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Permalink Reply by Mike on December 4, 2008 at 5:26pm

I was the same way when I first started up with CPAP --- got quickly irritated with the mask i was using, and searched around for a place to "try on" other masks. turns out the mask they gave me at first wasn't even my size. what you need to do is find a good DME or "Durable Medical Equipment" company in your area and establish a working relationship with them. Be careful since there are many more bad ones than good ones. Any DME worth their salt will work with you on their premises to find a mask that is effective for you and comfortable. I see that you're on Long Island. A buddy of mine over there is having a pretty decent experience with a DME there called Continued Care of Long Island in Farmingdale. Ask for Sharon. You might need a copy of your mask prescription for them to work with you, but maybe they won't insist on it.

I will say that getting the "right" mask for you is 90% of the battle with CPAP. Once you find it, things tend to fall into place much easier.

What's bothering you about your current mask?

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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on December 16, 2008 at 6:49pm

I agree with Mike that getting the right mask is a large part of the battle. It can, also, be a major expense on the part of the user. There are ways of cutting the cost though. I have found for me, that purchasing slightly used masks and disinfecting them gives me more opportunities to try different masks. This is a real cost savings and if the masks doesn't work you have opportunity to resell the mask. Our local hospital reuses their masks, after undergoing a disinfecting process and I figured that if it is okay for them to do that then it should be okay for me to do that in order to save money.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy on December 25, 2008 at 11:15am

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in Sept i still do not have my machine because of insurance snafu but I used the pillow mask at the center and it made the inside of my nose very sore are there different sized pillows or would I have to go to the full nasal mask??
Do people really loose weight after they start their treatment?
I am so tired all the time, I really can't wait for my machine.

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Permalink Reply by The SleepGuide Crew on December 25, 2008 at 2:01pm

Nancy,

Congrats on getting diagnosed with sleep apnea --- sounds weird to say that, I know, but with so few of us who have this knowing that we have it, it's actually a HUGE accomplishment. That said, there is some work to do going forward. Sounds like you tried the nasal pillow style mask, but that is just one of the options -- there's also full face mask and nasal masks. I think you should try a nasal mask, which is what I use --- it covers the nose only, and does NOT go into the nostrils. So it won't make your nostrils sore.

Insurance can be a major pain. If you want to be super aggressive, and you can afford to go out of pocket, you can buy a machine and mask online, and then send the receipt to your insurance company to try to be reimbursed. If you can't afford to risk them turning you down, though, you have to wait. Another option: there are online auctions of slightly used/never used machines that people own --- with a little bit of the disinfectant stuff the folks at the sleep labs use to clean off the masks between patients, it'll be as good as new, and at a fraction of the cost.

As for losing weight, check out this blog post: http://www.sleepguide.com/profiles/blogs/sleep-apnea-and-weight-loss.

Welcome aboard, Nancy,

Mike

Nancy said:

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in Sept i still do not have my machine because of insurance snafu but I used the pillow mask at the center and it made the inside of my nose very sore are there different sized pillows or would I have to go to the full nasal mask??
Do people really loose weight after they start their treatment?
I am so tired all the time, I really can't wait for my machine.

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Permalink Reply by Rock Conner RRT on December 28, 2008 at 11:46am

Hi Justin:

Congrats on passing one year on CPAP!

There are so many mask systems available that it's easy to be overwhelmed by all the options. If you have a mask that you are using nightly and it doesn't cause pain or pressure sores, I advise you to stay with that mask.

That said, there are ways to check out other options. Many mask manufacturers have mask replacement programs that allow distributors to exchange masks within 30 days of purchase. Not all distributors participate in such programs. Check with your own CPAP dealer for specific details.

CPAP.com has a Return Insurance option that provides some financial protection while trying new masks (http://www.cpap.com/productpage/insurance-comfortgel.html).

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Permalink Reply by Melodie on December 28, 2008 at 11:38pm

Justin,
I am not sure where you can go to test different types of masks, but I would definitely ask my physician about it. Let him/her know that you are unhappy with what you currently have and see what they are willing to do. There are lots of different kinds and types of masks and head gear, you just have to see what works best for you and your PAP therapy. We are all in this for the long haul, so don't feel alone and don't give up.

If your physician isn't helpful, you can go to a website that I have used to look at different options and accessories. Here is that website: www.directhomemedical.com
You will see everything there from the actual PAP devices, to masks, accessories, and other supplies and they have very reasonable price points.

Hope this is helpful to you. It was to me when I found that web site. If it comes up wrong, the just google it as : Direct Home Medical and it should give you the correct site and some others also, just in case I wrote the site name incorrectly,

Regards,
Melodie

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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on December 29, 2008 at 10:50am

Nancy said:

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in Sept i still do not have my machine because of insurance snafu but I used the pillow mask at the center and it made the inside of my nose very sore are there different sized pillows or would I have to go to the full nasal mask??
Do people really loose weight after they start their treatment?
I am so tired all the time, I really can't wait for my machine.

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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on December 29, 2008 at 10:53am

sleepycarol said:

Nancy said:

Nancy if you aren't used to using the nasal pillows your nares will usually get tender and sore in the beginning. It will take some time for the nares to toughen up. There are things you can do to help with the soreness -- try a dab of Ayr gel on your nares - it will help with the seal as well. You can try some lanolin as well. Do not use any mineral oil based products as they tend to break down the silicone in the seals and you will have to replace them more often.

When I first started using the nasal pillows my nose become extremely sensitive but with the help of the Ayr gel I overcome it and now find that nasal pillows are more comfortable than other types of masks.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in Sept i still do not have my machine because of insurance snafu but I used the pillow mask at the center and it made the inside of my nose very sore are there different sized pillows or would I have to go to the full nasal mask??
Do people really loose weight after they start their treatment?
I am so tired all the time, I really can't wait for my machine.

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Permalink Reply by Melodie on December 31, 2008 at 8:55pm

Justin,
Hi! This is Melodie, and I was in my Pulmonologist's office just today and he has tons of various masks in his office. I live in Cleveland, Tennessee and here the Pulmonologist is the physician that mainly does the sleep studies and determines various sleep problems. With that said, I was dx'd with sleep apnea in late April of this year (2008), and cannot handle the full face masks as I am highly claustrophobic, so they gave me nasal pillows and they have been working fine for me.

At today's visit, however, I saw some newer nasal pillow masks that looked very interesting and I tried a few on. I found one that felt fabulous and the doc said it would be great for me because it doesn't go up into the nose, and I would get a better fit and less leakage, so he is ordering it for me. This particular mask and headgear is made by Respironics and I think it may be one of the newer hybrid nasal pillow masks. In any case, I will receive it sometime next week and will let everyone know the specific make and model in case anyone else is interested in it. The part that fits over just the nose is triangular or diamond shaped and I felt great in it and not all closed up.

I would suggest contacting your equipment supplier to inquire where you could go to see and try on some of the various types of masks and headgear. Here in my city, the physician has to write the order, but he also has alot of various masks and gear in his office. I don't know about your city, that's why I suggested contacting your equipment supplier.

Hope this has been helpful!
Melodie

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Permalink Reply by Donna Hall on July 19, 2009 at 1:43pm

Your are supose to get new mask's and hose's, every 3 and 6 months. I think new mask's every 3 months, and hose's every 6 months. The oils in your skin detererates the rubber. You also have to replace the straps every once in a while because they stretch out of shape. If you are covered under insurance, call them up and see what they pay.
Then you can request the different mask's to see what one you like better every 3 months. OR like my Doctor did, He said he didn't want me to have to buy different mask's that I didn't like. So he had me go on a sleep nap, that way you can try out different mask's, you don't spend the night, your not hooked up to all the wire, you just test them out. There are medical supplies places you can go and see what they have. I'm shocked that they didn't have you go to your doctors office, so they could train you on how it all works, and make sure that it is comfortable.
Hope this helps you.
Donna

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