Anyone use a CPAP machine?

[izzy]

I just started using a CPAP last week, but I'm having trouble with the masks. The first mask was too big and kept sliding down and hitting my mouth at night. (Plus, I like to sleep on my side, and it's hard to do with the full nose mask.) On Monday they gave me a different type of mask that comes over the top of your head and has some plastic thingies that fit inside your nostrils. Well, those plastic thingies hurt like the dickens, too, and my nostrils are fairly swollen as I am writing this. Other than that, I love how I can sleep on my side. I swear that they make all of this stuff to fit Jimmy Durante and don't think about needing a smaller size to fit women.

So, my question for all of you CPAP users is - does it get any better? If any of you use the one with the plastic nostril thingies, does your nose eventually adjust to it? Are there any types of masks you have found that work better than others?

 

[Michie]

Don't give up!!

My DH uses a CPAP and it does take time. But the mask is so important, a good fit is a must. According to my DH it does take time to get used to the mask. Don't give!

 

[WWTBAMFAN]

You have gone from a mask to nasal pillows. I tried nasal pillows for a while but there was too much leakage. I use the machine but hate it. It is still uncomfortable for me after six years of use. However, there is no real alternative out there for sleep apnea.

Try www.cpapman.com I just bought an new mask based on the owner's recommendation. I used to use a gold seal mask that I liked. I am trying a different mask that seems to be working okay. See if you can find a different mask that works for you. You are going to have to accept some discomfort (at least I have to accept the discomfort and make do).

Good luck. Sleep apnea is a serious condition and the CPAP machine is really the only way to treat this condition.

 

[lizdotcom99]

I wear a mask and sleep on my side with really no discomfort at all! I have a mask that allows the tubing to rotate 360 degrees. This I have found to be the best way to go. There is "headgear" to wear with this type of mask, but it is really easy to get used to as teh headgear is made out of like scuba suit material.....soft and bendable....hardly even know it is there. I also have a very small nose and have often wondered if they make masks for kids. I would ask to try a 360 mask. Another important thing I have learned is to sleep with more than one pillow. I usually stuff the extra tubing in between my two pillows and have a little extra poking out the top of my pillow, so I can toss and turn comfortably!! Good luck to you!! Hope you find a mask that works.......now that I have my CPAP, and have used it for 2 years, I have great difficulty sleeping without it!!! Edited to add.....after looking at the link above... I use the Ultra Mirage....and I am very pleased with it!!! Hope you can find one you are happy with!!

 

[Shannon G]

I wear a mask and sleep on my side with really no discomfort at all! I have a mask that allows the tubing to rotate 360 degrees. This I have found to be the best way to go. There is "headgear" to wear with this type of mask, but it is really easy to get used to as teh headgear is made out of like scuba suit material.....soft and bendable....hardly even know it is there. I also have a very small nose and have often wondered if they make masks for kids. I would ask to try a 360 mask. Another important thing I have learned is to sleep with more than one pillow. I usually stuff the extra tubing in between my two pillows and have a little extra poking out the top of my pillow, so I can toss and turn comfortably!! Good luck to you!! Hope you find a mask that works.......now that I have my CPAP, and have used it for 2 years, I have great difficulty sleeping without it!!! Edited to add.....after looking at the link above... I use the Ultra Mirage....and I am very pleased with it!!! Hope you can find one you are happy with!!

DH wears this type fo mask. It also took him some time to get used to it, but once he did, it made all the differemce in the world - for both of us. Now his apnea is being treated, so he is sleeping better and I am sleeping much better, since he is no longer snoring like a freight train!!

Good luck with it!

 

[Laurabearz]

My husband has the same type of mask... Try using smaller nose thingys... there should of been a selection of sizes.

 

[arminnie]

However, there is no real alternative out there for sleep apnea.

Good luck. Sleep apnea is a serious condition and the CPAP machine is really the only way to treat this condition.

Well I'm going to have to disagree with you on there being no other alternative. I had sleep apnea and wore CPAP and then went to BiPAP before I had surgery to correct the apnea over 10 years ago.

Some people say that surgery is not effective, but they are going to the wrong doctors. The Stanford University Sleep Clinic is the GOLD STANDARD of sleep disorders. The doctors at Stanford literally discovered sleep apnea and have been on the cutting edge of sleep research for years.

I saw several doctors at Stanford and had multiple sleep studies. The team of doctors that operated on me invented the surgery. Their success rate is well over 90%. (across the country is is under 50%). I would not allow someone to operate on me besides them or maybe someone that they trained.

At the time of my surgery (over 10 years ago) there were basically three steps to surgically treat sleep apnea. The first one is what most doctors will do and it often is just not enough - it consists of removing some of the soft palate and the uvula (dangly thing at the back). Tonsils can also be removed at this time if they are large. If too much tissue is removed from the soft palate then people can have food or liquids go up their nose when they eat.

The second procedure consists or moving the tongue forward. An incision is made under the bottom front teeth and from the outside under the chin. This is MAJOR surgery - the patient spends a day or two in ICU afterwards. The vast majority of patients are cured at this point. Although some do have to lose weight particularly if they are morbidly obese.

The third step is even more complicated. Initial studies indicated that I would need this, but fortunately I did not. My best friend did have it done, and I was with her during a lot of this recovery. It involves moving the jaw forward. Part of the skull is used in the process. Her mouth was wired together for weeks. But she no longer has sleep apnea.

I know that a few years ago (five) they were doing research on using something like microwave frequency to shrink the tissue instead of surgery. I am not at all up to date on the current state of sleep research so what I've written above may be out of date as it may have been replaced by something better.

Ironically I had no trouble adjusting to the CPAP mask. But for me CPAP was just not effective - it doesn't work for a very small number of people and I was one of them.

Sleep apnea is a VERY serious disorder - life threatening even.

If you are not getting a proper fit from your CPAP provider, you may want to consider switching companies if your insurance company will allow it. I had to do that and the care from the second company was SO much better than the first. I'd had my first sleep study done at a small hospital and used the provider that they suggested.

Good luck - surgery is not something to be taken lightly, but it is a viable alternative and it does work if performed by the right team of doctors.

 

[rascalmom]

There are dental devices for those that are CPAP intolerant. A very specialized area - don't go to a dentist who just makes "snore guards", but it is an alternative. CPAP is the gold standard, but many are just not able to tolerate the either the mask or the needed pressure levels. Don't ignore sleep apnea - it can be life threatening. Surgery can help some, but not everyone and not all insurance plans will pay for the surgery until CPAP failure has been proven.

 

[RNMOM]

I have been using CPAP for over two years and have always used the Nasalair mask. It is like a very thick nasal cannula they use to administer oxygen in the hospital. It has different sized nasal pieces and tubing that goes over the ears, around and down the neck. There is a strap behind the neck and also a head gear. I use only the neck strap. I sleep on my side and on my stomach and have no difficulty with either. I do have to adjust things to get to sleep as the air coming from the nose piece is cold on my arm if it is not covered. They have good descriptions on www.cpapman.com. There is supposed to be another brand of nasal mask coming out soon but my respiratory therapist didn't have them in yet for me to try. Good luck, you will find something you are comfortable with.

 

[Crissup]

I started with the Gold Seal mask almost 7 years ago. It took me a while to learn how to properly adjust it. The general tendency is to want to tighten the fit when it leaks, which is actually counterproductive. After breaking several masks over several months, I finally learned to start loosening the fit and the seal got better. It allows the mask to move and you turn your head to maintain the seal.

I eventually wanted to try nasal pillows. The doctors tried to dissuade me due to my high pressure settings, saying most people at my pressure don't like them. I tried them and felt they were OK, occassionally switching back to the mask when my nostrils would get sore. Unfortunately, the type of head gear was a large plastic head gear that went over the top of my head and hooked into my nostrils with the pillows. Everytime I turned my head, the headgear would rub on the pillows and move on my head. In general, I thought the pillows were fine, but the headgear sucked.

I went back to the nasal mask for a couple of years until I switch medical suppliers and mentioned that I wanted to try nasal pillows again. The Nasal-Aire was new to the market at the time and they recommended I try that. They didn't really have the size I needed yet, but they knew the manufacturer was working on it and had promised to release the size I needed to the marketplace in the next couple of months, so we waited and ordered it as soon as it was available. I really like the nasal-aire. As previously described, it is basically rubber surgical tubing with a small piece that fits inside your nostril, as opposed to a nasal pillow which simply presses against your nostril. With the nasal-aire, you can wear glasses to watch TV before falling asleep, etc.

I still switch back and forth on occassion between the nasal-aire and the Gold Seal mask, depending on the mood I'm in and whether I'm travelling or not.

As stated above, once you learn to properly adjust your mask, and you get used to it, you will be fine with it and will love getting a full night's sleep again.

 

[JCJRSmith]

I use the nasal pillows as well. I had to use that because any other type of mask caused me to have claustrophobic episodes, to the point where I would tear the mask off and throw it across the room.

With the pain from the pillows on your nostrils, sounds like you need an adjustment. See your technician and have them go through the proper procedure with you for adjusting your headgear. Also, I have found it helps to use the built in vaporizer for the CPAP to keep the air from drying me out. I occasionally will also use a saline gel to keep the area aroud the nostrils moisturized. I have been using my CPAP for just over 2 years, and it has been life-changing. So, yes, for most it gets better as time goes on and you get more used to it.

Don't expect immediate satisfaction. You have had apnea for a long time (think about it - it is probably longer than you realize) and it will take time for the body to adjust. But stick with it, work with your technician and doctor to adjust the CPAP to fit you well, and you will find that your energy level will increase dramatically, your concentration with become MUCH better, and you will feel better overall. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Barb D]

I use the Nasal Aire mask, too. I have a small size. It doesn't irritate my nostrils at all. Call your supplier and see if they can get you a smaller size.

I'm hoping that after I lose all my weight (I've lost 30, and have about 70 to go) that my sleep apnea will go away. If not, I may consider surgery so that I don't have to use the machine forever.

 

[mrsmom]

My dd who is 10 yrs old has been on a cpap machine for almost a yr, She has sleep apnea due to palete repair. She has a small mask that covers the nose, and she sleeps on her side. The nose thing has a hose connecter that turns 360.She does great on it.
Kim

 

[GeorgeG]

I've been using CPAP for over nine years and I got used to it the first night. My current mask is the Ultra Mirage and it's the most comfortable I've had.

Noses come in all shapes and sizes so getting the proper fit is essential as is finding the headgear that works best for you. It's also important to find the right pillow. It should be soft enough to allow you to turn without pushing on the mask too much.

Sure, these things can be a pain, but life is so much better when you sleep well.

 

[WWTBAMFAN]

I am going to see my doctor soon for a follow up and will ask about surgery. My doctor basically described two of the surgeries as being worst than the disease in that one involves breaking the jaw.