Hi guys,

I am not sleeved yet, looking at June at this point ! I guess a 40th birthday present for myself.

My question is, last night was my first night sleeping with the CPAP mask. I lasted only a couple hours and had to rip it off as I felt I was being smothered. I tried a couple times during the day to lay down and get comfortable with it but just can't. I have the nose and mouth covered - not sure what that is called. The rep that came to the house tried to convince me to do just the nose but I couldn't. I am apparently a mouth breather and couldn't keep my mouth shut !

Anyhow, any others out there that have some advise for me on getting adjusted to the CPAP ?

Thanks guys.

Odee

I have the nose only one and have learned to keep my mouth shut! It took some time but I finally got used to it and have a much better night's sleep when I use it. I don't toss and turn as much and sleep most of the night unless I get up to use the rest room. Keep trying as your brain needs the oxygen!

I started with the the nose pillows one and would feel like I was being smothered if those "pillows" were not in there just right. Every day i woke up and it was off. I JUST switched over to the one that is just on the nose and have done much better. I thought I would hate it because of the way it was at my sleep study (so tight it bruised my cheek and the tech never came when I turned my light on). I could not do the one that covers my mouth because I felt weird not being able to scream if I had to. All I can say is try every different mask until you find the one that works. It is no use to do this if we can't keep our masks on. Since having a mask that works I am having VERY vivid dreams. Also, maybe have them recheck your pressure. Maybe it is blowing too hard. Good luck!

I believe the it is important to use so that at the time of surgery your body has the best chance to recover the quickest. Many people think it is just about getting a good night's sleep but there is more to it. Just do your best to get used to it before surgery and hope that someday after surgery you might not need it any more. I have never been tested, but I am encouraging my husband to be tested and he said he would if I would. HAHA

Hopefully some people with CPAP experience can advise you on the transition period. Many friends have posted that they feel so much better once they got used to the CPAP, that it gave them more energy and alertness during the day.

last night was my first night sleeping with the CPAP mask.

hi Odde,

I have used my CPAP for the past 2 yrs or so. My DOS was 12/15/11. My CPAP went over the nose. It was a little hard to wear at first, also was feeling a little sufficated, but got used to it pretty quickly.

Within the month after surgery i was off the CPAP machine. I am so happy to be off that da...machine. There are many things that can or will improve after WLS.

In my case, i came off all my diabetes meds. and insulin, blood pressure meds too. and of course the CPAP machine. Other stuff to follow. Some of this hopefully will happen for you too.

After your WLS - maybe you can stop the CPAP too., along with other things

Best to you

kathy

I use the nose pillows. When I first started using the cpap, I was really scared. I started off with an hour the first night, 2 hours the second, etc. Now, I find it hard to sleep without it. It was the pits 2 weeks ago when I had a cold and couldn't use it.

Been using a Cpap for almost 10 years you will get use to it I also have the nose pillow...believe me I can feel the difference in my body when I fall asleep and for get to put it on.

OK ! Thank you for the encouragement ! I feel a lot better now. I will definitely keep trying till I get it right.

Thanks to all of you again for taking the time to reply.

My wife had Roux N Y in Dec. 2011 and is just now getting off of the Cpap that she has been on for many years. She has lost nearly 70 pounds. I have been on one for years as well and am on and off with it, close to getting off permanently. We take turns watching each other sleeping to make sure the snoring is minimal and no periods of breathing cessation.

We both settled on the nose piece after numerous attempts at face masks, just less invasive. It does take a period of adjustment but it is a blessing when your oxygen levels and sleep improves.

Sleep apnea just sucks... Ive lost 115 lbs in 4 months and I still have to use my BiPap machine. It's very hard to get used to at first but overtime you will start to feel so much better and you'll get to a point where you can't sleep without it!

I got my BiPAP about 10 days ago with a size small nose/mouth mask. Being a mouth breather, I found it worked well UNTIL I started to fall asleep and dropped my jaw. At that point, the bottom part of the mask would wind up in my mouth. Not goo, so I asked the company that provided it for a size Medium, which they did. It worked well for awhile also, but I found out that the slighted movement of my cheek or jaw would break the seal and cause it to leak air. I went back to the small mask with a chin strap and it's somewhat better, but still have problems with the seal breaking no matter how tight I adjust it. They tried a nose only mask on me at my second sleep study, but it didn't work well because I didn't have a chin strap and every time I started to drop off to sleep, my jaw would drop and the damn thing would blow air out my mouth and wake me up. I think I'd like to try a nose only mask again WITH a chin strap......might be a different outcome. I'm committed to making this thing work one way or another, as you should, so keep trying, even if you can only keep it on part of the night.

I'm forever indebted to the friend who told me to just make myself wear the mask. I use a full face mask (covers mouth and nose) and I'm so used to it now that I can't use the nose mask. I put the mask on for awhile during the day before the first night I slept with it. I did that to prove to myself that I can breathe through the mask even without the machine on and to get used to how it feels.

My apnea has improved but it's not gone yet. Darn it! I am pretty much addicted to the mask/machine to sleep with now, even if I'm catching a nap. But, I notice that I don't need as much sleep as before and I feel so much better when I use it.

You will get used to it, but it does take a night or two. I bought some Biotin gel to put in my mouth at night and it helps keep me from getting dry mouth.

I've been using a CPAP for years and I use the full face mask (nose and mouth) as I'm a mouth breather as well. Trust me, it does get better. The first few nights are a bit rough. Make sure you have the humidity set high enough to not dry out your mouth and maybe look into one of those special pillows for those who use CPAP machines. They are designed so that if you are a side sleeper, like me, the mask doesn't slip off. They are a bit pricey but well worth it IMHO.

ive been on my cpap for about 3 to 4 months now , at first i used a full mask then a nasal pillow then i swithched again to one that just covers ur nose the full mask is the best one so far the others r comfotable but i feel much better with the face mask i was just sleeved on tuesday the 10th and hope that wen i lose weight i wont have to use this any more good luck it took me a week or so to get use to it without freaking out

One other thing, my tech told me that insurance requires an average of 4 hours use a night for 90 days to continue to cover the machine. That was a great motivator for me to use the mask. I'd tell myself to just use it for the 4 hours and then I could take it off. Of course, I ended up sleeping through the night with it very quickly.

That's the same head game I play with myself for exercise: "Oh, you only have to do so many minutes on the bike, or so many reps with the weights". By the time I'm done with that small amount of time or reps, I'm okay to continue to whatever my real goal is for the day.

I've been using a CPAP for years and I use the full face mask (nose and mouth) as I'm a mouth breather as well. Trust me, it does get better. The first few nights are a bit rough. Make sure you have the humidity set high enough to not dry out your mouth and maybe look into one of those special pillows for those who use CPAP machines. They are designed so that if you are a side sleeper, like me, the mask doesn't slip off. They are a bit pricey but well worth it IMHO.

Good idea about the humidity and I didn't know about the pillows ! I had the humidity OFF, it was making me nervous. I feel like the biggest baby with this stinking thing.