Pulling mask off without knowing

Hi. Sorry if this has been posted but I couldn’t find it. I’ve been using cpap for almost 2 months. After switching to the Airtouch 20 with memory foam, I can get to sleep ok with comfortable breathing. My problem is that every night at some point, usually between 2:15 and 2:30 hours, according to my machine, I pull my mask off without realizing it. I wake up at some point, sometimes too close to the time I have to get up to put it back on. I don’t know why I’m doing it but I suspect that something is making me feel like I can’t breathe. My sleep doctor won’t give me another sleep study until I do some research. He actually suggested this site. Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! This thing is killing me and I’m always tired. Thanks!

In your profile you are showing the Airsense 10 CPAP model which is the low end with no usable data. Is this what you really have..or do you have the AUTOSET.
It would say in the lower RH corner. What are your pressure settings?

I have often taken my mask off during the night, surprsied when I woke up with it off. People here have suggested putting tape over the straps on your cheek to wake you if you move it. My doc suggested a "barrette" or a hair pin over the strap so it would pull on my hair. The barette worked - but I still took it off, lol. Consciously I opened it, got the mask off, and went back to sleep. Those times I was conscious, I just said "screw it" because I couldn't get comfortable.

Now I sometimes fall asleep before ever putting it on, not on purpose. Just crashed.

As Chris suggested.... try the tape. Use medical tape. But beware.... some of the medical tape will take skin off. But you need tape strong enough to feel it if you try and take the mask off.

Sheriff

To the OP:

You stated that you switched to the Airtouch 20 with memory foam and that's when the problem started.

What were you using before and why did you switch? If that was working for you, why not switch back to it? If there are other issues with that mask, there are plenty of others on the market!

BTW, I looked up your machine and it does report "events per hour." I don't think it reports everything that fancier machines do, but you can probably use OSCAR and get some information.

D.H. wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:52 am

BTW, I looked up your machine and it does report "events per hour." I don't think it reports everything that fancier machines do, but you can probably use OSCAR and get some information.

Actually IF (big if) someone is using the CPAP basic model machine that doesn't do detailed information and they can get the summary information using SleepyHead or OSCAR instead of the "sorry, your machine is a brick" message the summary information you get may not be accurate.
It's been proven in the past that without the detailed data files for the software to use to calculate the summary numbers what you might get with the software won't match up with what the machine (or ResScan) might show as results.
Summary numbers don't distinguish between central and obstructive apneas. The machine doesn't even try to tell the difference...FOT isn't even used.

So if someone using any basic cpap model (ResMed or Respironics) that does offer summary numbers on the LCD screen ends up using SleepyHead or OSCAR what they see may not be 100% accurate.
SleepyHead and OSCAR need the detailed data files that the basic models simply don't record.

I wouldn't even bother with the software if all I had was the basic model...it's not totally accurate for one thing and I can already see what the machine offers on the LCD screen anyway.

Do you know what pressure your machine is set at?

LSAT wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 30, 2019 3:21 pm

In your profile you are showing the Airsense 10 CPAP model which is the low end with no usable data. Is this what you really have..or do you have the AUTOSET.
It would say in the lower RH corner. What are your pressure settings?

Yes it’s the auto set. I didn’t see this option in the pull down. Pressure range is 5-20. I’ve been averaging around 12 at peak

D.H. wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:52 am

To the OP:

You stated that you switched to the Airtouch 20 with memory foam and that's when the problem started.

What were you using before and why did you switch? If that was working for you, why not switch back to it? If there are other issues with that mask, there are plenty of others on the market!

BTW, I looked up your machine and it does report "events per hour." I don't think it reports everything that fancier machines do, but you can probably use OSCAR and get some information.

I was originally using the Dreamwear full face. I was pulling that one off too. I switched because that mask was more confining. It pushed my nostrils closed a bit and didn’t provide enough ventilation for me.

D.Temple wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 31, 2019 9:12 am

Yes it’s the auto set. I didn’t see this option in the pull down.

It's there but it's down in the R section instead of being up in the A section with the rest of the AirSense/AirCurve models.
So just edit your equipment profile and for the machines scroll down the menu choices until you get to the R section and you will see it.