DanM

Thanks for sharing your experiences with SleepyHead, @BNS. I'm sorry you have experienced such frustration, but happy to hear your physician finally listened. I hope s/he can also figure out what is causing your central apneas. You are correct in saying that a low AHI does not necessarily predict sleep quality. That is just one reason continued follow up with a physician, even after successful use of treatment, is very important.

Hi @CalmBeigeMoose8940. The advice from Barbz about mask liners might help. You can Google CPAP mask liners and find products that can be ordered online. They serve as a barrier between your skin and the mask material. You can also try cutting your own using a soft cotton fabric like Moleskin. I would encourage you to avoid Vaseline, as the petroleum might cause breakdown or damage to the mask seal. Best wishes, and keep us posted on your progress!

Hi @SleepyG, and welcome to MyApnea.Org! I compliment you on your persistence with your medical team and hope you receive treatment soon. The effects of untreated sleep apnea are something many of our members are all too familiar with, and the fog and fatigue you mention are not uncommon. Hopefully, treatment will improve your sleep and your daytime functioning. There are many excellent resources for sleep care in the Boston area. Please keep us posted on your progress, and feel free to ask questions here on the forum and complete the online surveys. We have a great member community and are glad you are here! -Dan

Hello @AgreeableEmeraldMantis8403 and @barbz. Thank you both for sharing your experiences. Most CPAP machines have a ramp feature than can be activated to reduce the pressure while you fall back to sleep. However, if the pressure is frequently waking you up, I agree with @barbz that you may need to discuss this with your doctor. There may be some additional settings, like expiratory pressure relief, that can help you adjust to CPAP. There are also other options like APAP and BiPAP for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP. Since you have only been using CPAP for a few nights, I will tell you that it is not uncommon for patients to report waking up during the night while adjusting to new treatment. As you adjust and become more accustomed to wearing the mask and breathing out against the pressure, the hope is that you will start to sleep through the night. As a patient, I had a similar experience in my early days of treatment. Now that I have adjusted to the feeling of CPAP, I no longer am aware of the air pressure. This adjustment may take some time, so I encourage you to be patient and practice wearing your treatment while you are awake and doing another activity like reading or watching TV. Good luck, and let us know how things are going!

Welcome, @RationalMaroonNightingale2172 and @WakingUptotheAffectsofSleepApnea! We are happy to have you on the forum. Congratulations to both of you on your successes to date with treatment of your conditions. I hope you will explore the site and complete the surveys.

@RationalMaroonNightingale2172, TBM (Tracheobronchomalacia) is more commonly seen in children but can also occur in adults, and CPAP may be a great treatment option. Hopefully, your sleep continues to improve with treatment! Glad to hear you are loving your CPAP, and please keep us updated on your progress. The NIH has some good information on the condition posted here: https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/gard/7791/tracheobronchomalacia/resources/1. The links on the left side of the page will help you navigate through symptoms, cause, tests & diagnosis, treatment and other information you may find helpful.

@WakingUptotheAffectsofSleepApnea, congratulations on taking steps to improve your health! It sounds like you had some severe symptoms with 60 episodes per hour. Good luck with your BiPAP, and please feel free to share your experiences and ask any questions that our member community might be able to help answer.

Hi @AffectionateIvoryWombat5031. I'm sorry you are having issues with the Forum. I will contact you at your Gmail address shortly and see if I am able to assist

Hi @Jorja. You're most welcome. It sounds like you have a number of symptoms to explore. Correcting your sleep issues might help with some of those, but I encourage you to continue to seek answers if you find treatment for you sleep disorders do not alleviate the symptoms. Best of luck!

Hi @azpatsmr. Switching between masks is fine if you feel the need to do so. My thought is that you will probably eventually adjust to treatment and start sleeping longer. As your sleep time increases, you may find that you start wearing one of the masks for longer periods and eventually settle on the mask you find most comfortable. Best of luck and keep us posted on your progress!

Hi @UnassumingOcherLeopard6664. Adjusting to PAP therapy can take some time. As a patient myself, I was not compliant with therapy for quite some time due to mask discomfort and the fact that I had frequent awakenings while trying to adjust to CPAP. My treatment changed tremendously once I connected with a good Respiratory Therapist who fitted me with a better mask and provided some tips to help me adjust to my machine--such as wearing the mask while awake and watching TV or reading at night before bed for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, you will adjust to treatment over time, and, if your awakenings are related to CPAP use, will lessen. Check out our "Learn" pages for tips on adjusting to CPAP!

Hi @Scottk1965. CPAP is considered the gold-standard for treatment of sleep apnea, but there are other options based on your specific situation that your physician should be able to discuss with you. Oral appliances, surgical options and the new nerve stimulator (Inspire) implant are just a few. It sounds like the most important thing to discuss with your doctor is the fact that your wife indicates your sleep apnea symptoms are worsening. It maybe time for a repeat study to see if your condition has changed. Best wishes!