CPAP Anxiety clausterophobia etc

sleepcrapnea wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:48 pm

@pugsy - I have been diagnosed with enlarged turbinates in my nostrils. So its probably more than the nasal cycle. Its been the main issue causing me sleep problems I suspect - prior to starting the CPAP.

Nasal cycle is a culprit when we have no other potential culprits...
You have another potential culprit and a very viable one but nasal cycle can still happen to people with turbinate issues....so you have two potential culprits.

If you can't easily breathe through your nose during the day....get the turbinate issue dealt with. It won't fix OSA but it will make your overall breathing easier which in turn will will make using cpap masks and breathing with the machine much more comfortable.

If you feel that all your sleep/airway issues are related to the nasal issues and will go away with fixing the nasal issues...please get another sleep study done after you fix the nasal issues. Obstructive sleep apnea events come from down lower in the airway and they can still be a problem even if the nasal issues get fixed.

I have used a full face mask for almost two years. I tape my mouth with a tape meant for joint/muscle problems. I felt a suffication like feeling when I first began using it. It took many months for that to go away. What kept me going was that on the fourth day I woke up without a headache and feeling much better than normal. So that was sufficient motivation to continue with the hope that I would adjust, which I did. In fact, I actually like the sensation as I'm falling asleep - it seems easier to take a complete satisfying breath.

From a tactile perspective its still not comfortable but only mildly so. I generally don't put it on until I am very sleepy which causes problems for my sleep hygeine but creates a situation where I'm mostly asleep when I have the mask on.

There are other kinds of tape which may be easier for you to use... like e.g. 3M micropore which most drugstores carry (and no, I don't work for them, but many people here use it).

Another night terrible sleep. Took a long time to get to sleep. Then woke up a few times. Ultimately took mask off after 5 hours. Then terrible sleep without mask for another hour after getting back to sleep again.

The CPAP actually does seem to reduce nasal congestion though which is the primary and perhaps sole cause of my sleep problems. So if I could just get used to it then it might really help.

hollywood wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:35 am

. . . I tape my mouth with a tape meant for joint/muscle problems.
. . .

Sounds like kinesiotherapy tape.
I use it to protect my CGM, but even then, my arm skin has reacted to it on random occasions.
To prevent a reaction, I have to clean the skin very well before applying.

I got a good run on the CPAP last night. Am getting more used to it. I got to sleep within 15 minutes of putting it on and slept for about 3.5 hours.

However, then I did wake up and could not get back to sleep again. So still feel like shit.

The good thing is that it does seem to make my nose open. Which is the main problem causing me sleep loss - blocked nose and mouth breathing. So thats a bonus. But I just need to be able to stay asleep. I wonder why I woke up on it. The AHI reading was 0.2. Maybe just still getting used to the machine.

God its so frustraing being so sleep deprived all the time.

You get a shiny gold star sticker!

sleepcrapnea wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:21 am

I got a good run on the CPAP last night. Am getting more used to it. I got to sleep within 15 minutes of putting it on and slept for about 3.5 hours.

However, then I did wake up and could not get back to sleep again. So still feel like shit.

The good thing is that it does seem to make my nose open. Which is the main problem causing me sleep loss - blocked nose and mouth breathing. So thats a bonus. But I just need to be able to stay asleep. I wonder why I woke up on it. The AHI reading was 0.2. Maybe just still getting used to the machine.

God its so frustraing being so sleep deprived all the time.

That's excellent ... keep working at it. You might be in a simple adjustment phase...

Thanks Khauser and Chunkyfrog.

Im dreaming of the day I can get 6 hours sleep without waking up. 8 hours is too much to expect since I havent had that any time in the last 3 years anyway

Nearly everyone experiences periodic sleep, where we awaken briefly a couple times a night.
I am grateful it's not to do the pee-pee dance to the darkest corner of the pond.
Mostly, I roll over or stretch the hurty parts, and go back to sleep.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:36 pm

Nearly everyone experiences periodic sleep, where we awaken briefly a couple times a night.
I am grateful it's not to do the pee-pee dance to the darkest corner of the pond.
Mostly, I roll over or stretch the hurty parts, and go back to sleep.

I sometimes think I might have a low tolerance for getting back to sleep. I toss and turn for say an hour and then cannot tolerate it anymore and get up. Like this morning at 430am

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:36 pm

I am grateful it's not to do the pee-pee dance to the darkest corner of the pond.

The best part about reading your posts are the behaviors of you and the bull frog.

sleepcrapnea wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:21 am

I got a good run on the CPAP last night. Am getting more used to it. I got to sleep within 15 minutes of putting it on and slept for about 3.5 hours.

However, then I did wake up and could not get back to sleep again. So still feel like shit.

The good thing is that it does seem to make my nose open. Which is the main problem causing me sleep loss - blocked nose and mouth breathing. So thats a bonus. But I just need to be able to stay asleep. I wonder why I woke up on it. The AHI reading was 0.2. Maybe just still getting used to the machine.

God its so frustrating being so sleep deprived all the time.

Whoa, you are making good progress! It took me about a month to get there.

Keep at it. One morning you are likely to wake up realizing you slept 6 or 8 hours through and you will feel wonderful. That's the goal, inch by inch. Don't give up.

Ok I have given up on the CPAP and sent it back.

5 weeks of worse horrendous sleeps.

The CPAP did not work for me and I wanted to send it back before I ended up having to pay $1,800 for a device that is doing nothing for me.

Im not convinced that my problem is sleep apnea. I think it is my enlarged turbinates. I think the only way I can resolve that is the nasal surgery I have been avoiding. I have tried everything else, including CPAP at this stage.

Bummer!
I had such high hopes for you.
Remember, if you want to try again sometime, you can do it at lower expense,
by avoiding the local clip joints, and using the ample advice here.
All will be forgiven.
Maybe you can petition for a more optimistic username.
Remember, a few weeks is not much, compared to your whole life.
Many of us took several months to learn how to dance with this thing.