New Member - Struggling With CPAP

OK, I've been there. For me, my experience was similar to you.

I had all kinds of problems getting used to the machine. My first CPAP machine was just not going to work for me.......they gave me a BIPAP machine, which was a lot better.......it pauses to let you exhale. The 'mask' I speak of was those nose pillows with the hose going over your head.

I tried and tried....... I just could not get a good night sleep with the equipment. I also, like you. gave up and set it aside. Once I did, I realized I was now back to a life of being tired all the time.

BTW, for me.......... there have been 4 - yes 4 DAYS in my life that I woke up and said "WOW, I feel great!"..... I asked other people about this, and they pretty much all told me that "Yes, they feel great when they wake up - every morning!"....they feel 'recharged!" I'm 68 - started CPAP....15? yrs ago.

So, eventually I decided to give it a go, and .. not give up. I began to wear the equip and do the best I could. If I slept an hour with it, then fine. If I lasted 2-3 hours....fine.... I would just shut off the machine and finish the night without it. Each time I woke up, I would try and go back to sleep....If I could not get to sleep, I just did not use it....... I turned it off.

BUT..........I TRIED.......EVERY night.

Eventually, I did get in a rhythm, and began to use it more and more.... It took me 2 YEARS to get used to it!!!!! Yup, that long.

Now, looking back.........I think the main issue for me was the CPAP/BIPAP airflow, but what i think was the biggest factor was that the mask that they gave me was just not right for me. And, I, was too dumb to ask about other mask variations. I found that I was opening my mouth - snoring. I even tried a strap to keep the mouth closed.........now, that was getting ridiculous!! The strap did not work at all. I still hung in there, it just took forever - 2 years.

Since then, I actually did a test where I did NOT use the machine..........my goal was for 14 days....... after day 10, I could NOT go on.......I was so friggin tired, that I HAD to go back to the mask. So, it works.

I switched to a full face mask. The full face mask, is not an issue. I have a goatee and it works fine. I can open my mouth and it is OK. I seem to think that if I had the full face mask, I would have been fine and would not have needed the 2 years to adjust.

I would stay away from the sleep medicine...you will become dependent on it. Make sure you do not exercise before (3-4 hrs) you go to bed.

Lastly, SOUND bothers me.... I have lots of trouble sleeping if I am hearing sounds. I now use Alexa (Amazon) to provide some white noise to cancel out any sound.......yes, the BIPAP machine sound bothers me.

Give it a try again.good luck.

I didn't know I had sleep apnea until I was forced to go to a cardiologist. My tricuspid valve is leaking. He told me only 3 things can damage this heart valve, birth defect, Phen Phen diet drug and SLEEP APNEA. I tested at 72 AHI and o2 say of 70. I still fight with my mask, but I want to live. It is worth the battle.