sleeping with a mask

Yesterday I had an appointment with a sleep specialist. He didn't specifically say I HAVE sleep apnea, but said I should come in for a sleep study to be fitted for a mask. I'm afraid I move around so much in my sleep that a mask would keep coming off - many nights I can't keep covers on.

He described what a mask will do, and it sounds to me that it will just take care of my asthma over night. Wouldn't it be easier to just take care of my asthma all the time (which I'm trying to do but it isn't an exact science) and not worry about sleeping with a mask on?

I don't want to go through all the expense of a sleep study - which is only partially covered by my insurance - if I can take care of things in other ways.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

I too move around a lot at night and wear a CPAP mask and it stays on just fine. There are straps that keep it on. It takes a bit to get used to wearing it but my asthma got much better after wearing it.

There are a lot of health benefits you wouldn't think of to wearing a mask. The main one that keeps me wearing mine is heart disease. Not wearing a CPAP mask increases your risk of having a heart attack so I wear mine because my dad had a heart attack this year so I'm not taking any chances.

At the moment that is the main reason I can think of because I just woke up and am still groggy but it isn't from wearing the mask it is because my brain takes a bit to realize that yes I am awake.

Jan

My husband moves all over the bed and we have what they call a split king that is an adjustable bed, so it's huge. He rolls and rolls and rolls and all the covers end up around him and the rest are on the floor on his side! But his CPAP mask stays on!

I am a very light sleeper. When he and I were first married, his snoring would wake me up. Then I began noticing his apnea. It scared me that he would stop breathing for so long a time. I finally talked him into having a sleep study. The first time he had it done, they found nothing wrong! That made me angry because I knew he was not breathing. So, I just began shaking him so he would turn over on his side. That would help him breath regularly.

About a year after that, he had another one done. Finally, they decided he had apnea. So, they began with the full face mask. He also had his septum straightened. Now he wears only the nose mask. It stays on well and, as I mentioned, he is very active. I feel more comfortable now because his breathing is much more regular and even.

It will effect your heart if your breathing suffers when you sleep. Not enough oxygen gets circulated. Using a CPap can actually lengthen your life span.

It is true. Sleep apnea can effect your overall health. You can get heart problems and high blood pressure. You may notice tiredness during the day. ....I have been on c-pap for a while. Suddenly , I started waking up with my mask in the floor! My machine is even off. I am throwing my mask in the floor and turning off the machine in my SLEEP! that is so weird. I don't know what to do, but I am trying to keep it on all night.

Robin, asthma and apnea are two different things. I have both. My CPAP was just delivered today but the one night experience I had at the sleep center was wonderful! The mask they used was just a nose mask that pivots really easily on the hose. It also has a humidifier so that your sinuses don't dry out during the night. I can see that will probably help any congestion I have because of the asthma but I will still need to use my nebulizer regularly as I was instructed.

You really do need to have that study. If you don't, there's no other sure way of knowing whether you do have sleep apnea or not. They hook you up to a bunch of little wires and that is what feeds them the proper information. They are not at all uncomfortable!

I recommend the study highly and if you need a CPAP, by all means ask for a nose mask if that's what's best for you. Once in a while there are people that will breath through their mouths regardless.

Guess you can tell I'm all excited about getting my CPAP! I am so looking forward to a full night's sleep!