Just had a sleep study done

About thirty years ago, I was diagnosed with hypopnea and prescribed a CPAP. Long story short, over the years, I used my machine less and less until I stopped using it altogether. As a part of some ongoing health issues, my sleep disorder has been revisited—all new doctors, new sleep study, etc. I do not want to repeat past mistakes, and I want this time to work. So I am looking for any advice from the community. My initial sleep study was done, and I have seen the result but have not gone over them with my doctor yet—some of the issues I had on my previous machine.

1) Mask fit previously I had nasal only masks, and the fit was terrible. I either had to have the mask cinched down way too tight, or I dealt with leaks all night long. Nothing worse than a small stream of air hitting you right in the eye. During my study, the report says I had one instance where the mask came loose, but I felt I was constantly adjusting it.

2) Mouth breathing, chin straps, etc. I know that mask designs have changed over the years, but I could never convince my doctor or RT of the need for a full mask. I used a full mask during the study but still had leakage issues.

3) Humidity control and dry sinuses. On my home machine, I had both passive and active humidity controls installed. Nothing seemed to help much, and my sinuses and nasal passages dried out. I had water in the machine during the study (I do not know if it was active or passive), but my nose and mouth were so dry my lips were practically sealed shut by morning. I had blood every time I went to blow my nose for several hours after the study.

4) Skin irritation. I would develop oily skin and pimples where the mask would sit. Mostly obnoxious, some rather large and painful.

5) At the time I had my old CPAP, I was a stomach sleeper. I have since developed into a side sleeper, and I hate sleeping on my back. Unfortunately, sleeping the way my body prefers tends to push the mask off my face.

Those are the issues that led to the downfall of the previous attempt at CPAP. Looking

Come back after your diagnosis . If you are prescribed a CPAP, start using it and see what problems you incur. Newer CPAP machines are far more user friendly than those from 30 years ago.

LordGrumpy wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:17 am

I am looking for any advice from the community.

Welcome to the forum.

Advice:

1. Take things one step at a time. Millions of CPAP users have had all the problems you mention and have worked through them successfully.

2. Make sure you control which machine you get. Do not accept delivery of a machine until you have had a discussion in this thread and members have given you some advice on the exact model you are considering.

3. The doctor should write a prescription for a CPAP mask. He should not specify the type of mask. You should have the flexibility to try different masks and choose which type works for you.

You can be successful.

Make sure that the prescription for your mask says "Mask of Patient's choice" rather than a specific mask. Your doctor shouldn't decide which mask he or she "thinks" is going to be best for you. Your doctor doesn't have to sleep with it. You do. It may take a lot of experimentation to find just the right mask for your needs.

The next issue is where you get your mask. This may depend on your insurance, unless you are willing to pay out of pocket. If you have choices in where you get your equipment and supplies, be sure to ask the DME what the mask policy is. Most mask manufacturers have programs where they will credit the DME for returned masks, but often DME's don't want to be bothered with the paperwork. Try to find a DME with a good return policy--typically they will let you return masks within 30 days for a replacement to help you find the mask that works best for YOU in your sleeping position (most of us, BTW, are side sleepers, so we can definitely tell you how to manage that).

If you can't find a DME willing to work with you on the mask issue, there's our hosts at cpap.com. You'll pay out of pocket, but they have additional Mask return insurance--sometimes it's free and sometimes you pay a small fee. Either way, you can keep trying different masks until you find one that works for you--entirely worth it because it's the mask that makes or breaks a CPAP user.

Humidification is better now too. You can add a heated hose to your machine for more nuanced humidification. You can use things like nasal irrigation or Ayr gel to reduce the drying effect. All of the issues you listed have solutions.

Thanks, everyone for your comments. Things are definitely a lot different today than 30 years ago. My diagnosis is in, my apnea/hypopnea index was 75. I have a titration study scheduled. From the look of things, I am leaning without much data to a pillow mask or a combination nasal pillow/mouth mask. That will defiantly be a topic of discussion on the table with the therapist when I have the titration study.

I'm so glad you got a study; you definitely need to be treating that apnea! Do you breathe through your nose during the day? If so, you may do well with a nasal pillow mask. If not, a full-face mask will probably work better.