CPAP users

sam_gordon · Mar 7, 2019

I'm ahead of the game here...

When I was at my annual physical, I mentioned to the doctor that I've started snoring in the last 6 months. She sent me to a sleep doctor. That doctor looked at my throat and thinks it's sleep apnea. So I'm already thinking I'll need a CPAP.

He sets me up with a home sleep study that I did last night. That had a small box attached to my chest. A nasal tube was connected to that box as well as a finger oxygen sensor (that's what it reminded me of). I could NOT get comfortable at all last night. Note: I generally sleep on my stomach.

I'm worried if I do get a CPAP, with the tube and mask that I'll have a hard time getting comfortable. Anyone have any reassurance? Or horror stories (I think I want those)?

china mom · Mar 7, 2019

My husband is a relatively new CPAP user. He has adjusted pretty well to the mask and tube. He says life would be easier if there wasn't the hose but his improved sleep way outweighs the negative.

Owl X · Mar 7, 2019

There are a number of items available to make using a CPAP more comfortable.

Special pillows are available with side cut outs, recessed sides, center dimples and/or hose stabilizers.

CPAP Tube holders are available that keep the hose above you (instead of you possibly laying on it). Some attach to the wall while others to your bed.

Certain masks work better for side sleepers or mouth breathers.

STLDisney_Freak · Mar 7, 2019

I was prescribed CPAP quite a few years ago. I had a horrible experience with it affecting my GERD and feeling like a blown up balloon in the morning. I quit using it. Last year I decided I really need to find a way to treat my sleep apnea. My sleep medicine doctor decided I needed an auto adjusting machine instead of what I had. I've tried 3 different types of masks and finally found one that works well for me. I had to buy some covers for my mask to make it more comfortable. Now I am about 2 months into my usage and I am doing much better. Hang in there. It might be rough at first, but you'll find something that works for you. I am side sleeper so I am moving from side to side and haven't had any trouble with the hose. Do I hate using? Hell Yes, but I know I need to treat my sleep apnea.

RangerPooh · Mar 7, 2019

DH has had a CPAP for over 10 years and trained himself to sleep on his back. He has had no issues. Me on the other hand, I just couldn't get use to it. I should be using mine but don't. I just never felt refreshed after waking up, even after months of use. Anyways, to avoid wrapping the hose around my neck as I sleep (frequent flipper/mover during the night) I draped the it over the headboard. Worked well to stay out of the way. I did continue to sleep on my side and even stomach. For some people it depends on the type of "mask" that you have; nasal pillow vs. full nose mask.

Praying Colonel · Mar 7, 2019

sam_gordon said:
I'm ahead of the game here...

When I was at my annual physical, I mentioned to the doctor that I've started snoring in the last 6 months. She sent me to a sleep doctor. That doctor looked at my throat and thinks it's sleep apnea. So I'm already thinking I'll need a CPAP.

He sets me up with a home sleep study that I did last night. That had a small box attached to my chest. A nasal tube was connected to that box as well as a finger oxygen sensor (that's what it reminded me of). I could NOT get comfortable at all last night. Note: I generally sleep on my stomach.

I'm worried if I do get a CPAP, with the tube and mask that I'll have a hard time getting comfortable. Anyone have any reassurance? Or horror stories (I think I want those)?

I got one last August (a Philips Dream Wear mask that fits under the nose). I got used to it a lot quicker than I thought I would. There was an adjustment for the first month or so, but I kept wearing it and now I feel weird when I don't sleep with it on. And I sleep a lot better.

arminnie · Mar 7, 2019

Has any one considered surgery to correct the problem? I had surgery almost 25 years ago, and it was the best thing I ever did. I don't think I would do it today as I am now in my 70s.

Here's some more info: https://med.stanford.edu/ohns/healthcare/sleepsurgery/treatments.html

https://www.sleepapneasurgery.com/

I would not go to a doctor who did not have extensive practice in these procedures. Many doctors will operate on the palate only and that rarely works. My doctor is now retired, but many many doctors have been trained at Stanford (and other places I am not familiar with). My doctor had a 90% success rate. His waiting room had people who had come from all over the world.

sam_gordon · Mar 7, 2019

Those of you who use a CPAP, do you sleep on your stomach? Did you before the CPAP?

@arminnie, yes, I did consider surgery, haven't mentioned it to the doctor (don't have an official diagnosis yet). But I'm assuming insurance would rather pay for the CPAP than surgery.

Praying Colonel · Mar 7, 2019

sam_gordon said:
Those of you who use a CPAP, do you sleep on your stomach? Did you before the CPAP?

@arminnie, yes, I did consider surgery, haven't mentioned it to the doctor (don't have an official diagnosis yet). But I'm assuming insurance would rather pay for the CPAP than surgery.

I'm not a back sleeper, but I'm a side sleeper who tends to roll to different sides and the device I have works well for moving around. The hose attaches on the top of your head and has a swivel so I move around without issue. I think it would work for stomach sleeping, too.

dominiondad · Mar 7, 2019

I had a CPAP and am a side sleeper. After about a week I smashed it. I probably didn't give it enough of a chance, but my sleep was far worse with the machine. Then I started running, working my mileage up to the point I ran a marathon. My sleeping issues went away. Not the solution for everybody, but in my untrained opinion, they are very quick to prescribe a CPAP when there may be other solutions.

Deb & Bill · Mar 7, 2019

Just started my CPAP at the end of Nov. My husband still complains about the noise from the machine, so he still wears earplugs. I also did the home test and thought I didn't sleep all night, but the results showed I had on average 21 incidents per hour with the longest one lasting over a minute. I was prescribed a ResMed with a nasal mask (AirFit N20 - like an elephant nose off the front of the mask) and my mouth was not covered. I had lots of leakage, probably mostly through my mouth since it would open up during the night. My physician offered to prescribe a chin strap to try, but I just went with the other mask. I also didn't get good sleep. Last week I was able to change to a new mask at my physician's request. I got a Phillips Respironics DreamWear full face mask. But it really doesn't cover my full face (nose and mouth). I push it up under my nose (doesn't cover my nose) and then it covers my mouth. The hose attaches on the top of my head. I side sleep a lot and kept waking up with the hose under my body or it hitting me in the head during the night on the other mask. This one doesn't wake me up or hit me in the face. Both have given me moments of claustrophobia, but this one, while it covers my mouth, seems to be less claustrophobic. I get a complete seal with the DreamWear. But it is pretty tight on my face. I heard that ResMed has recently come up with a new mask that attaches the hose at the top of your head, but the DreamWear seems to work okay now.

My CPAP guys tell me that the nasal pillows don't work as well with the top connecting hose. And if you sleep on your side, you need to make sure your air isn't going into a nostril, but into your face. If you sleep on your side, you will sleep on the flat hose that goes up the side of your face. That's wny I am wearing the full face DreamWear.

I'm still not that great a sleeper, but I have fewer wakeups at night now. And I sleep longer.
I'm a side sleeper, always have been. I try to start out on my back when I go to bed, but that doesn't last long.

My physician told me that I should wear it as much as possible. He said that after the hurricane a lot of his patients didn't have electricity right away, so they could not use their CPAP. He said they were good with their sleep for a few nights and then regressed if the power was off longer.

Gary M · Mar 7, 2019

My sister had the surgery and it didn't work out well for her. I've had a c-pap machine for over 10 years and couldn't do without it. For the first few days I thought no way can I do this. It's second nature now and has been since the first couple of weeks. I sleep on my side.

sam_gordon · Mar 7, 2019

dominiondad said:
I had a CPAP and am a side sleeper. After about a week I smashed it. I probably didn't give it enough of a chance, but my sleep was far worse with the machine. Then I started running, working my mileage up to the point I ran a marathon. My sleeping issues went away. Not the solution for everybody, but in my untrained opinion, they are very quick to prescribe a CPAP when there may be other solutions.

I'd SO like to be able to do that. My problem is I'm lazy. I'm hoping the CPAP (or whatever "solves" the problem) gives me some more energy. Another parent pointed me to an app called "Couch 2 5K" (something like that) and I'm hoping when the weather gets better, I might try it.

Hrhpd · Mar 7, 2019

sam_gordon said:
Those of you who use a CPAP, do you sleep on your stomach? Did you before the CPAP?

I am a relatively new cpap user (a little over a year) and a stomach sleeper. I use the phillips dream wear mask where the hose comes out the top of the head rather than in the front and have had absolutely no problems sleeping on my stomach. Make sure your provider allows you at least one mask return so you can try them out for comfort. I went through 3 masks in the first month before I found the right one for me. Luckily my supplier (Apria) allowed me to switch them out the first month at no extra charge.

bcdisney · Mar 7, 2019

To tie it all together with Disney I was trying to figure out how to get a gallon of distilled water on the plane with me for my CPap machine during my trip to Disneyland in a couple of weeks, when I discovered that Amazon sells little bottles of distilled water made to pack in your luggage. Cool! Problem solved.

bcdisney · Mar 7, 2019

I first got prescribed a cpap machine about 10 years ago but never used it. Then my doctor suggested I try again and I found they have made many improvements over the years. For me the full face mask made the difference and am able to use it every night now. The hose gets in the way sometimes but most of the time I find a way to drape it around my pillow. I was surprised at how soon I got used to it.

thinkerbell · Mar 7, 2019

Deb & Bill said:
Just started my CPAP at the end of Nov. My husband still complains about the noise from the machine, so he still wears earplugs.

You might want to get your machine checked if it is making that much noise. My husband and I both have ResMed machines and I have the exact same mask as you do. Our machines don’t make any noise at all. The only time there is any noise is if we pull our mask away from our face, and that isn’t machine noise.

sam_gordon said:
Those of you who use a CPAP, do you sleep on your stomach? Did you before the CPAP?

I was a stomach sleeper before CPAP and I am still a stomach sleeper. It was a little uncomfortable for me at first but it didn’t take me long to adjust. It didn’t bother my sleep any just was a bit uncomfortable getting to sleep. To be fair, I am a very good sleeper. I can sleep through everything...except not breathing. ;-) I mainly sleep on the edge of my pillow, not the middle, but that is the way I slept before.
My husband is not a great sleeper. He does sleep much better now than he used to. He STRUGGLED with his CPAP in the beginning. It probably took him several months to actually get to where he was comfortable with it. He had such a hard time that I think he was getting a little depressed about it. He couldn’t just quit because he drives a bus and once on CPAP professional drivers can’t stop and keep their job. He has to get a letter from his doctor every year to renew his license so he had to stick it out. It was almost overnight when things changed. Now, he can’t even take a nap without his CPAP.

Cannot_Wait_4Disney · Mar 7, 2019

sam_gordon said:
I'm ahead of the game here...

When I was at my annual physical, I mentioned to the doctor that I've started snoring in the last 6 months. She sent me to a sleep doctor. That doctor looked at my throat and thinks it's sleep apnea. So I'm already thinking I'll need a CPAP.

He sets me up with a home sleep study that I did last night. That had a small box attached to my chest. A nasal tube was connected to that box as well as a finger oxygen sensor (that's what it reminded me of). I could NOT get comfortable at all last night. Note: I generally sleep on my stomach.

I'm worried if I do get a CPAP, with the tube and mask that I'll have a hard time getting comfortable. Anyone have any reassurance? Or horror stories (I think I want those)?

I am a bipap user. I was a stomach sleeper before and a side sleeper now. The videos they have you watch make it sound so easy. It isn't. It can take quite a long time to get used to the CPAP and it can take quite some time for them to get the right settings and the right mask. Sometimes you have to just keep trying. Took me over a year to finally get it right.

sam_gordon · Mar 8, 2019

thinkerbell said:
To be fair, I am a very good sleeper. I can sleep through everything...except not breathing. ;-) I mainly sleep on the edge of my pillow, not the middle, but that is the way I slept before.

That sounds exactly like me. It's strange... on nights when DW says I was snoring, I feel MORE rested when I get up than on days I didn't. I keep telling her I'm doing all this for her. If it was just me, a) I wouldn't know I was snoring and b) I feel generally rested (there are days that are exceptions) in the morning. lol

Deb & Bill · Mar 8, 2019

thinkerbell said:
You might want to get your machine checked if it is making that much noise. My husband and I both have ResMed machines and I have the exact same mask as you do. Our machines don’t make any noise at all. The only time there is any noise is if we pull our mask away from our face, and that isn’t machine noise....

Yeah, it may just be the leaks that bothered him for the first three months. Now I have almost zero leakage and the only noise is my breathing.

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