I can't get used to my CPAP mask

After fighting my C-Pap for over a year someone finally tells me that my mask size is too large and I need a medium. So now it's a little better but I still have to make sure my mask is on before I say prayers at night or I will zonk off to sleep without the mask on. I know how drained I will feel if I don't wear it so I do. But its still so tight on my face. Getting a my pillow to sleep on I can place my shoulder underneath it for support which helps some. It's just something I know I have to do. One day I forgot to wear the mask and then another day and on that second day I started coughing for air and knew I had to grab the mask to breathe,. My coughing finally settled down and quit all together. That was a big lesson for me about having to wear the mask to get enough oxygen to function.

Mostly avoid using a mask if you are single and have asthma.

It is hard to get used to it. I have mine for overn6 years some nights are tough. Hang in there. Pray for a breakthrough for an alternative. Look up sleep apnea research studies for new or different equipment. Then see if your insurance covers them. Praying for you.

Hi @Allinitsleep. I hear u, & understand too. But, there are different kinds of masks ppl can use. A nasal pillow, full face mask, & others too. I wish u well.

When my cpap was recalled I had to wait 18 months until I got a new one. Let me tell you, I have never appreciated my cpap like I do now. Going without it was even worse after having one for a couple of years. Yes, I hate the mask. I don't think anyone likes to have something on their face when they're sleeping. But it really is what you have to do. And that's the lesson I learned when I lost my machine during the recall. Falling asleep and falling out of the chair and landing on the floor is not a way you want to live your life. This is what I do. I use eyedrops because sometimes the mask leaks and dries out my eyes. I used saline nasal spray because, even with the humidifier, my nose gets dried out. My mask is a triangular shaped mask that goes over my nose and my mouth. I hate the silicone "cushion", but that's the way they're made. I went to my sleep doctor last week and told her all of my issues (mainly leaks from the mask), but I told her that in spite of that I would NEVER go without this mask again. I learned my lesson during the recall. I know I'm repeating myself here, but breathing properly at night has a side effect on all your other organs; your heart, blood pressure, lungs. If you want to live better, just let the cpap do it's thing.

There are therapists that can help with that. Also try to have a positive attitude, stop thinking negatively. I really can’t get used to it either but I know I have to wear it. I have friends and family who did not comply with Cpap therapy and they developed a-fib among other things. I also tried different masks.

@Allinitsleep - I hear you loud and clear - I hate my mask too. If you can't get a different type of mask, ask your sleep doctor to adjust the pressure on your machine. I was struggling with the feeling of smothering, too, and I told my sleep doctor. She had my pressure set at 19 because of my severe sleep apnea. She lowered the pressure a few times until I felt more comfortable.

Now I'm struggling with my mask again since they changed the style. People with pacemakers aren't supposed to use the type of mask with magnets, so they sent me a new clip-on type of mask. The part around my mouth and nose changed and now I'm back to the smothering feeling! Not as bad as when my pressure was too high, but still, any little change seems to ramp up my anxiety.

It just never ends, does it? Hang in there!

Hello everyone,

I'm reopening this discussion since this is a situation many people would sleep apnoea I can relate to.

For those of you who have struggled with CPAP, have you found any tricks or adjustments that made the mask more bearable? Maybe switching to a different type of mask or making small changes helped improve your experience? Also, if you’ve felt like giving up on the CPAP, what motivated you to keep going?

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Your words could really help others with the same issues.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! 😊

Somya from the Carenity team 🌼

I think you have to find out how severe your apnea is. In my case, it is severe. Which means that I am not eligible for other options. Do I wish I never had to use a cpap? I sure do. But reality is that I have to wear it, every night. And it took quite a while to get used to it. But I never appreciated it more than when I couldn't use it during the recall. It took me a year and a half to finally get one back - a terrible years and a half just trying to stay awake and able to think. So, no matter how I dislike the machine, I will never stop using it.