[Equipment] New to all this need advice

[JamesRyan]

So for the last 10 years at least I've been told I snore really loud. I recently, 6 months ago went to a sleep disorder center. I had the initial appointment then kind of put it to the side. About a month ago I decided to go back and they had me do an at home study, which was not fun. I didn't sleep well at all but I got the results Friday and have severe apnea, 37 episodes per hour. 

I was fitted for several mask but decided to think about it. I really didn't want to wear a mask.

I can't deny from the last 2 nights sleep were terrible, so I'm ready to try. But I do have some questions. How do you pick the right mask? If I have allergies or a cold I breathe thru my mouth, so I'm not sure which to try. I do not like the nose pillows. The full mask seem like they'll be uncomfortable since I sleep on my stomach mostly. The half is ok that goes over my nose but I worry about mouth breathing with it. Please help..

[DeepBreathing]

G'day James. Welcome to Apnea Board.

Sleep apnea is an insidious disease which creeps up on you slowly, wrecking your health and quality of life. There is really only one treatment which is known to work well, and that is the use of a CPAP machine with mask. It does work well, and for patients who can stick with it, it's almost guaranteed to control your apnea - there is no cure. Some people get instant results and proclaim that after one night of treatment their life has changed. But for most of us it's a journey, one step forward and two steps back. Then one morning we will wake up with a clear head and without a headache, and we'll know that this thing is actually working for us.

I won't go into all the whys and wherefores of choosing you a mask but I will refer you to this article written by one of our members. It tells you in far more detail than I can all the facts you need to know: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer

Again, welcome to the International Society of Hoseheads and very good luck for your journey ahead.

[Melman]

Getting the right mask is important and can be quite challenging. It is very important that you get the right machine. If you have plain vanilla obstructive apnea, the best choice is the Resmed airsense 10 autoset of Resmed 10 Autoset for Her. It is important to get the autoset. There are several Airsense models that don't have as many features. If your covered by insurance, an autoset model will cost no mre than a lesser model. Phillips Respironics machines are also good but not as efffective at treating obstructive apneas as the  Resmed.

[JamesRyan]

I forget the model they wanted me to get but it was an auto that adjusted things. My main concern is I sleep on my stomach and I'm not sure which mask would let me do that, or if I'll have to sleep on my side. The airfit f30 looks like a good option for me as a mouth breather but not sure how it'll work with the hose where it's at. 

Yeah I have the most common form of apnea. I was hoping the mouth guard was an option but with severe they said it's not. The Dr allows for 30 day return on mask so I might have to try a few, but I don't remember which they have, just that there were 5 I saw.

[DeepBreathing]

You might like to check out various types of pillow which allow you to sleep comfortably in different positions. I use a duck feather pillow and I just bash it into shape to support my neck or to make a space for the mask if I'm on my side. Other people use Sobakawa pillows which are filled with buckwheat hulls, and have great success.

One thing to watch out for is a pillow that tips your head forward so that your chin tucks down to your chest - this is guaranteed to make your apnea worse!

[JamesRyan]

One thing to watch out for is a pillow that tips your head forward so that your chin tucks down to your chest - this is guaranteed to make your apnea worse!

I'm not sure what you mean but I think my pillow doesn't. I'll look a those different pillows but I use a memory foam one I like right now. I recorded myself last night and man the snoring is loud and deep, at some points or stops for a few seconds which I guess I'm not breathing during that time. It's scary to hear.

[Gideon]

I use the ResMed P10 pillow mask. Against congestion I find that pressure, even the very small amount you get from CPAP always wins. With really bad congestion it takes me 5 to 10 minutes to clear up and punch through. Most of that time I think "this will never work" but it always does open up and from then on no problem. Read the Mask Primer, there is a section on mouth breathing.

Work on using the side of your pillow, so that your mouth and nose are over the side. Most masks should work that way.

Which mask is best? That's easy to answer but hard to find, The one that works for you.

Tell them you would like to come in for a mask fitting, and you will bring in your pillow. Try masks lying down in your normal sleeping position. Your facial structure changes from standing so lying down is important. I suggest trying from the smallest least intrusive, the pillow masks, to the nasal masks and finally the full face masks. It is not unusual for mouth breathers to become nasal breathers with CPAP pressure.

And read the Mask Primer,. I wrote it to help new users

[Nightynite]

I was like you a year ago, but today I love my cpap. So many benefits once you find the proper mask and get dialed in. It took me 3 different masks and now I’m set. I’m a side sleeper and the nasal DreamWear was the ticket for me.

[Bubba45]

I was like you a year ago, but today I love my cpap. So many benefits once you find the proper mask and get dialed in. It took me 3 different masks and now I’m set. I’m a side sleeper and the nasal DreamWear was the ticket for me.

Same here. It took me about a year to get things figured out. I finally settled on an Airfit F10 full face mask. It's not the newest model, but it works for me. I sleep on my stomach about 30-40% of the time without problems.

You just have to keep trying things out and make adjustments. Eventually you'll get it and you'll be glad you did.

[JamesRyan]

I use the ResMed P10 pillow mask.  Against congestion I find that pressure, even the very small amount you get from CPAP always wins.  With really bad congestion it takes me 5 to 10 minutes to clear up and punch through.  Most of that time I think "this will never work" but it always does open up and from then on no problem.  Read the Mask Primer, there is a section on mouth breathing.  

Work on using the side of your pillow, so that your mouth and nose are over the side.  Most masks should work that way.

Which mask is best?  That's easy to answer but hard to find, The one  that works for you.

Tell them you would like to come in for a mask fitting, and you will bring in your pillow.  Try masks lying down in your normal sleeping position.  Your facial structure changes from standing so lying down is important.  I suggest trying from the smallest least intrusive, the pillow masks, to the nasal masks and finally the full face masks.  It is not unusual for mouth breathers to become nasal breathers with CPAP pressure.

And read the Mask Primer,. I wrote it to help new users

I've read the primer and it's great, I'm glad it's there for us newbies. I was all about the nose pillows until I tried it and I knew it would be uncomfortable, the home study drove me nuts having prongs in my nose. I think I'm going to give the half mask a first shot and if it doesn't work I'll try the f30. 

The tech that fit me was very patient as I was in the room an hour to try and find the right mask. I wish I'd tried one because the last 3 night's I haven't slept well. 

I've attached a pic of the test results, I'm sorry I stated my ahi wrong it's 39. The other number that stands out to me is oxygen saturation lowest at 76%. I'm not sure what that means but it sounds really bad. Hoping y'all can shed more light on it.