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+--- Thread: Pillow Anxiety (/Thread-Pillow-Anxiety)
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Pillow Anxiety - Geniale - 02-19-2016
So I've been trialing two new masks - the Airfit P10 for Her and the Pico.
The Pico is nice, but it blows cold air all over my arm and it's quite disruptive. The P10 is so comfortable and quiet, the headgear is minimal, and the air doesn't bother me. The issue is that it's causing me a slew of other symptoms.
When I'm wearing the nasal pillows, I feel like I'm suffocating. It takes me a while to calm and steady my breathing after putting it on and if I have to get up, move, interact with my husband, anything, I have to start the whole process over and I usually can't because it just makes the anxiety worse. I feel like I can't breathe, my chest hurts, I just want to open my mouth and breathe through it; which is what I do when I finally take the mask off. I think it's making me swallow air as well.
Now, I don't know if it's just because I'm getting over the flu and it's the congestion (I've tried moisture and nasal spray to help with that) that's causing these feelings or if it's something else... I managed to sleep 1 night with the mask, and felt good in the morning, but otherwise, it has been a nightmare. I've tried wearing sitting up in bed reading, and that was fine, it's when I lie down to go to sleep that the panic sets in.
Is this something that others have experienced with nasal pillows? Is there something I can do to get over it? I so want to love this mask...
RE: Pillow Anxiety - OpalRose - 02-19-2016
Yes, I felt that anxiety when I first started, but I told myself that I had to do this and did whatever it took to adjust.
What size pillow do you use? You may want to try one size larger.
You can also use one of the AFlex settings to help you exhale against the pressure. Set it at 2, and see if that makes a difference.
If you are using ramp, turn it off. That alone can give a suffocating feeling.
Hope you can resolve this, because the P10, although not for everyone, is the most minimalistic mask out there.
RE: Pillow Anxiety - Geniale - 02-19-2016
(02-19-2016, 08:50 PM)OpalRose Wrote: Yes, I felt that anxiety when I first started, but I told myself that I had to do this and did whatever it took to adjust.
What size pillow do you use? You may want to try one size larger.
You can also use one of the AFlex settings to help you exhale against the pressure. Set it at 2, and see if that makes a difference.
If you are using ramp, turn it off. That alone can give a suffocating feeling.
Hope you can resolve this, because the P10, although not for everyone, is the most minimalistic mask out there.
Thank you, I am using size small, but I really don't think I can go larger because it takes me forever to get them not to leak because they fold over on themselves since there's not enough room... the way I found to get the best fit was to use HPA lanolin cream prior to putting them on. Plus, the DME didn't give me any other size to try.
I also changed the flex setting from 1 to 2 and it also helped a little. I haven't been using the ramp. I tried it once and it was indeed worse.
I do love the feel of the mask (plus the headgear doesn't give me headaches)! Now, do I really need to be able to breathe to use it...
RE: Pillow Anxiety - surferdude2 - 02-19-2016
Using it during the day while watching TV or reading works for many people to help overcome any anxiety. It also allows you to check different setting for effect such as pressure and leakage or trying without the ramp, etc.
Dude
RE: Pillow Anxiety - justMongo - 02-19-2016
(02-19-2016, 09:06 PM)Geniale Wrote: Plus, the DME didn't give me any other size to try.
A complete P10 mask should come with 3 sizes of pillows; but, the DMEs remove the two other sizes and sell them. There's only one place for those people -- a very long prison term!
RE: Pillow Anxiety - Geniale - 02-19-2016
(02-19-2016, 09:16 PM)justMongo Wrote: A complete P10 mask should come with 3 sizes of pillows; but, the DMEs remove the two other sizes and sell them. There's only one place for those people -- a very long prison term!
No, they didn't do that, this is just a loaner mask since my first one (Eson) didn't work out. They're lending me the masks for a week to see if they work out and which one I like best before a purchase. So, they only send me along with the pillows I was fitted with. If I do buy the mask, I'm pretty sure all sizes will be included.
(02-19-2016, 09:15 PM)surferdude2 Wrote: Using it during the day while watching TV or reading works for many people to help overcome any anxiety. It also allows you to check different setting for effect such as pressure and leakage or trying without the ramp, etc.
Dude
Thanks! I tried doing that a few times. The anxiety wasn't a problem then, only when bedtime comes and I'm lying down. I thought maybe it was the lying down part, so last night I tried propping up my pillows to see if it was better - it wasn't.
RE: Pillow Anxiety - MitchS - 02-19-2016
I tried a P10 for a few nights recently. I was experiencing the same issues you are. I finally figured out that condensation was blocking the exhaust screen. I sent it back and started using a Nuance Pro, which is working great for me.
RE: Pillow Anxiety - Geniale - 02-23-2016
So I went with the P10, is was still better than the Pico. Last night I tried the XS cushion instead, I switched A-Flex to 3 and System One Resistance to x2 and everything was perfect, I didn't have any problem whatsoever! I haven't checked my data on SleepyHead yet, but will do so right away.
The only annoying this was that my machine was whistling all night... mostly during exhale. It seemed to come from the machine itself, not the mask. But I tried readjusting the mask, unplugging and re-plugging the hoses, removing the humidifier, checking the water level and putting it back in, turning the machine off and on, along with checking the filters and nothing helped. Any ideas on what could be causing the flute symphony and how to fix it?
(02-19-2016, 09:16 PM)justMongo Wrote: A complete P10 mask should come with 3 sizes of pillows; but, the DMEs remove the two other sizes and sell them. There's only one place for those people -- a very long prison term!
So they ended up removing the M and only giving me the S and XS.
RE: Pillow Anxiety - AllenRx - 02-23-2016
I'm a newly diagnosed patient with severe OSA (AHI=45) and I experienced some of the same anxious feelings when first starting therapy. What helps me the most is to take 3 or 4 long, slow, deep breaths after I first put on the mask. After that, try (easier said than done) not to fight against the pressure. Try to breathe as normal as possible.
My A-Flex is set to 3. I tried the ramp the first few days, but like most others, I don't use it now.
RE: Pillow Anxiety - surferdude2 - 02-23-2016
(02-19-2016, 09:28 PM)Geniale Wrote:(02-19-2016, 09:15 PM)surferdude2 Wrote: Using it during the day while watching TV or reading works for many people to help overcome any anxiety. It also allows you to check different setting for effect such as pressure and leakage or trying without the ramp, etc.
Dude
Thanks! I tried doing that a few times. The anxiety wasn't a problem then, only when bedtime comes and I'm lying down. I thought maybe it was the lying down part, so last night I tried propping up my pillows to see if it was better - it wasn't.
For some of us, it takes more than pillows and we have to actually sleep in a recliner chair. I suppose a hospital type bed would work but I haven't been able to simulate one and remain wondering.
There is no denying that the pulmonary capacity of the human body is lessened a great deal when lying down, especially so when flat on the back (supine). Side sleeping helps lessen that somewhat.
Dude