Questions From A Newbie

Hello and thank you for all the information. I am new to CPAP and really have no problem falling asleep when I first go to bed. The problems occur when I wake up - to use the bathroom, or just wake up - I cannot tolerate the mask and end up not using it for the rest of the night. There are times I feel as if I am about to suffocate and I just remove the mask. Needless to say, this behavior is not helping my condition. I really want to be compliant because I am looking forward to feeling better. Any longtime users have any help? I also have questions regarding certain medications like Provigil and Nuvigil. Are these medications helpful for the days after I sleep without using the mask? Thanks again for all the valuable information. When looking for information, this was the first site I found and I'm glad I did!

Hi Steve and welcome.

Could you please add a bit more information.
Do you use the ramp feature? If so, at what pressure and how long?
Do you use the C Flex feature? If so at what setting.
What pressure is the machine set at?

What machine do you have? The one in you profile is older, so I don't think you picked the right one. And please set the last drop-down to text, because you can't tell the machines apart from pictures.

And what pressure setting(s) are you using. Using the ramp feature? Low pressure can cause some to feel like they can't get enough air.

Welcome Steve O. Five months ago I was a newbie. Now I feel like a seasoned veteran!

Just to be clear, you get up to go to the bathroom, and then when you go back to sleep you cannot tolerate the mask?

If that's the case, try using the ramp again when you go back to sleep so the pressure builds up gradually. Are you using the ramp feature at all? What pressure do you use?

Steve O wrote:...have no problem falling asleep when I first go to bed. The problems occur when I wake up - to use the bathroom, or just wake up - I cannot tolerate the mask and end up not using it for the rest of the night. There are times I feel as if I am about to suffocate and I just remove the mask....

Someone here posted (sorry can't remember who...Black Spinner? Rested Gal?) said when you wake up in the middle of the night, you are no longer an adult, you are an easily frightened 3 yr old! If those reactions occur as they did when I switched masks, I think of those as the an alien's got me syndrome and try to chuckle to myself. While this does nothing for the immediate reaction to this thing on my face & feeling of suffocation/too much air, trying to laugh about it eases the anxiety and makes it easier to get back to sleep. Because you said you have no issues when you first go to sleep, you have the capacity to do this later in the night. I'm guessing there's a mental thing going on that's making this a challenge for you.

Hi again, and thanks for the info and requests for more info on my situation. I am using a REMstar Pro 2 C-Flex CPAP machine with a Forma Full Face CPAP Mask with headgear with the REMstar heated humidifier. Ramp-up is set at 4 with my regular setting at 8, so yes, I do use the ramp-up feature, however in the middle of the night after waking, I never thought to use it. (!) C-Flex is set at 1 but now I know from reading the users manual, that increasing that may help a bit. I'm afraid that my compliance is not where it should be, however I have only been in possession of the machine for nearly 2 weeks. Are medications like Provigil and Nuvigil still advisable while on CPAP therapy? Thanks for all the info and thanks again for being there.

Provigil and Nuvigil can be used with CPAP therapy when the patient still experiences sleepiness. At two weeks in, I would think it is too soon for you to draw any conclusions just yet. You might enter Provigil and Nuvigil in the search box as I know they have been discussed.

I nonexpert advice is to try and make the therapy work without resorting to drugs. You will be glad for it in the long run.

At a pressure of 8, I would suggest not using the ramp feature when you go to bed. Get used to the pressure hitting you full force. If you are like a lot of people here, it will not take you long to get accustomed to it. I started out at 10, no ramp, and will shortly be working myself up to 12, no ramp.

I find when I awake in the middle of the night (I am a restless sleeper), the mask has often become 'fussy' with increased pressure. Somehow, I can see how you might be experiencing this (consciously or otherwise) and become discouraged contining with the mask. Trying to get it stabilized can sometimes take a while, or be discouraging when everything seems to leak. When that happens, I treat thing as an 'engineering problem' and solve them. In time, I have gotten used to doing this, and significant leaks are now only an occasional problem.