Discouraged...about to give up...

DON'T give up!

I'm right there with you (in fact, you and I are about the same age, same AHI ) . The other night I went without it and slept fabulously....until the next day when it all caught up to me and I hit a wall.

Strangling yourself while sleeping is REALLY hard on the body. I've been at it for just over 2 months and the whole thing is still an adjustment. It may take a while! Just go one night at a time. For me, it helps to read this forum each day, to remind myself I'm not the only one going through this, and there are people who are making a go of C-pap therapy.

Have you always been a quitter?????? Just four weeks is no time to adjust to this. If you decide to continue with this therapy, (and I hope you do) we will be hearing great things from you very soon......if you decide to quit.........
diabetes
heart disease
death
Have you decide yet?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Few nights ago my hose basically explodes, new hose. The next day I wake up and the hose is not connected to the mask and on the floor. The Quattro FX worked perfectly the night I tried it and gets worse with each passing day so I feel the same frustration. Last night I went to sleep with the mask on, no leaks. I woke up with the mask on and no leaks. But nooooooooooo...... Leaks were 56L/M I sometimes wish I could just see ahead to nights like that so I could sleep without the mask as thats really what I just did. Of course the night before was bad so I was confused and did not place the data card back in the machine so its a wasted night.

So I feel your pain, even when I tape my mouth shut I just blow the tape off in the middle of the night.

Next up is the Hybrid mask and getting a F&P 431 for the "batters box".

If they follow the routine they will work perfect day one and degrade into not being useful at all within two weeks.

Also, the Quattro FX headgear actually did stretch to the point I need near gear in less than 3 weeks.

But what else can I do but stick with it? Hope you stick around, its easier knowing I am not the only one at this stage.

Cuda wrote:Next up is the Hybrid mask and getting a F&P 431 for the "batters box".

If they follow the routine they will work perfect day one and degrade into not being useful at all within two weeks.

Odd ball idea that may be worth trying: Have you considered switching back and forth between two or three masks that "work" to see if they'll continue to work as long as you don't use the same mask night after night?

I also say, "hang in there!" This therapy isn't easy. We were not designed to wear a mask and have air shot down our noses & throats while we sleep. I'm happy to hear that the nasal pillow is helping you. It didn't work for me, but, we are all individuals. Different masks fit different faces. It is normal to have trouble adapting to this new sleep routine. So far, my adjustment looks like a weird exercise routine -- 2 steps forward, 1 step back, jog in place, 2 steps forward . . . .

I have added aromatherapy to my routine. I put a drop of lavender oil on a cotton ball, and place it just outside of the air intake on my machine. I do believe that it is helping.

Good luck & keep us informed.

[quote="Roger2"]First I have to ask, where is Kilgore, Texas??? Do you need a passport to go there ? Just kidding.

LOL,...Kilgore Texas is East Texas...60 miles west of Shreveport, Louisiana...

Roger2 wrote:First I have to ask, where is Kilgore, Texas??? Do you need a passport to go there ? Just kidding.

Roger, you must be from the wrong part of the world. Everyone knows Kilgore, Texas is home to the WORLD FAMOUS Kilgore Rangerettes!!!

Jerry

Roger2 wrote:First I have to ask, where is Kilgore, Texas??? Do you need a passport to go there ?

You just might someday. . .

I use the ResMed Activa LT mask. It's the only one that Does not tear up my nose, that doesn't leak and that has stopped my mouth breathing completely. By the way, it took me 5 years to find this mask. I never gave up and I hope you don't either.
It's a journey.
Best,
Lee Ann

Don't give up! Don't give up! Don't give up!

I've been there. A lot of us have been where you are now. If you feel tired, sleep. Sleep as much as you can with the mask on, even for naps... always.

With that said, if you are leaking out your mouth -- is your mouth dry when you wake up? Like REALLY dry? -- my best solution was the PAPCap from Pursleep (Bret, the owner, is a user here). Yes, it's a pain to wear a mask AND a chinstrap, but it works for me. I've been on CPAP for two years now, and I regret not getting diagnosed sooner.

You can do this, and when you do, you'll thank yourself later. We are here to help you. I would have given up if it were not for the folks on here.

♥

Hi, I am very new to this also, and have been hanging back reading the posts. I am just coming out of the "it is not really happening to me" stage I think! Still struggling with acceptance. Do they really think that having a pink bag to keep the "beast" in is going to make me feel better or more feminine? But...............after 2 weeks, I think I am making progress. Last night was the first night that I went off to sleep in a reasonable amount of time, without having to concentrate on every breath ( the ins are OK, it's the outs I have trouble with) for ages before I finally went off to sleep. AHI was 0.1 so very good. My setting is 5cm and from reading the posts, I guess I am lucky that it is not higher! I am finding that the mask headgear is not easy to adjust so that it stays put all night.
But .....on the plus side (yes there is one), I am not waking up feeling like someone has put a pillow over my face and has been trying to suffocate me, with my heart racing and my lungs about to burst! Arthritis pain has improved as I can change position during the night. I was sleeping with two tennis balls in an old bra strapped to my back so I didn't roll over onto my back during the night, and so a lot of pain from being in the one positions all night.
So please don't give up....I won't if you don't! It will all be worth the effort eventually.

Thank you so much for all of your encouraging words!! I really need them...I am lucky that I do not MIND wearing a mask..and actually I love the air blowing...it relaxes me and I have never had the "smothering" feeling that some of you have described. Actually, sometimes I cannot even tell the thing is on! (pressure is at 12) I am not going to give up...I just want these stupid masks to stop leaking. I put the nasal pillows on last night, good and snug..woke up about three hours later with major leak once again...adjusted it and went back to sleep. this happened several times till finally about 4am I threw it across the room. I have tried it tight, I have tried it loose, I usually just make it snug and comfortable...I do not know why it leaks. I wear a large pillow ( yes I have big nostrils). The medium was too small...oh well I guess I will keep trying...Thanks for the painter's tape idea...I used it last night and love it...All of you are very helpful!

I didn't get my pillows stable until I started wearing a chin strap. The chinstrap helps to stabilize the position of the pillows. I also wear one leg of a pair of women's tights tied into a loop and positioned just under the pillows. Put on chinstrap, then pull tights down to neck (I don't want to undo the knot once I get the size right), put on mask, and then position tights under mask.

In the middle of the night the straps across the back of my head rise up and that makes the pillows loose. Adjusting the pillows is futile, but just reaching back and pulling the back straps down fixes them straight away. It was hard to remember that the first few times.

I hope this gives you some ideas. A little bit of improvisation can do wonders.

I'm really glad to hear you're not giving up.

Toni... I apologize if you addressed this already, but I can't recall. Have you tried a full face mask? I just got my Pad-a-cheek yesterday and it made a world of difference for me with my FF. Just an idea.

I was going to try the nasal pillows, but with all the problems that some folks have, I'm not going to bother with it. My FF was a little strange at first, but now it works like a charm for me.

- John

Perrybucsdad wrote:Toni... I apologize if you addressed this already, but I can't recall. Have you tried a full face mask? I just got my Pad-a-cheek yesterday and it made a world of difference for me with my FF. Just an idea.

I was going to try the nasal pillows, but with all the problems that some folks have, I'm not going to bother with it. My FF was a little strange at first, but now it works like a charm for me.

- John

Yes I have 2 FF masks...The mirage quattro and the the quattro FX...both tear up my face even when using the liners...