What was that thump

I am new to CPAP and I am currently traveling OS so I'm away from the support of my supplier/doctor.

A little problem has arisen where almost every time I start to doze off the machine gives a very noticeable kick in pressure which then of course wakes me up again. The "kick" feels like you are breathing in through a tube and someone momentarily blocks the other end for a split second.

I have just spent 5 hours from 02:00 to 07:00 starting to doze and then being "smacked in the face" - well it feels like that when you are trying to get to sleep.

I can make the machine do this by holding my breath for about 20 seconds and then slowly starting to inhale.

Is this normal or is there probably a fault with my machine? I have a ResMed S8 AutoSet Spirit II.

Sounds to me like your pressure should be raised a bit. That "thump" may be a event happening as you are falling asleep. Your airway may be closing with an hypopnea happening.

Just my thought.

kennb,

What machine do you have? I sometimes notice the same thing on my ResMed S8 Elite II. (For future reference, it's a good idea to go to your control panel and fill in your equipment. It comes up all the time, and people can help more if the information is at hand. The verbal descriptions are more useful than the icons.) It doesn't bother me much, but I would like to get rid of it. I've found this machine very quiet and smooth, so the little thumps are the exception. If you have an S8 type machine, are you using EPR (which is what ResMed calls its slight lowering of pressure for exhaling)? I have not experimented to see if this only happens using EPR.

What pressure settings are you using?

I've discovered (using my ResLink data module) that the Autoset II will make large, fast pressure increases in response to snoring. So you may be drifting off, start to snore, and the machine kicks the pressure up quickly and awakens you. As TwoKat said, if you increase your minimum pressure enough to prevent the snoring, you may eliminate the problem.

You could also try putting the machine into straight CPAP mode to see if the awakenings stop.

Do you have the instructions for setting your machine? If not, send me a PM with an email address, and I can send them to you.

PST --

The Elite is a straight CPAP, so this explanation does not apply to your setup.

I am getting multiple thumps with my Paykel machine and trying both the Quattro and Ultra Mirage full face masks. My air pressure is set on 10. I've been using my sleep apnea gear since April 2009. I haven't had any bump noises until this past week or two when I've been getting the bump noise repeatedly -disruptive to the point where I can't wear my mask. The first few bedtime hours or so -no bump noise. Then, the bump begins repeatedly. Some of you posters have said to raise the air pressure and some have said to lower the air pressure. WHAT DO I DO? I am exhausted with not being able to use my mask half the night for a week now!! Thank you .

Hawthorne wrote:Sounds to me like your pressure should be raised a bit. That "thump" may be a event happening as you are falling asleep. Your airway may be closing with an hypopnea happening.

Just my thought.

I just started with my CPAP last week and I've noticed a similar thing. Mine seemed to be during the ramp time when there is less pressure to begin with. I think the EPR in conjunction with the lower starting pressures can make the mask respond as you say. Fortunately for me, it doesn't bother me that much.

You may be a lighter sleeper than some others and that could be why it's waking you up just as you're getting to sleep. I don't know what to suggest to try to alleviate it, but I'm sure that someone will have a good suggestion.

-Gary