Waking up with anxiety??

[mmarc]

Hi Folks,

I've been diagnosed with having Hypopneas, not s

[mmarc]

Not sure what happened, my computer had a mind of its own!!

I was saying I've been diagnosed with having Hypopneas, so i tried a mouth guard for a bit and that did not work! Couldn't sleep at all. So the last two weeks, my doctor suggested to try a CPAP machine. So far it hasn't been too bad, still trying to get adjusted to it.

Here's my question: This has happened a couple of times already, while using the CPAP I'll have a dream that I'm suffocating, and I wake up abruptly and pull the mask off with my heart beating fast. It takes me about an hour to relax after these episodes. Is this something that's being caused by the mask? Am I having these dreams when my body is telling me to wake up? Sometimes I have woken up with a congested nose and my mouth was closed, so maybe i wasn't breathing??

Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

[ChicagoGranny]

Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

Please register and go to User Control Panel and fill out your Equipment Profile.

You may be having apneas. As a start, we need to see what equipment you are using.

[mmarc]

Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

Please register and go to User Control Panel and fill out your Equipment Profile.

You may be having apneas. As a start, we need to see what equipment you are using.

Done, thanks!

[bellab]

'll have a dream that I'm suffocating, and I wake up abruptly and pull the mask off with my heart beating fast. It takes me about an hour to relax after these episodes.

I had that same experience just prior to starting CPAP, it was terrible and it made me anxious about going to sleep- but it hasn't happened since I started CPAP. It sounds like you may be experiencing apnea events. You have an autoset, what are your pressure settings? Are you using it in auto mode or CPAP mode? Do you know your minimum/maximum pressures?

[mmarc]

'll have a dream that I'm suffocating, and I wake up abruptly and pull the mask off with my heart beating fast. It takes me about an hour to relax after these episodes.

I had that same experience just prior to starting CPAP, it was terrible and it made me anxious about going to sleep- but it hasn't happened since I started CPAP. It sounds like you may be experiencing apnea events. You have an autoset, what are your pressure settings? Are you using it in auto mode or CPAP mode? Do you know your minimum/maximum pressures?

Its on Autoset mode, and the min is set to 4 and max is 20. How can that be if my AHI readings are usually between .5 - 1.5? There is no leakage either. It's happened a handful times and it's making me anxious to even use it.

Prior to using CPAP, I never experienced that. I was just tired all the time, and had severe snoring/hypopneas. So is the CPAP machine causing apnea events for me?

[bellab]

Probably not, 1.5 AHI still means you average 1.5 events per hour. It could be that your minimum pressure is too low. Do you have sleepy head software? With that data you can probably see exactly what's going on.

[mmarc]

Probably not, 1.5 AHI still means you average 1.5 events per hour. It could be that your minimum pressure is too low. Do you have sleepy head software? With that data you can probably see exactly what's going on.

No i don't, and the doctors never informed me about the software. Do i just download it online? I did a quick search and found SleepyHead software. How is that connected the cpap machine? Thanks so much for your help!!

[ChicagoGranny]

the doctors never informed me about the software

We keep secrets from the doctors.

Look at the first post (Announcements), Pugsy's Pointers, at the top of the index page for instructions on SH.

How is that connected the cpap machine?

Your CPAP machine contains a SD card on which the data is stored.

[OkyDoky]

Sleepyhead is downloaded onto your computer then you take the SD card and put it into a reader, most computers have this if not they are cheap. Here is a link to help you with the Software download. https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

Here is a copy of the clinical manual for your machine. http://www.resmed.com/ja-jp/dam/documen ... ow_eng.pdf

If you have questions just ask and someone will help.

[palerider]

So is the CPAP machine causing apnea events for me?

no, but with default settings it may be failing to prevent as many as it could.

you need to get sleepyhead and download your data, and evaluate it.

[mmarc]

So is the CPAP machine causing apnea events for me?

no, but with default settings it may be failing to prevent as many as it could.

you need to get sleepyhead and download your data, and evaluate it.

It's odd because prior to using CPAP, i never experienced that. I'm thinking of not using it the next couple nights to see what happens.

[GettingBetter]

'll have a dream that I'm suffocating, and I wake up abruptly and pull the mask off with my heart beating fast. It takes me about an hour to relax after these episodes.

I had that same experience just prior to starting CPAP, it was terrible and it made me anxious about going to sleep- but it hasn't happened since I started CPAP. It sounds like you may be experiencing apnea events. You have an autoset, what are your pressure settings? Are you using it in auto mode or CPAP mode? Do you know your minimum/maximum pressures?

I had full blown panic attacks, waking gasping for air. I have not experienced any of these since starting the CPAP, but my GERD is under control. I had the most frightening attacks when my GERD was out of control and my gallbladder was acting up. Managing it all (and having my gallbladder removed) seemed to stop it all.

That might not be and issue for you, but if you have GERD or wake up with a sore throat, you might also have some reflux going on that can mimic asthma and the feeling of blockage where tissues need to heal.

Hope you find some answers. Best of dreams.

[BlackSpinner]

It's odd because prior to using CPAP, i never experienced that. I'm thinking of not using it the next couple nights to see what happens.

Cpap treatment is allowing you to sleep deeper, maybe even hit REM. Your body is expecting to be safe now with the therapy, it is going to be very much more upset to experience an event.