Air Hunger?

Lee22633 · Post by **Lee22633** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:54 pm

I am at a pressure of only 5, and a few mornings ago I woke up hyperventilating mildly. Is this air hunger?

I got to tell you, not much has changed since starting the CPAP this last 3 weeks. I don't have much in the way of leaks but there is very little pressure to get any air into my lungs. My doctor isn't in on Weds. so this is going to have to be told to him on Thursday, in person. Always works better catching him before lunchtime.
Lee

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:09 pm

Your pressure of 5 is VERY low; I know I wouldn't get enough air with such a low setting. My sleep study titration set my pressure at 6. Never felt much better. Found this forum, learned about data, found that my AHI averaged around 10. Got an auto machine that found my correct pressure of 12; been using that every since (Oct 2007), feel SO MUCH better now. My AHI averages around 0.4 now. Don't know what was up with that sleep study. Good luck!

RiverDave · Post by **RiverDave** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:05 pm

Lee,

I son't know if it's air hunger, but my original prescription was for APAP 6-12 cmH2O. I could not breathe comfortably and had the same hyperventilation feelings you did (as a matter of fact, that's how I found this forum). To make a short story long - I upped the pressure to 7 and it took care of the problem.

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:13 am

Lee,

I think you should call your doctor and explain your apparent air hunger. Ask if you can try a higher pressure on your CPAP. They will probably say yes, and change your machine for you. If not, then you can decide for yourself whether to change it yourself. Call today, OK? You deserve to be getting proper attention to your therapy.

Let us know how you make out.

Take Care,
Cathy

ColinP · Post by **ColinP** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:59 pm

I doubt I could last a night with a pressure of 5 - even at 9 I still feel short of air for a while after I've got into bed.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:50 pm

I'd say yes, it is from rebreathing too much of your exhaled air. The incoming air becomes warm and stuffy, you may even see it form moisture in the mask.

Most masks on the market require about 6.5 cm pressure to ideally flush out exhaled CO2.

I would bump up your pressure to 6 or 6.5 and you should sense the incoming air as being more refreshing.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:56 pm

Lee,

Your profile shows that you have the M Series Pro. That's a fully data capable machine. YOU NEED THE SOFTWARE!
You could justify purchasing the software in not having to make trips back to the doctor. (who may be clueless)
What kind of therapy "numbers" are you seeing in your LCD display?

A setting of 5 is practically no therapy.

Den

Lee22633 · Post by **Lee22633** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:04 pm

Yeppers, going to go see him tomorrow just as he leaves for lunch. Also give him a copy of the last 6 days of what's been going on while I sleep. I think this has been a direct result of the neuromuscular problems brought on by the hyperventilation when the initial pain from the whiplash, shoulder, neck and Occipital neuralgia came on. Because at first it was 'just' pain in those areas, then it was a short time later it went systemic, the soft palate, neck, trachea, face, etc. I updated my stuff here too in my siggy.

Lee

I do have one other question, for those of you who have had pain in their background with this, do storms coming bring on bad days?

Hawthorne · Post by **Hawthorne** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:23 am

Lee22633 - Are you asking if people who live with chronic pain feel it more when a storm is coming? I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and, if that is what you are asking the answer is YES. When the barometer is dropping - as in, a storm coming, I know it, since the pain is worse. Usually, when the barometric pressure stabalizes, the pain goes back to a tolerable level.

Lee2263 · Post by **Lee2263** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:43 am

Hawthorne wrote:Lee22633 - Are you asking if people who live with chronic pain feel it more when a storm is coming? I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and, if that is what you are asking the answer is YES. When the barometer is dropping - as in, a storm coming, I know it, since the pain is worse. Usually, when the barometric pressure stabalizes, the pain goes back to a tolerable level.

Hi Hawthorne.
I don't have RA though. This, the pain, is due to calcium/CO2 imbalance. Brought on by hypoxia. Like when we had a storm come through that dropped a bit of rain yesterday, felt sick, achy and hurt all over while it was a 100 miles away. Had to take meds and painkillers to bring it all down to a reasonable level to even sit upright at my desk. Once it had passed, within the hour, pain subsided, and decided to go home to at least enjoy the day. This morning it's doing it again. Storm coming out of the west, 150 miles away or so, and coming back from break the muscles started to tighten and I feel like hell. Medication time again. Oh man this sucks. Can't think straight, walk straight, and only way I am typing this is that I know the keys cause I can't keep the eyes open.

Lee22633 · Post by **Lee22633** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:36 pm

Wulfman wrote:Lee,

Your profile shows that you have the M Series Pro. That's a fully data capable machine. YOU NEED THE SOFTWARE!
You could justify purchasing the software in not having to make trips back to the doctor. (who may be clueless)
What kind of therapy "numbers" are you seeing in your LCD display?

A setting of 5 is practically no therapy.

Den

Hi Den.
I know I probably need the software, but right now, I can take it to the Med. store and they download and print me out a copy. I'm not ready to spend the money on this yet. The store is like 3 blocks away from my office as well. Now they are a bit clueless about my situation. Have any of you had your apnea based on a neuromuscular problem? Had the muscles in your neck tighten to the point where you are wheezing to get a breath of air in? Or swallowing water and hear it gurgle down your throat? Or talk too much and start having the entire vocal area start to spasm up?

So I am not sure how this is going to help in the long term. But the hyperventilating while under the mask is not usual I am guessing. Wonder if I have Central Apnea? Or what do they call it, Disordered Breathing? So I see my Pain/Sleep Doctor Friday morning. Lordy just another problem for him.
Lee

Lee2263 · Post by **Lee2263** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:42 pm

Well got to the Doctor's office this morning and silly me forgot my machine at home. But when told I was hyperventilating while using the mask, waking up and having to take it off to 'air' myself, he said he would script it up to 8 cm and see how we do on that. So had to run home, get machine, bring it to store, they redid it, and I will do this new level over the weekend and see how it goes. I will also pick up an oxygen thingy on Tuesday to wear one night while on the 8 cm and bring that in to see how it's done. Because I told him all this time (uhhh, 4 weeks nearly) nada has changed. My feet are still numb and the muscles ache all over.

I did bring him an article he found interesting in that Hypoxia will extend the excitability of the Sympathetic Nervous System. As this is what I was first dx'd with. All from muscles in my throat, chest and upper palate going into spasms because of the hypoxia.
Lee

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:07 pm

Lee,
I agree that the insufficient pressure is the cause of your problem.

"However", if increasing it does not help, you may want to have your oxygen level checked. Simple to do at Dr. or DME's office with a small device that fits over your (usually L index) finger. (don't wear any red nail polish)

I'm suggesting this because my weight and BP always get checked, but never, ever my oxygen level !! (It is low)

Another thing to add to the 'Ask Your Doctor' Checklist.
Strange that it is easy, cheap, SIGNIFICANT, yet still being ignored.
Good luck!

ohmytonsils · Post by **ohmytonsils** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:08 pm

could someone please pm me the link as well? thanks

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:32 pm

Lee, I don't know exactly what your history is, but it sounds like you were in an accident?
With all your pain, you could be developing a fibromyalgia-type syndrome, which isn't unusual after an accident.
I'm sure they've checked out your spine, right?

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