Common Concerns About CPAP Breathing Machines for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
If you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, chances are you’ve been prescribed a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) breathing machine. Now comes the challenging part–you have to habituate yourself to actually use your CPAP every night. You may be wondering just how sleeping hooked to a machine will affect your life. Here are common questions CPAP newbies often ask, along with answers from a 3-year breathing machine user (me!).
* How do I prevent sinus and allergy problems? If air gets in the mask, it will cause your eyes and nose to run. You should have been fitted for the mask, but you may need to adjust to prevent air leakage.
* Help! My mask causes my skin to break out. The Velcro on CPAP mask straps may cause chafing, rashes and eczema flare-up. This happens most frequently where the straps go over the ears and along the mask line on the face. To solve this, be sure plastic tabs are aligned over the strap and aren’t rubbing against your ear. Apply triple antibiotic ointment to skin to treat and prevent rashes. Apply cortisone cream or non-allergenic lotion to face where it connects with the mask.
* What about latex allergies? The straps and mask contain latex which can cause allergy and eczema flare-ups. I requested non-allergenic straps and mask but was told that they aren’t available. Until such time as I find non-latex supplies, here are allergy prevention tips. Wrap a clean, soft handkerchief around the straps to prevent skin contact.
* Help! I’m getting water in the hose. Don’t overfill reservoir. Water will backwash into hose and mask. Particularly in hot weather, condensation may form in hose. Remove hose from mask and shake out water. You can also reduce air flow to prevent condensation. I run a small air conditioner to keep the room cool and dry.
* Can I use regular water? Purified water is recommended, but it’s also expensive. I’ve found that tap water works fine. It does create mineral deposits, but I think any water would do that over time. Soaking the reservoir in bleach will clean away most deposits (rinse well). Be sure to keep water level topped off.
* How do I travel with a CPAP? Use the handy carrying case and take my CPAP everywhere. For airline travel, I strap my CPAP case to my carry-on suitcase. I label it “medical equipment.” To clear security, I make sure to drain water from the reservoir so it doesn’t violate regulations on liquid.
* Will it mess up my sex life? This question often worries CPAP users most, but is least often asked. To allay your concerns, no–my CPAP doesn’t interfere with intimacy–in fact, it enhances it. I sleep better. I have less chronic pain and am less irritable. My husband sleeps better because he’s not being constantly awakened with snoring or with concerns that I’ve quit breathing. I bless the candor of my sleep specialist who explained the sex vs. sleep mask dilemma. When “the time” comes, he said, just remove mask, shut off air and proceed.
The best advice I can give is to relax and enjoy the great sleep you’ll get using your CPAP.
