Dear Easy Breathe,
Shopping for CPAP masks feels like going to a restaurant with a million things on the menu. I’m pulling out my hair over here. Does this make sense? What is the best way to find the right mask? I don’t want to waste my money by going with the wrong one.
Sincerely,
Overwhelmed in Oklahoma
Dear Overwhelmed in Oklahoma
We get this question a lot from new and veteran sleep apnea patients alike. Either they haven’t been able to find the right mask or don’t know where to look. In the past, this advice would be ten pages long, but these days, it is much easier to shop for a CPAP mask, especially with Easy Breathe’s super simple Mask Finder. All you have to do is put in your specific criteria and then a specialized algorithm will choose the right mask for you. It’s super simple and easy. This is the best way to start your search for the CPAP mask of your dreams.
Dear Easy Breathe,
I got tested for sleep apnea ages ago – back when I had to be strapped to a bunch of wires and the test looked more like a Frankenstein experiment than a simple sleep apnea test. However, I feel like my condition has changed and I may need a new pressure setting. Do I need to be retested? I don’t want to go through that again.
Dear Weary in Wisconsin,
First off, you should know that I too am scared of sleep labs. Fortunately, these days you can get tested in the comfort of your own home, but if you were already tested and have your prescription, you may only need to upgrade your CPAP. I recommend going with an AUTO CPAP or APAP. Basically, these machines use extremely advanced technology to measure your breathing, and then offer the right pressure setting accordingly. Some CPAPs even have a sleep onset feature, which allows the system to ramp up slowly until it knows you are asleep. Pretty futuristic stuff. If you don’t have your prescription any more, you can get one using Easy Breathe’s prescription program – its easy, painless and brilliantly convenient.
I’ve written in a few times and I need an answer to another query. Sometimes – these days it seems like every day – I wake up in the morning, take off my CPAP mask and my mouth feels like a desert in July. I mean dry as a bone. HELP!
Sincerely,
Parched in Pennsylvania
Dear Parched in Pennsylvania,
Dry mouth is an unpleasant side effect of CPAP therapy. To start, try a humidifier. This can add some moisture in the pressurized air, which can be quite soothing. Also, if you are using a nasal mask or nasal pillow mask, you may want to switch to a full face mask. There is a chance that you sleep with your mouth wide open, which can cause your mouth to dry out, like a desert. If you really have trouble keeping your mouth shut, you may want to go for a chinstrap. You can also try Xylimelts, there are melts that you put in your mouth before bed. You’re mouth with be minty fresh in the morning.
I don’t know why, but for some reason I just can’t stick to CPAP treatment. No matter what I do, I just can’t comply. I know all the risks and I know what will happen if I don’t start getting serious about treatment, but it just seems like such a big burden. Do you have any tips or tricks on how to better comply with CPAP treatment.
Sincerely,
Frustrated In Florida
Dear Frustrated In Florida,
Starting CPAP treatment is a big lifestyle adjustment and a lot of people have trouble at first. What I recommend is getting a CPAP coach. If you have a smartphone or a desktop computer, you could be using a service called MyAir, from ResMed, which gives you customized and personalized support and tracking. This means that you can keep up with your treatment and know that it’s really working. In turn, this will help build your confidence when it comes to using CPAP. Another application you can use is called DreamMapper, from Phillips Respironics, that helps you set goals and even set reminders for when you need to clean or update your CPAP equipment.
Dear Easy Breathe,Whenever I go to bed and put my CPAP mask on, I start to feel trapped. The worst part is that it doesn’t really start to happen until I fall asleep. The panic seems to get worse and worse – to the point where I have to rip off the mask and get out of bed. I’m feeling like the man in the iron mask over here! What is happening? Please help!
Sincerely,
Trapped in Tennessee
Dear Trapped in Tennessee,
What you are experiencing is something called CPAP claustrophobia. There is a good chance you start to feel this same panic in a closed elevator, especially when the door doesn’t open right away. In a previous post, we talked about CPAP claustrophobia and how to reduce its severity. When using a CPAP mask, you may want to put the mask on and get used to it. Many new CPAP users will experience that feeling of being trapped. You may also want to turn your CPAP on the ramp setting – it may be that the pressure setting is too high at the onset of treatment. And, of course, you could use a nasal pillow mask or nasal mask, which can offer a much lighter facial footprint. Hope this advice helps!
Dear Easy Breathe,My family is going away for the holidays – skiing, white Christmas, etc. While I’m not looking forward to seeing the in-laws – what I fear more is that moving around so much will get in the way of my CPAP treatment. When I’m on a plane, how do I undergo therapy? Also, my CPAP is enormous – do I really have to lug this thing around?
Sincerely,
Scrooged in South Carolina
Dear Scrooged in South Carolina,
For one thing, you should know that you will feel even more like Ebenezer Scrooge if you don’t undergo CPAP treatment. Luckily, there are a few different ways to travel and still undergo the recommended regimen of CPAP therapy. For one thing, you may want to purchase a travel CPAP. For instance, the Z1 Auto Travel CPAP Machine is only ten ounces, which means that you can easily fit it into your carry on luggage. If you are traveling internationally, you may want to stock up on converters. Lastly, if you know that you won’t have access to outlets, check out CPAP batteries. Cheer up Scrooge. The Easy Breathe Ghost of Christmas CPAP is here to help.
*These questions are based on real customer questions but were modified for this blog post.
