Question born of paranoia

[RipVanWinkleWannabe]

When I first started on CPAP, it was very obvious to me that air was blowing. When I would turn the machine on, that initial burst would almost take my breath away. I felt like I HAD to inhale or my head would be blown off. But now, after a couple of months, the blowing air is almost imperceptible to me. I feel like I"m breathing normally, like I am throughout the day. Sometimes I'll pull the mask off my face just to make sure the thing is still blowing. I assume it's just that I've gotten used to it, but it's really a strange feeling. I guess I just want to know that others have experienced the same thing. I never thought the blowing air would cease to be intrusive, but it has.

[LinkC]

Yes.

Have you also noted you breathe more deeply in the morning when you get up?

[Pugsy]

Yes, even at the titration study from Hell I woke up and had to put my hand over the vent to insure it was really blowing. The other night I decided to drop my 10 cm pressure down to my titration study recommended 8 cm. I felt like I wasn't moving any air at all. Almost felt like I was suffocating. How anyone can tolerate 4 cm ramping for any length of time is beyond my comprehension. I know I never could.

Our bodies do seem to adjust to the pressure despite the tornado going up the nose... Some more easily than others but it can be done.

[BeanMeScot]

When I first started a low of 6 was too high on my APAP, now I have it set to 7 and don't even notice it. It is just like natural breathing. I guess that is the great thing about the human brain. It has a high capacity to accept changes like this. You just have to give it time.

[Rustyolddude]

It's been that way since the beginning for me. The only time I really noticed "blowing" was when the sleep lab stuck a nasal mask on me and I opened my mouth or when I tried to talk to the lab tech with the FF mask on. Now, if I open my mouth (using FF mask) I notice the pressure because of of my cheeks puffing but otherwise now the only thing I really notice is the mask seal slightly inflating and deflating. I have noticed that the actual sound of my breathing is hardly perceptible unlike before CPAP.

[alnhwrd]

Rip, you have just passed one of the signposts along the road to adapting to the treatment. Congrats! When they first hooked me up to CPAP in the sleep lab at 6cm it felt like a gale blowing in my lungs. It felt like I had to force the air out and just relax and let the machine fill my lungs. Now I breath out against 12 like it was nothing.

Keep up the good work!

[ricochetv1]

Rip, you have just passed one of the signposts along the road to adapting to the treatment. Congrats! When they first hooked me up to CPAP in the sleep lab at 6cm it felt like a gale blowing in my lungs. It felt like I had to force the air out and just relax and let the machine fill my lungs. Now I breath out against 12 like it was nothing.

Keep up the good work!

So... we should work up to 20 and then we'll be able to handle high altitude deep breathing and be able to hold our breathes like champions!
Who knows... maybe the Olympics train their athletes to breathe using CPAPs.

[Paul56]

I put my hand over the exhaust vent of my mask to check if it is blowing.

I enjoy the extra air and feel that I'm getting something that has been missing for a long time. This has been my feeling from the first time a mask was strapped on my face. It was one of those turning points.

I know many worry about what will happen if the power goes out...

I had that happen last week for about 20 minutes. I was masked up and the power went out... it took a good 5 minutes before I realized the machine was not blowing.

No, I did not suffocate... I'm still here.

[ricochetv1]

I put my hand over the exhaust vent of my mask to check if it is blowing.

I enjoy the extra air and feel that I'm getting something that has been missing for a long time. This has been my feeling from the first time a mask was strapped on my face. It was one of those turning points.

I know many worry about what will happen if the power goes out...

I had that happen last week for about 20 minutes. I was masked up and the power went out... it took a good 5 minutes before I realized the machine was not blowing.

No, I did not suffocate... I'm still here.

That's the nice thing about vented masks...
In my Liberty mask, it has this flap that flips down when the air stops coming through the hose, so I can still breathe.

[robertmarilyn]

When I first started on CPAP, it was very obvious to me that air was blowing. When I would turn the machine on, that initial burst would almost take my breath away. I felt like I HAD to inhale or my head would be blown off. But now, after a couple of months, the blowing air is almost imperceptible to me. I feel like I"m breathing normally, like I am throughout the day. Sometimes I'll pull the mask off my face just to make sure the thing is still blowing. I assume it's just that I've gotten used to it, but it's really a strange feeling. I guess I just want to know that others have experienced the same thing. I never thought the blowing air would cease to be intrusive, but it has.

My XPAP road may be a bumpy one to who knows where but I am happy to say that I too don't even notice a pressure of 10 where as when I began, it felt like a wind storm. And I don't need any EPR on a pressure of 10 or 11 now either. And in the middle of the night I will check to see if the thing is on by placing my hand in front of the vent.
mar

[tattooyu]

During my sleep study, and subsequent titration, I felt like I was being suffocated by air (not being able to exhale). It caused me great anxiety. Now, I use 13.6 pressure and it's nothing. I do feel like it's not on most of the time. Not only does the human body adapt to great changes, but I also think my body knows I'm breathing correctly now when I sleep.