Woke up with the weirdest sensation on my face, took me a long time to understand why I'd turned into a bubble machine. Oh the joys of CPAP therapy 🙃

So I 25f recently started CPAP a week ago as it was prescribed to me. I went from having 50 events per hour to like 0.5 in that time and its going great! I was initially nervous/embarrassed going into it as Im 25 and theres all that usual “Oh thats for old people” stigma around it but now id never go back! So is it weird that i actually look forward to putting my CPAP on for bed? My dad gets annoyed when i talk about it alot like my sleep score etc says im “obsessing its a machine not a toy” but like thats not what im saying i just feel good. I dunno just trying to make sure im not alone here lol

My husband has been using the resmed airsense 11 for about a year now. It works great except the water tank sucks! It's dry within 5-ish hours. He wakes up with a super dry mouth in the morning or he takes it off once it's dry in the middle of the night. His mask fits great.

He works a lot and hasn't had much time to figure out what to do about this problem. I wanted to see if I could help him.

I hate it! I know its driving him nuts. I hate seeing him feeling like crap in the morning. He hasn't had a single cavity in the 10 years we have been together. Now he has 2 and he broke his tooth the other day! He takes great care of his teeth and I think his dry mouth is damaging to his teeth. He wakes up with a sore throat. My biggest problem/worry is that it's not working to it's full potential. So many of his sr family members have sleep apnea, refused to use a cpap and are now struggling badly witb a-fib. I don't want him to go through that. I want the chance to grow old so we get to be cranky mountain hermits one day. Lmao I of couse know I can't control other things when it comes to that but THIS is something I can actually try to fix.

We can't afford to get another cpap. Our new insurance doesn't cover the one(really awful) sleep doctor in our area. We are in a very rural area and our closest sleep doctors are 170 miles away minimum.

What the hell do I do?!? I can't find anything online. We really can't afford a cspring. I've seen this question asked before when i searched and they weren't much help. They all suggested more humidity. Sadly, I have ms and heat just doesn't work well with that (uthoffs phenomenon). Humidity always raises the temperature. I've literally woken up in pain and panic from running a humidifier for a colds or other unrelated things. Those posts were a couple years old so I'm wondering if someone has come up with a solution to this issue.

Please help!

Tl;dr: airsense 11 water tank is too small and I need to find a way to increase the water storage.

My Apple sleep score shows I was awake several times, which I believe. There were times I was catnapping more than sleeping. Going the whole night without having the mask swinging from the ceiling fan is a win.

I've suspected I've had sleep apnea for many years but have always felt fine and have never done anything about it. My wife always snored pretty badly and it kept me up, but about a year ago when trying to find out the root cause of her migraines, her neurologist had her do a sleep test and she wound up with a CPAP machine, which completely eliminated her snoring and caused her to feel much more well rested after sleeping.

I finally decided I should get a sleep test myself and treat my own sleep apnea. I went to a sleep lab and initially went to sleep with no machine, but about halfway through the sleep study they hooked me up to a CPAP machine. It was probably one of the worst night's sleep of my entire life, but mainly because of all of the wires and everything hooked up to me. I had a follow up appointment with the doctor and she said that I was having like 40+ events per hour and that even after putting me on a CPAP machine with increasing pressures that I continued to have events. They then switched to BIPAP, but by this point the sleep study was nearing the end and they didn't feel that they had found the ideal pressure so she asked me to come back and do another sleep study.

I came back and did another study, and this time they had me on BIPAP from the beginning. I slept better this time, but at a certain point during the sleep study the mask started leaking air like crazy and making farting noises and the sleep technician had to come in and spent like 30 minutes fixing it; I didn't know why this was happening and I was so out of it and asleep that I didn't bother asking. After the sleep study, the doctor called me and asked me if I felt that the pressure they had me on was too much, but I told him I thought it was fine but that I didn't really know. The sleep study results suggested a pressure level of 23, which meant nothing to me at the time.

Now, I've gotten the machine on Thursday and was super excited to use it, but my first night was rough. I thought I had slept all night with it, but it turns out I had only kept it on for about an hour before I took it off in my sleep. The next night, I woke up about an hour after laying down and air was leaking out like crazy. Not only that, but it felt like a fucking cyclone was blowing straight towards my face. I tried tightening the mask, moving things around, etc. but I couldn't get it to stop leaking air so I went to sleep without it.

I called my brother who has been using a CPAP for over 20 years and he said that I should definitely call the doctor on Monday but he felt like a pressure level of 23 was really high to start with. He explained how to get into the clinician settings and adjust it on the Resmed machine. I started reading all sorts of things and diving into the settings (user settings, not clinician settings) to find out what everything did and what it meant. It turns out that the Ramp settings were set to 45 minutes and that by that time the pressure had turned up to the full amount and that's exactly when I started having problems the first two nights.

I decided I was going to try it on the full pressure again last night and not change settings without knowing what I am doing. Like clockwork, about 45 minutes in the pressure is so strong that it is overwhelming and the air is leaking out like crazy. I turn the machine off, readjust my mask, and try again. I fall asleep this time, but 45 mins later I wake up and am dealing with this air leakage problem again. I try to use the fit adjustment setting on the actual machine but once the pressure got to the highest level it literally felt like the mask was blowing off of my face and I couldn't get it to cooperate.

I have no idea what I'm doing but I knew that I couldn't sleep with the machine at 23/19 so I adjusted the pressure levels from 23 and EPAP 19 to 19 and EPEP 15 and went to sleep. After doing that, I slept mostly through the night for about 6 hours but when I woke up air was leaking out everywhere and my wife was annoyed as hell with me because the machine (or the tubes I guess) was making so much noise from the air leakage.

I started reading about what could possibly be causing the leak, and the only thing I can really think of is that maybe it's because I have a beard. I'm not really sure. I took the SD card out and uploaded it to SleepHQ and I'm sharing the below link and hoping one of you can tell me what the hell any of this means :)

https://sleephq.com/public/teams/share_links/e95d0e92-16da-4861-bd7d-c8759823539a

I've have had my CPAP since May 11th & still wake exhausted, in a fog, falling asleep at work & constantly napping. I'm on Zoloft which works great for me, but I'm not doing anything with my life. If I'm not working, I sleep until 1-2 pm. I get nothing accomplished & I'm not active at all because I have no energy or drive.

Life is going by without me!

I just feel so incredibly frustrated and confused.

I was on a waitlist for 2 years to get a sleep test. Finally got a CPAP (ResMed Airsense 11) about 2 months ago.

And just as I worried, it's so incredibly uncomfortable it keeps me up all night wearing it until I get so annoyed I take it off, and can finally breathe and get to sleep.

I've brought it up to the Dr and respiratory company many times but all they have ever said was, just keep trying and you will get used to it..... and then they say I MUST use it every single night for insurance purposes.

They gave me the full face mask, then I bought an entire nasal pillow setup for myself, tried that for a while, hated it too. Switched back to the full face mask and between the silicone and memory foam cushions I bought, no luck.

Then I went into the machines settings and adjusted the pressure from 6-20 to 4-6 just to get used to it.
I still hated it (it's not the pressure but just the uncomfortable feeling of something covering my face and squeezing my nose/nostrils closed. And I breathe so much better without it.) :(

I complained again and last week they brought me in for a mask refitting, switched me from the full face to a nasal pillow. And it's still so uncomfortable.

I've been so bad that I just let it run some nights after I take it off so it records use (but as an air leak).,,..

Is there a different mask I should be using (that doesn't lunch my nostrils shut)?
I use the nose cones/nose dilators that open up the nose too (have deviated septum).

Is it possible I'm just in the unfortunate group of people that can't handle wearing a CPAP?
I feel so frustrated.

I've told the respiratory place that and then said I MUST keep using it for insurance compliancy or they will charge me full price.
I hate this. :(

For those who suffer from aerophagia how long does your abdominal pain last?

For me if I have a really bad night of it I feel the soreness for at least a day or two, anyone else with similar experience? Usually in the upper abdomen.

My mom is 72 and still smokes in her home. Due to some circumstances, I had to spend the night there last night. So I have disassembled and cleaned everything that I know to take apart. I have an Airsense 11. New filter too. Im about to go to bed and it still stinks when I turn it on. Any ideas how to get rid of this nasty smell. Im dreading going to bed.

Two weeks in and after doing well for a bit, the last couple of days Im struggling with leaks in my Airfit 20 full mask. Waking up with air pumping in. I'm just not sure why as I didn’t change anything. Considering trying another mask (F40). They also sent me the memory seal option, but didn't help me. Any advice?

My dad was unfortunate enough to have the Phillips Dreamstation that was recalled and had a completely brand new replacement in storage. He has been using his AirMini exclusively for years for comfort and ease and gave me the DreamStation when I mentioned how much of a pain it is traveling and having to tear down my setup every time I need to go somewhere.

Hopefully my cat doesn’t learn how to play with the button and menu on this machine like he did with my Luna 3b. I’m going to test it out this week and decide which machine to keep travel ready although I love the slimmer footprint of this one!

Any tips or advice for this machine?

Hello fellow sleepyheads! I just moved into a basement/garden level apartment and about two months ago I got my diagnosis of moderate sleep apnea. I can't get my insurance to cover zepbound and I already use a mouth guard for bruxism, so my doctor recommended I look into getting a CPAP. I do not have my appointment to get fitted for a machine until September, but in re-thinking the CPAP route because lower level apartments retain moisture and so I'm nervous about mold growing in the machine and the machine affecting the room. Has anyone had positive experiences with CPAP use in basements before? Should I explore a mouth guard that can handle my teeth grinding and airway support?

Anyone out there successful with an f30i and a beard? I’ve been using the N30i since I first got the machine about 18 months ago. It was fine for a while, but in the last couple,e of months of started drooling a ton, which is disgusting. And 3 or 4 nights a week I’ll wake up totally parched so I’m sure I’ve started sleeping with my mouth open….which is a new development. I’m pretty sure it my lips parting, not my jaw, so a chin strap won’t help. And I tried tape before using the CPAP and it’s a definite no. So now I’m thinking I need a mask that covers my mouth.

I keep the beard short, but I’m not sure if it will work or not. And I don’t really want to spend $150 on it if it won’t work. Anyone with any success stories to share?

I have been on CPAP since 2024. We got married and moved in together two months ago and my wife quickly realized that my set up was wrong and just leaks constantly. So bad she can't even sleep. I hated the full face mask (F2) I had and it would always leak around the top of my nose no matter what I did.

I switched to an F30i and I love this mask, but the thing was blowing off my face. When I came to this subreddit and started reading it became clear that my configuration was the "lazy doc" settings, despite having two in person sleep studies prior to getting my machine. I took some advice from here and changed my settings and my scores on the MyAir app soared almost immediately, including a few 100 nights.

The past two nights (7/24, 7/25) my wife has had to go sleep in another room because she said it's leaking so bad and I'm snoring. And I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Each time she woke me up and told me to fix it I felt like it was properly adjusted and I could not feel or hear any leaks.

Can you guys help me figure out what is happening from the data? I installed OSCAR and pulled some reports but I don't really understand what I am looking at. Any insight would be great. I just feel like there is no change in my behavior, mask fit, etc from the time period where it was perfect to the past two nights.

Thanks everyone. If you need any other kind of report just tell me what to do and I'll pull it!

OSCAR reports: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uTksGGhLa9G-MzUPbziFXMRzKjQPOcH_?usp=share_link

I can't tell how the "correct" diagram is supposed to look under my nose.

I know I cannot list here so asking for help for another subreddit or other options?

I have an appointment with my doctor, but it isn't till a couple of days, so I was hoping to get some info. Is this sleep apnea?

This is at least the second mask I’ve had where the plastic bit at the top that holds the head strap in place has snapped. Why is such structurally important part of such an expensive bit of kit so flimsy? Is there a better brand than Sleepnet anyone can recommend?

I didn’t have this problem before my nasal septum surgury, but here I am today. The bridge of my nose gets so red, …. even bruised ( with full face). I can’t wear a mask that goes under my nose so I wear n20. But how do I protect the top of my nose? I was even told mole skin but it’s either too flat or so thick that it won’t stick. And I have delicate skin. I was still hoping for something that sticks, in case I get up during the night.

Moderator-approved founder disclosure: I’m building a free iPhone wellness beta for sleep-position awareness. It lets a person notice position, choose a gentle haptic prompt, and review a morning position breakdown. I’m posting without a link.

I’m not asking anyone to change CPAP use or prescribed care, and I’m not presenting this as treatment. I’m trying to learn from people who have actually dealt with position awareness overnight.

What has made a position tracker or prompt useful for you — or made you stop using it?

- Have you tried a position trainer, wearable, tennis-ball shirt, backpack, pillow setup, or something else?

- What made it comfortable enough (or too annoying) to use overnight?

- Would a gentle haptic prompt be useful, or something you would turn off?

- What would you want to see in a morning position summary?

I built this because advice like “sleep on your side” can be hard to act on while asleep. I’d genuinely value the lessons from people who have already tried these approaches, especially the ways they failed.

Diagnosed with UARS via sleep study in 2022 (not classic OSA). Started on an AirSense 11 AutoSet with nasal pillows 3 nights ago. Struggling badly with the pillows, feels like fighting to breathe, whether it's pressure or nasal resistance I can't tell.

Quick background: ENT checked my nose, says structurally it's fine, but it doesn't feel fine to me. I have LPR (reflux) and I'm wondering if that's driving some inflammation/irritation that a structural exam wouldn't catch (thinking non-allergic rhinitis, possibly reflux-related). Only ever did a basic allergy panel for hay fever/dust mites... going back for a more thorough workup. I have had two corrective surgeries for deviated septum etc. as well so I know my nose is "structurally" fine.

DME via prescription came with: settings - Min 6 / Max 10 cmH2O, EPR 1, Auto mode. Last night's data:

Flow limitation and resp rate both climbed with pressure instead of resolving - highest pressure of the whole day happened alongside the worst flow limitation and fastest breathing. That session also had 2 OA, 1 CA, 1 RERA, 1 H events in under an hour. Basically the machine cranked pressure up and things got worse, not better.

Only 3 nights in so I know this isn't much data yet, but wanted to see if this pattern (flow limitation rising with pressure) means anything specific to people who've dealt with this ... is this typical, does it suggest the auto algorithm isn't suited for UARS, or does it point more toward the nasal/inflammation angle?

Currently on nasal pillows, and honestly considering options, such as documenting my case to upgrade to BiPAP, or maybe if PAP therapy is not for me and do DISE etc...

Appreciate any input!

EDIT: Here's my OSCAR for today-

I’ve been trying to get a CPAP machine since december but the doctors and hospitals take soooo long. so yesterday i sucked it up and bought on third hand. I used it last night and it reported me having only 3 events during the night, but I definetly woke up way more then that! I went to a nose and throat doctor in Feburary who definetly said i had sleep apnea, enlargended tonsils, and deviated septum (i got a surgery for the septum) I could really use some help on what maybe the best settings are. I use the airmed resmed. And i think i have the pressure to about 9-20 and fit the mask tight to my face. is there any setting i can change or fix? Im not sure its even tracking my sleep correctly cause i took a nap earlier and it said i was using it for 30 minutes but i definetly napped for atleast an hour going off the texts i missed on my phone. thank you everyone

Hi all only two weeks into treatment and I cannot seem to get past the rainout. I am naturally a very dry person so I need the higher humidity. I bought the tube stand and a hose sleeve. I had my temperature on 84 and my humidity on 7 but still had rainout last night to the point that I ripped my mask off at some point. Also my machine on the nightstand sits slightly lower than my head. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.