TERRIBLE Anxiety trying to breathe against pressures

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JCWarrior
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Re: TERRIBLE Anxiety trying to breathe against pressures

Post by JCWarrior » Thu May 04, 2017 10:39 am

shanobeigh wrote:
palerider wrote:
shanobeigh wrote:My question is, what in the world do I do about the anxiety from the pressures??? I literally can't control it. I know this is a knee jerk reaction
I don't know if this will help or not, but getting a little perspective on the pressure might help.

you mention a pressure of 12. what that means is, 12cm of water. 12cm is right about 4.75 inches. so, get a glass, put 5" of water in it. then stick a straw down to the bottom of the glass, put your lips on it, and blow... you've just exhaled against more than 12cm/h2o pressure.

that's exactly what 12cm is, the pressure that 12 centimeters of water exerts against the air... or how hard you have to blow, to push that water in the straw down 12cm/4.75 inches.

it's really not much pressure, but it's easy to think that it's a lot, especially when people are just throwing around numbers that you don't have any reference to understand.

I hope this helps.
I went through a lot of panic/anxiety getting used to mine. It was magnified by the fact I was experiencing anxiety and panic attacks during sleep already (probably from undiagnosed sleep apnea). I can tell you that 3 years later I still get that every now and then but I have also learned what a major contributor is and how o turn the situation around.

I find that I need to relax before putting my mask on. I need to get my breathing rate slowed down from a normal rate and closer to my sleeping rate. If I walk up the stairs after doing the dishes, get in the shower, jump in bed and throw my mask on, I'm going to be breathing harder than the pressure in my mask will allow and it will feel like I'm suffocating.

I have to chill just a bit and get relaxed.

Another thing I've found is "Don't try to regulate/control your breathing". Try to just breath naturally, without thinking about it, like we normally do.

I find when I wake up in the morning, most times it feels like my mask isn't on and my breathing is as normal as can be. That's because I'm just breathing normal.

If you are relaxed and just breath normal, the machine and you will be in sync and it will be much smoother.

Thank you so much. This is an interesting perspective. I will commit this to memory & see if it helps. I have a new sleep med that's supposed to make me not care (not a benzo, not addictive - Belsomra is what it is) & keep me asleep so I can maybe adjust to the new machine, once I get it. Problem is, I woke up all night on it anyway, so I don't know. Your perspective, though may help me push past it. I certainly hope so. I've never heard it explained this way. Thank you.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: TERRIBLE Anxiety trying to breathe against pressures

Post by chunkyfrog » Thu May 04, 2017 11:11 am

I would really like to hear how shanobeigh is doing now. (Fingers crossed)

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