100+ apneas per hour... I am a freak or anyone else in the same boat?

went a study many years ago and the Doctor reading my report looked at me and said he had to make a call. I had my machine in my hands a few days later and thus began my battle with the damn masks from hell. My test showed I was having 100+ apneas per hour. I'm obese too, so I know my weight is an issue and I'm trying to work on that too.

My setting on my machine is 13 and it feels like I have hurricane blowing in my face while using the machine. I can't sleep with it on since I'm always thinking of my breathing ...in ....out..in...out...and if I miss a step my brain thinks I'm "being drowned" (how it feels to me) and my natural reaction is to rip whatever is on my face. I've ruined three masks so far, and tried a lot of them out, none of which felt comfortable, or at least didn't make me feel like I was in a storm.

I eventually stopped using the machine out of frustration. But now I'm getting older and hearing more and more bad stuff about sleep apnea and Alzheimers and it's making me paranoid... so close to retirement and I don't want to be "that guy" who croaked the day he retired.

Anyone else have such a high number of apneas per hour? Anything work for you? advice? How about mouth guards like SnorerX?

thanks!