hard to breath

[gspencer]

Does anybody find it hard breath when they first take their mask off.

[Spirit]

Yes, I do. Feels like I suffocate for a bit, then breathing normalizes.

[xiola]

yes! sometimes when i wake up ill take my mask off, and while im laying there gathering the will to actually get otu of bed, im... uncomfortable. i feel like i have to work harder to breathe

it passes quickly though

[harry33]

I dont and wonder what the cause might be
is it only nose breathing thats harder

[gspencer]

I have been diagnosised with asthma .Maybe that has something to do with it. No it's mouth and nose.

[Muse-Inc]

During my first month or so, when I took the mask off it felt like I didn't know whether to suck in or blow out in terms of effort...felt very strange, lasted for a few mins to up to an hr. Eventually went away tho on really stressful days I am aware of that sensation.

[Gerryk]

It will make a difference when you take your mask off. Some of us won't really notice it and others notice it every time.
As far as having asthma, yes that can make it harder. CPAP's are used on ambulances to treat only a very few problems and a severe asthmatic is one of them.
Usually a pt will have taken their inhaler and many times will have taken a breathing treatement before they call us. Occasionally someone will use an epi pen before calling us. However, we usually give them another breathing treatment while on cpap. This pushed the meds deeper into the lung than the med will go on it's own.

I have had people who said they needed an ambulance and cpap when they called. They knew what they needed because we treated them before.

Gerry

[secret agent girl]

.

[sleepycarol]

Yep, I have had those feelings. Don't know what causes it. I do have asthma.

[Judy R]

I've not noticed it, but then I'm one of those that once I'm awake, my feet hit the floor running, so maybe I'm just not aware of it. I hope this will subside once you get use to being on cpap therapy.

[Gerryk]

You basically get that feeling because when you use cpap your airway is pressurized.

[Komodo]

I felt the same way when I first started, but not any more.

In my early days, I found that if I took the mask off first, then shut off the machine, it wasn't as bad as turning off the machine first.

[gasp]

I wonder if there's any correlation to experiencing this and a person's pressure setting...

I wondered this also. Perhaps the more pressurized the airway is, the more sensation of absence of pressure would be felt.

[Muse-Inc]

...I have had people who said they needed an ambulance and cpap when they called. They knew what they needed...

This is so cool! When I read that CPAPs were gonna be added to rescue units, I thought it was such a good idea, so many times breathing is compromised during accidents, acute illness, severe allergic reactions, lots of anxiety. Broke both legs bones in left ankle tho didn't know it at the time, all I knew what that something was horribly wrong...all I was concentrating on was not hyperventilating & I couldn't think coherently. When the paramedics arrived, they wanted me to put wt on it...were they nuts? In the ambulance, they were asking me questions when the pain finally hit me; they asked me when I was born, I said, Say the months and I think I'll recognize it ; it did work & we got som eo fthe paperwork done and it was somewhat distracting. This was long before apnea but I could sure tell my breathing was affected. Nice to see that CPAPs are being used.

[Jaylee]

Yes I do but I ususally only notice it when I am sitting still. If sit up and get out of bed right away to get dressed, I don't seem to notice.