suggestions please!

[ughwhatname]

When my nose was hurting with nasal pillos, I found that the straps were too tight.

If he can stick it out with the nasal pillows and the use of the "lanisoh/nipple cream" to aid with the discomfort, his nose will toughen and become accustomed to the mask and the pain should cease. It's all a matter of sticking with it and taking one step at a time. Set goals ... say by 3rd or 4th night just insist on keeping the mask on and within a week or two, it should become natural and not cause pain.

The above is my experience.

[ughwhatname]

Lack of sleep causes crankiness...

I think the wording is placed right around the on/off button. Mine just says "Autoset."

Do you mean to turn the ramp time completely down? I wondered about that, but wasn't sure if I needed to do that or he needed to get into a deeper sleep before the pressure got higher. He is quite stubborn and is still at the stage of getting frustrated and when that happens he is done for the night. Glad it's still just the night at this point because when he got frustrated with the pillows it was a week before he went to get a FFM.

He must have the auto S9 because I don't remember seeing Elite or Escape on the machine by the on/off switch, not home so I can't look right now. I believe there is something in the corner under the on/off button that starts with an E maybe. Sorry if that sounds stupid!

[kaiasgram]

Newbie wife, FWIW, not all nasal pillow masks are created equal. Many people start with the Swift FX nasal pillow mask -- I did, and felt like I wasn't getting enough air flow. Not good. I then tried the Aloha nasal pillow mask and it was much better. The air holes in the pillows are significantly bigger than on the Swift FX, and I've been told by a sleep professional that a higher grade of silicone is used on the Aloha -- indeed the FX was irritating to my skin where the pillows made contact, whereas the Aloha is not. I don't even use the lanolin anymore. A lot of people also like the Opus 360 (haven't tried that one myself). Most people go through several masks before finding the right one for them, so whether he is open to another nasal pillow mask or wants to move on to trying nasal or full face masks, tell him not to conclude that the whole thing isn't working if one or another doesn't work well for him. Mask comfort is so important.

Welcome!

[newbie wife]

The Swift FX nasal pillow mask is what he started out with. Didn't like those at all and I was afraid he was just going to stop without trying anything else. He has "used" the Amara mask the past few nights. Some people talk about how good the Amara is except it can make the bridge sore so I got a silicone thing to put over that part just incase until the pad a cheek thing comes in. He complained of his face itching under the mask, I figure this too is part of getting used to a mask on your face. First night wore the Amara for a little bit and took it off without going to sleep, last night wore it in bed watching TV and fell asleep with it on and according to his machine he wore it for 1.5 hours....baby steps. I guess I have to figure out someway to convince him to put it back on when he wakes up and has taken it off (I know this is part of the learning process) and he has to convince his brain he can go back to sleep with it. I think if he could ever get more than just an hour or so sleep with it and see that he feels better that would help alot.

[Phil_in_CA]

Dear newbie wife,

I am a newbie too, and as such cannot add to the great responses you've already gotten, but I just can't help but say that you should get an award for "stick-to-it-ive-ness" and caring for your husband!

Before I got on CPAP, I was chronically suffering from low oxygen at night (which really reared its ugly head when we went to 7,000 ft. in Colorado last summer!!!), which made me foggy headed, and I lost my sense of humor and my ability to reason! Your husband might be suffering in the same way, so it isn't too hard to imagine that his unwillingness to persevere might be an inability to persevere due to lack of oxygen!

It almost seemed like a "catch-22" for me, but my loving wife helped me to persevere when I had very little ability to do so... I wake up clear headed and better able to face the day, now.

Sounds like you and my wife have a lot in common. Hang in there, as it can get so much better for your husband.

[chunkyfrog]

Check it out: cpap.com has a NEW nasal pillow mask (can't find the return insurance)
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/stealt ... -mask.html

[newbie wife]

Dear newbie wife,

I am a newbie too, and as such cannot add to the great responses you've already gotten, but I just can't help but say that you should get an award for "stick-to-it-ive-ness" and caring for your husband!

Before I got on CPAP, I was chronically suffering from low oxygen at night (which really reared its ugly head when we went to 7,000 ft. in Colorado last summer!!!), which made me foggy headed, and I lost my sense of humor and my ability to reason! Your husband might be suffering in the same way, so it isn't too hard to imagine that his unwillingness to persevere might be an inability to persevere due to lack of oxygen!

It almost seemed like a "catch-22" for me, but my loving wife helped me to persevere when I had very little ability to do so... I wake up clear headed and better able to face the day, now.

Sounds like you and my wife have a lot in common. Hang in there, as it can get so much better for your husband.

HAHA....Thanks I think. Being in the medical field I am much more stubborn than he is when it comes to health....my dad suffers from extreme vertigo and he stopped tell me when he's dizzy becuase I used to work for an ENT and made him go.....I will see him sway and say daddy you dizzy and he goes NOOOOOOOOOO! lol

Hubby has put on the mask the past few nights since getting rid of the pillow type so I have hope he will stick with it and like you when he can sleep more than an hour or two see a difference.

[Sleepless_in_LM]

Kudos to you for being stubborn. A supportive spouse can make all the difference between success and failure, especially when you're struggling to make what seems a terribly intrusive therapy to work.

When first diagnosed, it can be a bit of shock to think about strapping a mask on every night. There are usually lots of questions that you feel too embarrassed to ask or don't know who to ask. Often the Docs don't have the answers, especially if they don't have OSA themselves and haven't gone through the struggles. I think it really helps to understand there are soooo many people dealing/struggling with the same thing. Do you think you could get your hubby to visit this discussion board himself? I know it helped me to have a place to ask questions, and even more to read about people who have been successful with dealing with all this stuff. Otherwise, do you know anyone in your circle of friends/family that has OSA? Sometimes it just helps to hear from someone who has "been there, done that."

Keep up the support! He'll thank you for it some day.

[newbie wife]

He knows I have been reading the site, will try to get him to get on and read/post questions. He got mad at me a few nights so I backed of some, I know he is just angry or whatever the right word is to have to wear it.

We do have a friend who uses a cPAP and he told him it took about two weeks for him to get used to it and he wouldn't sleep without it now. That's when he finally went and got another mask. I figure it's one night at a time, one baby step at a time!

[Sleepless_in_LM]

He knows I have been reading the site, will try to get him to get on and read/post questions. He got mad at me a few nights so I backed of some, I know he is just angry or whatever the right word is to have to wear it.

We do have a friend who uses a cPAP and he told him it took about two weeks for him to get used to it and he wouldn't sleep without it now. That's when he finally went and got another mask. I figure it's one night at a time, one baby step at a time!

Every step, no matter how small, gets you closer to the goal!

Anger is probably the right word, as well as frustrated, confused, and maybe even a bit scared. Add to that the effects untreated OSA has on a person in general, and one tends to get a bit cranky, or so I hear

I am sure you know, but sometimes it is good to be reminded... He probaby isn't "mad at" you, just expressing those cranky feelings at the one closest at the time. Unfortunately, that is usually the spouse who is trying help. There probably should be a CPAPTALK-4-SPOUSES!

Hang in there!