Scared!

[Guest]

I've had my machine about 2 weeks now and haven't been able to use it because I get panicked. I'm able to use it for a hour or so while I'm watching tv but when I think about going to sleep, I keep having the feeling of being smothered and I feel trapped. Anyone else have this problem?

[jen4700]

Welcome! You will get more - and better - responses if you tell us a little more about yourself. Please register and list your equipment. There are a lot of people who have gone thru the adjustment you are trying to make. You are not alone.

I'm one of the lucky ones who took to CPAP like a duck to water. But MANY didn't. Search "panic" and "smother" in this forum and I'm sure you'll get a huge list of posts.

It's going to be ok. You've found the right place for support. Hang in there!

[SleepyToo2]

Can you tell us what machine, and what mask you have? What pressure have you been prescribed, and are you using the ramp (starting off at a low pressure and gradually increasing)? The DME (supplier of your machine) may have set the starting pressure for the ramp at 4 - many of us, myself included, find that is too low and I felt like I was suffocating. I didn't panic, because I knew I was in control of the &*^%! machine, not the other way around. Soon raised the starting pressure, then turned off the ramp completely - I only have a pressure of 10.

In addition to providing the information I asked for, you need to contact your DME ASAP. If they have a 24/7 call center, use it. They are supposed to make sure you are comfortable with the machine and mask. Maybe you need a different mask - there are hundreds to choose from. You might need a different type. There are 5 types: nasal (cover just your nose), nasal pillows (fit on the bottom of your nostrils), mouth only (not many of those), hybrid (combination of nasal/nasal pillows and mouth), or full face mask (I think that is self-explanatory, but there are several different ones to choose from). Each person is different in the size and shape of their face, and their preference for type of mask. Nobody, not even your doc or dME, can tell you the best mask for you.

Spend some time on this forum reading what people have written, and the questions they have asked/answered. You will see that you are not alone, and there are many people who will jump in and offer advice. You do need to take charge of your treatment, because the doc and DME won't see you often enough to be able to address all of your challenges/questions. That's assuming that they care, and many of them don't Of course, feel free to come back and ask questions - it would be good if you could register on the forum - this is really one huge happy family!

[Mary Z]

You could try some relaxation technics and start gradually- an hour at a time- you can do anything for an hour then slowly increase the time. If you're not opposed to drugs, and I know this is not the best solution, but sometimes it's necessary, talk to your doctor about something to help with the panic. You can also try relaxing tea. You may have to prove compliance to keep the machine If your insurance requires that.

[IndyDave]

My GP doc gave me an Rx of low dose valium for 2 weeks, just because he'd had other patients get panicky starting out on cpap. It really helped me - only used it about the first week. I also have a radio that you can set to turn off by itself, so I'd tune it to a talk show or news channel... something that I would pay attention to and be distracted, rather than relaxing music... so that kept me thinking about the alien creature stuck to my face! I still do that some nights.

Also, try setting yourself goals. Tell yourself you'll put it on and make yourself keep it on for an hour the first night. If you can't, tell yourself when you wake up you'll try again. then keep increasing your goal each night. My panic feeling went away after the first 2 nights, then it was just constantly waking up because it was there and different, and I'd keep knocking it askew... it was more annoying than panic causing.

Just remember, your cpap is your new best friend, you just need to get used to each other. Good luck!

[BostonGal]

I've been doing for a week...so I can relate. I found out on the first nite that is was hard to breathe and shut off the ramp. That helped alot. I also found that when i heated the water in the humidifier I found that stiffling as well. The first nites are scary as all get out. I just laid in bed and breathed slowly. I felt like I would never get to sleep...but I did. I still have not been able to sleep through the night, but I know I will. I have faith.

It will be ok. Keep trying

[StevenWinters]

I listen to my iPod as I'm falling asleep. I've downloaded a series of history podcasts, which although interesting, never fail to put me out.

There's a reason why parents read bedtime stories to get their kids to fall asleep!

[Gerryk]

I know this isn't ideal, but instead of using drugs to fall asleep try watching tv. You are already able to watch tv wearing the mask, now if you have a tv in your bedroom with a sleep timer on it, set the timer and watch tv as you did before, but this time get a little more comfortable and cover up with the blankets.

[MJKelleher]

I know this isn't ideal, but instead of using drugs to fall asleep try watching tv. You are already able to watch tv wearing the mask, now if you have a tv in your bedroom with a sleep timer on it, set the timer and watch tv as you did before, but this time get a little more comfortable and cover up with the blankets.

Or use a radio (or mp3/cd/other music or sound). That has the advantage over a tv where you don't have your eyes open, don't have to face in any particular direction so can get in a comfy sleep position while listening. Long before starting CPAP I needed to give my brain something to track while I was starting to fall asleep, or else it would start to race on its own and keep me awake. This helps me.

[Suzjohnson]

Music, and I want to hum along, TV, and I can't stop watching. A good audio book will put my lights out in about 15 minutes. It takes for-ever to make it to the end of the book what with the back-tracking the following nights but I think of it as getting my money's worth. It really helps me re-direct my thoughts away from the things my mind wants to obsess over when I'm trying to go to sleep.

Suz

[PST]

The DME (supplier of your machine) may have set the starting pressure for the ramp at 4 - many of us, myself included, find that is too low and I felt like I was suffocating.

I just want to add a big ditto to that. For me, it was during the sleep study that this happened, but starting at too low a pressure can definitely produce a feeling of suffocation.

[Maxie]

Another ditto for checking the ramp pressure. It didn't take me long to discontinue the ramp because of the suffocating feeling while waiting for the pressure to get up to my set pressure of 10.

[zoocrewphoto]

I turned off the ramp feature after 2 days. It seemed nice at first, but then I felt like I wasn't getting enough air. I think it started at 5, and my prescription is 11 - 17. I feel fine with it going to 11 in about 10 seconds.

I am almost up to 2 weeks of usage, and I definitely feel better. There have been a few nights where I have taken it off a couple hours early, or for a couple hours in the middle. But I have managed to wear it at least 6 hours most nights. The shortest was just over 4 hours. I did have one night that was completely skipped, but that was because I did not actually go to bed. I had a printing project that needed to be done by 6am, and all 4 of my printers were giving me various problems. By the time i got them working, it simply wasn't physically possible to get the printing completely done by 6am, even printing all night. I got it almost done, and took what I could. The next night, which was actually last night, I went to bed early, slept for 3 hours, got up for 2 hours, and then went back to bed for 12 hours. Of the 15 hours in bed, I registered 12 of them with the machine on. I remember waking up several times with a leak here or there. I know I drooled once. Sometimes, I put it right back on. Other times, I think I fell asleep during the process, because it was in the bed next to me.

Now, last Thursday night, I had my first time of 5 hours straight, without remembering any wakeups, not even a mask adjustment. And I felt awesome all day. Good thing since it was the following night that I didn't get to sleep.

Overall, I still wake up frequently, something I did before the machine. But clearly, I sleep better between the wakeups since I feel a lot better. And I think they are getting fewer.

[Issac]

I needed a sleeping pill for the first two weeks.