no one told me that u cant just put the mask on & you're done, but now i know things can happen. example:

being new to CPAP, u have 2 get used to wearing it & that doesnt just mean laying there thinking "oh, so this is how it feels". it also means u have spend time each nite when u 1st put it on noticing the fit of the mask "is it off center? did i put it on tilted? is it situated too low & is hitting the upper lip? is it leaking air?"--then if the answer is "yes" 2 any of these u have to readjust the fit, sometimes repeatedly before its rite, & even more so if u shift sleeping positions. wearing it isnt just "put in on with no adjusting & you're done". also, when u move the hose attached 2 the mask doesnt always automatically move with u & end up in the rite place, so u have 2 move the hose "by hand" each time u shift positions. also, the velcro holding the mask to your face can need adjustment from when the DME fitted you sitting up because the mask fits differently when you're laying down. also, u keep having to hit the "ramp" button because the air pressure has started to creep back up to annoying levels. now, imagine that all this *keeps happening*--you can lose track of time passing if you don't watch it & end up spending a few hours trying to make all these adjustments-so, i'm finding the best rule is to "try for 30 minutes, if it's still occurring skip this cpap till tomorrow nite so i can get a full 8 hours sleep, because here i am losing tons of sleep *trying to get sleep with cpap*!!"

plus, suppose u cant seem 2 get comfortable & keep having to switch positions (time keeps passing & u keep having 2 hit the ramp button 2 start over), & then your nose allergy (or whatever illness u have) keeps bugging u causing u 2 tear off the mask every 3 minutes so u can blow your nose--if this keeps up long enough, it gets annoying 2 keep putting the mask back on & doing all those "adjustments" 4 nothing just 2 end up tearing the mask off again. at this point u say "i'll skip the cpap for 2nite & try again tomorrow because this is pointless!"

i mention these 2 scenarios for new people who didnt get told this can occurr so at least they know what to expect (unlike me, it came as a "surprise").

I'm new to apnea treatment, and about a week or two before I got my CPAP, I found this and another forum where fellow "hose-heads" discuss issues like the ones you describe. I totally agree that it's beneficial to know what some of the problems are before you start. I wonder if you've heard some of the fixes suggested by other for your situation? Here's my 2 cents, for what it's worth:

1. "...when u move the hose attached 2 the mask doesnt always automatically move with u & end up in the rite place, so u have 2 move the hose "by hand" each time u shift positions"
Not knowing what type of mask you have, this may not work, but try rubber-banding the hose to the headpiece so that it points toward your forhead. This will allow shifting positions without the hose moving by your face, which will wake you up for sure.
Then, find a way to anchor the hose somewhere between your head and the CPAP machine. Some have said that they use a "C" hook (like for coffee mugs) on their headboard, put a hair scrunchee around the hose, and hook the scrunchee on the c-hook. This should let you move around pretty freely.
2. "...u have spend time each nite when u 1st put it on noticing the fit of the mask"
I've heard others say that you should never adjust your straps once you get them right, so maybe if you start from scratch (undo all the velcro adjustments, lie down, put the mask on at full air pressure, and tighten them just until there's no leaks) you'll get a fit that's better? I know I've done this a couple of times just in the week I've been using CPAP.
3. "...skip this cpap till tomorrow nite so i can get a full 8 hours sleep"
I'm so sorry that this isn't going easier for you! But are you sure you're better off with 8 hours of oxygen deprived sleep than less time with quality sleep?

I hope things get easier for you. Keep trying, and keep reaching out. There's lots of nice people willing to help you on your journey.

Well, once you get the mask on properly you really shouldn't have to readjust it, much. Although sometimes the mask can loosen through out the night causing air leaks. Also, periodic mouth breathing can lessen the effectiveness of CPAP.

I sure sympathize with you since I am also new to this cpap machine stuff. I am having all the same problems and feel that it seems like a lot of work for every night. I seem to fall asleep most nights okay, but wake up to use the bathroom or because I have a tickle in my throat from the airflow and then I wait two hours or more to fall back to sleep. I am generally now seeing if it has been at least half the night's use with the machine, and if so, I take it off after trying to go back to sleep for an hour or so. I was not really symptomatic when I was diagnosed. I had gone to my doctor and was working at weight loss when she mentioned she thought I may benefit from a sleep study since she felt I may have high cortisone levels (hump on upper back and very difficult weight loss even with diet and exercise) I was diagnosed with moderate apnes and now I am having more symptoms, like daytime sleepiness and irritability since I get less sleep trying to use the machine. To make things worse, the durable goods provider calls once a week to see how I am doing with the machine. I would not care that they call, but when I said I am trying to adjust and have good nights and bad ones I got the remark " it is hard to get used to using the machine isn't it" No help there. So I keep wondering when I will get used to it and sleep an entire night again. How long has it taken others?