Sleep Apnea Blog

Posts Tagged ‘mask’

DW has tried a medium mask, small mask and now nasal pillows for sleep apnea. The cpap includes a humidifier. I don’t think she has slept with the mask on thru the night more than 3 times in the last 3 years.

Has she tried the full mask or just the nasal type masks?

I have a full mask with head gear and it has to be adjusted around the forehead and the chin. Some people even have to sleep with a chin strap.

She also may need to change the seeting on her humidifier to be more or less than what she has it set for now.

Sometimes the brand that of mask that you use can cause irritation during the evening. Try using a different brand.

There is also a special pillow that has cutouts so that the mask is more comfortable to use. I personally did not like it but others can not live without it. It is made from memory foam.

Treatment Options: Medication, etc.

There are nose pillows, and also a surgery that places some sort of thing inside your mouth in the back where you cannot truly notice it that can help. Weight loss will help greatly. I have sleep apnea and I know that it can be cumbersome and some poeple cant stand anything on their face. But from day 1 for me I got used to it. I have recently tried to sleep without it and can make it 2 or 3 night without now where I couldnt several months ago. But you do need to use it if you have been diagnosed. Not using it can cause you to have heart problems also and you could stop breathing and never start back up…….check into the sorts of different things you can do to help other than the mask.

Having gone through this – it’s a matter of ‘retraining’ the brain to understand that Bed is for sleeping !

If you can’t get to sleep within about 15 mins., get up, go to another room, have a cuppa, read a book (don’t watch TV) until the eyes start feeling tired.
Go back to bed, take a few deep breaths and relax.

Repeat as required, which may take several nights.
The important thing is not to lie in bed Trying to get to sleep, get up and start again.

8 out of 10 people suffer from lack of sleep – 3 out of 4 post- operative patients suffer from this!

It’s important not to stimulate the brain before bedtime – stop watching TV an hour before going to bed – don’t have alcohol/coffee/cola or anything with caffeine in it – try to empty your mind of the days activities.

I’m using a BiPAP (not CPAP) for sleep apnea. I use a full mask that covers my nose and mouth. Does the BiPAP require a different kind of mask than a CPAP? Or will any mask work on both BiPAPs and CPAPs?

Thanks!

They are generally interchangeable. As a respiratory therapist who uses bipap, I have tried almost everything on the market. There was one made by res med that was new about 4 years ago that had an air seal. I can’t remember the name and I could not find it easily in a search. But it did not stay sealed well because of the inflating and the deflating. They may not make it anymore. I really would like to try the DReam Weaver mask for the next mask that I get. I guess I need to go to a conference to ask for a sample.

Bipap is much better than CPAP. I have been on Bipap for 7 years and have logged over22,500 hours. My machine broke. I was told on my last sleep study that I could use cpap now since my original problem other than the sleep apnea had resolved. I am borrowing a CPAP until my new machine is in. I am tired, cranky, waking up several times a night, dry mouth even with the heated humidifier which I do not use very often with the bipap, having symptoms of increased CO2 retention, and my lungs hurt. I am extremely compliant with the bipap and now the cpap, but I understand why people with CPAP can be non compliant. I guess I am just ranting.

My husband has sleep apnea and must use a CPAP machine. He struggles with the mask he has, it fits over just the nose and he has natural excess cartilage – it is becoming VERY uncomfortable. Do they make these masks that cover the mouth instead, or maybe cover both mouth and nose?

Yes they make different styles of masks. Check out respironics.com or resmed.com they are manufactors of masks and can give ya some ideas. Also contact your home care company who supplied the mask and machine. Insurance should cover 2 masks per year.

I have sleep apnea and the mask that helps me the most is the nose mask. ! i was tired all day and fell asleep as soon as i got home from work, the apnea and snorning didnt leave me much time for a good nights sleep. NOW i feel like a new and smarter person because i can finally get a good nights sleep. plus,,,, the wife is getting her rest also from not checking on me to see if im breathing and my lack of snoring isnt keeping her awake.. we have solved 2 problems with this wonderful devise!! so your tec will get you fitted with what is the best fit for you , dont be short on questions either. your doctor will make sure you have all your sleep test so your mask will be adjusted to your own special needs, i hope you find some comfort in my answer ,, good luck to you and hope your feeling better soon ,, sheila m

How much is the sleep apnea machine?All equipments?Total?

The average CPaP machine that also provides warm humidification will run approximately $1200.00. This is a complete setup including hoses, mask, and water chamber. A machine that is capable of supporting BiPaP or Bilevel pressures will cost as much as $1800.00 for a complete setup. Co-pays are dependant on your personal insurance.

Although I wear cpap, I still wake up every two hours. I also awaken to find that I have ripped off my mask. Is my pressure to high? Can I reset it myself?

Hard to say. Could be you just need a different mask. Have a tried an Apap machine with variable pressure? That can make it more comfortable if you’re at high pressure. Plus it has the advantage of having software to help analyze you’re sleep patterns.

You’ll need to have you’re doctor prescribe the specific machine you want. That way the DME can’t give you whatever he has laying around.

www.cpaptalk.com is a great community for cpap users.

I currently have a full face mask on my machine. I first started keeping it on all night; but lately I can’t . I would appreciate any ideas/suggestions to help with this slight "problem".
I’m not sure why I can’t; sometimes I feel "closed in" when I have it on. My doctor suggested contacting my medical supply company & see about getting another mask–maybe it isn’t fitting right. I was wondering if there was anything else I could do, as well.

Your question lacks detail but here are some ideas.
If you have lost/gained weight you may need a retitration study to adjust your setting.
If the mask is over a year old you may need a new mask. If you have changed your hair or gained/lost weight in your face you may need a new mask.
All the Yahoo answers in the world won’t help-you just need to go to your doctor and let him work with the sleep lab to find a solution.

http://www.cpap.com — OptiLife CPAP Mask – Headgear Connect and Disconnect

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