first night, first timer

[dontknowhowtodeal]

I am still struggling trying accept this mask. I don't like having something over my mouth. I decreased the temperature and had one night where I was able to actually fall asleep with the machine running. The mask was on without any air leaking. The machine isn't registering that there are leaks but I do feel a little air moving. I lie down with the mask on, things feel ok for a short time, and then I feel like I am being smothered. I talk to myself, trying to tell myself to relax, but I am not relaxed. I am not breathing naturally. I am breathing like I am directing each breath. I have the TV on because I am hoping the sound of the TV will help take my mind off things. Like I said it worked once. I slept with the mask on and machine running for a little over 4 hours. That was only one time. Last night things didn't feel quite right, there was air moving, I was only able to keep the mask on an hour and a half, and maybe I slept for a few minutes. But I had several times when I felt like I was being smothered. Do you think the temperature needed to be lowered some more?
I work and am not able to "practice" during the day. And in order to be compliant, you have to go a month using the machine for more than 4 hours a day.

[WindCpap]

I checked my settings and discovered that the tube temperature was set at auto, which it looks like could go as high as 85 or 90. What would be the suggested temp to try? I lowered it to 78

Tube temperature Auto is a bit of a misnomer. In auto, it is 80 degrees according to the manual. i really don't know why there is an auto tube temperature. One would think that an 80 degree default would be sufficient.

[WindCpap]

I am still struggling trying accept this mask. I don't like having something over my mouth. I decreased the temperature and had one night where I was able to actually fall asleep with the machine running. The mask was on without any air leaking. The machine isn't registering that there are leaks but I do feel a little air moving. I lie down with the mask on, things feel ok for a short time, and then I feel like I am being smothered. I talk to myself, trying to tell myself to relax, but I am not relaxed. I am not breathing naturally. I am breathing like I am directing each breath. I have the TV on because I am hoping the sound of the TV will help take my mind off things. Like I said it worked once. I slept with the mask on and machine running for a little over 4 hours. That was only one time. Last night things didn't feel quite right, there was air moving, I was only able to keep the mask on an hour and a half, and maybe I slept for a few minutes. But I had several times when I felt like I was being smothered. Do you think the temperature needed to be lowered some more?
I work and am not able to "practice" during the day. And in order to be compliant, you have to go a month using the machine for more than 4 hours a day.

If you sleeping without the mask, then I would suggest stopping, and then waiting for the weekend to try again. Take Monday off if you can. When you start again, never sleep without the mask. It is the only good way to take control of the situation. Feel free to take the mask off whenever you please, and go do something else, but don't allow yourself to sleep without it. It won't be long, and you will be sleeping with the mask on.

Between now and the weekend, feel free to try the mask out during the day, but not at bed time. You don't want to indicate to your brain that taking the mask off is related in any way to to falling asleep.

[Wulfman...]

Could be any one or a number of things. Humidity setting, Ramp, minimum settings (Ramp or pressure), etc., etc.

You need to try to use some introspection and see if you can figure out what might need to be changed for it to work better.

Study the Sleepyhead reports and there may be clues there.


Den

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[OkyDoky]

Did you increase your minimum pressure that was discussed earlier? What are you settings now?

[dontknowhowtodeal]

I made no other changes because I don't have any understanding as to how this thing works. And I have not recorded my settings yet.

[Wulfman...]

I made no other changes because I don't have any understanding as to how this thing works. And I have not recorded my settings yet.

But...............

And in order to be compliant, you have to go a month using the machine for more than 4 hours a day.

It's hard to be compliant if you have improper settings.


Den

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[OkyDoky]

I made no other changes because I don't have any understanding as to how this thing works. And I have not recorded my settings yet.

A link to your Clinical manual was given earlier. Read it and if you have questions ask. The Clinical manual tells you how to get into the clinical menu. Look at all the settings and record them. Post what they are and someone might have suggestions.
This is another site with a lot of links to help you learn and understand. https://sleep.tnet.com/main

[Michelle-OH]

Everyone will tell you to absolutely not take the mask off, as though it was written in the bible or such It obviously works for some people and may be the best advise...but. I absolutely had to get some sleep and couldn't tolerate the mask for anywhere near a full night, and still had to function at work the next day. I know I would have given up if I kept getting told to wear it the full night. So, I wore it as much as I could, prob. 3-4 hrs. in the beginning and just kept working up my time in the mask till I was eventually able to wear for a full night. It worked for me. Wearing it as much as you can each night is better than not wearing at all and giving up. Don't set your expectations so high that you will fail, that's my feeling. Eventually you will feel the benefits. Within 3 weeks I was definitely wearing for a full 8 hrs. a night. Do anything that helps you to leave it on, for me that meant using my sleep machine to block out new cpap sounds, putting essential oils on a cotton ball and placing behind my filter....draws in the good smells and blocks out new cpap smells. I used lavender and sweet orange because they smell good and are calming. You can use any scent you like. Anything you can think of to take your mind off the mask. Anytime my mind would wander to thoughts of breathing or the new creature on my face, I just made myself think of something else. Good luck, don't give up!