CPAP Mask Compliance

Sleep Health Sleep Apnea & CPAP
1

I’m not sure whether anybody can help with this issue or not. Initially when I was diagnosed with Apnea, I had no issues with being compliant. I’d put my mask on, go to sleep, then take it off in the morning. This was using a RESMED Swift FX Nasal Pillow Mask, with one of the recalled Phillips machines.
The machine has been replaced with a Dreamstation machine, however around the time it was replaced, I started to struggle with compliance.

Initially, I’d wake in the middle of the night, toss and turn, and only get back to sleep if I took my mask off. Now it seems to have got to the point where I have convinced myself that I won’t sleep AT ALL with the mask on (as this happened at the start of my current struggle with insomnia)

Just to complicate matters, I’m a stomach sleeper, and I’m not sure if ANY CPAP mask is designed for us.

Can anybody relate to the mind issues with CPAP compliance AND also recommend a mask suitable for stomach sleepers?

3 Likes
2

Nasal pillows did not work at all for me. I wear a full mask adjusted tightly so I have a red mark on my nose every morning but it’s worth it. I sleep on my side with my face buried in the pillow so I am almost on my stomach most of the time, but occasionally roll onto my stomach and have had no problem. I think the secret is a tight mask and while you’re adjusting, you might try 10 mg of melatonin to get you past the resistant stage.

Claudette

3

I was using the ResMed machine and pillow. When I turned on my side, the nasal pillow would become loose, and the noise of the airflow would become so loud it would wake me up. The doctor lowered the airflow level. I still couldn’t sleep any more. Unfortunately, I ended up in the hospital, and they discovered that one of my lungs wasn’t functioning properly. I only used the machine for three months. I recommend that you pay close attention to your symptoms and report them to your doctor.