CPAP problems

[Fleurbaby]

Hi guys, desperately need advice, the more the merrier, I have gone from the nasal mask, to the full mask. At the moment nothing is working.

I don't need to explain to you how much I am stressing about this, l I'm afraid to go to sleep now, and I'm staying up most of the night until I fall asleep without the mask on......please help!!!!

[Ian1967]

Hi Fleurbaby,

Sorry to hear you are still having problems with your CPAP therapy, do you know what pressure you’re on? If you’re on a high pressure 20 or above you might be better being on BiPAP therapy, I’m on BiPAP my pressure is high 30 IPAP (inhalation) 10 EPAP (exhalation) being on two different pressures is a lot easier to cope with, as opposed being on the one constant pressure which CPAP machines work on.

It might be worth contacting your Respiratory Lab and asking them if you could try BiPAP instead, if you really can’t cope.

What full face mask have you tried, the best one I’ve used and is my main mask is the ResMed AirFit F20, it is very comfortable, because you don’t have the strap on your forehead which you get with most full face masks, I also use The DreamWear Full Face mask which is very good, because it just sits below your nostrils, so you have nothing above your nose, the problem I have found with this mask is I find it hard to get a good seal especially at my high pressure.

I also use the DreamWear Nasal mask which is superb and has a great seal, I use this mask of afternoon sometimes if I am going to be out late of a night time, but I am not quite comfortable enough to use it at night because of the pressure I’m on.

Please try to carry on with your therapy, it really will change your life for the better.

Ian.

[micktheknife]

First, you need to talk to your sleep team - these people are experts in this and will help you get the most from the system and can tweak setting to do this - call them ASAP. Secondly, you don't give any specifics of what is not working. so I can only offer you my own NIV experience (I'm about 18 months on VPAP). after 10 years on steroids, I'm quite fat-faced, so the nose mask used to slip a lot and my team said the nose/mouth mask was the way to go -it took me a week or so to get used to it, but I've not looked back since. My last sleep study threw up an issue where my mask was showing crush damage, it was caused by me over-tightening the velcro straps - this is something your sleep team can advise you on.

Please persevere with it, the benefits far outweigh the hassle.

One final thing, what are you cleaning your mask with? I was advised by an OT in the sleep team to use "Tesco Basics" washing up liquid because it has no Lanolin in it, Lanolin can apparently cause issues with the mask.

Good luck

[Fleurbaby]

Thanks guys, all good advice. I promise you that I am listening to you all, ok! Keep advising, l am having exacerbations etc all the time, so that could be the problem as well.

[y_not]

Hi, the NHS test using an automatic CPAP then, once they have some data, switch us to manual machines using the average pressure - if purchasing a CPAP machine is an option (around £650) then they do provide better results.

If tightening the mask is leaving marks then try hope2sleep.co.uk/cpap-venti... where they sell strap covers for around £7 a pair.

Finally, the NHS will allow you to trial several different masks (I even tries and all material mask!).

That said, sometimes I only have my mask on for an hour or so whilst other nights it stays on for the whole night - I think the more we worry about it the worse the problem becomes.

Take care.