New to CPAP and forum. Hello!

[SleepyMarlo]

Hey Cheryl, that cloth mask looks very intriguing! And it comes in cute colors.

I don't actually breathe through my mouth at all during the day... my mouth just tends to flop open when I'm laying on my back and my jaw relaxes. But I'm already training myself to keep my mouth shut because I can't stand the air rushing into my mouth and cheeks... FLAP FLAP FLAP.

If I get "fitted" within the grace period of insurance, within 30 days or whatever, do I get to keep my current mask? Or will they take it away from me!!! I'm encouraged to hear that the pressure thing is hooey. I sort of thought it may be...

No pizza parlor for me!

[GumbyCT]

If I get "fitted" within the grace period of insurance, within 30 days or whatever, do I get to keep my current mask? Or will they take it away from me!!! I'm encouraged to hear that the pressure thing is hooey.

That truly depends on the DME... since they can NOT resell or reuse it most will let you keep it as a backup, that is a good policy.

Should your DME take it back I would begin looking for another as that means you will certainly soon have other problems with them about something else. You can always ask what they intend to do with it to see what they say.

[SleepyMarlo]

I'm pleased to report that I actually had a decent night last night! I kept the mask on all night and I wasn't completely miserable. And today, I don't feel totally CPAP-induced exhausted. Okay, let's break it down, what did I do differently?

1. I pulled another pillow onto the bed, so I had three all together. (I have the luxury of sleeping in the guest room so I don't have to share space with my husband. We are not compatible sleepers.) I took a suggestion of creating a "triangle" so I could lay on my side... one pillow under my cheek, one under my forehead and the other one for hugging, so that my mask could sort of float out there without being pushed up into me.

2. I loosened the bottom straps so that it wasn't so terribly tight. I had been pulling them tight, thinking that would stop leakage while on my side. That made it more comfortable. So whether the improvement on side leakage came from the pillows or the strap loosening, it was better.

3. I avoided drinking a lot of water before bed. I'm trying to hydrate throughout the day so I'm not so thirsty late at night. And I didn't wake up because I had to go to the bathroom.

4. I turned humidity all the way up to the top at 5.

5. Not different - but I did put Vicks under my nose to help open up my nasal passages.

6. Keeping my mouth closed seemed to go better last night.

7. I put an alarm clock by my bed, so when I did wake up, I could know how much time I'd been on the mask, how much time was left, and if I was approaching or past "compliance." Don't know if this made a difference but at least I didn't have to fumble with my cell phone to look at the time.

8. I realized that what I thought was leakage around my lower cheek was actually just a lot of pressure. I was feeling it blow against my cheeks and previously had thought the mask was leaking. Then I realized that it was just blowing like crazy, and that's what I was hearing and feeling.

9. I put the mask a little higher on my nose so that it didn't feel like it was plugging my nose.

10. My nose didn't seem to itch so much.... higher humididy?

11. When my nose did itch, or when I needed to reposition the mask, it was easier for me to unclip it and then clip it again.

12. I put lip balm on my lips to keep them from drying out and bugging me.

[SleepyMarlo]

13. I put a piece of electrical tape over the lighted switch on my power strip, making the room darker.

[chunkyfrog]

I only wish to comment on #3.
The water that comes out of you at night came from your tissues;
the water you drink right before bed is in your tummy, ready to replace the water that 'hits the porcelain'.
Cutting back on water at any time is not a good idea--you need it to wash toxins out of your body.
The fact that you get up to urinate, though inconvenient, is a good thing--don't fight it by depriving yourself of water.

[SleepyMarlo]

Not depriving myself of water. Just spreading out throughout the day so I can hit the magic 8 glasses.

[BlackSpinner]

Not depriving myself of water. Just spreading out throughout the day so I can hit the magic 8 glasses.

The need to get up and pee during the night is usually caused by apneas. For many of us that stopped the first night we kept the mask on all night.

[GumbyCT]

I only wish to comment on #3.
The water that comes out of you at night came from your tissues;
the water you drink right before bed is in your tummy, ready to replace the water that 'hits the porcelain'.
Cutting back on water at any time is not a good idea--you need it to wash toxins out of your body.
The fact that you get up to urinate, though inconvenient, is a good thing--don't fight it by depriving yourself of water.

My sleep doc says to not drink water within 4 hrs of bedtime. I find that extremely difficult.

That means if you are going to bed at 11PM you should NOT have anything to drink after 7 PM.

[chunkyfrog]

Funny; I've found that drinking water right before bed helps me sleep.
Maybe my kids were onto something. . .