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Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
#11
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
Hi allchokedup,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I know CPAP therapy can take some time to get used to, but just stick with it, it will get better over time.
If you continue to have trouble with the mask you are using, don't be shy about asking to try as many different masks as you need, 'till you find what works best for you.
Best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy and hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
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#12
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
Good advice so far. I like you have been stuffed up and allergies all of my life so I asked for a full faced mask and got it. Leaked and tore my nose up so I added liners. Finally I decided I might be able to breath through my nose so I tried a nasal mask and it was much better with less pressure on my face. It was then I realized that it opened my stuffy nose. After reading about the nasal pillows I tried the swift fx and loved it. Then moved to the P10 with the quiet air dispersion and I'm in love.
If you can keep your mouth closed from air leaks pillows rock. So good luck with the Full faced mask they do work for some people and it may take several before you find the right combo for you.
Keep up the good fight.
Doc J
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#13
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
(07-21-2014, 11:27 PM)Doc J Wrote: Finally I decided I might be able to breath through my nose so I tried a nasal mask and it was much better with less pressure on my face.

I had been a mouth breather all my life - when I started CPAP I tried a nasal pillow mask and it felt as though I could not get enough air.. so the supplier gave me a Hybrid mask (sort of full face but with pillows on top of a lower face mask). I found after a couple of months I had started actually breathing through my nose - and not just while I was asleep.... This was a surprise to me but the doc said it was not uncommon and that the steady pressure had opened up my upper airways enough to work.

I now use the Pilario Q and love it.

OTOH - If you have chronic sinus or upper airway problems then I am not sure how you would go with a nasal mask or pillows.... It could be worth persevering with the full face for a bit to see if it gets you breathing better.
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#14
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
Over the months reading threads, and having my own experiences I have continued to wonder why the sleep centers and doctors use these full face masks. When I went for my sleep study I was told, as I hear and read here that many others are told "you are a mouth breather" so you need to use this huge unwieldy mask because you can't breathe through your nose. If people stop to think about it, people with osa are really all mouth breathers. Fact is we can't breathe so your body opens your mouth to get more air. Seems logical enough to me. Would we still be "mouth breathers" if we didn't have osa and could breathe like a normal person? I don't know, but it seems logical we might not "all" be. If given the chance, and are able to breathe through the nose we might not be. But for some reason we all get the same story and the same large masks that really imho make this even harder to adjust to. I mean I felt like I was in Aliens with that face hugger with that mask they tried to get me to use at my sleep study. Lucky for me when I went for my sleep study I had already done some research and was aware there were other masks and after trying the one they gave me first I told them that there was no way I could do this with that mask and so they got me a nasal mask with the caution that "this may not work for you". Well surprise surprise it worked just fine and it was much less annoying. I slept through the nights study, and was told "you did good" and that "that mask worked well for you, maybe you aren't a mouth breather after all".

So I started with a nasal mask based on that. I wear glasses and it was annoying, but I tried to deal with it. then I did some more looking and I saw these nasal pillow masks. I asked some questions and was told "They will give you pig nose", "they won't work for you", etc. Lucky me and now you, that you found this forum and met people who could really give you real world advice, and based on that I insisted I wanted to try one. I never looked back, so much less hardware, easier to adapt (for me) less on my face, on my head, etc. I mean let's face it wearing these masks to sleep takes some getting used to as it is, do we need to make it more difficult by attaching more than we need?

Best advice I can give you is be sure to insist on checking out your options. Hey it may not work for you, but you insist on trying it and see for yourself. Don't let them tell you or bully you into not trying it. No one will really know what works for you except you and you won't know till you try it and decide.

One thing I can tell you is just hang in there it will get better, you will adjust, and it will be ok, just hang in there. Best of luck!
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#15
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
To ALL who have responded to my original post......... Thank-you so much for the great advice and support. I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all. I wish I had the energy to respond to each one of you separately.

I called the supplier today and asked about trying something else (like pillows) and she suggested maybe a Liberty hybrid(?). We'll see how that goes.

By the way, my main complaint was (is) peeing mass quantities at night (nocturnal polyuria?). Have to get up a few times every night for years. I worry about stretching my bladder every night. Anyone else had this? Did it resolve with CPAP?

Thanks again for giving me some hope that things will work out.
-m
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#16
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
(07-22-2014, 06:53 PM)allchokedup Wrote: By the way, my main complaint was (is) peeing mass quantities at night (nocturnal polyuria?). Have to get up a few times every night for years. I worry about stretching my bladder every night. Anyone else had this? Did it resolve with CPAP?

Thanks again for giving me some hope that things will work out.
-m

I was getting up to pee every 1.5 to 2 hours prior to CPAP. I now sleep through the night most nights (probably 90% of the time at least}.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#17
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
See your doctor, nocturnal polyuria ought to be investigated, different than just getting up to pee


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#18
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
(07-22-2014, 06:53 PM)allchokedup Wrote: By the way, my main complaint was (is) peeing mass quantities at night (nocturnal polyuria?). Have to get up a few times every night for years. I worry about stretching my bladder every night. Anyone else had this? Did it resolve with CPAP?

As Zonk said - this is a question you should ask your doctor. There are many causes and some of them are nasty.

This link gives a good rundown and is from an Australian Govt Health resource
Nocturia in Adults – 2nd Edition

You will see that Sleep Apnoea is in the list.
(I love the last reason in the list - 'Idiopathic'... I am pretty sure its Latin for "We don't have a clue")

In my case the CPAP stopped my nightly toilet breaks completely on the first night.

As a caution to people who tend to go the hard way first:-
...there are many stories of men who spent much time and money on visits to urologist, urology tests, and treatment only to find that the main problem was their undiagnosed Sleep Apnoea. My doctor told me of his check list.... If a patient presents with Nocturia and when questioned admits to Snoring then a Sleep Test is called for even if the Epworth score is not strongly indicative. (Especially if over-weight)


Disclaimer: The 'Advisory Member' title is a Forum thing that I cannot change. I am not a doctor and my comments are purely my opinion or quote my personal experience. Regardless of my experience other readers mileage may vary.
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#19
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
(07-22-2014, 06:53 PM)allchokedup Wrote: By the way, my main complaint was (is) peeing mass quantities at night (nocturnal polyuria?). Have to get up a few times every night for years. I worry about stretching my bladder every night. Anyone else had this? Did it resolve with CPAP?

Thanks again for giving me some hope that things will work out.
-m

On average three times a night for me prior to PAP. Now through the night without having to go. Just my personal experience.
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#20
RE: Pillows instead of a mask? (newbie)
Regarding the peeing at night, did you guys produce a lot of pee each time? Or was it just a feeling like you had to go? I thought I was finally on the right track with the OSA diagnosis, but now I'm not so sure. I have lower leg edema before bed, then it's gone (peed away?) by morning. I've seen a bunch of doctors, but no real answers yet. The nights I've worn the CPAP so far have not affected the peeing, but I haven't lasted more than 3-4 hours.

I originally thought the peeing was related to weak adrenals (low aldosterone). I couldn't even convince the dumb endo to test for it.

Need to find a smarter set of doctors.....

Thanks,
-m
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