The Different CPAP Experiences Between My Spouse and Me

My husband and I both now use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. It’s... kind of an interesting time at our house at night. While I'm a seasoned veteran of a CPAP machine, my husband is still learning the ropes of using the CPAP. In our CPAP-friendly home, we have each had different CPAP experiences.

I do wish I would have had a CPAP veteran as a coach to help me with my treatment!!

My CPAP mask experience

I started off with a full-face mask when I first was diagnosed with sleep apnea. At the time, I was a mouth breather. Therefore, I was told that the full-face mask would work best for me until I could learn to breathe with my mouth closed. It took a few years, but I did make breathing with my mouth closed work. I now use nose pillows which work better for me.

For me, it's pretty simple. I just had to get used to the mask on my face. Now, especially after I got prescribed the nose pillows instead of the full facemask, this adjustment was a game-changer for me.

My spouse's different CPAP experience

Since my husband is also a mouth breather (at least for now), he also was fitted with a full-face mask.

However, for my husband, the mask was a little trickier. He had several mask changes. Finally, my husband actually had to go in to get fitted for a mask for the proper fit. Apparently, no teeth made fitting the mask a little more difficult. Something, I have never thought about before.

Still more differences: water use

We also use different amounts of water in the CPAP tank. This is so that we each are getting the proper temperature and humidity settings for both of us. We have found that can change from night to night.

My husband will go through one reservoir of water at night. But I need to fill just once a week.

My husband takes my CPAP advice

I'm very glad he's open to suggestions. Often, he even asks my advice about sleep apnea and the mask. He has used one of the more helpful tips I have shared with him about mask leaks. In the middle of the night when your mask is leaking and giving you trouble, instead of trying to adjust the mask while trying to sleep, just shut the machine down. Then, take the mask off and put it back on.

Although mask leaks may change a lot in the middle of the night, we have both found that it is actually less time-consuming and frustrating to shut down the machine, take off the mask, then put it on again. Plus, we can get back to sleep faster and sleep better.

I've found that every once in a while, for me anyway, I just gotta shut the whole machine down. Not very often. It's just not worth the fight to me! As I said, I'm a seasoned user. However, my husband is fairly new. There's been a few nights that he's only been able to wear it 4 hours a night. But that is still excellent!!

CPAP is not a 'one-size-fits-all' experience

After just a few months of using the CPAP machine, he's really noticing a difference on the days that he doesn't use it much – or that's what he's told me – when compared to the days that my husband uses his CPAP for a full 6 to 8 hours. Both of us are feeling the energy difference: physically, mentally, and emotionally!

Now, I'm not going to lie, we both had to work at it to get to the point that we really wanted to use the CPAP machines for 6 to 8 hours a night.

Our different CPAP experiences remind me that we are also different. And, there is no one-size-fits-all for anything for any of us!

Does someone in your family also have sleep apnea? Tell us about your different CPAP experiences.