Taking it off in the middle of the night.

[rubyslipper26]

Hello All!
I received my Bi-Pap machine at the beginning of January. I was determined to make this work because I am fed up with waking up with headaches and feeling like I never even slept all the time. I am ashamed to admit that I have not been using it every night, but I don't know, there's just something not right about it. Plus, when I do wear it, I seem to have a tendency to take it off in the middle of the night. I don't know if I am panicking at something being on my face, or the air flow scares me, or what, but it's very disheartening when I wake up in the morning and the mask is laying on the floor. Also, my pressures are 12/8, and at first they seemed really strong, but now they just don't. Could it be that I am used to that? Has anyone else had this problem? And, is there anyone else that is a stomach-sleeper and still sleeps on their stomach with the mask on? They told me at the medical supply place that I wouldn't be able to, so I am a little hesitant to try it, but I don't like sleeping on my sides and I can't sleep on my back. Any insight from anyone would be greatly appreciated! Have a nice day!

[BeachGirl]

[bap40]

On several occasions I have taken my mask off in the middle of the night. I have found with myself it is usually because it is not seated right on my face. I figure it's because the mask is doing no good and making it harder to breath. Just an idea.

[xenablue]

Ruby, what mask are you using? I'm a stomach sleeper and can sleep that way with my Mirage Liberty. I originally started with a Mirage micro and could stomach sleep with that if it was snug enough. Also the Hybrid, which I tried for a week on the sleepnationtv program. I also stomach sleep just fine with a Swift FX for Her.
I do use a CPAP pillow with a "C" cut out on both sides which helps a lot for side/stomach sleeping.

xena

[brianrus]

I am totally with you on this one. I have been at it for over a year and still take it off the majority of nights. Last night I took it off after only 1.5 hours and never put it back on, probably my worst night in a long time! I find the nasal one to be much easier to keep on all night, but since I don't block my mouth airway with my tongue well enough, I have to tape my lips shut to use it! So most nights I struggle with the annoyance of the full face mask. Even after it seems like I've been able to acclimate to the feeling of it (and the leakiness) while conscious, I seemingly still cannot adjust to it once I'm actually asleep. I never remember taking it off, but simply wake up with it blowing air next to me in the bed. I do find BeachGirl's theory interesting and seems to make sense to me. How do you train yourself to get through it when you aren't even awake? I have an AutoPap machine and may try lowering my lowest pressure in hopes that it'll allow me to be ok even during shallow breathing.

So I suppose I can only empathize, but have no words of wisdom yet!

[Big S]

Rubyslipper26, could you fill in the section telling us what kind of equipment you are using? Board members will respond quickly with on point answers. I also used to take my mask off during night and snuggle with it until morning. I was always surprised with this and it ended when I started to get up whenever I found myself sleeping without the mask on my face. I decided that I would never sleep in my bed without the equipment I needed for therapy. I also had to mess around a fair amount to get the mask just right so that leaks were non existent or very minimal. When you get the mask right, things seem to fall into place pretty quickly, at least for me. I also feel like the pressure isn't enough. I place my hand in front of the exhaust vent and it always feels the same so I assume the air pressure hasn't changed but I plan to get an inexpensive manometer to check the output occasionally. I've been at this for about 5 months, so still a relative newbie but hang in there and become a regular at this site. You will get accustomed to your therapy and realize hope is always alive with the care and support you will receive from members and visitors of this forum.

[flowergal3]

rubyslipper, Nice to meet you! I have just started down this road too, on December 30, 2010, and wow, what a road it is. Don't be ashamed to admit you take the mask off, I do, too. I'm in no position to give you any advice, since I'm just as new at this as you are, but I do know what you're going through as does everyone else on this site. You will get fantastic help from the people here, they know sleep apnea!

I was actually happy to read your post, not that I'm glad you're having issues, but because I feel less lonely on this journey. I'm aware I take my mask off, it's when the fight to get comfortable overwhelms me and when the pressure rises so much that I can't seem to keep up breathing. I toss and turn, get the bedclothes in a tangle and lie there sweating, attached to a vacuum cleaner hose, disturbing my husband's sleep. And then get angry with myself, "Why can't I make this work? Why can't I be like other people I've read about who just love their machines?" I was so happy to find out that many of my health symptoms were possibly due to sleep apnea and heard there was a 'cure' for waking up with headaches every morning, feeling completely worn out, with RLS and having high blood pressure and aches and pains. After the sleep study, it was great to hear I had a legitimate problem but greater yet to hear using a CPAP would help immensely.

But the masks.....oh, boy. I've been averaging around six hours a night with the machine; and I do have to admit I feel better already, especially if I can get six hours, which is an accomplishment under the circumstances. Not great, by any means, but at least the morning headache is no longer with me and I'm not hoarse from snoring all night.

Which mask are you using? Have you tried any other kinds? I've got four masks so far (and none of them is a good fit yet) from my DME and am going to see him this week to see if we can find a different one. I don't know if it's the same for every patient or not, but I have 30 days to 'exchange' masks if (they don't take the other ones back, at least not yet, just give me something different). At first, I was timid about telling the DME the masks aren't working; didn't want to bother him and all that, want to be compliant and a 'good' patient, but now I have less than two weeks left to get this right, I'm sleep-deprived and getting more insistent.

I'm a side-sleeper, and I know the way the masks fit the best is if I remain on my back, but like you, I can't sleep that way. So, I roll over, and as long as I hold my head rigidly so the mask doesn't touch the pillow, everything works, but as soon as I fall asleep, we're off and leaking.

I'm going to see if I can get my DME to supply me with the Swift FX for her and the cpap pillow that xenablue recommends. It's all about comfort. I tried the nasal masks but there was just too much pressure on my upper lip using them; I've found if the mask hurts in the first few minutes of wearing it, it's not going to feel any better after a night's worth of struggling with it. My brotherinlaw sleeps on his stomach with the nasal pillows and says it works.

Sorry to write a book here, got carried away. Please let us know how this goes, I know we can do this, we just have to get the 'right' equipment!