New here with questions

[Midwest]

Hi Everybody, I'm totally new to the world of CPCP. I only started using my machine 15 nights ago. I've had some good nights and bad nights so I'm still adjusting to things. My question is about my machine. I have an APAP which is supposed to self adjust. Usually I start by turning on the machine and quieting reading while I wait to fall asleep. Last night as I was reading the machine started going up in pressure. Just laying there trying to breathe normally the machine started going up in pressure to the point where it was very uncomfortable and then I couldn't get to sleep. The machine was literally making me burp it was filling me up with air so much. I turned it off and started it over. This put the machine back to a reasonable pressure and was able to doze off. Shouldn't the machine only change pressure if you've had an apnea? I think I need to have it checked. What do others with more experience say?

[Jas_williams]

Your machine does not know if your asleep or not our awake breathing is very irregular promoting the machine to raise pressure. I suggest now you can sleep with the machine only turn it off once you have finished reading and plan to go to sleep. There will be nothing technically wrong with your machine.

[LSAT]

Machines have a Ramp feature which allows the machine to start at a low pressure and gradually increase to your therapy pressure. What are your pressure settings? Is your Ramp setting ON? What are the settings? What specific machine are you using?

[Midwest]

Your machine does not know if your asleep or not our awake breathing is very irregular promoting the machine to raise pressure. I suggest now you can sleep with the machine only turn it off once you have finished reading and plan to go to sleep. There will be nothing technically wrong with your machine.

I think maybe you have the solution. Certainly the machine has no idea if I'm actually asleep or not. Any variation in my breathing while sitting there reading would be picked up by the machine, and it would think it needed to react. This makes sense because my best nights so far have been when I fell asleep quickly and slowed my breathing for sleep right away. Some of my worst nights have been when I would lay there thinking about my breathing and basically thinking too much about it. Thanks

P.S. I'm assuming you meant to say "turn on" the machine once I finished reading.

[Midwest]

Machines have a Ramp feature which allows the machine to start at a low pressure and gradually increase to your therapy pressure. What are your pressure settings? Is your Ramp setting ON? What are the settings? What specific machine are you using?

Thanks for your reply

The ramp on my machine is off. My doctor says he doesn't like that feature for some reason. Anyway, I've had a couple of good nights since I posted my question, and I think the problem is that I need to stop thinking about my machine and breath in a regular, slowed for sleep, fashion. That seems to be best for me. The quicker I can stop thinking about my breathing the better. Plus, the more I think about breathing, the more anxious I get and take longer to fall asleep. I just need to let go and enjoy the whole thing. I've had some very good nights with this machine, but I've had some bad ones too. I am still getting used to this. Thanks

[Miss Emerita]

Wow, 15 days in and you’re already having some good nights! Plus you found this forum, which will support you whenever you have questions about your apnea therapy.

It’s interesting, one of the rules of sleep “hygiene” is not to read in bed—really, to use the bed for nothing but sleep and sex. So you’re naturally finding your way to good sleep habits.

Keep us posted on how it’s going, would you? Best of luck.

[Jas_williams]

Your machine does not know if your asleep or not our awake breathing is very irregular promoting the machine to raise pressure. I suggest now you can sleep with the machine only turn it off once you have finished reading and plan to go to sleep. There will be nothing technically wrong with your machine.

I think maybe you have the solution. Certainly the machine has no idea if I'm actually asleep or not. Any variation in my breathing while sitting there reading would be picked up by the machine, and it would think it needed to react. This makes sense because my best nights so far have been when I fell asleep quickly and slowed my breathing for sleep right away. Some of my worst nights have been when I would lay there thinking about my breathing and basically thinking too much about it. Thanks

P.S. I'm assuming you meant to say "turn on" the machine once I finished reading.

Of course I meant turn on the machine

[palerider]

Shouldn't the machine only change pressure if you've had an apnea?

No.

Here's a video showing all the things that cause the machine to change pressure... many of which happen with irregular awake breathing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gie2dhqP2c