Something's gone wrong.

I’ve been using CPAP since January, averaging 8.5 hours per night with no issues; quickly becoming so inured to the thing that at times I’ve forgotten that I have it on. I started feeling better almost immediately, and have gotten progressively better over time; my AHI's finally decreased below 5, and I look forward to sleeping with it.
In the past few days I’ve been awakening with air hunger and deep labored respiration, compelling me to breathe through my mouth, panting until I’ve caught my breath. The past couple of nights I’ve been able to resume therapy once I’ve relaxed and my breathing has returned to normal, but tonight I awoke after only an hour and a half, and just can’t breathe through the thing; after a few minutes my respirations become progressively labored, long and deep, as if I’m trying to breathe through a coffee stirrer, and I feel like I’m suffocating; yet if I pull off the mask, the thing's blowing a gale.
Everything’s clean, new filter 9 days ago, 10 cm H2O as always; nothing appears to be wrong with the set.
Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Emmet,
Have you made sure that the vents on the P10 are clear? You should be able to feel air coming out of the back of the mask (on either side of the hose connection) if you put your hand up near it when in use.
The vents are there to allow carbon dioxide out of the mask (exhaled from our breathing). If they were blocked it may cause what you are experiencing (just my non-medically educated guess!)

The vents on the P10 are a very fine mesh, so it may not take a lot to block up if not cleaned regularly.
I tackle mine with a toothbrush weekly.

Cleaning the vents regularly (weekly is usually fine) as well as washing & soaking the headgear on the P10 is a must. The headgear stretches and soaking helps it contract to seal better. I find sometimes replacing the nasal pillow with a new one helps leaks there too.

The vents definitely tend to get plugged up but the small mesh is what makes it a quiet mask.

Thanks; I use a heated hose and hose cover, and just soaked the mask in vinegar and scrubbed the exhaust ports with a toothbrush yesterday.

Maybe try the next larger pillow size?
I found that although the medium fit my nose it left me feeling air starved.
I use the large now and have no issues.

soap & water and a water soak is recommended for the elastic headgear IIRC. A am not sure if vinegar would damage the removable elastic headgear.

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 5:54 am

soap & water and a water soak is recommended for the elastic headgear IIRC. A am not sure if vinegar would damage the removable elastic headgear.

No more than it would damage any other fabric that was soaked in vinegar. Hot water wash for headgear to shrink it is recommended, I know plenty of folks who simply pace it in a lingerie bag and toss it in with their regular laundry, just hang it to dry.

Maybe try another mask if you have one

RicaLynn wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 4:36 pm

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 5:54 am

soap & water and a water soak is recommended for the elastic headgear IIRC. A am not sure if vinegar would damage the removable elastic headgear.

No more than it would damage any other fabric that was soaked in vinegar. Hot water wash for headgear to shrink it is recommended, I know plenty of folks who simply pace it in a lingerie bag and toss it in with their regular laundry, just hang it to dry.

I'm not a lingerie kind of guy

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 5:21 pm

RicaLynn wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 4:36 pm

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 5:54 am

soap & water and a water soak is recommended for the elastic headgear IIRC. A am not sure if vinegar would damage the removable elastic headgear.

No more than it would damage any other fabric that was soaked in vinegar. Hot water wash for headgear to shrink it is recommended, I know plenty of folks who simply pace it in a lingerie bag and toss it in with their regular laundry, just hang it to dry.

I'm not a lingerie kind of guy

we won't hold that against you!

Emmet wrote: ↑

Wed May 09, 2018 5:04 am

Thanks; I use a heated hose and hose cover, and just soaked the mask in vinegar and scrubbed the exhaust ports with a toothbrush yesterday.

Forget the vinegar, use dish soap...(not hand soap)

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Although invisible (at least with bifocals), some sort of accretion apparently had gradually clogged the diffusers of the exhaust vents. A good scrub with a toothbrush and Ivory Liquid followed by a thorough hot water rinse did the trick, and is now part of my weekly maintenance schedule; good as new. Thanks all.

Emmet wrote: ↑

Wed May 16, 2018 6:07 am

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Although invisible (at least with bifocals), some sort of accretion apparently had gradually clogged the diffusers of the exhaust vents. A good scrub with a toothbrush and Ivory Liquid followed by a thorough hot water rinse did the trick, and is now part of my weekly maintenance schedule; good as new. Thanks all.

Excellent!

Emmet wrote: ↑

Wed May 16, 2018 6:07 am

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Although invisible (at least with bifocals), some sort of accretion apparently had gradually clogged the diffusers of the exhaust vents. A good scrub with a toothbrush and Ivory Liquid followed by a thorough hot water rinse did the trick, and is now part of my weekly maintenance schedule; good as new. Thanks all.

That is basically what I (try) to do along with cleaning/soaking the headgear but sometimes it is 2 weeks.
I have 2 frames & headgear and alternate between them so the headgear has time to fully dry out. I just transfer the nasal pillow.