@woogie I'm sorry you've had such a bad experience with sleep problems.

Before I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, I made an appointment with an ENT doctor because I couldn't breathe through my left nostril and my right nostril was partially constricted. He took off the hook of the J shaped deformity in my left nostril. I was thrilled to be able to breathe freely! Now I breathe better through my left side than my right.

That was a routine outpatient surgery, and recovery was quick and without complications, with a really great outcome.

But that didn't remove sleep apnea. I went to a sleep center and had an overnight sleep study. That was around 18 years ago. I had a concern about claustrophobia, but from the first night, I tolerated the mask, with a ramp up to full pressure. 2 years ago I had a repeat study because of leaking issues with a mask, caused partly by my beard. The doctor had me change to a Bipap, with a nasal cushion mask, and the number of events during the night dropped from more than 15 to 5.

I had a mask fitting at the sleep center last year, and tried several kinds of masks, and found that I was more comfortable with a nasal cushion than with a full face mask.

Because I was a mouth breather all of my life, it wasn't possible for me to keep my mouth closed, so I use a chin strap, and with all those changes, events have lowered even more.

My sleep equipment doesn't cost me anything, with Medicare. It sounds like you have been railroaded without any training. My opinion is that you should find a competent technician who would spend some time with you, finding equipment that you can tolerate. There are many possibilities available, not just for a mask, but for the headset and chin strap (if you need one).

I have panic attacks occasionally, many of them at night. I think it starts with a dream, sometimes of being smothered, sometimes of imminent death, and sometimes like my breathing has slowed down and almost stopped. When that happens, I take the mask off and half sit up, with pillows like the one Hank @jesfactmon suggested for a while. I focus on my breathing, practicing deep breathing that I was trained to do by more than one therapist. While I'm doing that, I usually pray for a while, and/or read the Bible or another book. It takes from ten minutes to an hour to recover, then I can put my mask back on and go back to sleep, usually with my head elevated for a while.

I think that if you can find a good therapist who knows what (s)he is doing, and is willing to spend however much time as is necessary to fit you with the right equipment for you. I think that you should see someone who isn't on the payroll of one company, so you get unbiased help.

If you can make the effort to do whatever you can, I think that you will sleep better, with no medication, and feel better during the day, not to mention the numerous possible health risks associated with untreated sleep apnea.

I hope you can resolve this - and not be in a hurry and keep your mind open.

Jim