Am I awful?!?!

[Guest]

Here's the scoop:

After three weeks of agony with my CPAP and "oh so uncomfortable" Mirage Activa Nasal Mask, I'm completely exhausted -- more so than before I even started the therapy. Not wanting to spend another night staring at the ceiling, or what little of it I can see around the edges of the mask, I took matters into my own hands two nights. I had two glasses of wine with dinner and then took half of an over-the-counter muscle relaxant. Needless to say, my sleep was much more restful and I woke up feeling almost like a human being again. Not satisfied with my limited success, I did the same again last night with much the same results.

Here's the question:

Since I know that I shouldn't continue to do this indefinitely, do I go back to the old sleepless routine tonight without the aid of artificial assistance or do I go back to the doctor and scream for help? Does it take weeks and weeks to become accustomed to the machine and mask?

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Kurtchan

[Guest]

#1 There are Rx sleep aides available. Someone having trouble transitioning should be taking them. They do better than liquor and muscle pills long term.


#2 What about your CPAP rig is bothering you? Is the pressure hard to breath out against? Is the mask annoying you? Anything on a CPAP rig that is bothering you can be adjusted or replaced with a better part.

It takes some time to adjust to CPAP, but usually you can get a basically working rig in less time than you've been using it. Something it wrong and an adjustment should be made.

[kurtchan]

You've hit the nail on the head with the two issues you thought I might be having with the rig -- trouble exhaling and the discomfort from the mask. It's almost tolerable when I first go to bed, but I wake up in the middle of the night and feel as if I'm suffocating. I've got my mouth taped shut because I was breathing through it and this huge, plastic, hot, sweaty mask over my nose. I know that the forced air should make it easier to breathe, but it sure doesn't feel like it at the moment.

[kurtchan]

Forgot to mention that the DME is delivering a Mirage Swift Nasal Pillow system on Monday and I'm hoping that it will alleviate some of the problems. If anyone has suggestions on how to make it (the mask and machine) more tolerable, I'd love to hear them.

[johnnygoodman]

Does your machine have C-Flex? C-Flex is a feature on high end Respironics machines that makes breathing out against your CPAP pressure easier to do. Sounds like it may be part of the problem/solution.

Johnny

[Sleepless on LI]

Kurtchan,

I don't know how long you've been on therapy, but it takes some experimenting to find the "right" mask usually. It's rare when your first try is "the one" and it pays to keep looking. Please don't give up on your therapy. It is far too important to your health and the safety of those around you (if you drive, especially) to not continue to try to be compliant on therapy. You will eventually find the one mask that makes your compliance easier. There are so many tricks of the trade on these message boards and so many willing people here that can help you get there, so don't give up. If I told you how many masks I've used to get to a place where I like one or two and never had to think about compliance anymore, you probably wouldn't believe me.

Hang in there, keep posting and DON'T GIVE UP!!!

[Linda3032]

I didn't see what pressure you are set at - you might want to add that in the comments portion of your profile.

You can turn your humidifier down - if it's too high you might get that suffocating sensation. Also, your mask will be less humid on your face.

The Swift should be more comfortable. Be sure to use nasal pillows that you think look too big. Too big actually seals better than too small.

If the Swift moves around under your nose, you might need to use a "sticky agent" to help secure it. Read the topic about "marine glue and tincture of benzoine".

Again, please list your pressure setting. It's possible that it might be too low for you to breath right.

[Murkk]

According to my doctor, it's normal for cpap users to feel like they are suffocating and breath through their mouth on the first month or so of CPAP therapy. Don't get too anxious to tape your mouth shut. Most people will learn to close their mouth automatically after a bit of use on the machine.

I started my CPAP therapy on May 26. Last night was the first night I was able to sleep all the night with my mask on and without sleep aids. I still woke up 4-5 times during the night for brief intervals. But my AHI is down from 57 to 4 and I feel a bit better today for the first time, so give it some time.

Definately talk to your doctor/provider and see if you can get a different mask if you really hate that one.

[Jere]

As a life-long insomniac, one other thought comes to mind. Going to sleep with the thought in your head that you wont sleep is the best way to ensure that you will never fall asleep. I have gone through that routine most of my life.

One thing you might try (after you find a comfortable mask) is to find a way to distract yourself from the "I can't sleep" thought. What I do is plug into my iPod and listen to NPR shows or audio books. It works to get my mind off the CPAP (and other stresses of the day) and something about listening to talk - rather than music - puts me to sleep.

Keep trying and stay positive!

_

[lvehko]

I don't see how the situation you describe makes YOU awful... it sounds like you're having lots of troubles with adjusting to the cpap, which seems to happen to lots of people here...

I have to tell you, I just now switched from the nasal mask to the Swift system, and even though I'm still having some adjustments to the Swift, I'm much better able to sleep with it than I was with the nasal mask. I too found the nasal mask impossible -- hot, uncomfortable, claustrophobic, etc. I was not looking forward to going back to the Swift because I used it during my study and found it uncomfortable, but it turns out it was probably improperly fitted for the study. I've been able to adjust it to my own specs and it's much better.

Also, I too had problems with mouth breating with the nasal mask, and have had much less of that with the Swift. It could be that I'm just getting trained to keep my mouth closed, as others have mentioned here, but for whatever reason I'm managing to get good results with the change. Hope you will too.

Minerva

[snoregirl]

Murkk,

Normal to feel like you are suffocating for a month or so????????

Has you doctor tried this?

I also don' t believe that most people will learn to keep their mouth shut.

I think your doc has zero experience with USING CPAP and he is spouting some crap he read somewhere. I can't imagine suffering for a month feeling like I was suffocating or dessert mouth while I "waited to learn to keep my mouth shut"

[brasshopper]

I can't speak to feeling of suffocating....but learning to keep my mouth shut was exactly what happened to me - no humidifier back in the dark ages, and learned to shut my mouth based on the noise nad dry mouth - it is unpleasant, you know? Conditions you against it. Sems perfectly reasonable to me, since it happened to me.

[snoregirl]

I would love it if it happened to me but I wouldn't expect it after years of duel mouth and nose breathing with my lower jaw hanging wide open.

Maybe I will get lucky but I have that tape handy since I don't expect miracles.