1-2 suffocation episodes per night

[michaeldwilson]

I seem to be doing better with my CPAP, but I still have about 1-2 episodes a night when I am wakened by the machine with the feelings of suffocation. On a good night, I'll wake up enough to put the mask back on (after tearing it off) and the night usually goes well after that. My question: What should I experiment with to take care of this issue? I feel like I am just on the cusp of making this thing work really well for me.
Airsense 10
Full mask
Pressure 7-13
Humidity 6 (5 was superdry in the morning)
EPR 3
Autoramp on

Thanks for any suggestions!

Mike

[ChicagoGranny]

suggestions

Use Sleepyhead. https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

[OkyDoky]

You will have much more info with Sleepyhead and be able to see if it is events causing this.

[Guest]

7 minimum with EPR of 3 gave me suffocation feelings too, I upped the lower level to 10 and set EPR to 1.
I think it had to do with not enough of the used air exhausting from the tube, rebreathing stale air apparently caused me suffocation nightmares that work me up. Turns out the rate of exhaust is liner and related to the pressure. I learned that from a little chart of exhaust air rates vs pressure in an insert found in my mask box.

[WindCpap]

Even at the lowest pressures, most masks have a pretty high vent rate, so rebreathing is unlikely to be the cause of this unless you have shoved the vent into your pillow. In that case, it might be a possibility. Do investigate your data, as suggested (make a note of the time). However, this is most likely Claustrophia, and from what I have read, it is common with a full face mask. If you were wearing a nasal mask or pillows, I would say take a few deep breaths through your mouth, but obviously that is not going to help. Try taking your mask off slowly, rather than ripping it off. This is probably something that will go away with time since you can fall asleep with the mask on without feeling this way.

[michaeldwilson]

Even at the lowest pressures, most masks have a pretty high vent rate, so rebreathing is unlikely to be the cause of this unless you have shoved the vent into your pillow. In that case, it might be a possibility. Do investigate your data, as suggested (make a note of the time). However, this is most likely Claustrophia, and from what I have read, it is common with a full face mask. If you were wearing a nasal mask or pillows, I would say take a few deep breaths through your mouth, but obviously that is not going to help. Try taking your mask off slowly, rather than ripping it off. This is probably something that will go away with time since you can fall asleep with the mask on without feeling this way.

Thanks Guest and WindCpap,

It may be claustrophobia, but this happens when I'm deep in sleep, so I'm unaware of it coming on. For this reason, too, I'm not really aware that I'm ripping off the mask until the deed is done. The last time, it was 6:30 in the morning, so I already had a pretty good night sleep, but I did go back to sleep. I am hoping that there would be a tweak that would help, maybe taking the EPR down to 2 or 1.

Mike

[ChicagoGranny]

I am hoping that there would be a tweak that would help, maybe taking the EPR down to 2 or 1.

You can go for hope, or

suggestions

Use Sleepyhead. https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

[stienman]

If your lower limit is 7, and the EPR is 3, then you may be going as low as 4 for exhale. There are a number of reports here that suggest people feel this suffocation at levels around 4 or 5, and a lot of the suggestions at those times are to increase the minimum pressure to 6.

So you might try one of the following:

* Minimum pressure of 7, EPR 1
* Minimum pressure of 8, EPR 2
* Minimum pressure of 9, EPR 3

This will prevent you from ever receiving anything lower than a 6, and if your suffocation is low pressure related, then it should solve the problem. If it doesn't, a further look using sleepyhead may help you figure out what's going on, but this may be worth a try.

[Thatgirl]

Have you tried having ramp off?

[keroseneburner]

High humidity settings can make you wake up feeling like you are suffocating.

[michaeldwilson]

If your lower limit is 7, and the EPR is 3, then you may be going as low as 4 for exhale. There are a number of reports here that suggest people feel this suffocation at levels around 4 or 5, and a lot of the suggestions at those times are to increase the minimum pressure to 6.

So you might try one of the following:

* Minimum pressure of 7, EPR 1
* Minimum pressure of 8, EPR 2
* Minimum pressure of 9, EPR 3

This will prevent you from ever receiving anything lower than a 6, and if your suffocation is low pressure related, then it should solve the problem. If it doesn't, a further look using sleepyhead may help you figure out what's going on, but this may be worth a try.

Stienman,

Thanks! I will try them all! I appreciate your help.

Mike

[michaeldwilson]

Have you tried having ramp off?

Thatgirl,

I haven't tried it with the ramp off. I seem to fall asleep well enough and my suffocation episodes happen later into the night. I wonder though if the ramp feature has an effect that far into the sleep cycle.

Thanks!

Mike

[michaeldwilson]

High humidity settings can make you wake up feeling like you are suffocating.

Keroseneburner,

I have heard this. If all else fails, I will try to lower the humidity settings. At 5, I am extremely dry when I wake up. At 6, I'm ok. So I'll leave it there for now but if this keeps up I'll try 5 again.

Much appreciated!

Mike

[OkyDoky]

Have you tried having ramp off?

Thatgirl,

I haven't tried it with the ramp off. I seem to fall asleep well enough and my suffocation episodes happen later into the night. I wonder though if the ramp feature has an effect that far into the sleep cycle.

Thanks!

Mike

Only if you turn the machine off and on.

[michaeldwilson]

I am hoping that there would be a tweak that would help, maybe taking the EPR down to 2 or 1.

You can go for hope, or

suggestions

Use Sleepyhead. https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

Chicago Granny,

I checked Sleepyhead. From what I can tell, just before I took the mask off last night (I don't remember doing so), the flow rate went to 0 and the mask pressure went to 0, and then the event. I wonder if I obstructed the tube with my arm. Does that happen?

Thanks,

Mike