Really struggling

[Sleepy L]

Hi guys, I am on my 5th night, which I know is early days, I have a nasal mask. Resperonics have spoken to me and advised I might need a chin strap. I know I breathe thru my mouth on a night, does that mean the machine isnt working? To make matters worse I am full of cold, nothing to do with the machine the whole family has it. I am just having like panic attacks as I feel I cant breathe with all the straps etc surrounding my face, I get to the point where I am desperately trying to free myself of the mask and straps, is this just teething trouble? I am then only sleeping a couple of hours and then worrying I cant cope with it and lying awake. I am off work and worried about my job. Any advice would be most appreciated. Lisa

[Barely Awake]

I remember those times all too well Lisa, it can be really desperate and I can only speak as someone that was fortunate to get through it and now benefits from CPAP.
I am not an expert and only speak from what suited me which may not suit everyone. The tips I encountered included an evening or several spent sitting up in the lounge to watch TV with the mask on hose attached and the machine running. This could help one get used to the feel and sounds, minor strap adjustments that seem fiddly can become familiar.
Another useful tip for me as a nasal mask user was to keep a full face mask for periods where I have a cold.
Lastly as winter approaches I personally suffer from condensation in the hose despite not using a humidifier, it is a pain as it sounds like chains being dragged down a road and can wake you when you get splashed. You can tuck the hose under the duvet but I now keep a hose cover and will be fitting it from the middle of October I expect.
If you use a humidifier there are threads on here dealing with heated hoses and such.
Best of luck!

[Richard]

Hi Lisa,

Is this yet another case of the sleep-clinic not asking the right questions, I suspect it is. You say you breathe through your mouth while you're asleep; then why have you been prescribed a nasal mask?

The clinic is telling you you need a chin-strap, to keep your mouth closed, presumably, and allow the nasal mask to work. No wonder you're finding it difficult. A full-face mask would be far more suitable for you, I would have thought.

You're into CPAP-Therapy for the long-term,so as a newcomer you need to make the experience as comfortable for yourself as you possibly can from the very beginning.

I suggest you get back to the clinic and ask to change the nasal-mask for a full-face mask.

Best of luck, and keep us posted if you have any further problems.

Richard

[Tigers Fan]

What they said plus you may want to consider shelving CPAP until you are over your cold. It can be tough enough for a newbie to adjust at the best of times - but with a cold, too!!!!

You are female so there is no chance of you dying of the cold and going without CPAP for another few nights won't kill you either.

Put a hat at the foot of your bed and drink navy rum till you can see three of them. When you wake in the morning, your cold will be gone - or you won't care either way!

TF

[raynebubble]

What they said plus you may want to consider shelving CPAP until you are over your cold. It can be tough enough for a newbie to adjust at the best of times - but with a cold, too!!!!

You are female so there is no chance of you dying of the cold and going without CPAP for another few nights won't kill you either.

Put a hat at the foot of your bed and drink navy rum till you can see three of them. When you wake in the morning, your cold will be gone - or you won't care either way!

TF

i am new to the cpap machine aswell and have got to wait for my next appointment in october to be fitted with a full mask as i have a nose mask and having the same problems as lisa. i have decided not to use the machine again until then as i no i defo cant get on with the nasal mask, and no aount of therapy is gonna get me through it... but your advise to have the rum is grea advise.. and i think i will take that on board as its when im totally drunk i actually get some sleep.. and the headache in the morning or afternoon can be cured with a paracetomol x

[Tigers Fan]

Ah! we can't just give up CPAP for a few weeks without two consequences at least: your health will suffer as well as you being grumpy de dah AND you cannot drive lawfully.
If you are diagnosed with OSA then you must either be treated successfully or surrender your license.
Rather than wait till October, why not just walk into your clinic and request to be seen. It takes seconds to swap a mask, after all.

TF

[raynebubble]

Ah! we can't just give up CPAP for a few weeks without two consequences at least: your health will suffer as well as you being grumpy de dah AND you cannot drive lawfully.
If you are diagnosed with OSA then you must either be treated successfully or surrender your license.
Rather than wait till October, why not just walk into your clinic and request to be seen. It takes seconds to swap a mask, after all.

TF

i wish it was that simple for me. i live in Milton Keynes, my sleep clinic is in Charing Cross Hospital... I have rung them and they have said that i can have an appointment any time, but they cannot send me one via post as i will need to be fitted. if i didnt have to get two buses, a train, and two tubes i would be there straight away..im just gonna have to wait until oct, when i have that day booked off work and i can afford to get there x

[Berneta]

Nose Problems

Hi Rayne and Sleepy, I too wear a nose mask. Let me tell you that no amount of chin straps will help while you have a cold. The only thing the chin strap does is prevent your mouth from falling open now and then when you sleep. Obviously if your nose is stuffed up--you can't also shut your mouth. You wouldn't be able to breathe at all. I don't and have never used a full face mask. When I have a cold I either skip the mask and CPAP altogether (I don't have to drive)--or I use salt water to flush my sinuses and a nose spray to open them up if the cold isn't too bad. A full face mask might help you if you don't suffer from claustrophobia. On the other hand--a lot of people complain about how the full face mask fits. So using one (in my opinion) would be a last resort. I suggest trying to get through the cold and flush your sinuses with warm salt water and a good nose spray. A Sinu-Plus is a machine that works to flush the sinus area--or a Neti Pot---or just plain old snuffing warm salt water. Hope you feel better soon. Waiting for the cold to be over before you use the Mask might just be the best way to go if you can do it. Getting used to wearing any mask is hard enough without the problem of a bad cold. Hang in there and good luck. xx Berneta

[Barely Awake]

I agree about the full face mask being claustrophobic and the adjustments seem so involved and tricky after a Sleepweaver but I nonetheless keep one and give it a go for periods of cold because your system is under attack. Sleep and proper rest is even more important during these periods lest you fall for something worse or merely prolong the period of feeling unwell.
I say all this knowing that the last time I tried to switch to full face I ended up pulling it off in the night and not bothering. My next move to find a full face back up is to try a Quattro as Tigers Fan raves about it, but I need a large and am not sure whether to pick the FX or the other one (Mirage?).

[Jamiswolf]

Hi,
I have another perspective. When I'm suffering from an upper respiratory infection, I recognise it's a short lived phenomena. Natural therapy such as saline rinses are fine as a maintenance therapy but not during crisis times. For a cold I use anything that will keep my nose open so cpap therapy can continue. Afrin nasil spray, Sudafed or whatever strong decongestants you all have available across the pond. And personally I use Tequila for a sense of well being...
Jamis

[martin]

Night nurse is my saviour, remember to take it about an hour before going to bed as it does seem to whack you like a furry sledgehammer. And liquid, not tablets.....you aren't meant to enjoy the taste.

[symmit]

Night nurse is my saviour, remember to take it about an hour before going to bed as it does seem to whack you like a furry sledgehammer. And liquid, not tablets.....you aren't meant to enjoy the taste.

Night nurse is the best cold remedy I've found - really does help but takes 6 hrs or more to clear the system - make sure you combine it with an early night if you're going out to work the next day...

[CharlyAndy]

You should probably get a full face mask. It would cover your mouth too. Hang in there, persevere. I have a friend who would wake up in the morning with the machine across the room. He thought he'd never get used to it. Now he won't be without it. Believe me the apnea machine will be a new lease on life.

[James @ Intus]

Hi guys, I am on my 5th night, which I know is early days, I have a nasal mask. Resperonics have spoken to me and advised I might need a chin strap. I know I breathe thru my mouth on a night, does that mean the machine isnt working? To make matters worse I am full of cold, nothing to do with the machine the whole family has it. I am just having like panic attacks as I feel I cant breathe with all the straps etc surrounding my face, I get to the point where I am desperately trying to free myself of the mask and straps, is this just teething trouble? I am then only sleeping a couple of hours and then worrying I cant cope with it and lying awake. I am off work and worried about my job. Any advice would be most appreciated. Lisa

Hi Lisa,

As others suggested, a chin strap, or indeed a full face mask will be a better bet for you. If you use a nasal mask but breathe through your mouth, you get 'exhale puffs' or 'mouth venting' meaning that air goes in through the nose and escapes through your mouth, without going into your lungs. So yes, that would affect therapy efficiency negatively.

What have you tried since you posted this a month ago?

[Chappuchino]

i wish it was that simple for me. i live in Milton Keynes, my sleep clinic is in Charing Cross Hospital... I have rung them and they have said that i can have an appointment any time, but they cannot send me one via post as i will need to be fitted. if i didnt have to get two buses, a train, and two tubes i would be there straight away..im just gonna have to wait until oct, when i have that day booked off work and i can afford to get there x

I live in MK too, but am looked after by Professor Stradling in Oxford. He runs a monthly clinic in Leighton Buzzard, so suggest you try to get transferred if possible.