panic

[guy1home]

good morning every one, i picked my machine up yesterday (some sort of rem star) and a nasal mask, everything was ok in the hospital i could breath ok, it didn't bother me at all. i have slight cold and would normally breath through my mouth but the nurse said the nose mask was best as that is how we should breath. anyway went to bed and fell straight to sleep but woke up 2 1/2 hours later in a panic & unable to breath. what i would like to know is this normal when you have a cold or is it just me getting used to the cpap.

[Tigers Fan]

Normal

Hi guy1home

My guess is that you had an event - an apnoea - that was sufficiently 'big' to wake you suddenly. The CPAP had taken care of the little ones that used to keep you sleeping lightly so you went into a deeper sleep than you are used to, then had an event and woke up from the depths. Where am I? Can't breathe!

Unfortunately, absolutely normal!

If air was leaking from your mask in a gale-like way, it was an event for sure and your RemSar had pumped up the pressure to counter it - or to try to.

Tigers Fan

[guy1home]

panic

thanks Tiger's
I guess all I can do is keep trying, just had a couple of hours sleep with the machine on, same thing but maybe not as quite as bad.

[Tigers Fan]

Never fear - worse is to come!!

Hi guy1home

Every week there's another newbie just picked up his/her APAP for a week's trial - so the Clinic staff can know what settings you need - but with the machine set at a low base pressure and a very high max pressure. As a consequence, the poor patient has to experience what is happening to you. After the trial, they'll either give you a CPAP or let you keep the APAP. Whichever, ask them to reduce the difference between max and min pressures - keeps the fluctuations less severe and increases your chance of a good kip.

Tigers Fan

[leswaller]

I was told that a nasal mask was best... what a load of ***** I switched to a full mask and never looked back. Ask your sleep clinic to let you try one, it shouldnt be a problem for them

[guy1home]

good morning
phoned the clinic monday morning & picked a full face mask on tuesday, better night on tuesday but still not able to keep it on all night, last night was veru bad. the wife say's I still snore with the full face is this the norm.

[Tigers Fan]

Yes and no

Hi guy1home

There is a thread somewhere (last month or two) about Vibratory Snore Index. I was getting high readings and low AHI. Turned out that I had my mask straps too tight, so my chin/lower jaw was pushed back into/toward my throat and that caused snoring.

Ever since, I have the message that loose is better as regards mask straps, well and truly on board.

My VSI dropped from 15 - 20 down to 0 -1 instantly.

The goal (mine, anyway) is eight hours straight, no snoring, no dry mouth, AHI less than 1.

Tigers Fan

PS It will be worth your time to read all the mask problem threads in 'Masks'.

[leswaller]

As Tigers Fan says the strap tension is critical to getting everything working together, but be aware that snoring is not just a symptom of OSA it can also be a symptom of sinus problems, so dont let the snoring worry you too much at this stage. Concentrate on keeping the mask on and getting a good nights sleep, we can sort out the snoring later if it is still happening

[guy1home]

thanks for all you advise, I'll start reading

[joe599]

Thanks

Hi guy1home

My guess is that you had an event - an apnoea - that was sufficiently 'big' to wake you suddenly. The CPAP had taken care of the little ones that used to keep you sleeping lightly so you went into a deeper sleep than you are used to, then had an event and woke up from the depths. Where am I? Can't breathe!

Unfortunately, absolutely normal!

If air was leaking from your mask in a gale-like way, it was an event for sure and your RemSar had pumped up the pressure to counter it - or to try to.

Tigers Fan

Thanks for that info. I picked my machine up on Wednesday and have had a couple of nights where I woke and it felt like I was in a gale force wind. There was air leaking from the mask and I took it off. Other than that I think I am getting used to it. I thought that I was setting the machine wrong somehow but thanks for the advice
Joe

[Tigers Fan]

Keep your mask on!!

Hi joe599

Rather than taking off your mask when the gales hit, you could try pressing the 'ramp' button. With practice, you might manage it in a sleepy, semi-automatic, can't remember-doing-it in the morning sort of way.

If you don't have a 'ramp' button, press 'off' and then 'on' again straight away. Either way, you instantly get back to your just-got-into-bed pressures.

Tigers Fan

[Brummie Jon]

pressure increase and mask leaking

Hi Joe

I found that my mask leaked in the night. I think that if your CPAP has a ramp feature you originally set the mask tightness so that it is OK at that pressure, but it isn't tight enough to cope with an increased pressure is it ramps up during the night. Imagine a bit more air pressure and try making the mask just that little bit tighter (only a touch) to compensate, it worked for me so far....... (only my second night tho')

*JP*

[GrumpyBiker]

Joe, instead of taking the mask off press the 'Ramp' button. That will calm the gale down to a zephyr. Re-adjust the mask if needed and drift back off to sleep.

Andy

Oops - I didn't read page 2 before posting.

Still, its nice to see a consistent message, isn't it.

Andy