I was diagnosed about two and a half years ago with moderate sleep apnea. Eventually, I was given a BiPAP machine, and I tried very hard for a month or so to use it. I gave up ultimately, though.
While the sleep I got was definitely of a better quality, I could only keep the mask on for half the night at most. The feeling of claustrophobia as I fell asleep made me very, very unhappy, and waking up with it was even worse. I tried three different masks, but I just couldn’t get comfortable. I hated listening to my own breathing and the feeling of the forced air. Having something wrapped around my head also reminded me of when I had head gear from my braces years (which I also refused to wear). And I hated feeling the air tube draped over me, particularly when I shifted in bed.
So I just stopped. It doesn’t appear that my apnea is nearly severe enough that I’m likely to die in my sleep; it’s just that the quality of my sleep suffers, and I’ve lived with that plenty long enough to deal with it. However, for reasons that aren’t really necessary to go into here (not related to my health), it has suddenly become important to me to try again. I can’t tell you what the thought of putting that mask on again does to me. And I know several others personally who also refuse to do it even though they should.
I know from prior threads that there are plenty of other apnea sufferers here on the Board. I’m wondering if anyone who has had a CPAP or BiPAP machine for a while has come across a new type of mask (or machine, or…I dunno) in the last couple of years that has dramatically changed their level of comfort with regard to sleeping with this thing. I will eventually talk to my sleep doctor about this, but I wanted to get some opinions here first. I can’t imagine anything that’s going to solve my discomfort issues, but I have to give it another try.
I got one about 2 years ago also for moderate sleep apnea. I rip mine off in the middle of the night without even knowing it. If I manage to keep it on the whole night, I wake up feeling great but that is only about 10% of the time or maybe less. I wish that I could keep mine on as well.
Asimovian, are you using a full mask that covers your nose and mouth down to your chin, or just a nasal mask? There is also a nasal cannula that just goes up your nostrils. I also get claustrophobic from a full mask, so if I ever need a cpap, I will go with one of the other 2 options.
No dramatic breakthroughs in technology, I’m afraid. I wear a full-face mask. I recently got a new mask and there were a few minor improvements in the design, but nothing that would change the overall setup. I’m fortunate that I am able to sleep pretty comfortably with it, and the improvement I’ve felt actually makes me enjoy wearing it now.
You would be surprised to learn how many German and Japanese fighters I have taken down in the past few years. I have had some close calls myself but ripping the mask off and doing an ejection has made me very fortunate. However, they just coming and coming.
At home, I have two masks that cover the whole nose, but not the mouth. When I did my sleep study, I tried on one just for the nostrils, but I didn’t like the feel of it. I may have to give it another shot, though, as I recall that model being far less intrusive on my face.
I also tried on a full-face mask (nose and mouth), but I recall really not liking it.
Another question – I had my machine on the floor next to my bed to help minimize the noise my wife could hear while sleeping. However, as I mentioned earlier, this causes the air hose to basically drape over my torso, which causes its own set of discomforts. Where do you guys keep your machines?
I use the ‘Breeze’ mask. It has nasal pillows instead of something covering the nose. Also, it fits over the middle of the head and down the back. The hose is on a swivel which makes it very comfortable. I can sleep on my back, stomach or side very easily.
There is a youtube video here which shows the operation.
I have a wooden tray table next to the bed, which puts the CPAP level with the mattress. I put a towel under the CPAP to cushion it (a friend with sleep apnea suggested this, and it works wonderfully, and also keeps the table dry in case I spill any water filling the humidifier tank). I’ve also found that I can twist the air hose where it enters the mask (I use one that just covers my nose, too) so it runs over my head and out of the way in case I roll over in my sleep.
Tray at mattress height right behind my pillow, towel under unit, with water, with only a nose cover type mask. I have big full beard and yet need the higher forced air so just a cannula won’t work. Compared to my snoring, the noise of the unit is nothing. she says it is just kind of like white noise.
Many hours doing high altitude mapping, I’m used to a mask. I wear just so I don’t snore, that was driving wife nuts. Sleeping better is a side benefit for me but my dreams are more vivid and memorable and that is a down side.
I am not a grumpy sleeper and I don’t take the mask off unknowingly or deliberately as I’m doing for the wife in the first place.
There’s a type which fits over your mouth, and has a couple of “nostril pillows” extending up that you fit against your nostrils. This is a lot more comfortable if, like me, you are uncomfortable having your mouth clamped shut; and, in addition, the full lower-face type of mask doesn’t work for you. My problem with that type was that my face is too narrow, so I was always getting leaks.
However, I only manage to keep it on for 2 -3 hours at the beginning of the night; if I have to get up during the night (and I virtually always do, at least once) I can’t return to sleep while wearing it.
I’m thinking of looking into the dental device. There’s a dentist in Encino who specializes in this, Dr. Keropian.
Another thought just occurred to me. When I first got my CPAP the supplier just gave me the mask I have as if it were the only type available; the only option I was offered was which size fit best. I don’t remember if anything was said about coming back to try out other types of masks if I had trouble sleeping with that one. I know I wasn’t told about other types available or asked if I had a preference. Fortunately, I didn’t have any problem with it, but I’m curious about how some of you got your masks, or got to try out different types.
My insurance allows me to get a new mask every 6 months. I’ve been on CPAP therapy for 2 years now and have 3 different masks. The first one started to wear out and I tried a different model the second time, but didn’t care for it. The one I use now is about 6 weeks old and so far it’s the best one I’ve had.
She’s got quite a collection of the things - IIRC she went through five or so types of masks before settling on the nasal pillow.
Apparently the trick is to have good insurance and/or a good doctor (or whoever it is that sets these things up) that’s willing to work with you on finding what works best for you.
Thank you for this. I could be totally mis-remembering, but when I was trying out masks, my recollection was that the nasal pillows were…well, hard. Or at least a lot harder than in that video. The video makes me think there’s a chance at being comfortable there.
LurkMeister, at the beginning of and the conclusion of my sleep study, which was at a hospital, I was allowed to try on a variety of different masks. In addition that group within the hospital has, or had, anyway, a monthly meeting for CPAP users, and I believe they also introduced varying types of masks.
So the hospital just forwarded my choice in mask on to my doctor, and they ordered it for me.
You may want to check out the sleep apnea support message board. It is a very active board with a great deal of information about achieving CPAP compliance and the various masks/setups that work for people.
MeanJoe - Who never could get compliant with CPAP.
I really find myself wishing that I was bad enough off to warrant surgery because I could deal with that so much better than I could the mask. Oh well.
Speaking of which, out of curiousity, has anyone here had (or know of anyone who has had) surgery to correct apnea?
The most commonly recommended surgery for apnea is UPPP. The “success” rate is abysmal. “Success” is defined as a 50% reduction in apenas and that reduction is only achieved in about 50% of of patients diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea. The recovery from the UPPP surgery is also significantly painful.
Check out the web-site I posted earlier. There is a thread specifically devoted to the UPPP recovery you may find… insightful.
I had the surgery but it as technically 4 surgeries at the same time. They consisted of a uvulaplasty, tonsils, removed, adenoids removed, and a deviated septum corrected. My ENT surgeon scared me badly by saying that this combination of surgeries were among the most painful around and the recovery process would be severe. I think she did me a favor by scaring me because it wasn’t THAT bad but I couldn’t eat at all for at least a week (some people do worse). You also have to be on near total bed rest for two weeks and I was given an ample supply of the popular recreational opiate, oxycontin for that whole time.
After all that, it didn’t work at least not completely. I don’t really regret the whole thing because my airway is larger and I can breath easily through both sides of my nose but that was a massive sacrifice for the end result.
I got diagnosed about the same time as you, Asimovian. I have a CPAP. I originally got the triangular mask that fits only over the nose. It always leaked at the bridge of the nose, always pulled away when I moved even the smallest bit, and was sorta claustraphobic. I next got a nasal pillow, which was great. The straps are extremely comfortable. The only problem was when I moved my head more than a bit the hose pulled the mask away from my nose.
On vacation, I bought a different kind of nasal pillow that should have eliminated the hose pulling because it had a metal band that came right over my face down to my nose. The hose to the nasal pillow goes right down the metal band to the back of the head. It was surprisingly comfortable because it didn’t touch my face. I didn’t realize that it had a problem until I got back home: the nasal pillow nares were too small so the metal hit my nose. And I had actually laid on the floor at the DME office to make sure it fits right!!!
I went back to the regular nasal pillow and reduced the pulling simply by loosely Velcroing the hose along one of the straps to the back of my head. It works. I can lay on my side without the mask pulling away.
I suggest that you monitor your nasal congestion. I never realized my nose gets clogged so often. It seems even a little congestion causes the mask to pull away from my face, defeating the purpose of the CPAP therapy. I don’t know how many times I’ve woken up at 2 or 3 or 4am to the hissing of the mask pulled away from my nose. Ugh.
