I'm sure you've all heard the stories. Snored for years, husband begged me to get sleep study. Sleep study showed stopped breathing 141 times in one night, up to 30 seconds. Snoring mouth breather since I was a baby, not overweight, doctor says small throat, big tongue, prescribed CPAP.

At age 45 I know I'm suffering. I'm never "awake" until two hours after I wake up, I have trouble focusing, and even my driving scares me lately.

But after four weeks, I CANNOT adjust to the CPAP. It covers my whole face, it leaks air, it irritates the bridge of my nose, the straps irritate my ears, it wakes me up all the time until I eventually rip it off. Even my "driven" OCD husband says I have given the dang CPAP my very best effort. I felt like I finally got a good night's rest when I stopped struggling with the machine, but now three days later I'm exhausted and desparate to "JUST FEEL RESTED".

I'm supposed to go back soon for my third overnight study, including a "nap" study the next day.

I'm busy. Really busy. I run my own business, have teenage daughters, and I'm active in my community. I don't have time for Sleep Apnea and CPAPs! I just want to sleep without snoring, and breathe well when I sleep.

What about mouth guards, chin straps, spray, or surgery?

I guess I could try the CPAP with the nasal pillows, but I still have to deal with straps. And I feel terribly self-conscious. CPAP's aren't exactly attractive or sexy.

I'm so frustrated. Any ideas or suggestions?

I hear you!

I have been trying to adapt to CPAP for about two months. 2-3 weeks ago, I was ready to totally give up. I just couldn't adjust.  

I changed to the nasal pillows and did better. Then I got a cold and couldn't tolerate those for a few days. Now I'm doing well again and feel optimistic again. (BTW, re feeling sexy - my sex drive came back three days ago. I thought I was just getting old. Turns out it was the sleep apnea.)

My point is:   It takes time to get used to the CPAP, but you will feel better if you hang in there.

Try a different mask. Try moleskin on the bridge of your nose. Try padding the straps over your ears.

I got all those ideas from this forum, by typing various keywords in the search window top right.

Please don't give up yet. It's well worth the effort.


_________________
Diagnosed September 2009
cpap machine: resmed compact S8
pressure: 9
sleep study results: AHI 4.2 (nl=<5); REM AHI 9.4 (nl=<5); REM 15.7% (nl=25-35%)

respironics comfort fusion nasal - leaks drove me crazy
LT Swift nasal pillows - works great

I agree trying a different mask is a good idea. The first mask I used just simply did not work for me.

I changed to a ResMed Quattro Mirage. At first it didn't work for me either. But after some tinkering and helpful suggestions here I am using it all night. I still wake up at least 2 or 3 times to get a drink or use the restroom though. But on the whole I feel a million times better already after just a couple of weeks. It may also help that I am on vacation right now.

I am using silicone earplugs to get a better fit for the mask where it leaks the worst, which for me is along the sides of my nose. I have a thin bridge but the side of my nose if fairly long. I roll about half of one of the earplugs into a thin bead. Then apply that around the bridge on the mask towards the outer edge. When you first use it after putting on a new bead you may have to wait a couple of minutes or press down on the leaky spots until they seal. I have also been using a REMZZZs pad over it which feels good. I set the forehead dial out as far as will work to keep from putting too much pressure and getting a sore. I find the sleeping on my back yields the least leaks but for when I do need to lay on my side I adjust the straps to seal the leaks.

I am also wearing earplugs (the foam kind) because the machine's noise bothers me. A white noise generator or fan or a/c can also drown out the sound of the machine but they may need to be fairly loud which could defeat the purpose.

You may want to go back to you DME to see what they can do for you.

Hi BusyLo and Welcome!,

Why are you using a (Full Face) FF mask?  Do you breathe through your mouth?  You can't use nasal pillows if that is the case but you could use the "Liberty" or "Hybrid" masks which cover your mouth and use nasal pillows.  There are quite a few other FF masks out there, may of us use the Fisher and Paykel Flexifit 431 (not the 432 which they also make although it might work well for you).

It also sounds as if your mask is not adjusted properly.   Follow the tighening directions that come with your mask and do it laying down as much as you can so that you are in the positions you are in when you sleep.

As far as the bridge of the nose issue, a great deal of the time that people have trouble with it is because it really isn't on the bridge of your nose.  Make sure it is moved up to lay truly on the bridge of your nose, right between your eyes.

A month really isn't your very best effort, but you don't know what that is which is trying different mask (s).  Chin straps rarely work and if the straps bother you now, you would have twice as many with a chin strap.

As you have learned, Obstructive Sleep Apnea affects all kinds of people, overweight and trim, male and female, young (see our pediatric forum and old).  Weight exacerbates it, but rarely is the sole cause of it.

You need to understand that the effects of untreated OSA go far beyond being tired and fatigued.  It causes systemic problems.  Some of them follow below.  We all feel self-conscious, but I assume you only wear it when you sleep and I am sure your husband would rather have you as a healthy, energetic and alert partner rather than sick or worse.

You CAN adjust to a CPAP.  We have helped literally thousands of people do so here and there have been only a handful of people who physically cannot use it.  As far as sugery goes, that is a possibilty, but to fix apnea, expecially moderate to severe apnea (tell us what your AHI, Apnea/Hypopnea Index is.  That is the measure of the severity of your apnea and it is in your sleep study report which you should get)  it takes a multiphasic approach involving very extensive surgeries which are extremely painful.  Put UPPP in the Google toolbar on the left side to read up on the surgery that they do first before breaking your jaw and moving it forward.

OSA is a physical collapse of your throat, sprays are completely ineffective.  Oral devices might be a possibility as well, but be sure to see a dentist who specializes in sleep medicine.  See our Oral Appliance forum for those details and posts.

Keep us posted on your progress!!  Vicki

The effects of untreated sleep apnea are severe and systemic.  Some of them are; increased blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack and stroke (from the constant cycling in and out of hypoxia and increased blood pressure), heart arrhythmias, nocturia (because the increased pressure in the right heart ventricle makes the body think there is too much blood volume so urine is produced), headaches (probably from the hypoxia), fatigue (duh), memory and concentration problems, weight gain (sleep deprivation causes weight gain for several physiological reasons, one being the alteration of the hormones leptin and ghrelin), apnea induced seizures, there is a link to diabetes, there is a link to GERD, night sweats, depression, anxiety (each apneic event is a true suffocation and elicits the "Fight or Flight" adrenalin response), Fibromyalgia-like symptoms, impotence, relationship and job issues, car accidents, etc.

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

I have only been on xpap for two weeks.  Vpap (bi-level), with pressure of 25 inhale, 16 exhale.  Last night was finally the first night that I felt that this might actually be do-able.  I slept about five hours. Not a lot, but way better than the previous two weeks.  I'm also having my DME come back this week to "tweak" a couple of things, and bring a couple more masks to try.  

I know you're discouraged at this point.  All of us have been there.  But please remember that you didn't get to this state overnight, and it will take time to get adjusted and start to feel better.  

Maybe a different kind of mask could make all the difference for you.  Don't be shy about asking your DME for help. Tell them the kinds of problems you're having and see what suggestions they might have for you.  You (via your insurance company) are paying them for their expertise - take advantage of that.

Best of luck. Please don't give up.  The benefits will far outweigh the inconveniences.

jrinker

Busylo, I hear you loud and clear!! Been there. Please don't give up. I am now past the adjustment period and feel so much better. I kick myself for not doing this sooner.

As for the mask hurting, yeah, my nose did not like those masks the hit the bridge area. I tried 4 different masks before I found the one that works for me. Like you I am a mouth breather so I have the Liberty mask.

Please don't give up. I believe the key to compliance it the fit if the mask. Best wishes going out to you.