Prob. W/ exhale

SCTiger73 · Post by **SCTiger73** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:48 am

New user of Resmed Airsense 10 w/ nose pillow CPAP. Been trying to adjust to use for 6 nights. The longest time period of use has been 5 hrs. for two nights. Rest of nights has been 2 hrs. or less. My problem is the ability to completely exhale. By not being able to vacate my lungs completely, I wake up feeling like I can't breathe. Then am unable to go back to sleep with the device on. Any suggestions?

SCTiger73 · Post by **SCTiger73** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:52 am

If it makes a difference, my pressure is set at 13! Tks.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:56 am

Are you saying that you are okay when you first start the night but experience difficulty later in the night?
Are you using EPR exhale relief?
What size nasal pillow are you using?

LSAT · Post by **LSAT** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:59 am

SCTiger73 wrote:New user of Resmed Airsense 10 w/ nose pillow CPAP. Been trying to adjust to use for 6 nights. The longest time period of use has been 5 hrs. for two nights. Rest of nights has been 2 hrs. or less. My problem is the ability to completely exhale. By not being able to vacate my lungs completely, I wake up feeling like I can't breathe. Then am unable to go back to sleep with the device on. Any suggestions?

What machine are you using? Please add your equipment in your profile.

SCTiger73 · Post by **SCTiger73** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:33 am

I am having trouble exhaling when I go to sleep, but can manage. It is later (3-4 hrs) that I wake up and can not go back to sleep because I can not completely exhale and thus can not get my full breath. I am not using any exhale assistance.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:46 am

What size nasal pillow are you using?

Since you didn't answer...try the next size larger if you can.

Are you using the ramp feature (if so for how long) where you start out at a lower pressure for a period of time...and if you wake up and turn the machine off briefly in the middle of the night then ramp will likely be used at that time also. Sometimes the lower pressures used during ramp will make a person feel like they are having trouble exhaling. Just not enough air moving.
Typically starts out at 4 cm and for a lot of people that is too low for comfort.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 11:00 am

Medium nasal pillow. The ramp feature starts at 8 and gradually increases to 13. I am fine and breathe ok when starting but when it reaches 13 it feels like I can not exhale completely and thus can't seem to get a full breath.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 11:11 am

Is the exhale relief enabled? That would be called EPR on your machine.
If you aren't using EPR then I would suggest that you try it...settings available are 1, 2 and 3 and each corresponds to a 1 cm per setting reduction during exhale which may help you. Setting of 3 is 3 cm reduction.
If you are already using EPR set to 3...you probably should be getting back to your doctor about your problem.

If you don't know about EPR or it is not enabled you can read about it here which also explains how to get to it to turn it on and make setting changes.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

Is your machine really the "CPAP" model (will say that on top of the machine)?

Slartybartfast · Post by **Slartybartfast** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 12:11 pm

It sounds like you are one who really needs to make use of your machine's EPR feature (exhale pressure relief). My first night on CPAP was at constant (too high) pressure because I hadn't yet had my titration study, and the doc' set it up for worst-case, with no EPR. When I awakened, refreshed and clear-headed, I felt like I had been blowing up balloons all night. It didn't prevent me from sleeping, but it was an odd sensation.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:11 pm

Seems like you are confused at how human bodies work. Breathing is controlled by your bodies auto function ( The Brain ).

Nomally, you breath by the brain sending signals to breath, you can override this, but the brain will take over as soon as your stupid runs out. (You can hold your breath, until you pass out, then the brain takes control and resumes breathing, unless the stress of foolishness causes a heart attact, by then natural selection takes over.

It is not normal to deep breath or rapid breath, unless the body requires it, even so your body is suppose to send the required signals, you can over ride them, but you also can walk in front of a speeding bus. Free Wille!

Bottom line, turn off ramp, set exhale relief, and pressure, RELAX, convenience your mind you can do xpap, and it will let you. Practice while watching TV if needed. Jim

PoolQ · Post by **PoolQ** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 2:56 pm

Well the above post noted and I got it also.
I had/have the same issue you have and understand. I used the ramp and it was the ONLY way I was going to get used to the machine, without ramp I just was not able to use it. I have since gotten used to it and slowly increased the starting pressure of the ramp setting and then turned it off. I assume that this is what it is supposed to be used for, worked for me.

I needed EPR set to 3 and it helped a lot, I could at least sleep I kept telling my doctor that even though I was using the machine, I was not sleeping most of the time I had it on. He finally sent me off to another sleep study and was really surprised at the results-6 hours of mask time and less than 2 hours of sleep (this was a CPAP to BiLevel titration). Needless to say I now have a BiLevel machine I am trying to get used to.

humidity and temperature also effected me a lot, I now have it turned off and set to 63 degrees. YMMV

Prob. W/ exhale

Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale

Re: Prob. W/ exhale