New to CPAP

[Fenway3199]

I started using CPAP 10 nights ago. I have tried for 2-3 hours each night to fall asleep but can not. I would then have to remove the mask in order to get any sleep.

The mask fits fine and the pressure does not bother me, I use a strap to keep my shut. Everything seems to be working fine but I can not fall asleep. Any suggestions? Would some kind of sleeping pill help out?

I am going to continue trying until it works, but I am more tired now then before I started with CPAP.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Tumbleweed]

Hang in there, Fenway! This sort of thing is not unknown to this community. One thing I would suggest trying is to start wearing your gear before you actually try to sleep. Hook up, crawl in, read a book or watch TV and DO NOT dwell on the gear. Let your body adjust to the stuff without fretting about it. The more you wear that hosed contraption, the less it will get to you. You WILL get used to the stuff, believe me! Many of us, myself included, have gone through this phase, but as I am now, I could not sleep WITHOUT my gear at this point.

[bdp522]

You can also wear the mask without turning on the machine. Wear it for a few hours each day. Work your way up slowly, wear it with out machine while awake, wear it with machine on while awake, Then wear it to bed with the machine on. It takes time to get used to all of this cpap stuff. Baby steps are OK. Just keep trying. If something in particular is bothering you about it(leaks, sore spots, etc) post the problem and we will all try to help!

Brenda

[S-Dubya]

Tumbleweed nailed it. Focus on other things - reading, TV, sounds outside, whatever works for you. When I first started I used to take 5 minutes 3-4 times a day to put my mask on, adjust the headgear and lay down. Sometimes I turned on the machine, sometimes I didn't. I just helped me to get used to the feeling of laying in bed with it on.

[sleepyWI]

I had terrible trouble at first. I used Ambien for about a month to get me over the hump. I don't need it anymore (except rarely) but was glad to have the help. The Ambien was not without side-effects for me...it left me a little hung over but at least I slept and it helped me get used to this whole thing. I can now go all night with my mask and no Ambien. Part of it is finding just the right mask as well. I went through 6 masks before I found nirvana (CL2).

[xmit1996]

Brenda is so right. My doctor tells all his patients to set the CPAP up in the living room put on the mask and turn on the CPAP while watching your favorite shows. It really makes the transition better... He recommends doing this while still trying to wear the mask at night. Good Luck it will get better.

[greenham]

I am new as well. Do a search for my posts. It hasn't been real pretty getting used to this whole thing. These guys made a huge difference for me to stick with it.

All that being said, I found using Tylenol PM made a huge difference getting to sleep and staying asleep.

Stick with it, you will work through it.

[SleepGuy]

I'd run your new machine as much as possible during the day to get rid of the vinyl chloride and other plastic smells. Sleeping with a new cpap is a lot like being wrapped up in a new shower curtain all night, which is far more irritating to your olfactory senses (and limbic system) than most people really understand.

But more than anything else, stick with it! Don't give up. I had to spend a lot of time telling myself that my mask and the box were my best friends and that I could and should trust them to get real sleep--finally!