CPAP causing central apnea

[LindseyMichelle]

Hey guys I have discovered my cpap is causing me central apnea. It only happens when I begin to fall asleep, I feel myself stop breathing as I start to relax and drift off, even though I am not fully asleep, it's weird. It starts out on the lowest pressure so I don't think it's high pressure. The sleepy head data also shows that to be the case. Before CPAP this never happened to me

In addition, when I turned the machine off and tried to go back to sleep the same thing was still happening. I could feel myself stop breathing

Has anyone experienced this and any advice?

[SewTired]

What is happening when you are awake is different than when you are asleep. Is CPAP the problem? Probably not. CPAP sometimes reveals a problem that was already present. Central apneas are common when you are just awakening or just falling asleep. Does your Sleepyhead report show you having CA's at other times of the night? Also, upload a chart - others far more experienced at reading those things could give you pointers.

[palerider]

Before CPAP this never happened to me

more likely you just never noticed it before.

a little bit of transitional central apnea is fairly normal and nothing to worry about, just ignore it, your body will want to breath when it builds up enough co2 to trigger your respiratory drive.

[LindseyMichelle]

hi! you seem like the local expert. So this is all part of the normal process? The first night I had a lot of centrals, the second I only had about 3 or 4 and then last night I didnt have many until I woke up and tried to fall back asleep. It was so strange. But if this part of the process then I am relieved

Also I tried to send you a PM but it just stays in the outbox

[prodigyplace]

PMs stay in your Oubox until they are read. By default, if you get a reply, you get an email notification too.

[palerider]

hi! you seem like the local expert. So this is all part of the normal process? The first night I had a lot of centrals, the second I only had about 3 or 4 and then last night I didnt have many until I woke up and tried to fall back asleep. It was so strange. But if this part of the process then I am relieved

Also I tried to send you a PM but it just stays in the outbox

here's the reply I sent via PM:

the first thing I'd say is do not worry!

if you hang around, you'll read comments about "sleep wake junk" on charts, which is a term to describe "transitional central apnea" (something you can google if you want to learn more science about it) it's complicated, but, in essence, the way you breath while awake is different, and controlled differently, from the way you breath while asleep. sometimes, when moving from one type of breathing to the other, your breathing becomes very irregular, until you're fully into the other mode, and the machine, not knowing any better, can register apneas as that happens. this doesn't happen to everybody, but it's fairly common and nothing at all to worry about.

there are also times when you're aroused from sleep a little, and you hold your breath while you turn over, or find a comfortable position, also totally normal, but that too can cause the machine to register false centrals.

the take-away is that some centrals here and there, or even clusters at times you're likely waking up or falling asleep can be completely disregarded.

I hope this helps.