taking mask off at night without realizing it
I don't know how but I tend to take the mask of at night. When I wake up I have no recollection why I took of the mask or when.
Sometimes, I wake up at 4am and see the mask is not on. I put the mask back on and am able to sleep with the mask on till the morning.
I have been on CPAP ~1 month. This is my second/third try and this time it was going well for the first 4-5d. But now its back to me taking it off at night. That had been the issue why I had stopped last 2-3 times.
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
When you take it off do you also turn the machine off? Or do you know? You might try a little tape or bandaid placed on the headgear someplace so that when you take it off, it gets your attention. Or fasten a string to your wife's toe. When you take it off that might get her attention, which would then get your attention. What I'm really saying is just do something that will instruct your brain to wake you up when you take it off.
Now as to why you take it off. Usually that would happen if we don't think we're getting enough air. What are your pressure settings?
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
Roym, we are not made to have masks covering our faces, just try your best and don't get down about it, I still take mine off some nights even after 3 years of using it every night without fail. I don't count taking it off as not using it and used to make myself feel guilty. Just put it back on when you realise it and hopefully over time you will get more used to it and don't stop and give up this time.
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
Thanks for your inputs retired_guy. It seems I also turn of my machine unknowingly (because when I wake up there is no air coming from my m/c)
I am a little concerned about the pressure as well. I think its set at 11 but I can speak even if my nasal mask is on. I think when I first started using this machine ~4-5 years ago I couldn't speak much if my the air was getting blown into my nose. Is that the right pressure for the machine to be set at - where u really can't speak with the mask on. If so, could be my m/c has gone bad.
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
If you're using a nasal mask then you shouldn't be able to speak because when you open your mouth you lose all your air pressure. This could be the problem: You might be sleeping with your mouth open which would cause a massive loss of pressure. That will result in the machine turning off. Once the machine is off, then pressure is really lousy, as in zero. So you would naturally lose the mask.
It sounds like you need to do one of two things: Get a full face mask that will allow you to sleep with your mouth coming open, or get a chin strap and try to encourage your mouth to stay shut. I have an automatic feature to help me keep my mouth shut. It's called my wife.
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
It is possible (for some of us) to speak with a nasal mask.
Because I can separately shut off my mouth and nose airway (consciously) it is possible for me to speak with the mask on.
I wouldn't want to try to give a speech that way, and the extra air pressure supplying that speech can be a little challenging.
Sweet Dreams,
HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)
"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
If you are concerned about your machine your sleep doc or clinician should be able to check the pressure for you. If that is not a possibility, I have seen manometers for sale on some of the vendors on our supplier list that can be used to check your machine's pressure. I do not think that they were too expensive-definitely cheaper than a new machine.
I know that in the morning sometimes I wake up and wonder if my machine has lowered the pressure even though it is set in bilevel mode and the pressure output has been checked. I think that it is just that my body has acclimated to it well enough that it feels more "normal".
Best Regards,
PaytonA
RE: taking mask off at night without realizing it
I have been using a bipap for about two months now. When I first started, I would pull my mask off after 2-3 hours in without knowing it.
The more comfortable I've gotten, the more it stays on. Most nights I make it without pulling it off. Some nights/mornings I wake up to find it missing. I try to make myself put it back on if it's not time to wake up yet, even if I only have an hour or two left of sleep.
I think the main reason I end up pulling it off lately is the elbow comes out of the mask. I've got the hose held in place above me. The method I'm hanging it with doesn't have much give, so I've flipped in the night, ripped the elbow out and just figured screw it, and took it off. I'm thinking I need some bungee material in the mix to help prevent that.
