Frustrated with my cpap

I'm so frustrated with my cpap machine!!!! It is not keeping me sleep. I wake up, on average 3-4 times a night with a very dry mouth and also with phlegm in my throat. I still wake up tired and still napping during the day. I just don't understand why I can only sleep for 2 hours on this thing and then I'm popping up. Btw, I'm on the ResMed S9 (with humifier****ep the humidifier between 65 and 70. I have been on this machine for months, I'm not a newbie. On top of all this, I take Ambien. I know for sure I should be getting at least a full 8 hours of sleep. Help me please!! I am so tired, I just want to rest. My 18 month old son is very active and keeps me busy all day long. I need my rest. My current sleep physician and I have discussed this and she keeps switching different masks but clearly that is not working. I need a solution. Should I be seeing another sleep dr or what, I don't know. Help me.

 Hi, I can relate. I never got used to my cpap, after several months of trying. I don't want to scare you but I just read a post on the main board about a man with apnea who just died in his sleep with his mask on while using Ambien. I don't know if the drug is counter acting with the effectiveness of your machine but it is worth looking in to. Also maybe the pressure isn't right for you anymore, and need it adjusted. Running after an 18 month old can be very hard on the mom the most, since we are tuned into every little sound or movement they make at night, which also affects our quality of sleep. Try some relaxation techniques to help you relax better before bed. Any stress issues can also be contributing to your wakings as well. If all of this doesn't help, then try looking for a second opinion with another sleep doctor. Good luck.

I wake up often with mine.  My problem, with it on I feel like I can't take normal breaths.  I eventually fall sleep but wake up two hours later gasping for air. 

I just got mine last night.  This is exactly how I felt.  Like I can't breathe properly. 

 I have the Resmed with the climate control line. At settings of 73, I would sometimes wake up with a dry mouth. Bumped it to 79-80 and have not had that happen since. A good test is to set it at the lowest for 1 night, then set it at the highest for another night and compare. This will tell towards which end you should be looking. Adjust from there. 

For me at the highest setting, I started to have moisture condensation in the mask (definitly not dry mouth!), but it was too much moisture. 

BTW, I never slept more than 2 hours at a time until I found the right mask for me. Sometimes you have to go through several until you find the right one, but this can get expensive.

Maybe you need to do another sleep study while you use your unit. It may be a question of head position shifting the mask off during sleep. You may be a restless sleeper where move a lot during sleep. You may need a special apnea pillow so the mask does not get pushed off or shifted and loses pressure.