Tired of CPAP!!

[bworthey]

Many of you may remember I posted here, like many others, my frustrations with getting used to sleeping with my new cpap machine. I know I'm not alone in that category that it took a long time to get used to. It probably took me about a year to be okay with putting it on every night and then actually sleeping all night with it on! I quickly got to a point that I could not sleep without it, I could feel myself choking and holding my breath and constantly waking back up if I ever tried to sleep without it!

Well, after about of year of sleeping with it on all night, I have a new issue. I'm simply tired of sleeping with my mask every night! Has anyone else done this? I know I'm sort of in a catch-22. Can't sleep with it, can't sleep without it! I'm just tired of thinking everynight when I get in the bed, I have to have this thing on. I pretty much sleep in the same position, because I can't sleep on my back and for some reason it doesn't work if I roll completely over to my other side. Am I just letting my mind get the better of me on this? I still don't know how much I can tell a difference in the quality of my sleep, but I can definitely tell a difference in actually just sleeping!

Anyone else just tired of sleeping with their mask?

B-Worthey

[Kiralynx]

Everyone has nights where they'd rather not mask up.

I sure didn't want to become a hosehead. But the difference in how I feel with properly functioning equipment, and getting the right kind of sleep makes the nuisance of the mask a minor issue.

[wrenn]

I'm tired of brushing my teeth. I am tired of thinking up something new for dinner. I have just finished laundry and now I don't feel like putting sheets back on my bed. If you think about it there are probably many things you really don't feel like doing. Once you accept that you don't really have a choice it might get easier.

Hang in there.

[cflame1]

if you're tired of the mask... try a new one

[TheDreamer]

Ya, sometimes I'll get into bed and just lay there....and not feel like putting on my mask. I sometimes think a different mask might be called for, something that isn't such a hassle to put on. Because I know once I get it on right and comfortable....I'll forget it there or not want to take it off in the morning.

The Dreamer.

[Wulfman]

I went back and read your other previous posts........about some crud in your humidifier.
Why don't you fill in your profile with your equipment so we can see what you have?

"Acceptance" of this therapy is the biggest step in being successful with it.
Your machine is your friend. It's (supposed to be) keeping us healthier than we would be without it.
Put things in perspective.......you could have some much more serious conditions like others have that take more time and effort to have to contend with on a daily basis.
If this is the worst thing you have to deal with (health-wise), consider yourself lucky.

Keep hosing up and stay healthy.

Den

[boston]

i know what you mean, i just want to crawl in bed and go to sleep. NOT fill my humidifier, NOT mask up, make minor adjustments, NOT get in bed and remember I need another jug of water for the humidifier and have to get up and go to the kitchen, etc. I WANT to be able to move without rerouting my hose, I WANT to get up in the morning and jump out of bed, not to have to take my mask off, turn off my machine, put mask away, etc. BUT, I also DO NOT WANT to go back to how things were before. Lifes not always fair or easy, but I will sure take this over some other ailments/illnesses.

[silver123]

Maybe it's just all about attitude. Me? I'm tired of dying.....XPAP is a blessing. Yeah, at times it's a pain in the ass but I'll settle for not dying. Breathing is pretty much a requirement for living so...I'm grateful for the technology.

silver

[bworthey]

Wow...I'm just really regretting even posting this topic now. I mean, seriously...you are telling me you are happy and okay with the fact that for the rest of your life you will have to put on a mask over your face to go to sleep?!?!? I know all the health risks, and all that that goes along with sleep apnea. I don't need, nor do I want, to hear all of it again. I just want to get in the bed and go to sleep. I want to sleep in the position I want to, not because this position is best for my mask not leaking, and not having to worry about trying to get a hose behind my pillow if I want to even think about rolling over. I'm sorry, but for me, this is different than having to take medicine for something every day. I don't know...maybe I'm just frustrated right now. Nothing about it has ever been so pleasant as everyone here makes it out to be. Sure, I don't hold my breath and I actually go to sleep and don't keep my wife up because I'm snoring loud enough to wake the dead....but it has just become a hassle and a pain in the tail. I don't see a change in mask helping, besides I can't buy/afford one right now. Don't have insurance yet.

And as far as what I'm using...the machine itself, I really couldn't tell you. I think I got screwed on teh deal with that one because my doc wanted one that would track info for her. I wasn't aware of this and just took the machine I was given. I think it was one being discontinued because i've never been able to find any info on it online. I have a humidifier as well. It is a resmed, but outside of that, I couldn't tell you. I use a resmed ultra mirage FF mask too. Have to have the full face because I'm a mouth breather, nasal mask and chin strap was not working at all! Also, my pressure is 19 so that limits me with some of the masks too.

[Kiralynx]

Wow...I'm just really regretting even posting this topic now. I mean, seriously...you are telling me you are happy and okay with the fact that for the rest of your life you will have to put on a mask over your face to go to sleep?!?!?

Not a bit of it. I cried when they told me I had apnea and would have to use a machine and mask. It was too blasted much of a challenge, on top of just recovering from cancer surgery.

I don't enjoy putting the mask on every night. I'd love to give over the nasal washing and all the rest.

But I'm a realist. My mask means the difference between sleeping all night and waking, not in pain, but feeling rested, and having a night where I wake up every 2-3 hours to take pain meds.

Given a choice between the two, I'll take the mask.

[jules]

I guess you don't want to find fixes to make this work for you.

[Wulfman]

I mean, seriously...you are telling me you are happy and okay with the fact that for the rest of your life you will have to put on a mask over your face to go to sleep?!?!?

ABSOLUTELY!!!
When I woke up the first morning, I said to myself......"One night down, the rest of my life to go."

Den

[bworthey]

Jules - what is the fix? The "fix" is to wear the mask every night. End of story. Which right now I'm hating. So what is the fix? I know I can lose weight, but even then I think I'd still have apnea. I think I've had apnea all my life, well at least from my teenage years when I wasn't over weight, and no one knew what it was or it wasn't severe enough to even be an issue.

[jules]

you complained above about having mask leaks and having to keep in certain positions all night - you obviously don't want fixes so you don't have the leak nor do you want to find a mask where you can move freely -------------------------

this is for life yeah --------- you ready for death? you are still very young according to your profile and a man of "god"

you mention you can lose weight - - how much you lost while on cpap? and how much do you need to lose ------- better yet - what percentage of what you need to lose have you ACTUALLY lost since being diagnosed -------

[kteague]

I don't think anyone said they were actually happy to have to do this. I'm not. Just glad I have this option for feeling better. I think there comes a degree of making peace with the necessity of it. Even then we may not be so at peace with the daily hassles. My pet peeve is getting all geared up and realizing I forgot my chin strap, which goes underneath. I think periodic discontent is normal - either that or I'm abnormal!