Obstructive sleep apnea: More on CPAP

Jo Eells, have you tried to contact the manufactorer of your masks for advice?  They may be able to help you.  My first two masks were too small and I didn't know it until I contacted my CPAP home health care provider.  They were kind enough to send someone to my home and try different masks while I was laying down with the CPAP machine turned on.  We finally found a mask that didn't leak.  Good luck and keep trying.

Regards,

Curt

Try this...(I know you may not like the idea, but just try it. The key is to keep trying different things and try each change long enough, sometimes weeks, before deciding if there is progress.) 

Try sleeping in a recliner. It restricts the amount of movement that you can have while you sleep, which, in turn can eliminate the leaks that are caused by changing sleeping positions- the leaks may but the thing causing you to wake up enough to remove the mask & throw it on the floor at night !

If the warm air seems suffocating, try this: start off by putting cold water in your tank & a few ice chips. Do that for a few nights then gradually decrease it to just cold water, and eventually you can use room temperature water. The adjustment may be  gradual but monitor any PROGRESS because if there is progress there may gradually be more progress & eventually the ability to sleep all night with your mask on.

Have you tried all different kinds of masks? The mask is key...and if you have never tried a nasal mask, please do.

You may also need a more secure headgear set to make it more difficult to remove that mask when you are only partially awake.

These are things that I have learned over long periods, eliminating  one obstacle at  a time.

There is a reason that you are removing that mask in your sleep. Either it is leaking, it is rubbing your face making it uncomfortable, something ! Just keep working to eliminate each issue.

I had all of the issues. First I couldn't fall asleep with it on. Kept trying new masks until I could fall asleep in one. Then I kept taking it off at night. Got more secure headgear (a strap that went around the back of my head in addition to the one that went from my chin to the top of my head) and limited my movement by heading to the recliner. Then my mouth was falling open in my sleep. Got a chin strap and taped my lips shut until I learned to keep my mouth shut without the tape.

Do what works. If you are like me, I was functionally disabled from severe sleep deprivation. If I have to sleep in a recliner with a thing up each nostril, breathing cold water, with my mouth taped shut to get a decent night's sleep every night, than dammit that's what I'll do! LOL

Just try it!

Patricia, I don't know the answer to your question.  I'm trying to find out myself what is safe and what is not.  I can't find a straight answer.  I've researched the web and still can't find anything definitive.