Can't seem to sleep with the mask

[Apojacks]

Hey everyone, I have been trying to use my APAP machine for the last two weeks, I don't know what the deal is, I have the RESflex setting to the easiest for me to breathe, I have my mask on to where it is comfortable, but after ten minutes, I take it off because I feel like I am suffocating. I have a mask that covers my nose and mouth because I typically breathe through my nose and mouth. Would it best if I switched to a different mask? I usually put the machine on a ten minute ramp up and it automatically adjusts between 4 and 20 throughout the night. The one night I did manage to finally fall asleep with it on, I woke up five hours later and found out somehow I took the mask off during the night.

[Wulfman...]

Hey everyone, I have been trying to use my APAP machine for the last two weeks, I don't know what the deal is, I have the RESflex setting to the easiest for me to breathe, I have my mask on to where it is comfortable, but after ten minutes, I take it off because I feel like I am suffocating. I have a mask that covers my nose and mouth because I typically breathe through my nose and mouth. Would it best if I switched to a different mask? I usually put the machine on a ten minute ramp up and it automatically adjusts between 4 and 20 throughout the night. The one night I did manage to finally fall asleep with it on, I woke up five hours later and found out somehow I took the mask off during the night.

Maybe that's why you can't sleep with it.......it's adjusting pressures ALL NIGHT LONG.
Maybe you need to set it to a fixed pressure that will provide you with proper therapy.


Den

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[Pugsy]

I have my mask on to where it is comfortable, but after ten minutes, I take it off because I feel like I am suffocating.

I usually put the machine on a ten minute ramp up and it automatically adjusts between 4 and 20

If the minimum pressure is 4 cm there really is no ramp for 10 minutes because I don't think that machine has a lower than 4 cm setting available.
The pressure won't increase above the minimum until you go to sleep and apnea events drive the pressure up so it shouldn't be all that high after 10 minutes.
If you are suffocating after 10 minutes perhaps it's the 4 cm starting point. Many people find that 4 cm simply doesn't move enough air for comfort. Maybe if the minimum was more like 6 cm you wouldn't feel so suffocated.
The one night you did fall asleep but woke up with the mask off we don't know what the pressure might have been during that time.
I think you machine has some data available as to where the pressure might have gone to that one night but you would need special software with your brand of machine...our normal go to software Sleepyhead isn't compatible with your brand machine.

There is an icode thing you can do to get some limited data. See the product information for your machine here
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmar ... ducts.html
I have no idea where to get the actual software to see the detailed data that might be available.
Your machine isn't one of the 2 main players brand.

You might consider starting at a higher minimum pressure just to see if it lessens the suffocating feeling and allows you to at least sleep.

[curems]

I have my mask on to where it is comfortable, but after ten minutes, I take it off because I feel like I am suffocating.

I usually put the machine on a ten minute ramp up and it automatically adjusts between 4 and 20

If you are suffocating after 10 minutes perhaps it's the 4 cm starting point. Man people find that 4 cm simply doesn't move enough air for comfort. Maybe if the minimum was more like 6 cm you wouldn't feel so suffocated.
The one night you did fall asleep but woke up with the mask off we don't know what the pressure might have been during that time.

...

You might consider starting at a higher minimum pressure just to see if it lessens the suffocating feeling and allows you to at least sleep.

This was definitely my problem when I switched from a nasal mask to FFM (covers nose and mouth). I started with a minimum of 4 adjusting to 8 and it seemed okay with the nasal mask but when I started to use the FFM I really felt like I was suffocating at 4. Increased me pressure to minimum of 6 adjusting 12 and it helped tremendously. And the increased pressure was fine going back to a nasal mask as well.

I don't need a FFM. I was just trying to find a mask that fit and that I could wear comfortably. As many on this board will tell you, finding the right mask can sometimes be the most difficult part of CPAP. Hang in there and keep trying until it works for you.