BEST CPAP MASK?? (Problems with Nose mask?)

I suffer from SA and have been trying the CPAP with nose mask. Has anyone found that the full face mask is better?
I'm on 8.0 pressure but I don't know if it's enough. The standard nose mask irritates my nose and sometimes gives
me sore throat so that I can't fall asleep and it makes snoring noises. Anyway I didn't know this horrible disease could be this bad.
Any advice would be appreciated greatly!!

specifically which mask are you using?

hang in there. One day at a time.
At least you are getting therapy.

The mask/nose device will be your call. Depends on if you are a mouth breather/nose breather. Active sleeper/non-active sleeper.

You may find yourself trying different masks/nose device untill you find the right one for you.

It's just like a car. I am an Impala person. You may be a Mazda 6 person.

But we are here for you and will help you with your journey.

And it's not a "horrible disease", but a condition like many acquire, and I'd rather have this than arthritis, diabetes, heart problems and many, many others. Your attitude is not going to help you getting set up or doing well, so try to learn more, look on the equipment as being part of a life-saving lucky thing to have, and take one step at a time - it becomes so routine once you're used to it that you can't imagine not using it afterward! It's probably been such a long time since you've felt really good that you've forgotten how good it can feel!

I am fairly new to this but I actually have a stable of masks that I switch from one to the next depending on what I feel like and also HOW I feel (sinus issues or not, restless or not).

I have some minimalist nasal pillow masks that are lovely but are susceptible to hose tugs. I have some more structured ones for other nights and I have a full face and even an oral mask for when I have a cold or something and just have to breathe through my mouth. I have some nasal masks for when I can't stand having something stuffed up my nose with the pillows.

So far it seems to be helping me with keeping using the CPAP. Some nights when I wake having yanked the mask off I can't get back to sleep with the one currently hooked up. I change to a different mask and right back to sleep.

Your mileage will vary but the one consistent bit of advice I have seen is no one mask is good for all and, in fact, no one mask is good for ONE person in many cases. I do already have a favorite, second, etc but there are nights when I pull out the seldom used mask and fall right to sleep.

As others have said here, this isn't a horrible disease; just something that some of us have and fortunately there is an effective way to treat what can be and often is a life threatening condition. I have seen the mask referred to as a "birth control device" and other disparaging names but the fact remains, I will keep at this so that I can feel better and live longer.

Good luck on your quest. Don't accept merely what you have been given for a mask. Either pester them for something else or get your Rx so you can buy what suits your fancy at the time. This is what I have done and it has gone a long way to compliance.

After over 6 months, I'm still looking for a full-face mask that fits ME, so in the meanwhile I'm using a Swift FX and doing everything necessary to keep my yap closed. I've tried chin strasp (the stretchy ones are pure misery) I McGyvered a fake papcap out of a biker bandanna cap, I use Poligrip strips and blue painters tape--sometimes all three. Hubby is ready to create a silicone custom fit mask for me--love that guy!

Thanks everyone for the replies! I am having problems breathing with the standard nose mask. I tried Nasenex and Astepro and they don't seem to help- Sudafed seems to be the best drug. It seems like nasal congestion is the problem affecting the effectiveness of the nasal mask. I am going to try Afrin extra strength now so hopefully this improves airflow. I am also trying Melatonin maybe at 12mg a night. I have read studies where people took 18mg if I rememer correctly but usually it seems prescribed at 3mg.

Thanks everyone for the replies! I am having problems with the standard nose mask. I'm not sure what the correct breathing strategy is but I am trying inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. I tried Nasenex and Astepro and they don't seem to help- Sudafed seems to be the best. It seems like nasal congestion is the problem affecting the effectiveness of the nasal mask. I am going to try Afrin extra strength now so hopefully this improves airflow. I am also trying Melatonin at 12mg a night. I have read studies where people took 18mg if I rememer correctly but usually it seems prescribed at 3mg.

pain32 wrote:I'm not sure what the correct breathing strategy is but I am trying inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.

Well that's a problem: Every time you open your mouth to exhale, you're creating a good sized leak.

Breathing strategy for both nasal masks and nasal pillows is the same: Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your nose. The mouth should stay closed at all times and is NOT used at all for breathing if you are using a mask that does NOT cover your whole mouth---i.e. a so-called full-face mask.

So try breathing naturally through your nose---both for inhales and exhales---when using your nasal mask and see if that helps.

If you naturally breathe through your mouth, you'll need to look at full face masks or chin straps of some sort if you want to use a nasal mask.

Good lucke

Hi - Many, many people here just swear off Afrin like mad because it causes a backlash effect and is very hard to get off when you want to. You should first try lowering your humidifier setting (or not use it at all) because that contributes to congestion in many people. If that doesn't work then use something like Flonase or a neti-pot, but the OTC drugs are only meant for short term use and can make your problems worse and worse. Address the origin of the problem instead of trying to cover it up.

Agreed. I was on Afrin Extra Strength (generic store brand) for over 2 years. Got my CPAP and quit cold turkey. It's physiologically (not mentally) addictive in nature. It's meant to clog the user up every 8-12 hours.

I went back on Afrin for 1 night after a month without. Mistake. Now I'm on Zyrtec (cetyrizine) 10ml a day and Nasonex.

I'm using nasal pillows (Swift II by ResMed) now and loving it. Event with a clogged nostril, over the course of the night, it pumps enough pressure to work really well. Actively pumping the pressure into each nostril as opposed to the nasal mask which relies on the wearer to inhale and get the air they need.

Still working through some abrasion issues with the pillows, but otherwise, I'm happier with them than with the Activa LT nasal mask.

As for breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, that's fine if you're on a treadmill or pumping iron - not so much for sleeping. The nose is what God intended for breathing. The mouth is Plan B.

Yes, the problem with any decongestant - Afrin, sudafed, etc., is they can create rebound congestion if used for more than a few days in a row. I was told this by a well-known allergist in the Kansas City area years ago. The rebound congestion can be worse than the original problem which causes you to use more decongestant. It's best to avoid using them more than say, 3 days in a row. A week is maximum.

I started with nasal pillows (Swift LT) and did not like them but am going to try a few different kinds very soon. I went to the Mirage Activa LT nasal mask and it works fairly well for me but my nose plugs up on a regular basis so it was not a great solution and I was using an Afrin like spray to keep the nose clear for the night (have been using same for many years and there is indeed rebound). Started with a new pulmonologist last month and she has me going through a whole battery of tests including allergen tests. Was in hospital this week for a day and had a whack of tests done... and as far as allergens are conerned, guess what? I am allergic to every damn thing on the planet - no wonder my nose stuffs up. So, I also use a full face mask in the Mirage Quattro and I seem to be using that almost exclusively these days although I wear the nosebag when watching TV late at night and am going to try several different nasal pillows to see if I can go back to them for comfort.... I have no problem generally with nasal breathing if my nose is not plugged up.

This is not an overnight "Presto" you are cured by CPAP thing we are faced with but rather, a journey of discovery and I have been on this path for almost a year now. Am getting closer and closer to the magic bullet but not quite there yet. Still have good nights and bad, but we are getting closer and learning tons. I honestly believe that I know more about sleep apnea specifically than most of my docs do (in fact, most have even been honest enough to say as much). Be your OWN advocate and be as tenacious as a pit bull in seeking answers and treatment. This affliction, disease or otherwise, KILLS FOLKS DEAD.

One thing you should be looking at is getting yourself a machine that provides and records data and a pulse oximeter that does the same overnight. You want to print off the graphs often (I do so daily) and put them into a binder for my MD's. It is good diagnostic information for all of them.

pain32, eventually you will get to the stage of acceptance. That you will be "hosing up" every night for the rest of your life - same as the rest of us. It beats the alternative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model is a good article. While we're not grieving the end of a relationship or a life, we are grieving a change in our own lives that most of us, given the choice, would not want to have. But at the end of the day, it's an ultimatum. Choosing to live with a CPAP or not is a daily choice that we have to make. Daily. I've been compliant on CPAP (compliant being 4 hours a night minimum for 30 nights). 100% use except for one night since mid-June.

Now? It's a part of my routine. 20-30 minutes before bed, I start up the humidifier (warm-up) and turn on my electric blanket. In the morning, it's cooled down by the time I'm done with my shower and dressed.

No different than brushing my teeth. Except I do my CPAP every night.