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Hi and welcome.

About getting used to cpap... I have some other things going on (RLS & PLMD) that make me hyperaware to things touching me that are not comfortable or not familiar. (For instance, if I had access to only a sport bra with the crossover panel in the back to wear, I'd just have to let gravity have its way, because feeling something between my shoulder blades would make me crazy.) In the beginning of using cpap, if I woke up, the mask had to come off. No amount of talking to myself or listening to others changed that. Even if I put it right back on in a minute, it had to come off. I had to have a time with it totally not touching me before I could start over. I personally couldn't imagine ever adjusting, I just kept putting it back on after every "break" just because I knew i needed to. Can't say when it happened, but it quit being an issue. If I wake up now, I just lay there till I fall back asleep.

I had a friend who hated wearing a bra. Hers was usually unfastened before she got thru her front door coming home. After a double mastectomy she opted for implants for reconstruction, but soon found herself miserable. She described it as wearing an uncomfortable bra that you can never take off or get relief from, and expressed regret for her decision. Maybe a year later I mentioned how I hated that for her and she looked surprised, saying that she had gotten used to them long ago.

Guess we can do what we have to do, considering our options. Sometimes it's not a matter of ease or comfort, just a day (or night) at a time doing what we need to do. The future has a way of taking take care of itself.

Kathy

Amazing how much easier to adjust to when you start getting restful sleep which hopefully will occur even before you get comfortable with the whole hosehood thing. A good fitting mask is critical; these are the main types of masks.

Nasal fits over the nose; many complain they leak air into the eyes. Again fit is critical.

Pillow (weird name) has these fat squishy things that sit at the very end of each nostril with holes that you breathe through...sounds gross but actually these masks are very comfortable. I wore one for 17-18 months, my beloved OptiLife, until I started leaking therapy air thru my lips and hadda move to a hybrid style mask. Many here like the Swift and Swift LT for Her. Good if you wear glasses and like to read before sleeping.

Hybrid style fits over the mouth and has nasal pillows. It is considered a form of full face mask (FFM). Many of here like this type of mask; there are 2, the RespCare Hybrid (this is the one I love) and the ResMed Liberty. Again fit is critical. Good if you wear glasses and like to read before sleeping.

Full Face Mask typically covers the nose and mouth, many complain they put a lot of pressure on the bridge of the nose or the forehead. Again fit is critical. There is a relatively new mask that covers the entire face that some here have tried; results are mixed...fit is critical.

There are other masks: the Nasal Aire II is sorta like the oxygen prongs used in hospitals to deliver oxygen; Babette swears by them as do a few others, tho admitting they are noisy. There is an oral mask I know nothing about.

When I had my sleep study, I was lucky to have a woman tech who also had sleep apnea. When we were trying on different masks, she said to me "your body gets used to this very quickly, it's your mind that take's longer". This has stuck with me, and helps me when I feel uncomfortable and cranky with my mask, etc.

I find that yoga and meditation helps with keeping a positive mindset. I try to approach each problem with curiosity rather than anger, and most of the time that works.

And I agree with Muse-Inc, that once you start having some good nights of sleep, you find that any minor discomfort is worth it.

Some comfort items I enjoy are: Papillow, hose hanger of some kind, heated hose, plus covering any small hoses, putting swiveling connectors on everything, heated humidifier, padacheek, and there are many more you can read about here.

KatieW wrote:When I had my sleep study, I was lucky to have a woman tech who also had sleep apnea. When we were trying on different masks, she said to me "your body gets used to this very quickly, it's your mind that take's longer". This has stuck with me, and helps me when I feel uncomfortable and cranky with my mask, etc.

I find that yoga and meditation helps with keeping a positive mindset. I try to approach each problem with curiosity rather than anger, and most of the time that works.

And I agree with Muse-Inc, that once you start having some good nights of sleep, you find that any minor discomfort is worth it.

Some comfort items I enjoy are: Papillow, hose hanger of some kind, heated hose, plus covering any small hoses, putting swiveling connectors on everything, heated humidifier, padacheek, and there are many more you can read about here.

great tips, katie. i agree.

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