Does anyone have a tip for problem of taking mask off in middle of night?  Sometimes I know I do, but most often I don't, and thus don't sleep well the rest of the night.

saw...This was the exact same question I first asked. I did that kind of thing for about a month then eventually started having the odd night that I didn't do that. Now I hardly ever do it so I think it takes time to get used to the feel of the mask on your face.


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*** Linda ***

Saw,

I have been on CPAP since May 11 and I have finally gotten to the point where I don't take it off.  Only have only taken it off once this past week.   things are improving!   just give it time and be patient.


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mesocosm

OSA / PLMD / Atrial Fibrillation

I have had my mask now for a year.  The first few months I never took my mask off in my sleep.  But after about 6 months seems like I do take it off and shut off my machine almost everynight. The first week I was amazed at how great I felt. But the last couple of months I have started to drift off.  It will be interesting to find out weather its the mask or the pressure.


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sleep girl

I’m curious about taking your mask off and then reaching a phase where you can keep it on for the entire night.  I have not yet started with a mask.  It’s pending a review of the last test (using the mask).  Thus my curiosity.

Do you think (for you mask keeper-on’ers) you have become used to wearing your mask?  Or do you think that over time your strength and ability to resist the “get it offâ€� temptation has improved?  In either case I would take it as an accomplishment.   I hope your sleep partners agree or at least recognize you overcoming your struggle.



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[quote="adelesflowers"]I have had my mask now for a year.  The first few months I never took my mask off in my sleep.  But after about 6 months seems like I do take it off and shut off my machine almost everynight. The first week I was amazed at how great I felt. But the last couple of months I have started to drift off.  It will be interesting to find out weather its the mask or the pressure.[/quote]

Good evening all!

From your quote above, about 2 or 3 possibilities come to mind.

1.  Has your mask received great care for this year?  Daily wipe off, weekly cleaning, etc.
     If not, you may have a mask that needs replaced.  I'm not sure where you are from, but medicare guidelines allow for at least a new cushion every 3 months.  If your cushion is shot, you may notice more leaking than you once remembered or you've had to tighten the mask alot to fix leaks.  Some people aren't even aware that they are allowed to get supplies that often, unless their insurance doesn't allow it.  If there's leaks, this could be causing you not to receive the pressure that you need.
2.  Do you have anyone at home that you could ask to see if you are snoring or opening your mouth while asleep?
     If either of these are occurring, you won't be getting the treatment you need.  If you're snoring and your mouth is closed, that means that your airway is still being obstructed despite your current level of CPAP.  This is where autos come in really handy!  When the obstruction occurs, some people feel smothered and then they tend to (knowingly or unknowingly) rip off their masks.  Same thing with the open mouth, but not necessarily a sign for more pressure.  You just need to find a way to keep your mouth from opening, to let the CPAP actually splints your airway open, not dry out your mouth.
3.  Has you body weight increased in the last six months or have you started taking any medicine that may make you more relaxed at night?  
     These things can kind of creep up on us.   Any medicine, liquor or recreational material that makes you relaxed, could affect our airways or our tissues that are causing our obstructions.  Talk to your doctor about any new medicines that you are taking or about a possible need for a pressure increase.

Keep us informed and hope to hear that you are feeling better and resting soundly very soon!

I tried using the CPAP in the late nineties after being diagnosed with OSA. My pressure was set at 16 or 17 and I had a terrible time trying to adjust to it. I felt claustrophobic and rarely used it. I just had a new sleep study and my pressure was changed to 11. I still had a difficult time using my machine for the entire night. I discovered that a friend I grew up with works in a sleep lab. He looked at my machine and mask and said that my mask was not the right fit. He sent me a small one (I was using a M/L one) and really talked to me about how important it was for my health problems to use it everynight and to just hang in there. It was going to get better. The strange thing is that night I went home (before the new mask) and I was able to sleep the entire night with it. If I did wake up, I talked to myself (yes, I am crazy, haha). It was sort of a "you can do it girl" thing. The new mask fits much better. I never thought a small would fit me, but he saw that the one I had was not fitting the best that it could be. Good luck with using your mask. I agree that it might take some time, but keep at it, and you'll do it.  


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diagnoses with osa in 1997.

Boy, I hope I can get my pressure down below its 18 some day.  That will sure help.  
I'm ok if the mask is on snug enough, but if there's any problem with that, then it is wind-tunnel city!

Just the other week I was bragging how I no longer took the mask off while sleeping.  But it seems the power of suggestion defeats me.
Every time I boast about it, sure enough, the very next night, that mask come off in my sleep.  No more boasting from me!!
But yes, I talked to myself too.  So if you're crazy, then so am I.  I would be half awake noticing myself taking off the mask, and I would force myself to say, "Oh no you don't!!  Put that thing back on, NOW!"   Yes, ma'am.  So I did.

Mind you, I still take the mask off, but I'm awake when I do it.   Not good either.  My mind is rebelling and insisting I take that thing off.
But I will keep on trying.  I never want to back to feeling the way I did before starting cpap.  Uh uh.  Not me.


Linda

I have only been on the CPAP for a week now and find myself waking up in the early morning and removing my mask. Well last night I woke up at 1 am and and found my mask intact and still running next to me on my pillow. I didn't think it was loose and I don't remember waking up and pulling it off. Has this happened to anyone else?

Guess what, Linda? This morning I woke up with my mask hanging over my bed post and the machine turned off. I feel lethargic and grumpy. Arghhhh! I usually remember taking it off. I have none (memory) of it this time.

I still do not understand why my pressures could be lessened. I am still the same weight. Nothing has changed except that I was workign long hours. Could that have ANYTHING to do with it? It doesn't seem like it would. I can understand why it would be hard to adjust to a pressure of 18. Do you use the nasal type mask? Sorry I can't think of the appropriate term/name for them right now. Someone also mentioned when they have a cold they use a full face mask. Why does that help? I would like to get something for those nights that I'm stuffed up or having a cold. Now if I could just get the darned thing to stop wetting on my face I'd probably be doing even better, lol.


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diagnoses with osa in 1997.

Anhelo Impedio wrote:

I’m curious about taking your mask off and then reaching a phase where you can keep it on for the entire night.  I have not yet started with a mask.  It’s pending a review of the last test (using the mask).  Thus my curiosity.

Do you think (for you mask keeper-on’ers) you have become used to wearing your mask?  Or do you think that over time your strength and ability to resist the “get it offâ€� temptation has improved?  In either case I would take it as an accomplishment.   I hope your sleep partners agree or at least recognize you overcoming your struggle.

When I had my machine set up, I had the alarm feature enabled
so that the audible alarm would sound if I took the mask off and
the machine would turn off.  I have only had it alarm once, and I
think it was because I unclipped the bottom to take it off and use
the bathroom, but I was so tired, I didn't get up to go, and forgot
to clip it back on.

I have been sleeping with my mask since late May... every night,
all night. I have tried different things to make myself more
comfortable as I sleep.

1. I sleep with a small barrel-shaped "squishy" pillow (it is filled with
little tiny pellets like you would find in a beanbag chair... only MUCH
smaller) on top of my regular pillow so that the hose isn't pushing
into the pillow.

2. I flip the hose so it runs up toward my forhead and tuck it over
the edge of my pillow
 
3. Use the barrel-shaped pillow in the back of my neck to tilt my head
back a bit... dunno why, but it just seems to make me more comfortable

When I went to the therapist, he set a goal of 4 hours per night on my
machine as the target to start out with. The sleep doctor suggested that,
in order to get use to wearing the mask at night, wear it during the evening
before you go to bed... like when you are sitting around watching TV...
that would help you get use to it and maybe discover ways that would make
it a bit more comfortable.  Luckily, I was able to wear it from the first night
without trouble.

Hope this info helps a bit...

Valerie

I have been wearing the cpap for 1 week now......I to, am taking the mask off during the night and not realizing I am doing it.  Also, my doc told me that I should feel really rested and have lots of energy during the day.  So far, I have still have not much energy and could use a nap during the day.  Does anyone know if this all will pass?  

KathynMarie, you asked:

Quote:

Someone also mentioned when they have a cold they use a full face mask. Why does that help? I would like to get something for those nights that I'm stuffed up or having a cold.

A full face mask (covers just the nose and mouth, not the entire face) for use when the nose is too congested is helpful because it allows you to breathe through your mouth if necessary and still get treatment pressure to hold the throat open.

Quote:

Now if I could just get the darned thing to stop wetting on my face I'd probably be doing even better, lol.

LOL!  The "wetting" you so aptly described happens when warm humidified air traveling through a 6 foot cold plastic air hose begins to cool off during the long journey to your snout.  The cooling off makes the air release moisture.  Cpap'ers call it "rainout".  A guaranteed "waker-upper" when it drips on your face or makes gurgling sounds in the hose.  

Some people try wrapping the hose with hose covers, store bought or homemade.  Sometimes those work, sometimes not.   Sometimes just turning down the heat on your humidifier will stop rainout.  Depends on how much humidified air you want or need, since turning down the heat will also lessen the amount of humidity there'll be for you.

Here's the surest way of all to stop rainout -- get the Aussie heated hose, available from an australian online store at sleepzone.com.au.  They call  it "heated cpap tube."   Many cpap users have purchased that to use along with their heated humidifier.  The heated hose stays barely warm - just warm enough to allow the heated humidified air to travel through the hose without losing its moisture on the way.

Hi Tryan,

Quote:

I have been wearing the cpap for 1 week now......I to, am taking the mask off during the night and not realizing I am doing it.  Also, my doc told me that I should feel really rested and have lots of energy during the day.  So far, I have still have not much energy and could use a nap during the day.  Does anyone know if this all will pass?

I really don't think you can start counting yet.  If you've been taking the mask off during the night, you really haven't been getting cpap treatment "for 1 week now."   I don't mean to belittle your efforts for the past week.  It can be tough to get used to trying to sleep in a very different way.  And you really can't help the fact that you've not been getting full treatment so far.  It's not like you've been deliberately taking the mask off.  You've been "tryin'", Tryan.      As have the others in this thread.

Tryan, if the mask suits you, just keep hanging in there and dig into the message boards looking for tips to make everything about the treatment as comfortable as possible.  WebDiva and CsRT had some good hints!   The possibility of mouth breathing or leaking treatment air out of the mouth that CsRT mentioned is very common, imho, and could be the culprit that makes you reach up to get that thing off your face without being aware enough to remember doing it.

As you get more accustomed to this strange new way of going to bed,  you may find that you'll get used to a mask and not be as apt to remove it in your sleep.   If your present mask is uncomfortable, though, you might want to ask about trying another mask.   A lot of people find nasal pillows interfaces (Swift, Breeze, Aura) less obtrusive feeling on the face than a traditional nasal mask that covers the nose.

Thx Rested! Sorry I did not get back to read your reply. My computer died and I have been using the one at work when it was available. Thank you so much for the information!!


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diagnoses with osa in 1997.