Arms, legs, face tingling and lightheadedness *only* when using CPAP

[perfectfire]

Edit: As of a few minutes after posting this I realized that instead of suffocating I might be hyperventilating. The symptoms are an exact match. I tried to edit this post, but it wasn't approved yet so I couldn't edit it until now. The doctor lowered my pressure remotely. I'm going to try it tonight.

I know several people have already posted about this and everyone says "It's not your cpap" or "It can be your cpap", but it definitely is. I'm doing a 1 month trial with a AirSens10 Autosense and Philips Respironics Dreamwear Full face mask (I can't breathe solely through my nose, I can't get enough air through my nostrils). I came home from work and got on my bed so I could use the CPAP while working so that I could get used to breathing against the pressure and also get used to wearing the mask. After about 45 minutes to an hour my hands are tingling (my feet too, but I was sitting on them) and I was feeling a little lightheaded. I did a search for CPAP extremities tingling and saw some threads on this forum and one person mentioned face tingling. That's when I noticed that my face and head were starting to tingle too. But since everyone here says it can't possibly be the CPAP I turned it off and decided to try it again.

After a several minutes off the CPAP the tingling went away. Then I turned it back on. Again, after 45 minutes to an hour my extremities start to tingle and I'm a bit lightheaded. After several more minutes the tingling grows and now my face and head are starting to tingle. I turned it off and it has been a few minutes and the tingling is gone again.

I think what is happening is that the mask is forcing me to rebreathe my exhaled air and is thus slowly suffocating me. The pressure setting is 5 - 10. I'm going to make an appt. with my provider.

[zonker]

I know several people have already posted about this and everyone says "It's not your cpap" or "It can be your cpap", but it definitely is.
<snip>
I think what is happening is that the mask is forcing me to rebreathe my exhaled air and is thus slowly suffocating me. The pressure setting is 5 - 10. I'm going to make an appt. with my provider.

welcome to the zoo!

the mask DOES NOT force you to breath back in your exhaled air. what MAY be happening is that the vents in the mask aren't clogged or otherwise not venting properly thus causing you to breathe back in what you have exhaled.

also, you will want to up your pressure from 5 to a 6 or 7. very few people can breathe properly against the low pressure of 5.

good luck!

[raisedfist]

All retail masks are vented to prevent you from re breathing carbon dioxide. Only when using an active circuit, with a separate exhaust valve, using a ventilator for life support, would you use a non-vented mask. Put your hand in front of the vent area where the little vent holes are and you will feel the air.

It's possible your minimum pressure is too low causing you to have air hunger and become panicky. Also, CPAP can lower your blood pressure causing light headedness so if you're already on a medication for BP you may want to check that out.

[palerider]

I think what is happening is that the mask is forcing me to rebreathe my exhaled air and is thus slowly suffocating me. The pressure setting is 5 - 10. I'm going to make an appt. with my provider.

If you were rebreathing, your respiration rate would be going up and up, and you'd be breathing harder and harder, gasping for air.

Is this happening? you didn't mention that very clear problem.

If you have EPR turned on, it may be causing you to blow off too much CO2, causing a hyperventilated state, which can make people feel light headed. If you've got EPR turned on, try turning it OFF.

[rick blaine]

Hi perfectfire,

I'll echo what palerider says about 'hyper-ventilating'.

As I understand it, the tingling happens when you are using the machine and are awake – so you can "get used to it'. And in fact, you are "working" at some task while using the machine, and not just sitting relaxed – say, watching tv.

What you may be doing is 'hyper-ventilating' – breathing more than you need, and breathing off CO2. That's what causes the tingling. Not too much CO2 in your lungs, but not enough.

What you need to do – even though your aim to get used to the machine – is breathe normally. And by that, I mean not too big or too deep a breath out and not too many breaths per minute out.

20 is too many. 15 is acceptable. 12 would be ideal.

And learn this adjustment process while you are in a relaxed state. Not tensed and "working" at something. Let your diaphragm and the muscles between your ribs find just the right amount of push.

[chunkyfrog]

Tingling can be caused by an anxiety attack. (Been there--done that)
Read, watch TV, or whatever it takes to get your mind off the mask.
It will get better.

[perfectfire]

As of a few minutes after posting this I realized that instead of suffocating I might be hyperventilating. The symptoms are an exact match. I tried to edit this post, but it wasn't approved yet so I couldn't edit it until now. The doctor lowered my pressure remotely. I'm going to try it tonight.

Edit: I think they also turned EPR off. They turned something off, but I didn't catch the acronym, but when looking at your replies I'm pretty sure they said EPR.

[perfectfire]

Also, this is maybe a bit off topic, but has anybody with depression/anxiety noticed improvements in mood from using the CPAP machine? I think using it for just a few hours might be improving my mood even when I get no sleep at night because I'm not used to the CPAP yet.

Ok, so my wife found some article talking about living at altitude causing or making depression worse (I live near Boulder, CO) several years ago. We have considered moving back to the coast (the Seattle area is my favorite place in the world anyways), but never really got the opportunity plus we never really knew if altitude was really a factor.

The two nights I tried it I didn't get any sleep at all, but those days, despite feeling very tired, my mood was very good. Then one day my mood was very bad and after work I sat on my bed using the CPAP to try to get used to it. After a few hours of using it and getting lightheaded and tingling in my extremities (which is why I think it is causing me to hyperventilate) I noticed that my mood had improved. Then I remembered that thing my wife had seen talking about altitude and depression. So maybe the lower pressure or lower oxygen level makes my mood worse and just being on a CPAP a few hours a day might improve it.

Here's an article I just stumbled upon today (on reddit's exmormon subforum) that talks a bit about altitude and depression: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900 ... tudes.html

[rionoirble]

Try something more relaxing than working when you're getting used to your machine. I took mine out by the TV and took my mask on and off a lot for a good portion of a day to get used to it - even started by just holding it to my face for a few seconds, instead of strapping into it. If you aren't sleeping at all with it, I think you need to back up and listen to your body and your anxiety and go slower with it. You can even just disconnect the machine altogether and just wear the mask by itself - there's a big hole in the front so you'll still be able to get plenty of air.

Also, the composition of room air wouldn't change with CPAP, so the air you're taking in wouldn't have any more oxygen than without the machine. It may be that the machine is just helping you take deeper breaths more easily, which isn't a terrible thing either for us anxiety sufferers.