I have a case of mild apnea. Have any BGP members used the masks that are available and did they help? The 1 night I used a mask in the overnight study was very uncomfortable. Any thoughts?

I think we've had a thread on this that might help you if you can find it.

 

Don't go by the sleep study. I'm firmly convinced that the goal of those is to make you so uncomfortable that you'll pay the price to get the equipment. That said, once I became accustomed to my mask it's been a blessing! I've been on it for almost ten years now. It took me about 6 months to really get used to the mask. I would wear it a couple hours then pull it off. My wife on the other hand was using hers full time by the third night. I have several friends who use them and each and every one loves them. All the cases I'm familiar with had pretty severe sleep apnea so I'm not sure how much of a difference you will see if your case is mild. Bottom line, I highly recommend the masks.

Mr. Cat wears one and I can tell you that he has considerably less bruises on his legs (from my kicking) and more importantly, he is sleeping better and feels more rested. If you don't like one mask, try another until you find something you are comfortable wearing through the night.

The night I took my sleep study not only was I comfortable, I slept better than I had in years. I don't sleep without my mask, now.

 

A distinction should be made, though. I wear a full mask. The nose pillows never worked for me.

There are alternatives to c-pap that are very effective, don't make you feel like Darth Vader and don't annoy your bedpartner. Now, with that said, there are limits to any of the other treatment options. If you are extremely overweight, you'll need the c-pap because you'll need the air "forced" into the airway. Other alternatives vary from soft tissue laser surgery to removable appliances that reposition the mandible forward and opening the airway, but that can't happen if you have excess tissue. In other words, some patients are so overweight that you could pull their lower jaw out like a cash register and it still won't open the airway. The TAP-2 appliance is one I've made for a few years and have had great success with.

I had a typo, meant to say TAP-3, not TAP-2. Anyway here is a pic of the appliance:

 

I recently began to use a CPAP machine around the middle of January. I never had any issues getting used to the mask. I was able to keep it on all night long from day 1. I uses the full face mask. It has made an immediate difference in the qualtity of my sleep each night. I could not imaging not having one at this point. I feel like a completly different person. I went from needed to have 6 to 8 cokes per day to barely function to being able to go entire days without any caffeine whatsoever. I actually want to do things after I get home from work besides just lay on the couch and nap.

I just ran into my first problem in 4 years. I have been deathly sick for four days now. The last two nights I woke up to choking as my nasal passages was so blocked, no air was getting pushed. Other than that, can't imagine sleeping without one. Now, I have taken the sleep clinic twice and it was terrible each time. I move around when I sleep and kept pulling the wires out setting off an alarm.

I had apnea before I lost all the weight I lost. I used a C-PAP machine for a couple of years. Quite honestly I did have trouble getting used to it and had to take sleeping pills for a couple of months so I could get to sleep. It made just enough noise that even with ear plugs I couldn't get to sleep. That said once I went to sleep I slept much better. I tried using the pillow type nasal mask at first but I never liked it. I ended up using a mask that just covered my nose.

I truly feel sorry for the folks out there that suffer with this sort of thing. Only problem I have sleeping is that as I've gotten older, I have insomnia more frequently than in the past. Not really a quality of life issue, as a retired person I can pretty much catnap whenever I feel like it.

Like another poster I used to wake up at night with my airway almost totally blocked. It was terrifying. Since I live alone I never heard how badly I snored. I spent Christmas with my family one year and my parents said it sounded like was gasping most of the night. Since I lost the weight I don't even snore anymore.

I also, empathize with those that use the machines, but am glad there are alternatives. I have never had a problem leeping. But , I have to get up 3-4 times to go the bathroom. That is frustrating. But I always go right back to sleep.

 

I even have a pattern of waking to go. After 1 hour, then 1/1/2, then 3 hours, and then when I finally get out of bed to greet the day.

I truly feel sorry for the folks out there that suffer with this sort of thing. Only problem I have sleeping is that as I've gotten older, I have insomnia more frequently than in the past. Not really a quality of life issue, as a retired person I can pretty much catnap whenever I feel like it.

 

I have the problem with insomnia, as well. At least once a week, I have consecutive nights where I sleep less than 5 hours. It doesn't seem to matter how tired I am, either.

 

I refuse to take prescription drugs to address the problem, but I will occasionally do a shot of bourbon, if I absolutely need to get back to sleep and can't. I've cut way back on that since I'm trying to eliminate carbs from our diet, though.

Thanks for all the comments. I am going to try the machine to see if it helps.

I chose not to use the machine, the thought of always having to take it with me on trips or just having to have it to sleep better just seemed like a pain in the rear. So, I went ahead with the surgery and it has worked out great!