On the subject of OSA, doing things like sleeping at an incline, on your side or your stomach, or exercising your throat muscles can also reduce the amount of apnea events per hour. So if you can’t tolerate a CPAP that is something you can also look into.
Everyone knows obesity is connected with sleep apnea, but supposedly so is PTSD. Lots of military veterans develop OSA, and I don’t know if they know why yet. I think OP is a veteran (unless I’m thinking of someone else), I don’t know if there is a connection there that needs to be looked into.
You will have to figure out why you’re taking the mask off while you sleep. In need mine. BADLY. If I take it off it’s because my nose is so stuffed up I can’t breath. I keep nose spray in my night stand to deal with it as needed.
When my cpap broke I bought a used one on Craigs List for much less than the copayments added up to. I cleaned it and used my own tubing/mask. I then got the broken one fixed so I have a spare. Oddly my doctor sent me to a company that wasn’t on the insurance list so they weren’t getting reimbursed. They sold it to me for their cost which worked out in my favor.
When I first got mine it was capable of dialing in to the doctor who decided I needed more pressure. Yah, no. Got on the net and figured out how to dial it back to my comfort level.
As for just keeping it on that takes a bit of practice. When I change position in bed I automatically move the tubing so it keeps the mask on. It’s a reflexive response at this point.
You’ve got to get comfortable with it, and that means training. Carry the damned thing around with you for a while and plug it in every time you sit down. Keep it on while you’re watching TV, reading a book, etc. Probably not while eating dinner.
You might also have to change the position you sleep in. I used to be a side sleeper but had to learn to fall asleep on my back to avoid my nose stuffing up. Once the APAP ramps up over the course of the night, I can roll onto my side.
Keep trying. Don’t give up on it. You will get used to it and it will make you a much happier (and much more alert) human being in the long run.
My dad likes having a chin strap. It keeps it from coming off, and makes it basically impossible for him to take it off subconsciously at night (as it requires too much manual dexterity) to unhook. Yes, it’s more intrusive, but it works for him.
Luckily I have zero issue falling asleep. A minute or two on my back controlling my breathing and I’m out. It’s when I move while I’m asleep that I have issues.
I have been a CPAP user for about 9 months, and it’s only been in the past month or so that I feel comfortable with it and can reliably sleep through the night. I had the exact problem you did- go to sleep with the CPAP on and wake up in the morning with it off but no recollection of waking up to take it off. Like you, I was very worried that I would “flunk” my first 3 months and lose insurance.
The respiratory tech advised me to set an alarm for 3:00 am and put the CPAP back on if it was off. I never had to do that because I began leaving it on right about that time. The other advise I found helpful was to wear it when I was awake so that I could get used to it and get the fit right.
It is a blessing to wake up rested after years of exhaustion.
I’ve been on a CPAP now for nearly two years. The motivating factor for me was a cardiac issue I was diagnosed with around the same time as when I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea. There is some link between sleep apnea and the heart condition I was diagnosed with, which I very much don’t want to get any worse, or I could be looking at major heart surgery down the road. The side benefit is that I’m sleeping better than I have in years.
So anyway, I was highly motivated to get used to the mask. I had a very difficult time as well when I first started using it.
I started off with a ResMed AirTouch F20. I had two problems with this. First, I sleep on my stomach with my head turned to the side, and the mask kept getting knocked ajar every time I turned my head. To keep it in place, I had to crank down on the straps, which was uncomfortable. Also, I roll around in the night, and kept waking up with the tube wrapped around my neck. :eek:
I mentioned all of this to my sleep doctor at my first follow-up appointment, and she switched me to a Phillips DreamWare with nasal pillows. The connector is on the top of your head with a swivel, so the hose can’t easily get wrapped around your neck. I love it. I questioned my doctor about what happens if I’m a little congested, and she indicated that the pressure usually clears it right out. I’ve found this to be true.
I have kept my old full-face mask for any time I have a full-fledged cold and am completely congested, or if my nose gets irritated for some reason.
CPAP user for about 10+ years now I guess. I also use a nasal pillow mask, the AirFit P10. I could not do full face or nasal masks. I could never get a seal that would hold as I slept - I move around a lot. I also had regular feelings of claustrophobia. Moving to a nasal mask was night-and-day change and the latest mask I use (the P10) is perfect for me. It’s so light and comfortable.
Many years ago one of the things I found helpful as I adjusted to CPAP was to route my hose over the headboard and then down to my face. This got the hose out from my body and from becoming entangled in the sheets, etc. It really helped me adjust but your mask has to have a swivel connection to do this effectively. Otherwise, just keep at it and push back to your doctor and DME until you get a mask that works for you. It does take time but now I cannot and will not sleep without my CPAP.
One thing I have noted with the nasal pillows is that you can get air leakage through your mouth if your mouth opens at all in the night. This was happening about half the time for me, so I started wearing a chin strap. It’s not very tight, but is tight enough to keep my mouth closed while I’m sleeping, and the air leakage problem has been pretty much resolved.
This was a challenge for me at first. Due to my poor sinuses pre-surgery I had spent a lifetime as a mostly mouth-breather, including at night when I slept. When I moved to my first nasal-pillow based mask after sinus surgery my mouth would open while I was asleep out of habit and I’d lose effectiveness of treatment. I tried a chin strap but found it too uncomfortable for me. Eventually I trained myself to keep my mouth closed and it’s a non-issue now - but it took awhile!
I don’t have any advice but I hope you can figure out how to make it work! I never had any issues with taking the mask off in the middle of the night. I assume it’s because according to the sleep test, I averaged 130 apnea events an hour so my body was probably just elated to actually get some rest and totally happy to deal with the mask instead.
The thing that blew me away about getting a CPAP was just how shitty my life was with apnea and I didn’t even know it. I hope you can also find the more rested happier you.
To the OP: You might want to consider an automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) mask. It’s a newer technology, and it has the advantage that it can detect when you exhale so it doesn’t continue trying to force air into you.
It was a lot more comfortable for me but my insurance didn’t cover it. In the end I went the dental appliance route.
Pretty sure that’s not the mask by itself, it’s the entire PAP system. IOW, it’s not just a few bucks for a new mask, it’s big bucks to buy a whole new APAP system (though if you’re having trouble being compliant with an old-school CPAP system, you might be able to get your doc to prescribe an APAP system and have it covered by insurance).
I can’t imagine that any sleep doctor is prescribing anything other than automatically titrating CPAPs (aka APAPs) these days. They seem to be pretty ubiquitous now. Of course, I wouldn’t put anything past insurance companies, though, as to whether they will cover the newer technology or not.
I have worn CPAP/APAP masks for over 20 years now. It is pretty much a necessity for me - I’ve had severe apnea for a long time!
My latest mask is an Amara View from Philips Respironics. It is a minimal contact full face mask, meaning it covers the nostrils and the mouth. Google it to get a picture, please. It is by far the best mask I’ve worn over the years.
Please don’t give up on your CPAP usage. Try different masks until you get one that works for you. I wouldn’t be alive today without my CPAP.
My medicare insurance allows for trying different masks and returns until you get a satisfactory model. Hang in there!
If you’re averse to the bureaucracy of dealing with health insurance, it looks like CPAP masks aren’t crazy-expensive. Also, instead of mail-order, you may be able to buy them directly from a local medical supply company without having to deal with shipping costs.
I would start by calling whomever supplied your CPAP and asking them about all of this; it should be routine for them.
In my experience you get 30 days to try the mask. As for the specifics of your plan I can’t be sure.
There’s really no way to tell if a mask is going to work for you without some serious trial so I can’t imagine your plan wouldn’t foresee this as a typical occurrence.
Anybody feel like their CPAP provider is kind of a hard-sell experience? Something about it made me feel like I was on a used-car lot.
I feel like I would have made out better seeking out an independent sleep study, then taking that result to my independent physician, then independently ordering my own equipment.