trouble exhaling - baffling

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
KimandMike
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Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2018 9:31 am

trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by KimandMike » Sat Jan 27, 2018 10:13 am

hi, my name is Kimberlee. I'm hoping someone can help me. (I made an appointment with my physician to discuss my CPAP and follow up on my apnea.)

I've been using a CPAP dream station for about 1.5 years. Suddenly last week, I've had CPAP troubles. I wake up in the middle of the night feeling like I can't exhale enough and that I'm taking back in the CO2. I feel like I'm suffocating and I have to take the mask off. I've slept soundly before this so I'm so upset.

I went to the medical supplier and I replaced my old mask with a new one to make sure that it wasn't a case of worn-out mask. The technician changed a setting which would reduce pressure so that it's easier for me to exhale as well. (I replaced filters)

The emergency flap in the elbow joint just outside the mask keeps flapping open when I inhale. Not sure if it happened before, but I've noticed it now. The CPAP company technician said that in the vent of a power outage, that flap allows you to keep breathing.

But the mask rises and falls as I breathe which didn't use to happen. I tried to tighten the fit of them mask, but I still feel like I'm suffocating. I could fall asleep for several hours before it would happen (I use the ramp-up of my pressure from 7 - 14). But now the mask moves, the flap seems to open and close much earlier after I've just started to sleep.

I'm not sure if it's connected but I also have been experienced severely dry nasal passages, sinus congestion. I've tried using the humidifier up to 2, and also a heated tube which is on the 2 setting to try to get rid of this variable. Even when i've reduced those settings to zero, my mask still moves. I also use an external humidifier.

Thanks for any help you guys can offer!
Kimberlee

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Machine: DreamStation Auto CPAP Machine with Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ F10 Full Face Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: been using CPAP for 5 or so years. had UPPP surgery, but had to resume CPAP

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45011ohio
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Location: Ohio USA

Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by 45011ohio » Sat Jan 27, 2018 10:24 am

It could be that your head gear itself and not the mask is worn out and no longer provides the tension to keep your mask in place.
Just a thought. I could be way off base there but it is worth checking into.

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Pugsy
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by Pugsy » Sat Jan 27, 2018 10:29 am

Exactly which mask are you talking about?
Sounds like one of the full face masks with the "vent" you are talking about being the anti-asphyxia valve.

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Julie
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by Julie » Sat Jan 27, 2018 10:30 am

There's a feature on your machine called EPR (Exhale Pressure Relief) that you can set from a 1-3 (I believe) level. It may raise your AHI by 1-2 pts but you can balance things out depending on how much EPR you want and how important it is to you for you AHI to look good - in other words, if you still feel OK and your AHI isn't extremely high, you should be ok. If it doesn't work (EPR) then write again.

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Pugsy
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by Pugsy » Sat Jan 27, 2018 11:06 am

Suggesting using EPR might confuse someone...EPR is exhale relief on a ResMed machine.
KimandMike wrote:I've been using a CPAP dream station
Respironics doesn't call their exhale relief EPR and the OP might go looking for something on their machine that isn't there. They can look all day for EPR and they won't find it.

Exhale relief on the DreamStation is called Flex and if it is the DreamStation CPAP model it only offers CFlex I think. I don't think AFlex is offered unless the machine is auto adjusting.

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Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
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Bertha deBlues
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by Bertha deBlues » Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:18 pm

Pugsy wrote: Exhale relief on the DreamStation is called Flex and if it is the DreamStation CPAP model it only offers CFlex I think. I don't think AFlex is offered unless the machine is auto adjusting.
Yes. I have a DreamStation, initially set up as a CPAP, and it was called C Flex in CPAP mode. When my machine was switched to Auto, the relief setting changed to A Flex.
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ajack
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by ajack » Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:42 pm

If it is flapping on inhale, It sounds like you don't have enough min pressure, make sure the starting or ramp pressure is 6. you could even turn this off now, your treatment pressure of 7 isn't very high. check filters and make sure there is enough air flow out the hose without the mask on it.
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p ... tup-manual

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KimandMike
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by KimandMike » Sat Jan 27, 2018 6:21 pm

well, that was unexpected. (this is husband mike). Thank you for suggesting we take the mask off to see how much pressure was happening. Turns out, Kimberlee went to the bay state medical where she gets her equipment to try to trouble-shoot the problem. It turns out that the new filter for her machine clogged the pressure. It was barely pushing any through! So we took the filters out, and voila! My God...my poor wife was suffocating for 4 nights, waking up in tears and panic. So, I also have a CPAP, and I put in one of the filters that my company provides me and the pressure was perfect. Like night and day. You guys, we cannot tell you how appreciative we are for your help. Kimberlee will be sleeping like she's never slept before tonight.
Thanks again!
mike & Kim

_________________
Machine: DreamStation Auto CPAP Machine with Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ F10 Full Face Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: been using CPAP for 5 or so years. had UPPP surgery, but had to resume CPAP

ajack
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Location: australia

Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by ajack » Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:54 am

The forum flukes one now and again Glad it sorted out.

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zoocrewphoto
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Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by zoocrewphoto » Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:43 am

KimandMike wrote:well, that was unexpected. (this is husband mike). Thank you for suggesting we take the mask off to see how much pressure was happening. Turns out, Kimberlee went to the bay state medical where she gets her equipment to try to trouble-shoot the problem. It turns out that the new filter for her machine clogged the pressure. It was barely pushing any through! So we took the filters out, and voila! My God...my poor wife was suffocating for 4 nights, waking up in tears and panic. So, I also have a CPAP, and I put in one of the filters that my company provides me and the pressure was perfect. Like night and day. You guys, we cannot tell you how appreciative we are for your help. Kimberlee will be sleeping like she's never slept before tonight.
Thanks again!
mike & Kim

So glad you were able to get it figured out. It sounds like the flapping valve was a good indicator that the airflow was not coming through strong enough for even the lowest pressure settings.

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Mask: Quattro™ FX Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
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Who would have thought it would be this challenging to sleep and breathe at the same time?

KimandMike
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Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2018 9:31 am

Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by KimandMike » Wed Jan 31, 2018 7:42 pm


_________________
Machine: DreamStation Auto CPAP Machine with Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ F10 Full Face Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: been using CPAP for 5 or so years. had UPPP surgery, but had to resume CPAP

ajack
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Location: australia

Re: trouble exhaling - baffling

Post by ajack » Thu Feb 01, 2018 7:01 am

everything must be going well, you didn't ask a question.
You could put some sleepyhead charts up for opinions from the forum.

_________________
Mask: ResMed AirFit™ F20 Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: S9 ST-A iVAPS and adapt ASV