Newly diagnosed and having issues

I have only recently being diagnosed and got my cpap machine two days ago. I got given a full mask despite me telling the technician I am seriously claustrophobic, I tried it on the night I brought it home and only managed 5 mins with it on. I drooled into the mask and that was it I couldn't stop the panic attack this brought on.

I went back yesterday to the clinic and was given a nasal pillow mask instead, I didn't try it last night because ironically I was so tired I just couldn't find the mental energy to try it.

I am planning on trying using it tonight, putting it on a little while before getting ready to go to sleep to see how I get on but I am cautious and I am not sure I am in the best frame of mind to get it to work.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

Well, your frame of mind is the only part of the problem you can control. Make your mind up to put the mask on while you are still wide awake and see if you can live with it. You didn't mention the pressure setting your prescription came up with and that to a certain degree dictates the TYPE of mask you likely will feel most comfortable. Telling a technician about a condition like claustrophobia may not be all that useful and you may want to talk with a doctor about it to get a more professional opinion. Not sure all DME techs have training much less medical knowledge.

I wore it for 5 hours last night, it wasn't too bad. I woke twice from my dream because I was convinced I was suffocating and when I eventually took it off I had pain in my two front teeth like they were loose.

Is this normal?

I don't know how to see what pressure the machine is set to.

I have pain sometimes when using a nasal mask on my upper teeth. I have a bite guard my dentist made for my upper teeth that I now wear when using a nasal mask. Before, I used a bite guard from the sports dept (you heat it in water and fit to your bite) It worked just fine too. It would also be good to check whether or not the mask is a bit too tight. Sometimes, just a tiny loosening of the mask strap makes all the difference. In this case, it may be the lower strap. Worth a try! Your headgear has a lot to do with the comfort and success when it comes to using the CPAP mask.

Regarding your success in becoming relaxed wearing the mask, try wearing it while reading or watching TV...with the machine and all if possible. Sometimes I read in bed (a paperback!) all hooked up and my CPAP running. Have a special pillow I use for this.

Does your machine have a little window where you can view the basic information? They show hours used, AHI and other data. Check with your manual...or your DME.

Yes it has a small note on the pressure being given at that moment but not what it's set to.

I will try adjusting the mask tonight

Thank you for taking the time to reply

I use real high pressures in a bipap; 21/25 and just can't use a nasal mask as there isn't enough size in the exhaust holes and I feel like I can't breathe out and the thing fills with too much moisture. Knowing your prescription and indentifying your equipment helps folks provide better feedback.

I will see if I can crack the machine to see the prescription, I am using a resmed autofit. I am from the Uk. The model is definitely a favourite of the hospital I went to as a friend has the same model

I have had my machine about 6 weeks. At first I was given a nasal mask. I was never able to do very well with it. After 3 weeks of trying every single night with not much luck, I got a new mask. It is called Dream Wear. It is a type of nasal pillow but doesn't come up inside each nostril. It sits under the nose. The mask is really minimal on the face and the hose comes out of the top of the head instead of at the nose. It allows much easier movement in bed. I like it so much better than a mask covering much more of my face,

It's a ResMed AirSense 10 (autoset)

It's in autoset mode starting at 4 with auto ramp set on

That is the machine I use too. My therapist told me my setting determined by the sleep lab, is 6-10. It goes up as needed. However, my setting is low, no ramp up is needed. If yours ramps up, then you may have a fairly high setting. Call your provider and ask them what your records say about how high is yours setting. You shouldn't change it though, as it is set for what the lab found opened your airways.

The Airsense is used in a lot of prescriptions. When you had a sleep study, there was a prescription and written results of the study. You should ask your sleep study facility for a copy. Then you should look up everything you don't understand and this will help you self-direct your own therapy. I have turned the ramp function off my machine, by the way. Different folks react differently to the machine and I tolerate high pressure from the start of putting my mask on well. Others do not. I am not sure how pressure and higher/lower pressures relate; perhaps they do.

Ramps are a comfort measure. Like wiredgeorge states some people can turn on the prescribed full pressure and have no problems, others like to start low and have it work it's way up.

Some folks like the room temp on A/C at 72 degrees and others find it frigid; ramp is the same way; a subjective and personal experience. Most DMEs set the ramp up based on the pressure prescribed assuming that more pressure means a longer ramp time is indicated. That may not be the subjective experience of the patient and that is why the ramp time is user adjustable, to the best of my knowledge, on about all pap machines.