Newbie with a couple of questions

[rzr632]

I've just completed my 4th night on CPAP. Thank you all for the posts on this site. I have read much and learned much and made some adjustments last night that made it one of the better nights on this new way of sleep life.

I do have two questions:

1. For the last two days, I have felt very light-headed. Is this a side-effect? Does it go away? (I do have the other gassy symptoms too that I've learned about from this site).

2. Last night I woke up coughing/gaging. Not sure what brought it on. But I pulled the mask off and I guess I had it off too long because the machine turned itself off. I immediately turned it back on, put the mask back on and promptly feel back asleep. This morning when I looked at the stats, it said my session was less than 4 hours. I went to bed at 11:30 and woke this morning at 6:15...much longer than 4 hours. My only guess is that when the machine turned off and I turned it back on, it reset at that point. It was about 3:00am. So from 3 to 6 this morning would be less than 4 hours. Is this right? Would the machine have reset after turning off for only a few seconds?

[dsm]

Hi rzr

Re Q1, that can be normal, the extra air you are getting at night in the very early days of therapy, can create lightheadedness.

However, are you getting a deep sleep or do you feel your sleep is very shallow ?

If shallow are you aware at any time of breathing rapidly ?

Good luck

DSM

[alnhwrd]

When I first started, I was sensitive to pressure and humidiy changes. If I changed either I would wake up coughing. Now it doesn't bother me.

[beachgurl_1988]

I started my CPAP use a year ago and was anxious to try nasal pillows. I did for about a month, and I too woke up gasping/etc.

I have read (and correct me if I am wrong) that nasal pillows are very hard to get used to. Luckely I called Apria and they sent me a 'sample' of a fisher and pykel full face mask, at no cost to me, and I have been sleeping like a baby ever since.

I never felt dizziness after using my cpap machine though.

[ozij]

I started my CPAP use a year ago and was anxious to try nasal pillows. I did for about a month, and I too woke up gasping/etc.

I have read (and correct me if I am wrong) that nasal pillows are very hard to get used to.

I'd say you're wrong.

I started my cpap use 3 years ago and had a miserable time with nasal masks.

The RT managed to convice me to try nasal pillows - I was terrified at the thought - and I haven't looked back since. Nasal pillows masks are a blessing for me - and I'm not alone.

With any mask the doesn't cover your mouth, you may be mouth breathing - or mouth leaking, which is counter therapeutic.

O,

[KansasRT]

I believe that nasal pillows are something that you can get used to. But I do have patients that after trying them HATE them. Just like any other mask they work for some, and not for others. If a Full Face Mask has you sleeping like a baby I think you were mouth breathing and no mask that dosen't cover your mouth would fix that problem. I would be interested where yo read they were had to get used to. I would bet it was written by someone trying to sell FFM.

[DreamStalker]

Yep. Faces come in many more varieties than do cpap masks. It is a lot easier to get a mask that fits your face than it is to get a face to fit the mask you got with your machine.

Nasal pillow mask interfaces are the only kind I can tolerate. Even for full face types I can only tolerate the hybrid/liberty type mask that has the nasal pillows integrated with an oral cushion. Everyone is different.

[rzr632]

I think I'm getting deep, good sleep. It has only been a few days and I don't feel like a 20 year old yet again, but I have noticed that I'm not having any problems staying alert during very boring meetings, I was drinking 2 20oz Dr. Peppers each morning just to get me to lunch where I could have another Dr. Pepper. I've not had a single one this week and I'm ok. I'm also not falling asleep on my drive home and I actually sat down and watch tv last night and saw the entire show. That hasn't happened in a long time. So, yes, I guess this is working and I'm getting some good sleep. I can't wait to see how much better it gets.

During my triation I tried about 5 differnet mask types. The nasal pillow seemed to work best for me. So far, no problems (other than this lightheadedness/dizziness I get - wished it would stop...it is driving me crazy).

[Pineapple]

Have you had your blood pressure checked?

[DreamStalker]

This is just a guess since you have not posted any additional efficacy data.

I think you may have sprung a large and lengthy leak which caused your machine to shut off (explains shrotfall in hours use) ... then while your mask was still on you breathed in exhaled CO2 (explains dizzy symptoms) ... you then began experiencing severe apneas (explains coughing and gaging).

Do you have the Encore software? ... you need it to figure out what is happening to your treatment while you are asleep.

[rzr632]

Wow, that is kind of scary. I do not have the software. Where do I get? I also hear about the need for a smartcard reader....does that come with the software or do I need to get that too?

According to the machine, the avg L/min is 31. Does that mean I'm leaking about 31 minutes a session or 31 minutes an hour?

[DreamStalker]

Wow, that is kind of scary. I do not have the software. Where do I get? I also hear about the need for a smartcard reader....does that come with the software or do I need to get that too?

According to the machine, the avg L/min is 31. Does that mean I'm leaking about 31 minutes a session or 31 minutes an hour?

You can get the Encore software and card reader from our forum sponsor but other online vendors sell it as well.

L/min refer to liters per minute, and reflects the rate of airflow venting from the air circuit. If there are no leaks, it reflects the amount of airflow used for venting the exhaled CO2 from your mask. Your 31 L/min average leak rate is normal for your nasal pillow mask. However, if you spring a large and lengthy leak, the machine will stop recording data and may shut off.

[rzr632]

Thanks for the update. Glad to know I'm not suffering for CO2 poisioning (or something). Maybe my head has been suffering from oxygen deprivation for so long that now it is getting it, I'm overwhelmed. Could be caffeen withdrawals too. Hopefully it will get better in a few days (that is what I'm telling myself).

I will look for and purchase teh software and reader. I really want to have and track this information.

[Snoredog]

I would go through the programming on the machine and make sure it is set up correctly, not sure if that machine has Auto:Off, if it does I would disable it. If you start to shallow breathe that feature can get screwed up and confuse it for removing the mask and shut off the machine during sleep. It will also shut off the machine in the presence of large leak (after timer expires).

It is not hard reaching over and hitting the on/off button if you need to get up from bed.

Having that feature (really dumb feature those dimwits at Respironics put on a machine when you think about it) can cause the machine to stop and start all night long. You shallow breathe or stop breathing the machine shuts off, when you go through your panic state it starts the machine again and repeats. Idiots who designed that feature need to have their own heads examined.

I would error on the side of your pressure NOT being high enough during REM sleep as the most likely cause of your problem (assuming its not that dumb auto:off feature).

I would try increasing your pressure by 1 cm. If you are already having difficulty falling asleep with current pressure, enable the Ramp feature and set the timer as long as possible such as 45 minutes. Set the starting ramp pressure to something comfortable like 6.5 to 7 cm or so.