suffocating with full face mask

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agavegrove
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suffocating with full face mask

Post by agavegrove » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:58 pm

I just started using cpap. I was looking forward to using it and was amazed at how better I slept when they calibrated my therapy pressure in the sleep lab. At home it's a different story. I'll fall asleep and wake up about 30 minutes later. I feel the air pressure is blowing enough air in, but then I feel like I'm suffocating. As a reflex I pull the mask off, then I sleep through the night. However I still wake up exhausted.

I'm suspicious that I"m not getting the exhaled CO2 out of my mask or lungs. When this occurs I'm usually on my back, IIRC. What could be going wrong?

Here are my settings: 4 starting pressure, ramp of 30 minutes, prescribed therapy pressure is 9. No EPR on this machine. I used the heated humidifier. Since I'm a mouth breather I've got a full face mask. Diagnosed with OSA and I snore like a train, due to my tongue blocking my airway.

Any advice is appreciated. I'm glad I found a forum of other users who are more experience and knowledgable with this.

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wlenz
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by wlenz » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:19 pm

I would try turning off the ramp for a few nights. The ramp feature caused a suffocating feeling for me and starting out with the prescribed pressure solved my problem. Starting out with 4cm is very low. The ramp works for some, but it did not work for me.
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Debjax
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by Debjax » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:21 pm

agavegrove wrote: 4 starting pressure, ramp of 30 minutes, prescribed therapy pressure is 9.
Try it without the ramp. Many of us here have turned the ramp off...I know it only takes me a breath or two to "even it out" and then I don't feel like there is any pressure at all unless I open my mouth or lift my mask.

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agavegrove
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by agavegrove » Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:53 pm

Thanks for the help. I did try turning the ramp off. I had the CPAP on the full pressure of 9. I tried laying on my back, and on my side, with my mouth closed, with my mouth open. Unfortunately the result was the same. I noticed that I was exerting a lot of effort just to exhale. It's like I'm breathing against the flow of the air coming in. In fact, after a few minutes, my heart started beating harder and slower. It seems to be a strain for my lungs to blow back against that much pressure.

Now I'm wondering if my prescription is messed up and if I should have BiPAP or APAP, or a different CPAP machine.

Before someone suggests talking to the doc, let me tell you about that: I went to the sleep lab for a baseline test, then to get the CPAP settings. I never saw a doctor, just 2 lab techs. They sent my prescription to a home health service, who want to rent me everything, sell me nothing, and bill it all to my insurance. I was going to have to spend $950 out of pocket for CPAP therapy at home. After pulling teeth with the office manager at the sleep lab office, who seems to be annoyed whenever a patient calls her, I got my setting information. After doing research on what CPAP machine I needed, I bought the one I had, and bought my own mask for less than $600. My mask is great! The machine was in great condition and works great! .....I just can't breathe with it.

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SleepyRose
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by SleepyRose » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:01 pm

I had the same problem and as everyone here said, I turned off the ramp. I have the same mask as you but not the machine.

My machine has C-Flex which lessens the pressure when you exhale. If you have the equivalent of that, maybe you can adjust that to help.

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wlenz
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by wlenz » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:07 pm

I checked the specs on your machine and there is no pressure relief on exhale. It appears that you need a different machine to solve your problem. There are CPAPs with exhalation relief and the machine I was prescribed, an Auto BiPAP. Getting the correct machine is your next step.
Bill
There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, And that is to have either a clear conscience, or none at all.

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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by Guest » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:26 pm

Ditto - you need the exhalation relief to make breathing out easier.

That said - since you bought your machine outright, you might be able to sell it (cpapauction.com ?) and purchase a unit with the relief built in. On the Respironics machines, its called c-flex. Other companies call it different names.

David

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WearyOne
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by WearyOne » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:56 pm

Yep, need a machine with exhalation relief!! Which since you've already bought your machine I know is easier said than done.

What that means is that some machines can be set to lower the pressure when you exhale so it's easier to breathe out against the air. On Respironic machines it's called CFlex, on another brand it's called EPR. And there might be some other versions out there as well, I'm not sure.

Pam

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Wulfman
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by Wulfman » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:01 am

If you have your humidifier cranked up......try turning it down or off. Too much humidity can have a suffocating effect. Your pressure isn't terribly high, but some exhale relief would probably help......at least getting started.

Den
(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
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agavegrove
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by agavegrove » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:40 am

Thanks Wulfman. I'll try that. Meanwhile I'm searching for a new CPAP machine. From what I read Respironics C-Flex is the more preferred exhale relief option.
Since I prefer to program the machine myself, does Respironics allow users to set their own pressure settings?

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Wulfman
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by Wulfman » Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:37 pm

agavegrove wrote:Thanks Wulfman. I'll try that. Meanwhile I'm searching for a new CPAP machine. From what I read Respironics C-Flex is the more preferred exhale relief option.
Since I prefer to program the machine myself, does Respironics allow users to set their own pressure settings?
This is the top-of-the-line APAP in the Respironics line (it's a multi-mode machine) :

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-bundle ... undle.html

Respironics has no "control" over whether we change (or find our best) pressure settings.
CPAP.COM includes ALL of the manuals with the machines.
Remember......this is YOUR therapy.


Den
(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
"Passover" Humidification - ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - Encore Pro w/Card Reader & MyEncore software - Chiroflow pillow
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Jason S.
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by Jason S. » Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:06 pm

agavegrove wrote:Thanks for the help. I did try turning the ramp off. I had the CPAP on the full pressure of 9. I tried laying on my back, and on my side, with my mouth closed, with my mouth open. Unfortunately the result was the same. I noticed that I was exerting a lot of effort just to exhale. It's like I'm breathing against the flow of the air coming in.
I am a mouth breather with a FFM. Try breathing in and out through your nose to start. That way you don't feel like your fighting the flow. Try not to think about it so much. Soon you'll fall asleep and it will be fine.

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jda1000
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by jda1000 » Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:37 am

I use a Resmed Autoset II, and keep the EPR on 3; I've never used c-flex, but have found this to work (for my whopping six weeks of therapy now). My only trouble exhaling was the first time I put the mask on; the salesman/tech hadn't even left yet and just showed me how to turn on EPR.

Otherwise, I haven't had conscious feelings of suffocation, but for a while was pulling the mask off in my sleep; someone here suggested it was lack of air, so I bumped my pressure from 7 to 8 and seem to have quit pulling the mask off.

I turned ramp off, as well, and never missed it.

I use a humidifier set on 2 (out of 5); any higher and the air comes in too moist and feels "heavy."

A couple of times I've had bedding cover the exhaust ports - though that couldn't be causing such consistent problems....

Good luck!
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Humidifier: Resmed H4i
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agavegrove
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by agavegrove » Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:10 am

Thanks to all who replied.

I did get a Respironics M-Series with C-flex. It goes well with the mask I already had. The individual I bought it from was a former vendor of respiratory equipment and was looking to liquidate his stock, so I got a good deal. He even set my pressure too. The C-flex makes a big difference as I don't feel like I'm suffocating at all now - I can exhale past the pressure. Turning the humidity down to 1 of 5 helped too.

I do noticed that about 15 minutes into therapy my lips start getting cold and tingly. It's enough to wake me up. The discomfort is enough for me to take off the mask. After I take it off, it feels like my mouth it asleep. If I make my mask looser it leaks.

Any ideas on how to keep a seal without having to have such a tight squeeze with my mask?

I'll get this to work eventually.

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Jason S.
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Re: suffocating with full face mask

Post by Jason S. » Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:35 pm

I started with a ramp of 4 for 20 minutes and ending at 8 cm. I never had a problem at 4, but others recommended bumping the ramp to 6, which I did, because I wanted therapy in case I fell asleep fast.

I honestly think the suffocating feeling is mostly mental. You have an emergency hole in case you lose power. You aren't going to suffocate. This knowledge was enough for me to relax and regulate my breathing so I could fall asleep, even with the full-face mask set at a ramp of 4.

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Machine: DreamStation Auto CPAP Machine
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Humidifier: DreamStation Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Max pressure set at 15cm