Taking mask off in sleep - mad

brackstone · Post by **brackstone** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:55 am

Hi mth this is quite common at the beginning of CPAP treatment, it may take time for your body to adjust.

Also can you please describe your comfort level of the machine to us? Is it easy to breath with? Is the Mask Comfortable? Do you have any irritation on your face when you wake up? Gas? And anything else you may feel is relevant.

SlapShot · Post by **SlapShot** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:41 pm

I did the same thing last night. I'm pretty sure I was wearing the mask when I fell asleep (though it's possible I wasn't) and I woke up at 4 am to find it off. Machine was turned off, too. I put it on and went back to sleep, but ended up with less than 4 hours.

I'm just about 2 weeks into therapy. Generally, I feel okay about the mask - it only slightly bothers me. I seem to be stuck in a pattern - one good night, one bad night... I suppose I'll get used to this eventually.

Xian · Post by **Xian** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:53 pm

Gosh, new at CPAP therapy and I did the same thing last night... Woke up at 4:00 am to realize the mask was back on the bedside table. Can't remember taking it off, never happened before... Also, I am generally OK with the mask (no issue with the pressure, minimal leaks I could remember, just issue with having the tube in front of the mouth).

The only thing I can think of is that it was hot yesterday night and that I was "generally" uncomfortable when I woke up, had to push the comforter out of the way. If that's the issue, summer promises to be fun! (might velcro the mask to my head!)

sleepngo · Post by **sleepngo** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:03 pm

Been there and done that, I have been on cpap and now apap for about four years now and I still have a day now and then, removing my mask for one reason or another. I used to worry a lot about it but now take it in stride. I know if I have one bad day, usually the next night is much better and I sleep 6-8 hours so don't worry to much about it, unless it becomes a habit, then you may want to see your sleep Doc. for an adjustment. Hang in there, it gets better as time catches up with your sleep pattern.

Dan

jjposey · Post by **jjposey** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:25 pm

I've been on cpap since February and some nights I take the mask off 6 or 8 times.
Sleep Doc said short of cutting off my hands there was nothing else to do but put it back on when I wake up.
Very frustrating!

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:53 pm

Some pappers have resorted to taping the headgear to their faces to help 'remind' them not to take it off.

Brenda

jjposey · Post by **jjposey** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:59 pm

I tried taping my mask on. The first two or three times it helped. Then I woke up one night with the mask off, machine humming away and a blistering whelp on my cheek!

Catnapper · Post by **Catnapper** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:04 pm

jj
How about wearing gloves once you tape that mask on your face?

jjposey · Post by **jjposey** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:11 pm

I've considered taping socks over my hands (to hold my fingers), but I'm extremely hot natured and worry it will only keep me awake!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:24 am

About once a month I repeat this same advice, because I keep seeing "I'm taking the mask off in my sleep!" threads like this one. I ought to keep this text around so I can just paste it from now on!

Program your subconscious not to take the mask off. Ever try the trick where you look at your clock and say to yourself 3 times before sleeping "I will wake up at 8:15 AM" (or whenever), and indeed you wake up within about 2-3 minutes of that time? This idea works on the same principle.

Say to yourself three times before sleeping, "I will not take this mask off before (insert desired wake time here)." Then say to yourself three times, "If I want to take off the mask, I have to look at the clock. If it's before (insert desired wake time here), I will not take off the mask." Then repeat the first phrase three more times.

It only sounds silly if you're not familiar with the power of this method. This fixed the problem for me, and many others.

What's probably happening is that you wake up halfway, remember the instructions, look at the clock, see that it's before (desired wake time), and you don't take off the mask. You remember none of this the next day, but it works.

After awhile, you can stop the nightly "programming". Leaving the mask on becomes automatic after awhile.

When you get done laughing, try it. You may not be laughing much after that.

blowfish · Post by **blowfish** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:06 pm

kered · Post by **kered** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:44 pm

Slightly different twist to un-remembered events. The other night I went to sleep with my fairly new Breeze. When I woke up, 'someone' had switched me to my Swift without me even knowing about it???

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:52 pm

mth712, be sure to take care of the sore on your nose. Use a bandaid or blister strip to protect it until it heals.

Brenda

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:42 pm

mth712 wrote:I kept it on 7 hours last night. I lowered my pressure from 15 to 13 because my study showed 0 ahi at 10 and 1 hypoapnea at 12.5 and was raised to 15 to get rid of residual snoring. So I figured 13. I also set cflex on 3 and humidifier on 5. Only problem I have a sore on the bridge of my nose even though I used the activa mask. OUCH.... I will check the number Tonight since they do not show on display until the machine has been off for 2 hours.

I feel pretty good. Have yawned several times but doing pretty good.

I have not tried the Activa and most likely never will since I don't do nasal cushions cuz I do just fine with nasal pillows.

But here is a thread I recall about fitting and adjusting the beak eater ...

Taking mask off in sleep - mad

Taking mask off in sleep - mad

keep mask on

Switch?