DanM

Hi @UnderstandingRedNarwhal3345 (Fausto). Medications often make people feel very tired. Fatigue can be an unfortunate side-effect of many prescription medications, and your physician may be able to help you manage this. For you sleep apnea, is your treatment being monitored? It is important to understand whether your nightly treatment is controlling your sleep apnea. Best wishes!

Hi @DiligentApricotLeopard8586. I have never switched pillows, but I did start positioning my pillow a bit differently, with my head at the edge of the pillow. There are special pillows for CPAP users, which can easily be found by doing a quick internet search. I have not tried them, but some patients have told me they have found them helpful. If you continue to have issues with mask fit and leak, I encourage you to contact your equipment provider to consider whether having your mask fit checked may be helpful.

Hi @DiligentApricotLeopard8589 (Regina!), and welcome to MyApnea.Org. Please feel free to share your experiences here on the Forum!

Hello @NeedMoreInfo. Depending on the location of the nose abrasion, there are a couple of things that may help. Using a CPAP mask liner may be helpful, or using a piece of moleskin cut to fit the area and placed between the mask and the skin may also work. CPAP mask liners are made for nasal masks, full face masks, and even for nasal pillows now. A quick Google should display some options for you. Irritation may also occur if mask headgear is too tight. Hope this information is helpful!

Hello @dogrescuer. CPAP may cause ear popping and discomfort for some patients, but this is usually temporary. CPAP should not "cause" and ear infection, but the pressure can be uncomfortable while using treatment with an ear infection. Some physicians recommend temporarily not using treatment while an ear or sinus infection heals if there is too much discomfort or irritation. I would suggest speaking with your sleep physician about a recommendation regarding use of treatment or the possibility of lowering pressure while your ear heals. As a CPAP user myself, there have been times when I have not been able to use my treatment for a day or two while recovering from an ear or sinus infection. Hope this helps, and please keep us posted on your progress!

Hi @SympatheticCopperDove4156. If you are still having problems with hypoxia, I encourage you to speak with your physician about recommendations. In some patients, too much oxygen can actually cause problems. I hope you start to have more refreshing sleep with your CPAP. Fatigue can be caused by other factors--stress, improper diet, lack of exercise, medications, etc. Best wishes, and please keep us posted on your progress!

I @OptimisticAmethystMink3821. Increasing the starting pressure may help with your feelings of suffocation. Some patients find that 5cm or 6cm is more comfortable. If you want to change your pressure, I recommend that you contact your home care provider so they are aware of the situation. Depending on your machine, they may be able to adjust your settings remotely.

Hello @SincereSlateGrayChinchilla8811. The feeling you are experiencing is not uncommon for some patients. I felt the same way when I started using CPAP. 4 cm is generally the lowest amount of pressure a CPAP machine can provide, and air being forced into the airway is a new and very different feeling. If you are experiencing difficulty exhaling, that sensation usually resolves with time and practice as you build strength in the muscles used for breathing. Some patients find that wearing their CPAP machine for practice while awake and reading or watching TV very helpful. I generally encourage patients to try wearing it in some place other than the bedroom, like in the living room or den, for practice to see if this helps reduce the sensation. Keep us posted on your progress, and thanks for posting!

Hi @AmusingVioletOstrich1800, and welcome to the MyApnea.Org forum. @wiredgeorge has provided some sound advice about doing as much as possible to educate yourself, so I'm glad you are here. Mask fit is probably the most difficult part of beginning PAP therapy. I encourage you to contact both your home care equipment provider and your physician and let them know you require assistance. A good home care company will allow you to try several masks, and they should fit you with the mask connected to the machine and have you try to wear the mask in various sleeping positions. Masks can leak for many reasons--poor fit, being too loose or too tight, defective seals, etc. Many patient report that mask pads/liners are helpful for improving issues related to leak and skin irritation. They can usually be obtained from your home care company of through a number of online sources. Some people use moleskin to make their own liners. I hope you are able to resolve your mask fit issues, and please keep us posted!

Hi @suzantique. I recommend you contact your home care company and/or physician to talk about the swelling. My first thought is there may be air leaking and blowing into your eyes. Air blowing into the eyes and tear ducts even during sleep can cause some problems. The other thing may be to talk about whether you are having an allergic reaction to materials used in the mask or head gear. Please let us know how you progress, and I hope you are improving!