Hot and stuffy

[masssleep]

Hi all, I am 7-ish weeks in using my ResMed AirSense 11 machine and I am having very little success. Hoping I can leverage your wisdom.

Basically, I find it nearly impossible to fall asleep because upon exhale, the air in the mask feels stuffy and hot. This leaves me with a feeling claustrophobia / slight feeling of suffocation. The result is that I take the mask on and off until give up and sleep in another room with no mask so as to allow my partner to sleep. This is the new normal now. It sucks.
Things I've tried:

• Ice in the tray - This was the only time I was able to sleep. I would start the evening loading the tray with ice and water. The air was cool and I could sleep. I would wake up mid-evening totally parched in my mouth, but this was better than no sleep at all.
  
  
• Changing the ramp up time, tube temperature, and humidity settings - None of these helped.
  
  
• Physician lowering the max air pressure and reducing humidity - I cannot change the air pressure myself, he did. Did not help.
  

Obviously adding ice twice a night isn't sustainable. I've ordered a SD card so I can review/share data via OSCAR. Thank you for your input. I'm trying to be patient, but it's hard not to be frustrated.

[Bluesv6]

Welcome to the forum ! There's tons of info on forum threads . As well as knowledge here from the mods is phenomenal ! As well as others ! Shout out to all of them ! 

I'm new to cpap as well started sleep study In mid January .  I tried full face mask and would wake up with the mask hot and stuffy like you described ! Was using a trial mask , they put me in a Evora face mask . If you aren't aware the Evora is a full face hybrid . Instead of traditional mask it. Just covers the mouth and goes under the nose.  It was better but not perfect. 

I since switched to pillow masks and haven't looked back ! I still have cpap / sleep issues but addressing them .

So I think you might have to try some different masks out ! However I'd get some screen shots posted like you are planning . Also some mods might be able to provide better advice than myself. 

I just wanted to respond share my experience , welcome you to the forum.  Cpap is challenging I feel your struggles and hopefully you can find a solution for you and your partner. 

Stat positive kee plugging along , do your research and between that and advice that you find from future post you should find your Solution.

I know its tough and challenging , I wouldn't go back to without cpap .


Best of luck

[masssleep]

Thank you. After trying a nasal pillow mask, I'm now with the ResMed F30 full face. The mask is perfectly comfortable; it's the warm stuffy air that's intolerable.