sleep apnea

[nothavingfun]

I have had my cpap machine for 2 weeks now and can't get used to the full mask. Can anyone tell me if i am just being impatient, seems after 4 hour is have to remove it. I am more tired now then before.

[Sheriff Buford]

How are your leak rates? If your mask is leaking at night, you are not getting full therapy. What you are experiencing is normal. Some folks can only go a few hours. Try putting the mask on at night while watching tv, listening to music, reading, etc... You'll eventually get used to it. Goodness, if I laid down without my mask, I'd feel naked...

Sheriff

[debbiep54]

I think you need to give yourself more time. I have had my machine for about 5-6 weeks now and have some issues too. I am using the pillows that go in the nose, I think mine were too small seems better now but now I am finding something is causing congestion in my sinuses. I am thinking it has to do w/ the mask w/ congestion and want to try a new mask. The full head mask seems it would take a while to adjust to during the night. Good luck.

[tuzacat]

It seems everyone is different. A friend of mine went for his sleep study and never looked back - zero adjustment time. I had a lot issues in the beginning with masks. It took several tries before I ended up finding one that worked for me. I found the initial experiences to be quite painful. Ended up using Swift FX nasal pillows with a chinstrap. Sometimes I use a Hybrid mask. I found when I initially made the switch to the Hybrid my learning curve was about a month. If you are really uncomfortable ask your DME's respiratory therapist to help you. They came out to my house several times with new masks; I think I had 30 days to switch out the mask after I received it.

[Phil_in_CA]

I have been sleeping with the alien on my face for four months now, and I must say that it hasn't all been fun and games...

I, to this day, have nights when I take the mask off early, for one reason or another... either from itching, or ???? I have awakened in the morning to find the machine off and the mask on the headboard! Whaaat? Yea, it's a mystery. Aliens...

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your body is still getting used to the whole idea of sleeping with the alien on your face, the extra air you're getting at night; it doesn't know how to react. I was just looking at my compliance graph for the four months I have been sleeping with the CPAP and see that, even in the last month, there have been nights where I had just over four hours logged...

Usually, compliance data is temporary, lasting just a month. Then, the insurance company or Medicare no longer wish to see the data and deem you compliant. Even with nights of less than four hours, over the last four months my compliance is just over 97%.

Just keep putting the alien on your face at night and it will get easier and your body will get more and more used to it. Four months into this and I can't imagine sleeping without it. No miracles, no jumping out of bed feeling like a Super Hero, but a bit better and better each day. Al least no headaches, a return of my humor, and less "fuzziness."

Best of sleep to you!

[Pugsy]

Check with whomever supplied the mask...try a different mask.
Often there is a 30 day time frame where we can swap out masks. Past that time frame and you may or may not be able to swap out the mask. Don't spend the entire time trying to make the mask work. You can always go back to it if it ends up being better than a different mask.