[CPAP] Pressure sore, bad night with cpap

[CorgiGiraffe]

Hello everyone, I am 25F and just received my cpap a week ago after my in lab sleep study found 23.6 events per hour (no central, mostly Hypopneas and RERAs with only a few full apneas). I have the ResMed AirSense 11 with ramp and most everything set to auto as well as a full face mask with memory foam padding. Everything went great the for the first 6 nights. I was wearing it 6-8 hours, my seal was good, I was comfortable, my events were down to 1-2 per hour and I was feeling confident. However the last night I’ve found two new issues arising. 

Firstly, I seem to have some kind of pressure sore or perhaps just irritation from my mask rubbing the side of my nose. I tend to sleep on my side and the sore is only on the side of my nose that would generally be down on my pillow. It seems the sore was bleeding last night based on a small stain on my mask padding and it’s quite annoying as I wear glasses during my waking hours and it is right where my nose pad sits on my nose so there is basically something rubbing it 24/7. I’m not sure what to do about this.

Secondly, last night I had the most awful time with it. I couldn’t seem to get the mask comfortable no matter what I tried and my jaw and cheeks felt weirdly sore like I needed to relax them but couldn’t. I felt weirdly overstimulated like I couldn’t stand the mask touching me for even one more second. I also kept feeling strangely panicky like I couldn’t breath wearing the mask. I woke up to fully conscious and aware at least 3 times during the 4 hours I wore it at least once feeling like I was gasping for breath. I checked the clock each time to see if I had finally met my required 4 hours for the night and could take the thing off. I also found when I woke up my events per hour was almost up to five in just the four hours I wore it last night. I have no idea what went wrong as I’ve never felt that way wearing the mask before and my score was so much worse than it has been yet I didn’t change anything about my settings or my sleeping position or routine. No idea what could have caused this but I’m feeling very panicked about if it will happen again.

Any advice is welcome

[Sleeprider]

It sounds like you had a very restless night between a poor mask fit and other issues. Have you considered using a nasal pillows mask? It is a very small interface that only touches the bottom of your nose. Since the air is put right where you need it, it is easy to breathe, even if you have a cold or nasal congestion. It sounds to me like you really need to try a different style of mask that will be more natural and comfortable.

[Sleepster]

Firstly, I seem to have some kind of pressure sore or perhaps just irritation from my mask rubbing the side of my nose. I tend to sleep on my side and the sore is only on the side of my nose that would generally be down on my pillow. It seems the sore was bleeding last night based on a small stain on my mask padding and it’s quite annoying as I wear glasses during my waking hours and it is right where my nose pad sits on my nose so there is basically something rubbing it 24/7. I’m not sure what to do about this.

You can't keep wearing that mask. At least until the sore heals. And hopefully you can find a different pair of glasses to wear for awhile so you can give it a chance to heal.

Secondly, last night I had the most awful time with it. I couldn’t seem to get the mask comfortable no matter what I tried and my jaw and cheeks felt weirdly sore like I needed to relax them but couldn’t. I felt weirdly overstimulated like I couldn’t stand the mask touching me for even one more second. I also kept feeling strangely panicky like I couldn’t breath wearing the mask.

That's just a normal part of trying to adapt. It will pass.

[Jay51]

Great points by Sleeprider and Sleepster.  The Resmed Quattro FX mask I still have did the same thing to me.  I bought several different size band aids and placed them over the open sores on my nose (I let them heal first like Sleepster said).  I bought some gauze pads and surgical tape and tried them also.  Both ended up working.  I also bought very thin mask liners.  They fit over the contour of the bandaids and gauze and I had virtually no leaks.   Just something to try if you want to.  If not get another mask like Sleeprider and Sleepster said.

[CorgiGiraffe]

Good point! I will definitely consider trying the other mask style. My provider did let me know that if at some point I felt I needed to switch I could just let her know and she’d help me switch. I will definitely keep that in mind if this mask continues to not work for me. Thank you!

[YipeekiOH]

I could not use a the F20 mask. I wasn’t a small or a medium and the marks it left on my face were horrible as I looked like I was on the losing end of a fist fight. No bueno!!

Nasal pillows or nasal cushion masks are great. I prefer nasal cushions since it was less irritating. I also tape my mouth to keep my jaw from dropping thus opening my mouth. Had it not been for finding another mask I would have probably quit CPAP therapy.