopping this stupid CPAP thing so I can actually sleep. What alternate treatments are out there for somone like me? I want to be prepared when I talk to the sleep doctors as I don't feel they have helped me at all. Most of what I learned I read on this site and then questions the doc and there techs.

I use the FX nose pillows and the only time I have trouble with them is when I have a stuffy nose. Before you give up why don't you try this product:
http://www.remzzzs.com/

I have never used a nasal mask or a full face mask but many have had good things to say about Remzzzs helping with leaks. I think they will even send you a free sample to try.

[chunkyfrog]

Nasal pillows for me; very small contact area.
I tried three other masks--I'm hard to fit.
Due to mouth breathing at night, they 'pushed' me into a full face mask.
(Didn't they WANT any repeat business?)
With the conventional nasal mask, I discovered how many USELESS chin straps are made.
I was shocked by the idea of taping my mouth shut,
but I tried three types of tape before I settled on blue painters tape,
It's all trial and error, Don't give up. You ARE worth the effort.
Now I just kiss my sweetie goodnight before I tape up.

[elena88]

Dear annoyed,

How about, instead of just quitting, you think about starting from scratch.. Obviously what you have been doing is not working..

Why dont you post your sleep study information, your machines, all the masks you have used, etc..

Did anyone ever try you on a total face mask like the fitlife?

There should be a way to figure all this out, it seems everywhere you turned, another disaster was waiting for you, and you didnt get any
solutions..

I have been working on this since march, and its a huge struggle, Im on my fourth machine and sixth mask.. I WOULD love to find something else
that would work, believe me, but its not going to happen..

How severe is your OSA? Perhaps YOU are a candidate for an alternative, but please post all your information.. You ended up on cpap for a reason..

Its only been three months, that is not long enough to figure all the crazy stuff out for a lot of people, me included..

[SleepingUgly]

Those without daytime symptoms tend to be more noncompliant with CPAP than those who do have daytime symptoms. Unfortunately, your needs are no less than someone who is so sleepy they can't make it through the day.

Is your nose congested or are you able to breathe out of your nose just fine? If you are congested and can't breathe through your nose, you need a full face mask, and you need to find one that works or use "fixes" for them (I'll come back to this). If you can breathe just fine out of your nose, you could try nasal pillows (in part depending on your pressure) or a nasal mask, and either tape your mouth or use a chinstrap. These are less likely to leak due to the aforementioned reason that there is less contact with your face so fewer places to leak.

Since you already own the Hybrid, why don't you start with a "fix" for the leaking pillows. Here is a link to one:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48808&p=447870&hili ... hy#p446053

If you can't find the Christmas Tree light clips, you could use a small scrunchy around the "head" of the pillow in place of the light clip. This tends to work very well, and you can use Lansinoh just inside and on the rim of your nostrils to help seal it even more.

[sister]

hi, sometimes you have to go back to square 1 and start over,believe me I did and i am so glad now that I didn't give up! I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in january,2006, tried for 15 months to use c-pap but finally my dr. said,you are not a canidate for c-pap! he recommended surgery,[UPPP} and so in 2007 I had the surgery. I didn't have a sleep study done afterward,i thought I was sleeping so it wasn't done.I would never have known that I wasn't sleeping except last december my 8 year old grandaughter slept with me and kept waking me up all night because I stopped breathing! So I have been trying again since january to use the c-pap again. Just for the last few nights have I had success and i feel so --------------- much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been a long journey, yes, but I want to live to see my grandchildren grow up! I am making so much progress lately,but you have to put everything you can scrape together into it!!!
I am happy that i didn't give up!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU and the best of luck!!!!!!
There is an answer out there for you too!!!!!

[LoQ]

I went to the doctor as my wife had been complaining since before we were married about my snoring. I was never overly tired or anything like that. I am overweight and can't seem to lose it. So I did the sleep study and I was dianosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

I was put on CPAP in June and I haven't had a good night sleep yet. Been back to the doctor's 10 times to get help with masks and fittings. Every full facemask that I have used leaks into my eyes unless I tighten the headstrap to the point that it leaves welts on my face. I have tried a hybrid mask and the nose pillows tend to start leaking after about an hour of use.

I am exhausted and am stopping this stupid CPAP thing so I can actually sleep. What alternate treatments are out there for somone like me? I want to be prepared when I talk to the sleep doctors as I don't feel they have helped me at all. Most of what I learned I read on this site and then questions the doc and there techs.

I don't think you should give up on CPAP therapy quite yet. My first question is whether or not you had the mask on too high on your face. If you still have the full face mask, put it on, attach it to the blower, and then pull it down on your nose just a bit. That may help you a lot.

You might also try loosening the bottom straps rather than tightening the upper straps (to the head rest). And you might try changing your pressure so that it is lower for a while, until you get more used to the mask. Even at a pressure that is too low for you, it might do some good, and it might keep the mask from leaking while you gain some skill. Then after you are used to it at a pressure where it doesn't leak, try increasing the pressure just a notch and see if you can succeed there.

You have to keep trying things. One thing that has helped to stop the leaks for me is the use of a pad I make for myself. I laminate two pieces of tape together. The bottom layer is Johnson and Johnson Secure Comfort Tape. The top is Nexcare Absolute Waterproof Tape. I press the two together firmly, then I cut an oval from the laminated piece of tape. I place the oval on the bridge of my nose. One of these ovals that I make can last a week or more, so it's not very time-consuming or expensive to have these. This also keeps me from having a red mark on my nose in the morning.

Sometimes getting the mask to stop leaking into your eyes is more of an art than a matter of following instructions. I'm pretty sure that people who don't use CPAP therapy won't be able to help you learn this art. That probably includes most of the people at the doctor's office.

[Paula389]

I feel the same way you do, but I keep reading to hang in there and it gets better -- lots better! I sure hope so!

[Annoyed At CPAP]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I am a mouth breather. Never been able to breathe through my nose naturally. I have to really focus to breathe through the nose.

I have used the Mirage Liberty, Innomed Hybrid, Mirage Quattro, and two other full face masks. My machine is hte Resmed System one with a heated humidifier.

I am a side sleeper and can't keep the masks from leaking. Also my mouth is always bone dry even when I have the humidifier set to 5.

This lack of sleep is starting to cause family problems as I am really unbearable right now. That's why I am quitting. I need sleep.

No one answered my question. Do alternate therapies work? I have done some research, do oral appliances work? What about acupunture?

[elena88]

I dont think anyone answered your question because nobody has enough information from you yet..

can you post your sleep study?

if you have mild apnea, and dont have a huge desaturation of oxygen, perhaps a mouth piece might help you..

there is also a mask which is only a mouth piece, have you tried that? NO Head gear, no leaks, great for mouth breathers..

have you downloaded your information? have you studied your graphs to see what time your leaks occur?

I will go find a link to that mouth piece mask, that might help you..

[BlackSpinner]

dental appliances work for a small number of people.

A coffin works for everyone. If you plan to quit then I hope you have good insurance for your family's sake.

[elena88]

Look, I know things are bad, I have been there..

It was pretty close to implosion, and my husband couldnt take it anymore..

It was serious.. so I understand..

Listen you dont have to quit, just take a break... get some good sleep for a few nights.. rack up some zzz's without the machine..

when you feel better, try something different.

I couldnt find the mask with no headgear which was a mouthpiece, but I will keep looking..

here is a mouth piece mask that has a tiny bit of headgear..

this might work:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... -mask.html

Also, it wasnt the dying so much I was worried about, it was when someone asked me who was going to change my diapers when I had a stroke..
that stung...

[SleepingUgly]

The mouthpiece with no headgear is the Oracle:

http://www.fphcare.com/osa/mask-solutio ... -mask.html

It could potentially be great for someone who CAN'T breathe through their nose. I've tried it and if I had had a different machine at the time and wasn't a nose breather, it might have worked for me--no leaking as far as I could tell. Good thinking, Elena!

As far as other forms of treatment, an oral appliance is a possibility. Some research suggests it only helps in mild apnea, some dispute that. Some find that the AHI is not reduced as much as with CPAP, although some research suggests otherwise. It's something to consider if the choices are that or nothing, but if I had severe apnea, personally I would not be inclined to mess around too long with anything but the "gold standard".

The other option is surgery.

The final option (pun intended) is the one that Black Spinner mentioned. But you don't want that option.