newbie can't breathe

[mysticnight]

I am new to cpap, and doing a trial of a Resmed Airstart 10 machine before purchase. My problem is that I can't breathe. I mean I can't breathe with the mask on while I am awake. Its not enough air. The base setting is 4-5 while awake, and from 7-13 while sleeping. The first week I tried it the sleep settings were 5-13, but I couldn't get to sleep cuz of not breathing. I tried it several times for an hour, and quit because of killer headache, adrenaline surges, panic, heart racing, gasping for air, etc. which then kept me awake all night recovering.

I went back to the vendor after a week and he changed the sleep settings but said nothing about the waking one. He emphasized how the pressure comes when I sleep so I need to go to sleep. I can't sleep if I can't breathe.

Can the base/waking setting be changed? I am wondering if the vendor doesn't know his stuff too well or something. I never comparison shopped.

[Pugsy]

Turn off the ramp (which I think is what your base setting is) so that you start with the 7 cm starting pressure and awake breathing should be easier.
Also check to see if EPR is turned on and if it is what is the setting?
All explained in the manual here..even though for a different model machine the instructions on how to get to the clinical setup menu area where you can turn off ramp is the same no matter which model.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

Resmed Airstart 10

This machine is a very basic no frills machine. No data and it is a fixed pressure machine so it can't do

from 7-13 while sleeping

You don't want to buy this machine. If you want/need auto adjusting pressures you will need the AirSense 10 AutoSet.

Also which mask are you using? If you are using a nasal pillow mask..what size nasal pillow? You might try going up a size if you can.

[palerider]

turn off ramp.

[Sir NoddinOff]

The above suggestions are good and worth trying. This is one of the most common complaints and one of the easiest to overcome.

From my perspective: Sorry to be brutal, but it's all in your head. You're getting the same amount of air, it's just that your brain is telling you that you need even more air because you are getting anxious about this new machine and mask. Stick with it and you will get over this... trust me, thousands here at CPAPtalk have blazed that trail before you (including me!) Wear it watching TV, shelling peas or reading and that will help. Also: there's no such thing as a 'waking setting' unless you are referring to the ramp settings. Too bad you got stuck with a data-dumbed-down machine. For those considering which machine to get:

Here's a reasonably up-to-date database that tells you if a propective machine has data capability. Yes, even a few of the newest models are NOT data capable, sad to say. Some other features are covered also. This links to one database but these are two views – use whichever one is expedient for you:

https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment/cpapmachines

https://sleep.tnet.com/cmd

[Malinalli73]

You don't say what kind of mask you're wearing. In my experience that can make a difference.
When I was using nasal pillows I felt I couldn't breath and that made me really anxious. Once I changed to full face I couls fall asleep more easily.
It's also a lie that "once you fall asleep" the machine would do what has to do. There are several settings like RAMP, automatic starting or EPR that can be changed to make the air flow more comfortable and easier for you to fall asleep.

[palerider]

It's also a lie that "once you fall asleep" the machine would do what has to do. There are several settings like RAMP, automatic starting or EPR that can be changed to make the air flow more comfortable and easier for you to fall asleep.

that makes no sense.

you start off talking about 'after you're asleep" then segue into things to help you fall asleep.

[Malinalli73]

It's also a lie that "once you fall asleep" the machine would do what has to do. There are several settings like RAMP, automatic starting or EPR that can be changed to make the air flow more comfortable and easier for you to fall asleep.

that makes no sense.

you start off talking about 'after you're asleep" then segue into things to help you fall asleep.

Dude....you are so rude!..he says the vendor told him the machine would start working when he falls asleep. I'm just pointing out that's not all true, you know? The "that is a lie" part of my statement should've given you that hint...then I proceeded to explain why that is not true by telling him about the things that can be done before falling asleep.

[palerider]

It's also a lie that "once you fall asleep" the machine would do what has to do. There are several settings like RAMP, automatic starting or EPR that can be changed to make the air flow more comfortable and easier for you to fall asleep.

that makes no sense.

you start off talking about 'after you're asleep" then segue into things to help you fall asleep.

Dude....you are so rude!..he says the vendor told him the machine would start working when he falls asleep. I'm just pointing out that's not all true, you know? The "that is a lie" part of my statement should've given you that hint...then I proceeded to explain why that is not true by telling him about the things that can be done before falling asleep.

so, you're bringing your *vast* experience to the table... and misleading people with your ignorance.

you really shouldn't.

there's no 'lie' the machine is only designed to help you *WHEN ASLEEP* cuz... well, DUH, "sleep apnea".

as someone else pointed out in reference to your proclamations:

She's yet to figure out how her own "little machine" works, but she feels qualified to offer advice to others.

[mysticnight13@gmail.com]

Thanks all for your replies. You had mentioned some settings I wasn't familiar with, so checked the machine and found it is an AirSense 10 (sorry for the error) and the mask is an F&P Eson. It looked like he chose that mask because it is small and the only one he had that would fit me. I am tiny.

It does have data and variable pressures. I read about the EPR in the manual linked, but haven't changed it yet. Ramp is off and it starts at 4. I tried adjusting the ramp to a short time to get it to the 7, but after 5 min I gave up. What about raising the start pressure for the EPR?

The smell of the plastic, temperature, humidity might be an issue. Colder temps are easier to breathe. Maybe I need to play with more of the settings, even though he said use it as it is. What is automatic starting, and automatic "for her".

Thanks for all your comments and ideas.

[palerider]

Thanks all for your replies. You had mentioned some settings I wasn't familiar with, so checked the machine and found it is an AirSense 10 (sorry for the error)

what else does it say on the front by 'airsense 10', there's four different models.

[mysticnight]

what else does it say on the front by 'airsense 10', there's four different models.

It says "autosense for her".

I was playing with it this morning, and put the mask to my nose to get used to just breathing, not even with it covering, just next to my face. I got the same reaction - racing heart, my pulseox reading went down from 98 to 94, trouble breathing, etc. The only thing was the horrific smell of the plastic. Maybe I'm reacting to it?

[palerider]

what else does it say on the front by 'airsense 10', there's four different models.

It says "autosense for her".

should you decide to join the forum, becoming a member, be sure to correctly select that machine in your equipment profile. the exact type of machine you have makes a difference when trying to get advice on how to make things better. between the airstart10 and various airsense10 models, there's five different machines.

also, read that again, because it does not say "autosense for her".

Maybe I'm reacting to it?

in a mental "get that thing away from me" way, sure.

[BlueLu]

I was playing with it this morning, and put the mask to my nose to get used to just breathing, not even with it covering, just next to my face. I got the same reaction - racing heart, my pulseox reading went down from 98 to 94, trouble breathing, etc. The only thing was the horrific smell of the plastic. Maybe I'm reacting to it?

This is from someone who is sensitive to fumes/perfumes. You may well be reacting to the horrible smell of the plastic. I returned my AirSense 10 after trying in vain to get rid of the stench. It seems to come from the machine itself, because, when I tried it with the hose and mask I had been using with my non-stinky but ancient M Series, the hose and mask were stinky within an hour.

If you, like me, are sensitive to fumes, you will not "get used to it." You will wind up on meds to damp down your sensitive response.

Or you will look for a different machine made of higher-grade components. That's what I'm doing now, hoping to find someone who has already done the search and found a non-stinky one.

[palerider]

I was playing with it this morning, and put the mask to my nose to get used to just breathing, not even with it covering, just next to my face. I got the same reaction - racing heart, my pulseox reading went down from 98 to 94, trouble breathing, etc. The only thing was the horrific smell of the plastic. Maybe I'm reacting to it?

This is from someone who is sensitive to fumes/perfumes. You may well be reacting to the horrible smell of the plastic. I returned my AirSense 10 after trying in vain to get rid of the stench. It seems to come from the machine itself, because, when I tried it with the hose and mask I had been using with my non-stinky but ancient M Series, the hose and mask were stinky within an hour.

If you, like me, are sensitive to fumes, you will not "get used to it." You will wind up on meds to damp down your sensitive response.

Or you will look for a different machine made of higher-grade components. That's what I'm doing now, hoping to find someone who has already done the search and found a non-stinky one.

such a vivid imagination.