Chocking, seeing stars, gasping for air Newbie

MrSleepy · Post by **MrSleepy** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:18 am

Moogy wrote:
MrSleepy wrote: I tried the full mask and the nasal pillows, as soon as I fall asleep I wake up gasping for air. . . .it leads to such frustration it sometimes brought tears to my eyes.
When you are AWAKE, do you feel like you have enough air? If NOT, the odds are that apneas are waking you, and again, your pressure might be too low.
Do you ever wake up gasping when you are NOT on the CPAP?
Have you tried the cpap again recently?

Moogy
Hope you can get some sleep so you can enjoy that little one!

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:42 am

[quote="MrSleepy"]I thank all of you very much for the suggestions and thoughts. I'm going to try to talk to my doctor again to see if I can maybe try one of the CFLEX machines or BIPAP machine. I tried the full mask and the nasal pillows, as soon as I fall asleep I wake up gasping for air. . . .it leads to such frustration it sometimes brought tears to my eyes.

I have a wonderful wife and I'm a proud daddy of a 20 month old son, I need to start getting this under control so he can grow up with his dad.

My blood pressure spiked for the first time this high of 186 over 114 two days ago.

Leaving that machine sit up in my closet for the past 8 years did absolutly nothing for me, but I do feel there is something out there that will work for me now.

again thanks!

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:26 pm

MrSleepy,

Sorry, I think I didn't make my question clear, so I am not sure I understand the exact parameters of your problem. What I really meant to ask was this:
When you have the CPAP on and running, with your mask on, but you have not yet fallen asleep, THEN do you feel like you have enough air? or does the suffocation feeling happen ONLY after you have fallen asleep with the CPAP running?

Interesting that you have the same problem when you are congested, but only after falling asleep.

Since it has been so long, I can see that you might want another sleep study with a different doctor and/or lab! It seems like you didn't get the support you needed last time.

Let us know when you find your pressure settings. If you can't find them, you can probably call your doctor or you lab and get them.

I know you can beat this problem if you keep trying to figure it out! Best wishes!

Moogy

Yoga · Post by **Yoga** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:55 pm

Do you have a headboard? If so, prop 2 pillows against the headboard. It is easier to breathe if you are elevated. The sleep doc at Talkaboutsleep recommends 3 pillows but that was too many for me.

If you use flonase before going to bed, it helps to keep your nostrils open.

Good Luck!

MrSleepy · Post by **MrSleepy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:21 am

[quote="Moogy"]MrSleepy,

Sorry, I think I didn't make my question clear, so I am not sure I understand the exact parameters of your problem. What I really meant to ask was this:
When you have the CPAP on and running, with your mask on, but you have not yet fallen asleep, THEN do you feel like you have enough air? or does the suffocation feeling happen ONLY after you have fallen asleep with the CPAP running?

Interesting that you have the same problem when you are congested, but only after falling asleep.

Since it has been so long, I can see that you might want another sleep study with a different doctor and/or lab! It seems like you didn't get the support you needed last time.

Let us know when you find your pressure settings. If you can't find them, you can probably call your doctor or you lab and get them.

I know you can beat this problem if you keep trying to figure it out! Best wishes!

Moogy

MrSleepy · Post by **MrSleepy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:22 am

I talked to my DME. They said my pressure was set to 8 back in july of 1996. Question for you guys and gals. . .should I get another study done or do you think I should try to talk to my doctor into getting me a new machine with CFLEX or APAP?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:21 am

MrSleepy,

You might HAVE to get another sleep study done in order to get a new prescription from a doctor (and get an XPAP AND get it covered by insurance).

On the other hand, if you still have your prescription and some extra money, call CPAP.COM and see if they can help you.
Also, you may be able to get your doctor to write you a new prescription without having to take another sleep study in order to get a new machine.
A REMstar Auto would be able to tell you where your pressure needs to be.
Personally, I'd probably be gasping for air at a setting of 8, too.

Best wishes,

Den

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:45 am

MrSleepy wrote: . . .should I get another study done or do you think I should try to talk to my doctor into getting me a new machine with CFLEX or APAP?

. . . depends on your objective, Mr Sleepy. Do you want to continue to depend totally on your physician, wait months for a sleep lab and your physician to coordinate things, and then hope, by some miracle, that whatever he/she prescribes actually works this time. Or, do you want to take charge of your own therapy, and make it work for you, regardless of how determined your physician and DME seem to be to screw things up again. I'd guess that the chances of a new physician successfully treating you now are probably not real good. Just my opinion, of course . . .

If I were in your position right now, I'd be so mad I'd choose the best equipment money can buy, even if I had to pay for myself. Of course, I'd also want the equipment right away without waiting around for months . . .

Get your prescription and get on with therapy. If you can afford another sleep study, then by all means get another study, but don't wait for that. (It could be a very long time coming.) You're in the driver's seat here. Simply decide what equipment you want and tell your physician that you'd like a prescription to accommodate your choices. Few folks here seem to have had trouble taking this approach. You've already got a definitive diagnosis. You shouldn't have any real trouble with physicians. You shouldn't have any real insurance problems either getting a replacement machine.

Just my $0.02, of course.

Regards,
Bill

MrSleepy · Post by **MrSleepy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:03 am

NightHawkeye wrote:
MrSleepy wrote: . . .should I get another study done or do you think I should try to talk to my doctor into getting me a new machine with CFLEX or APAP?
. . . depends on your objective, Mr Sleepy. Do you want to continue to depend totally on your physician, wait months for a sleep lab and your physician to coordinate things, and then hope, by some miracle, that whatever he/she prescribes actually works this time. Or, do you want to take charge of your own therapy, and make it work for you, regardless of how determined your physician and DME seem to be to screw things up again. I'd guess that the chances of a new physician successfully treating you now are probably not real good. Just my opinion, of course . . .

If I were in your position right now, I'd be so mad I'd choose the best equipment money can buy, even if I had to pay for myself. Of course, I'd also want the equipment right away without waiting around for months . . .

Get your prescription and get on with therapy. If you can afford another sleep study, then by all means get another study, but don't wait for that. (It could be a very long time coming.) You're in the driver's seat here. Simply decide what equipment you want and tell your physician that you'd like a prescription to accommodate your choices. Few folks here seem to have had trouble taking this approach. You've already got a definitive diagnosis. You shouldn't have any real trouble with physicians. You shouldn't have any real insurance problems either getting a replacement machine.

Just my $0.02, of course.

Regards,
Bill

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:58 am

MrSleepy wrote: . . . in the beginning I can't imagine him just writing me up a new perscription, but it is definatly worth a shot!

I don't know why he wouldn't just write you a new prescription. At worst, he shouldn't need more than the records from your previous physician.

Good luck.

Regards,
Bill

MrSleepy · Post by **MrSleepy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:45 pm

I have an appointment scheduled for monday with my doctor! I hope he will listen to me and understand the hell I have gone through (like some of us here).

I think from what I have read that a RemStar Auto with CFLEX is my best bet. Should I suggest any of the smart card options or just leave that alone for now?

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:14 pm

MrSleepy wrote:I think from what I have read that a RemStar Auto with CFLEX is my best bet. Should I suggest any of the smart card options or just leave that alone for now?

If you want to download and monitor your therapy you need the Encore Pro software and a Smart Card reader. You don't need a prescription for either, and, besides, folks here have indicated that you can't get either from your DME anyway, so you'll have to go through an online supplier for these. You can check the package deal cost for reader and software through cpap.com and others vs getting reader through 2factors.com and software through an online supplier. You can save a few dollars this way, but it'll take more of your time.

Regards,
Bill

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:19 pm

While I'm awake with the unit on It seems to be fine. I have located a new doctor in my area I'm calling today to make an appointment. I will definatly get this under control one way or another. Support from people like yourself makes it a little easier to deal with. I will also try to call my previous doctor and get my pressure setting. I'm actually really excited to get the ball moving again!

MrSleepy,

It is great to hear your progress!

I have been thinking about your description of symptoms....were you maybe blocking the exhale vents on your mask, with a pillow or blanket or your arm perhaps? That would lower your oxygen levels and might wake you up in a panic.

Also, if you have always been on the same unit, it is POSSIBLE that there is a problem with the machine....

Since I have been using high settings, a setting of 8 is too low for me to tolerate for very long...but everyone is different about how they handle pressure, it seems.

If the new doctor is not helpful--TRY A DIFFERENT ONE! Unless you have really restrictive insurance you should be able to find someone, even if he is not a specialist. I got a lot of help from my primary care doctor. Many family practice doctors LIKE to see their patients take charge of their own therapy

Keep in touch,

Moogy

MrSleepy · Post by **MrSleepy** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:02 am

Moogy,

I'm pretty sure I wasn't blocking my vents. I'm oing to fire it up this evening and have the wife see what exactly is going on. We can only describe what we feel, but having someone see it will help get a better handle on this.

I thought the perscription for a machine had to come from a sleep specialist? If I don't have any luck with my sleep specialist then maybe I will talk to my primary care doctor. I believe I have the best insurance money can buy!

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:37 pm

MrSleepy wrote:Moogy,

I'm pretty sure I wasn't blocking my vents. I'm oing to fire it up this evening and have the wife see what exactly is going on. We can only describe what we feel, but having someone see it will help get a better handle on this.

I thought the perscription for a machine had to come from a sleep specialist? If I don't have any luck with my sleep specialist then maybe I will talk to my primary care doctor. I believe I have the best insurance money can buy!

Nope, any doc can prescribe a machine. Not all are willing, tho.

I am glad you are going to test it out again. Let us know what you find out!

Moogy