woke up gasping for air last night

[lfranek]

Hi there...I have been on CPAP since Sept 06. Have felt for a few months now that my pressure wasnt high enough-it is set at 8. I still wake frequently (maybe 5-6 times a night, that I know of) but last night my husband said I raised up off of my stomach, gasping....He said it scared the crap out of him...he told me I was fine-go back to sleep and I did. I dont remember any of it....so now I am questioning AGAIN if my pressure is high enough? I certainly feel better compared to pre-cpap but am still tired and now concerned with the waking up gasping. Anyone else experience this while on cpap? Not sure what to do.....
Thanks
Larissa

[Linda3032]

Larissa, you probably should talk to your doctor and perhaps he will put you on apap for a couple of weeks. The apap could be set for 8 to 12, and he could read the card and see what your 90% pressure is. Sometimes titrations don't get it exactly right.

And yes, it does sound like the pressure might be too low.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): APAP

[mild6]

I had waken up a couple of times grasping for air with CPAP set at 6, which was my prescribed level. I then turned to 7, and I have not had encountered the episode since (touching wood).

[jskinner]

so now I am questioning AGAIN if my pressure is high enough? I certainly feel better compared to pre-cpap but am still tired and now concerned with the waking up gasping. Anyone else experience this while on cpap? Not sure what to do.....

Yep I spent 2 months at the wrong pressure. Like you I felt some better but still woke up a lot and didn't fell fully rested. I finally got an APAP and found that my pressure should have been 9cm. That helped alot (until I started having nasal problems, but thats a different story...)

As suggested, I would see if you can rent an APAP for a while to check if your pressure is correct.

[Snoredog]

could be your pressure is not high enough OR
you are mouth breathing which renders cpap pressure ineffective.

if you have a copy of your PSG, check it to see if any CA or MA events were noted, if so you cannot increase pressure. If absent, you can try increasing to 9cm. You may also try taping your mouth if you suspect you are mouth breathing as indicated by dry mouth in the morning.

[WillSucceed]

You MIGHT be experiencing breath stacking... are you using C-FLEX? When you wake up, does it seem like you are panting? For some people, C-FLEX can trigger them to start inhaling before they have finished exhaling. This can cause some CO2 buildup which can then cause you to pant/gasp in an effort to blow off the excess CO2.

In addition to the suggestions already offered, including talking to your Dr., if you are using C-FLEX, try turning it off for a few nights. Not down, but entirely off.

While C-FLEX is great for lots of folk, it is a curse for some. If you are using it, consider turning it completely off (through the programming screen) and see how you do.