Sleep Apnea

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea several months ago and tried using the CPAP to no avail. I could only sleep for about an hour and then felt claustrophobic. I've tried it 4 times without success. Anyone else had this experience??

Thanks, Laura

It's a very popular reason for people to discontinue treatment - but a poor one! Not just because you "should" but because there are all kinds of masks designed to eliminate that feeling.

Check these masks out, they have helped many people out of just your situation:

Oracle 425

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1551

Breeze Nasal Mask

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1451

Snapp

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1495

Happy Hunting and remember, there's a wide world of CPAP equipment that works out there - don't just take what your DME gives you!

I am claustrophobic as well. This is the machine they used on me at the sleep study.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1495

This one seemed to work for me. They had first given me the full mask and I was only able to lie down for about 2 minutes before I grabbed the whole thing and just about flung it across the room. I felt like I could breathe at all!! I felt closed in and my heart was going like crazy!! Wow, I haven't felt like that since I was stuck in an elevator about 4 years ago!!

I told the tech that I couldn't breathe and she said to try this other one, I have to tell you.... this one was so much better!! I still couldn't get a good night's sleep, but atleast I didn't want to fling it across the room!! I am currently still waiting on the official word of having apnea, however the tech that night said I had it. This was just last Friday!! I should be receiving the official word in about another week and then will be starting with the machine at home.

One thing I don't understand, however..... If they can tell you that you have apnea during the Sleep Study, then why can't they send you home with the actual machine instead of having you wait for "an official finding"? What if something happens between the time you had the test and 2 wks later when the have the "official results"? Apnea is the stopping of breathing during the night and the tech that night said that I had stopped breathing more than 200 times during that first hour, so I get a little concerned now.... what happens if I don't wake up one morning and they haven't given me the "official word" or machine? I guess I should have my son sleep with me, so that he can slap me when I stop breathing... hmmm!!


Anyone have an answer to this dilema?