Not having a good night...

I hate just lying there, breathing (or trying to.. seriously going to talk to the doc about BiPAP) eyes wide open...

I finally get to sleep on my stomach again and I can't fall asleep. Even though I'm tired, I just can't seem to get anywhere tonight.

Some nights are from hell...yes?

Absolutely... I just took a half tab of Melatonin and I'm waiting for it to kick in so I can go back to bed...

I seem to be having some mouth breathing issues too. I guess I need to pick up some tape at the store today...

Might also try a FF or Hybrid mask which covers the mouth.

I'm probably going to talk to my doc about trying out a Hybrid when I visit the sleep center again. I have a hard enough time sleeping, and it's pretty rough being snapped awake by explosive oral decompression and the ensuing slobber blast...

I asked him about the Hybrid the last time I was there, but since I'm a bit claustrophobic, he wanted me to try the Swift LT first. I DO like the Swift very much (except for the nose tenderness, but that will pass) but I'm missing the benefits if I can't keep the pressure in.

Just wanted to say: I hope you have a better night tonight!

It wasn't too bad! I am tired and shaky, which I have been since I started the CPAP, but I feel like the mask is staying on a little longer every night. I also taped my mouth last night, and that kept the mouth air blast wake-ups away.

I also managed to go to sleep without taking any melatonin, so I must finally be getting used to the sensations.

Cygnusia wrote: .........

I asked him about the Hybrid the last time I was there, but since I'm a bit claustrophobic, he wanted me to try the Swift LT first. ........

I wonder if the doc knows what a Hybrid mask is?

The traditional full face mask might bother some with claustrophobia because it covers mouth and nose and comes up near the eyes.

The Hybrid mask does not cover the nose and comes up no further than the nostril openings.

http://www.mergenetsolutions.com/hybrid/

I found as my therapy began to improve my health, many of the little anxieties about the process went away. Hopefully this will happen for you also.

Yup, he does. I specifically asked about the Innomed Hybrid first and the Resmed Liberty second and he thought that since I had a panic attack with just a Activa, I might need to try just pillows first. (They tend to focus on Respironics machines and Resmed masks at my sleep center.) They haven't tried to force anything on me, though... they've done a lot to accommodate my requests so far (the Quattro during sleep study and the M Series Pro/Activa during my fitting.)

I talked to one of the people that I've been working with on getting adjusted and they're going to mail out a 10 ft hose (not much slack in my current setup) and a chinstrap and see if that helps me get more comfortable.

*sigh* I've been getting more and more uncomfortable with the Swift pillows. The tip of my nose feels like someone's been using sandpaper on it. My nostrils hurt, and I've been having a tougher time getting a decent seal every night.

I'm going to switch back to my Activa LT for a few nights, now that I've gotten more used to having something sitting on my face when I am trying to sleep.

When I return my loaner Swift LT, I'm going to request the FullLife mask... that way I can dump the chinstrap too!

Cygnusia wrote:*sigh* I've been getting more and more uncomfortable with the Swift pillows. The tip of my nose feels like someone's been using sandpaper on it. My nostrils hurt, and I've been having a tougher time getting a decent seal every night...

Make sure the pillows are very clean, you might need to spray with white vinegar and let sit for 1-2 mins to loosen any soap residue, then rinse very, very well and let air dry.

I think my biggest problem is that little stamped label on the front of the pillow. The tip of my nose sits RIGHT where that label is. If I tilt it away even slightly, I start getting ugly air leaks. Plus, the pillows whistle. A lot. :\

We'll see how the Activa goes for the rest of the week. I tried my best with the pillows, but in the end, I think the noise and the comfort level just aren't going to do it for me.

Cygnusia wrote:...If I tilt it away even slightly, I start getting ugly air leaks. Plus, the pillows whistle. A lot...

I only had that when the pillows on my OptiLife (granted different mask) were too small.