Gasping - not sleeping - Please help Suggestions

[GiantPurpleParrot]

Dear Friends,

I posted here before but I don't think I made myself clear so I will try again:

I got a chest cold two weeks ago. More or less ok now.

Since then I see what is happening is as follows:

1) I go to sleep. *As soon* as sleep comes on somebody tells my brain to stop breathing. My wife says she can see that I really "stop" breathing. My chest "falls". Then I awake in a "jerk" *gasping for air. This just goes on again and again. That means NO SLEEP at all! I am developing a fear of going to sleep because the feeling of losing your breathing and then gasping for air is very disconcerting to say the least.

I have a good CPAP (ResMed and humid) but it doesn't seem to be helping. But I ask myself "why should it? Should I expect the CPAP to breathe for me? I live far away in the desert and it's going to take time till I get to a Dr. And anyway I would predict that the collective knowledge of all the users of this forum greatly exceeds that of any Doctor. Thank You.
PurpleParrot

[Julie]

What equipment are you using - which model, mask, pressure settings etc? With no info, it's hard to help and we don't like to guess. It certainly sounds like you have untreated apnea, and it's possible you may just need more min. pressure, but please give more info for now. The machine is not supposed to breathe for you, btw, just help to open your airway a bit so that it doesn't close off when you do breathe in.

Just realized you started another thread a while back and were asked to provide more info... but haven't. We'd really like to help, but don't have enough to go on.

[GiantPurpleParrot]

Thank you for your attention:

CPAP= ResMed Airsence 10 Elite

Full Fase ResMed Mirrage Quatro

Pressure=10

As I mentioned there is something basic I don't understand:

The *second* I fall asleep somebody tells me/my lungs to stop breathing which in turn causes me to awake gasping for air. Well, that makes sense. So how is the CPAP therapy going to "kick in" here? It might do a wonderful job of filling up my nose and throat with air but I gotta breath man.....!!!!!!

[Pugsy]

Where is "far away in the desert"?

You might be experiencing what is called a sleep onset central apnea. The airway is open but the brain doesn't send the signal to breathe.
CPAP machine can't do it for you as it isn't designed to push that much air that fast.

Sleep onset centrals (if that is what you have going on) are actually a normal occurrence and usually not a problem UNLESS they keep coming and keep bouncing a person our of sleep so that they don't progress from awake to asleep.

Your machine is a full data machine and will flag central apneas if you are having them.
I suggest that you start with using available software to see if you are having any centrals flagged right at the beginning of the night that might be sleep onset centrals.

SleepyHead will work fine with the AirSense 10 Elite machine.

https://sleepyhead.jedimark.net/

and how to install and use
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... SleepyHead

How to post images of the detailed reports if you want member input.
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

[Dvdmatsunaga]

Hey man, please keep us updated. I just tried my machine for the second time last night and am experiencing the exact same problem. The scary part is it kept happening after I took the mask off. It’s pretty miserable. Start falling asleep (maybe even dream for a second) and immediately wake up seemingly holding my breath. Start breathing and heart starts beating rapidly. Rinse and repeat.

[kteague]

When one has the troubles you describe, it is usually one of two things. Either you have sleep onset centrals or your pressure is too low and the moment you relax into sleep you have an obstructive event. Do yourself a favor and let the data savvy folks here take a look and point you in the right direction. I am not familiar with the many machines in regards to data during the ramp period. These days I think some do report data even during ramp. Someone else could advise on that. Even if your machine responds to imprending events in the case of obstructives during ramp, a starting pressure too low can make it take too long to reach an effective pressure. If your sleep starts during the ramp period, those settings will be more relative than the actual pressure setting.

[GiantPurpleParrot]

Ok, so I already feel better knowing that I am not alone. I am working on this and will post as info comes in. You too please update on any little piece of info.
Thank You

[GiantPurpleParrot]

Hey man, please keep us updated. I just tried my machine for the second time last night and am experiencing the exact same problem. The scary part is it kept happening after I took the mask off. It’s pretty miserable. Start falling asleep (maybe even dream for a second) and immediately wake up seemingly holding my breath. Start breathing and heart starts beating rapidly. Rinse and repeat.

>>seemingly holding my breath. Start breathing and heart starts beating rapidly.<<
Yeah sounds like we are in the same boat. We'll beat it... Please update/

Update [01] - 15:30 03/09 - trying to "force" myself not to "jump" when this (the gasp for air) comes. Just keep lying down and wait. Saying to myself:"You don't "need" to breathe so (just let your body take care of it) just let it go...."