New to sleep apnea and cpap

Hi, my name is Deb. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 2 months ago. I am not doing well with it I am trying but I think I am failing. The first 30 days I really did not wear it because it was so uncomfortable. No one told I could change the mask and head pieces till I found something that was comfortable nor did they tell me I had to have a 70% rating at the end of 30 days (I was at 23%). So when I turned my card in that is when they told me. So now I am on a second mask and headpiece, I do wear it every night now but no clue for how long. I usually wake up in the morning the the mask is laying on my dresser next to the bed. So at some point in the middle of the night I must be taking it off. I just turned my card in today so I should know my results in a few days. I may just call them in a bit. I am really struggling with this. I do not know what to try next for a mask. I am using just the standard over the nose mask the small one. It still feels to big and the lining always ends up in the corner of my eyes. I can not do the the in your nose one I move around to much for that it would probably end up falling out. My Dr. is thinking of having a mouth piece done, not sure what intels.

I just got off the phone with the place I drop my card off to and I am up to 63% this month but she said there are a lot of leaks. I told my mask still seems to be too big. So I am going in tomorrow and try a few other mask and she said that there are like quite a few different in the noses pieces I can look at not just the one like they had at the sleep study place. I think I may do better with the one that goes in your nose instead of over. It just trying to get it to not move when I move.

Thanks Deb

Welcome, Deb.
You might want to ask to try a nasal pillow mask.
No leaks into the eyes; very few leaks at all.
(Even some wear them with high pressure--so don't let them use THAT excuse!)
This is the one I have if I feel like wearing something different from my fabric mask:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html
Note: you can click on the mask selection at the bottom of any member's post to see what we wear.

Thank you Chunkyfrog, I was looking at that mask a bit ago on the cpap.com site. I looked at the one you have in your signature, is that all cloth? That looks like it would be comfortable to wear.

Thanks Deb

Welcome Deb, glad you found us! Quick reply -- Don't assume that you couldn't deal with 'the ones that go in your nose,' i.e., nasal pillow masks. You might be pleasantly surprised as I was -- not only does a properly fitting nasal pillow mask not leak but there is nothing clinging to your face or obstructing your line of vision. Nasal pillows do not "fall out" of your nose and it's usually easier to move around and turn to your side without dislodging the mask. Once I got used to mine which didn't take long, I would wake up sometimes feeling like I didn't have a mask on my face at all. When I did leak, it was because I let my mouth fall open and therapy air escape! That's under control now too and I'm glad I stayed with the nasal pillows.

Just another option to check out.

It is very comfortable.
--Although it can be a bit dodgy about controlling leaks.
At first, I was fiddling with it for quite a while before it would quiet down, now I get it sealed in a jiffy.
Circadiance has a 30 day free return policy, I bought mine from cpap.com.
I reviewed it in the "Sleeping with Elan" thread when I first bought it.
I would post a link, but the Net is acting up here.
SleepWeaverMarketing is a forum member, and an excellent resource.

Welcome. Please fill in your machine and mask in your profile so we can help you better. There's a link in my signature line.

You usually have to get to 70% "compliance" or insurance will refuse to pay for the machine, so you need to get on the ball here. You're usually required to wear it for 4 hours a night.

Personally, I don't think many people actually take it off in their sleep. I think they wake up a little, decide to take it off, and just don't remember it in the morning. People often don't remember things that happen during a short period of wakefulness during the middle of the night.

There are a number of ways to fight this. One thing you can do is use the CPAP while you're reading or watching TV. This helps you get used to wearing it, and it actually adds to your compliance hour count.

The mouthpieces can cost more than a CPAP, so be careful. They also have a fairly low success rate.

Thank you the info everyone. I am going to the cpap place tomorrow and look at some other types of mask. I am leaning towards the one that goes in the nose. I just cannot do the mask over the nose.
I have till Dec 4th so she said I have time.
I never thought about wearing it while I sit here and do my beaded stuff. I do not watch TV (except nascar). I tried reading but the mask is in the way, it would probably be in the way when I am doing bead work too but I will try it.
I will fill in my info, I hopes it's on the machine.

Thanks Deb

Deb - your DME should let you take a couple of different masks home to try out. Most of us "date" a lot of masks before finding one we want to live with.
Also if you order masks from cpap.com, you can purchase mask insurance which allows you to return masks within 30 days if they don't work for you.

good luck

JO'M wrote:Deb - your DME should let you take a couple of different masks home to try out. Most of us "date" a lot of masks before finding one we want to live with.
Also if you order masks from cpap.com, you can purchase mask insurance which allows you to return masks within 30 days if they don't work for you.

good luck

I was not given that option
I wish I was, things would have definitely been easier. Maybe tomorrow I can see if I can do that.
As for buying that isn't happening, my husband is a disabled vet so not a lot on money coming in. So I am stuck with what the insurance will let me do for now.

Thanks Deb

PS... I am so sorry about the way my sentences are reading my fingers are not as fast as what I am thinking so I miss a lot of words. I do try to go back and feel them in but I know I still miss some. :/

Some sleep clinics will let you come in durng the day to see the masks used and to try one on without the machine going.

I usually wake up in the morning the the mask is laying on my dresser next to the bed. So at some point in the middle of the night I must be taking it off.

Hi Deb,

This sounds like a very simplistic solution but when I have remembered to do it, it has worked.

I have had many nights of unintentionally taking the mask off. So before going to bed, I said out loud that I couldn't take the mask off and it had to stay on.

Lo and behold, I would wake up after my usual 1.5 hours of sleep on the mask (another post) with it on. I think in my case, my taking it off was due to frustration at not being able to stay asleep on it.

Obviously, the act of stating what had to be done out loud got into my subconscious. Your mileage will vary.

Good luck in sorting out everything.

49er

I just got home from the place I get my mask. I got a in the nose one (I have no clue what to actually call it) called the Aloha. She said it was new. I will try it out and see what happens, it does fit more comfortably and it's small.

Thank you all for the info on trying to keep it on in the middle of the night. I think I am going to try to take a sleeping pill or 2 and see if that helps me stay asleep all night and keep telling my sub-consistence to leave it on.

Thanks Deb

iceblulady wrote:I just got home from the place I get my mask. I got a in the nose one (I have no clue what to actually call it) called the Aloha. She said it was new. I will try it out and see what happens, it does fit more comfortably and it's small.

Thank you all for the info on trying to keep it on in the middle of the night. I think I am going to try to take a sleeping pill or 2 and see if that helps me stay asleep all night and keep telling my sub-consistence to leave it on.

Thanks Deb

That's a "Nasal Pillows" style of mask. I've heard many on here like it!

iceblulady wrote:I just got home from the place I get my mask. I got a in the nose one (I have no clue what to actually call it) called the Aloha. She said it was new. I will try it out and see what happens, it does fit more comfortably and it's small.

Thank you all for the info on trying to keep it on in the middle of the night. I think I am going to try to take a sleeping pill or 2 and see if that helps me stay asleep all night and keep telling my sub-consistence to leave it on.

Thanks Deb

This type of mask is called a Nasal Pillow Mask.

I just got the Aloha last week and I really like it. One important thing I learned was to fit it AFTER you're laying down. When you're sitting up it needs to be very loose and mine even leaks around the nostrils some when I'm sitting. But once you lay down it will settle into place and can be fitted more accurately. I leave the straps very loose - they shouldn't be tight at all.

Did your RT show you the different ways to adjust this mask? You can put the top strap of the headgear into two different positions - I find the front slot offers me the most stability. And there are also two positions for the nasal pillows. If you look in through the clear plastic side, you can see that the metal tip can be adjusted to go all the way into the groove or you can choose to set it only halfway in. I've played around with mine a lot and found that halfway is more comfortable for me.

If one of the pillows does slip out of a nostril a little bit, just a teensy push on the cheekstrap support is usually enough to get everything adjusted back where it should be. To me that works better than pushing around on the pillows. The pillows are meant to rest lightly against the outside of the nostril with the tip only slightly inside the nose - don't try to push them up in too far.

Good luck!
Bonny

Here's my thread where I got a lot of good input on the Aloha. I strongly recommend you read the link in the post about the o-rings, they've worked wonders for many nasal pillow users.
viewtopic/t83791/Aloha-Opus-Pilairo--Ne ... g-one.html