Please Help....

Hi everyone,

I am brand new to this board, as this is my first post. I have been newly diagnosed with OSA. I went through both sleep studies and had a mask trial period on the second appt...Needless to say this was not a very good night sleep for me.

Anyways, I went back to the doctor today and got my results as well as my unit. I chose the NasalAire system that they had available. It seemed like it would be the best fit for me since I am a side sleeper and it is pretty adjustable. Well, here is my problem, I cannot stand anything in my nose. I cannot sleep, I feel very claustaphobic and that constant air pressure drives me nuts. I tried the swift and also a face mask and those were also extremely hard to wear.

I guess my question is, how do you deal with it? I know I need help and want to help myself, it is just so difficult to even relax now. Is their a mask that does not require the tubing going up your nostrils that also is not one that goes around your nose? I am also a mouth breather so I feel like I am getting no air when those tubes are in my nose. And lastly, I am pregnant, so this just intensifies everything.

Please help if you can...

Thanks for listening...
Ali

Guest?

You might want to read through the threads re: masks, especially the one about FF masks (I think that means full face masks?)

Also the posts from new users. It takes time to get the right machine and the right settings and the right masks.....

Be patient with it and keep asking questions of your RT!

- JB

Welcome SDeprivation!

I use the NasalAire II successfully. If you wish to make it work for you, I have done a few "tweaks" to make mine more useful. Here are my tips and tweaks!

The first thing is that it needs to be big enough to be a little hard to get into your nostrils when cold. It will warm and get softer. I kind of fold the prongs to get them in at first, then wiggle them around until they pop out and seal. The tight fit is important for 2 reasons -- 1) it won't leak and 2) it won't move around. When the NAII leaks it is really noisy, and you are not getting the treatment that you need. When it moves around it hurts the inside of your nose more. I had a small to start with and had massive leaking and bloody noses (sorry -- I know that's gross ). I was given a medium that the sleep lab was getting rid of and have settled on a medium plus now. I know that it seems that it will be more uncomfortable with the larger size, but TRUST ME -- it isn't -- just the opposite!

I don't know what your pressure is, but mine goes up to 17 and works well with the NAII.

You absolutely MUST have a heated humidifier. I have been 100% compliant through one of the worst allergy seasons of my life, as well as a couple of colds with the heated humidifier cranked up all the way. It truly does help with stuffy nose -- remember when your mom brought the humidifier into your room when you were a kid? Same idea. I was a mouth breather before my OSA diagnosis -- I guess that was my body's way of saying "give me more oxygen"! It feels so strange to open my mouth with the machine on, that I just don't do it, and haven't since my sleep study.

You can get a saline gel at the drugstore -- there are several brands -- AYR is one and Simply Saline is another, that will moisturize the inside of your nose and help it to heal and toughen up. Your nose will toughen up! I use it twice a day (morning and evening) and it really helps!

I do not use the upper head band that comes with the NAII. I just use the behind the neck band. At first it felt more secure with a storebought hair band, worn at the hair line in the front, but I have since dispensed with that and just use the back strap. I also do not like the feel of the hoses against my skin and have found some tubular knit bandage at the medical supply places that is the right diameter for the NAII hose. I cut a piece a little longer than the hose, work it in and put the neck strap over the top of the hose. This gets the plasticy feel away from your face and neck.

The small and medium have different diameter small hoses, so if you make that jump -- you will need new hoses, not just new prongs. You can get the prong replacements on CPAP.COM for $59.90 if you don't need new hoses.

Another tip that I would offer on making this work is to get the rotation on the prongs correct -- so that they are pointing kind of towards the back/top of your head -- wrong rotation can really make your nose hurt!

I like the NAII because it is minimal, I can wear my glasses when I read before falling asleep, and, to me, it is not claustrophobic. I just pull down on the hose connector (to the main hose) when I turn over or get a little leak -- I don't even wake up usually.

If your oxygen levels are down at night you really need to make this work for you and for your baby.

If you could give us more specific information on the make and model of machine, the NAII size, your pressure setting (or range if you are on an auto), whether your oxygen dropped at night, etc, we can help you more! The area of the country is also helpful on the humidifier issue. I recently went to Hawaii from California, and had to turn my humidifier down (but not off) due to rainout (condensation in the hose). California is dry enough most of the time that I leave the humidifier on high.

Let us know how you are doing, and what other questions you have -- I hope that this helps!

SDeprivation wrote:Well, here is my problem, I cannot stand anything in my nose. I cannot sleep, I feel very claustaphobic and that constant air pressure drives me nuts. I tried the swift and also a face mask and those were also extremely hard to wear.

The problem with the pressure feeling uncomfortable will improve. It took about a week before I got comfortable with it. Even if you can't sleep with it, wear the mask and breathe against the pressure for an hour each night. My lungs got stronger and it got more comfortable to the point where I now have to put my hand in front of the vent to make sure it is on.

The Mirage Vista nasal mask might be worth a try. It has less stuff that goes on your face and might make you feel less claustrophobic. I tend to get congested in the middle of the night or else it would have been fine with me. It also has quick release clips. Knowing it will release quickly is important for battling claustrophobia.

What kind of full face mask did you use? The Ultra Mirage is good for me because it also has the quick release clips and it has an anti-asphyxiation valve that opens if the pressure goes off. Knowing this can help you feel more comfortable.

I am also a mouth breather and tried several differents types of masks for 6 months and finally got the Ultra Mirage Full Face mask and it worked for me.
Using CPAP is also a learned thing and if you are not dedicated to full time use then none of them will work. You must make up your own mind that you will not sleep without CPAP and then you improve your equipment when needed.

I kind of look at is in terms of getting into a cold pool. I know some prefer toes first, then slowly in. Personally, I'd never swim then. So, I am a dive right in person. It's really uncomfortable at first, but you quickly adjust. I knew after my titration study that even with a small amount of sleep with a CPAP I was better, so I was very determined to make it work. I have slept with it for about 4 months and only missed one night. I am feeling a lot better.

I use;
Respironics Auto w/ cflex at 3,
Pressure 8-20,
Ultra Mirage FF Mask,
Heated humidifier, which due to Chicago weather, I have recently turned down to 2.

Hang in there. You will get used to it and you will feel better!
Sue

Definitely hang in there. Give the mask time so you can adjust to it, you will eventually. But not every mask works for every person, so if you really don't feel like it's working, don't be afraid to try a new one. There's lots of them out there.

The pressure makes my ears pop sometimes, but you do get used to it. I've even gotten to a point where I find the noise of the machine soothing, like white noise in the room.

Being pregnant, however, honey, that adds challenges! I've never been pregnant, but all my friends who have say sleep is pretty much impossible, especially once the baby starts moving. I say be sure to find yourself some good pillows, both for your head and your belly. That really makes a difference in CPAP success, too, IMHO.

Best of luck!
Tina

I know I am beginning to sould like a broken record but I really think all new cpapers should start out with the Resmed Activa and then branch out from there. Right off the bat it is the easiest to adjust to and easiest to have compliance with. IMHO

I agree with R&R. The Activa is my "insurance policy" while I am trying to become accustomed to my Mirage FF mask. My only problem with nasal masks is that I leak air from my mouth and must tape my mouth to prevent this. If not for this the Activa would be my every night and forever mask.

About the Ayr-gel....

I tried TWO Walgreen's stores and neither one had it. On a whim while nosing around at a Target store, I asked about it - and they had it!!! (With a free medicated nasal sprayer thingy)...
Except the gal at the checkout was going to charge me $84.90 for the tube. I did a double-take, then looked at the register: That was the price for 100 of them! <LOL> So I guess I should have given her 85 cents for it!!! (It cost $3.38 ) (Apparently this package had the bar code for the whole pack of 100 tubes still stuck on it!) (That comes to almost a 400% mark-up. Just about normal.)

- JB

Try the mirage ultra full face mask, since your a mouth breather this will allowyou to sleep and breath with your mouth open.

I use it and have had very few minor problems (leaks) I am also a mouth
breather.

I also noticed the Ayr gel was hard to find. took several stores and a few weeks to finally come across some on the bottom shelf in a larger RiteAid store. They only had the one and it also came packaged with one of their menthol inhalers. It's good stuff, too bad it's so hard to find. If it wasn't for posters on this group I wouldn't have known to even look for it.


Thanks.


Ron