| Quiltgranny |
09-19-2010 06:09 PM |
Hi Fay,
I use this exact same mask, too!! It is by far the BEST one I've ever had, and I've used several. Anyway, I'm still using the velcro wraps that came with mine, but after nearly 6 months of use (I do hand wash them frequently), they're beginning to feel a bit scratchy. I can see how using fleece would make our masks even more comfortable.
Bless your heart for posting this great idea, too. As another poster mentioned, I imagine that there are many of us CPAP users out there, but we rarely say anything about it. If anyone out there has been told they have sleep apnea but are dubious about using a CPAP - my advice to you is JUST DO IT! I could not believe how much better I sleep and feel after using one now for almost two years.
I am quite claustrophobic, and couldn't imagine being able to use a mask, but I was fortunate that my doc recommended a
"CPAP desensitization" clinic for me. All it really amounted to was wearing my new mask (mask only, not using the machine) for only 15 minutes a day (while awake) for a week, then twice a day for 15 minutes each for another week before I was to start using my CPAP at night. This made a HUGE difference in my ability to use a mask. It helped me to wear it while I was watching TV or something like that where I was a bit distracted and not really thinking about it.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and you do not begin CPAP therapy, you leave yourself wide open for a stroke or even death. This is serious business. We quit breathing many times a night when we have untreated sleep apnea. Oxygen then cannot be carried to our vital organs as needed. And, we do not get the amount of sleep nor quality of sleep we need. I was so "sleep deprived" when my apnea was diagnosed, that my doctor advised me to NOT drive, operate machinery or make any important decisions for at least two months until I could get caught up on my sleep. We need our CPAP masks to force our airway open during the night so it will not collapse and cause us to stop breathing.
Sleep apnea has been found to run in families too, so if you or someone in your family has it then it's possible another family member has it or may develop it as well. My son was actually diagnosed with it a couple of years before I was. And, out of all the possible symptoms to watch for, the only one I had was snoring. I didn't take naps during the day or fall asleep during other activities, etc. Sleep apnea can really sneak up on a person.
I hope my taking the time to share this helps someone else out there.
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