Feel Like I am Suffocating

[debkt0708]

I just started using a CPAP and I feel like I am suffocating and I get all panicky. My doctor has me doing a nasal rinse every night, nose sprays morning and night, Zyrtec in the morning and Benedryl at night. When I lay in bed and try to get to sleep I get this incredible feeling of suffocating with the nose apparatus on.

[Fredxx]

feeling panicky when you start using CPAP is not unusual.

I am guessing you are just putting the mask and machine on when you go to bed to sleep and then taking it off when you panic. Wearing the mask and having air blown up your nose is not a normal sensation until you are used to it, and trying to get used to it when you are sleeping is not an easy thing to do.

If you read through the advice on the forum to many people who have been in a similar position, and from the many who got through it, the best advice is to wear the mask before you go to bed! wear it watching tv or reading (probably not while having supper though!), and just give yourself time to get used to it while your conscious brain is in control and can reason through any panicky feelings. Give it a few days of that and your brain should start to accept the mask and machine as normal.

[Sparticus]

Well Put Fred

Yes this does seem to be a very common problem and requires a little understanding. There are many relaxating techniques to get you through this part but as Fred has stated your body will adjust on its own with some use before bedtime. I went through this when I started my CPAP but for me it was a bit different, I had just watched my father die wearing the mask and every time I put my mask on I got flashed back to the hospital. It was quite upsetting to say the least. I still see my father but now I can just turn the page so to speak.

Control your breathing by either practise or try music and a set of headphones you will soon get use to it and become a fully paid up member of the Hoseheads lol

[symmit]

Hello and welcome.

At first it feels quite unusual using the CPAP but your body will adapt very quickly. Your machine should have a "ramp" setting to give it a gentle start, and if you're taking benadryl at night that should help you switch off a little.

If your ramp is adjustable you may be able lower the start to minimum and increase the time to maximum so it gives you more chance to be asleep before full pressure is on. You may be able to get your doctor to lower the pressure for a few days while you get used to it - mine started me at 4 and then upped it day by day once I could wear the mask all night.

Most of all stick with it, if it's going to work for you then it will change your life!

[Barely Awake]

The tip from Sparticus about trying music is a good one that may come in handy if not early on then when anyone has a bad spell later on, either because of something like an extremely hot period of weather or a personal event. Obviously a racy track is not suitable but something calming and familiar may work. Alternatively there are plenty of health and new age outlets that sell all sorts of calming music from whale calls to elevator orchestral works. Early on in my experience of CPAP I became unwell with something affecting my breathing and although it sounds rather odd something kept going out of step when I was falling asleep and I was having trouble remembering how to breathe. I tried the headphones thing after a fellow hosehead suggested it and it got me over the hump (no whale pun intended).

[Sparticus]

Rain Out

Well I still listen to music and thats nearly a year now, my main track is a rain storm and rolling thunder, Im still looking forward to "Rainout" then I will get the full effect lol

[Barely Awake]

The Observer newspaper has a free Sleep CD (whatever that is) with the Sunday 30th January edition (tomorrow's)!

[debkt0708]

Thank you everyone for your replies to my post.

[James @ Intus]

People sometimes get that feeling if the start pressure/ramp pressure starts too low for comfort. Ask your clinic to see if you can start at a higher pressure so at least you feel there's plenty of air coming in.

Regarding the nasal spray routine, you may want to check out threads in this forum about a unit called SinuPulse which uses natural salts instead of a cocktail of drugs to arguably achieve superior results.

[Grumpy]

Sinus problems

I have them in spades; Sinupulse is a big help.