Newbie Struggling

Hi everyone!
I’m seriously struggling with my new cpap machine. I’m a mouth breather so I have a face mask and when I wear it I have a panic attack. Even though I’m getting oxygen I feel suffocated and tear off the mask trying to catch my breath. The first few days I went 1 hour, 2 hours then 4 hours. Now I can barely make it an hour. Plus I can’t sleep with it on. Any suggestions to help?

Tocutedeb wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:19 pm

Hi everyone!
I’m seriously struggling with my new cpap machine. I’m a mouth breather so I have a face mask and when I wear it I have a panic attack. Even though I’m getting oxygen I feel suffocated and tear off the mask trying to catch my breath. The first few days I went 1 hour, 2 hours then 4 hours. Now I can barely make it an hour. Plus I can’t sleep with it on. Any suggestions to help?

welcome to the zoo!

try wearing the mask while NOT sleeping, or trying to sleep. don't even connect it to your machine. then wear it for short periods of time while doing whatever it is you do around the house.

your brain is yelling at you. it's saying "HELP! there's an alien on my face. get it off!" so you want to distract yourself while doing other things. this will help you get used to it.

good luck!

you can do this!

What machine + mask, plus pressure settings please.

Hi,
It’s a Resmed Airsense 10.
Full face mask.
The setting is on automatic so it starts at 4

OSCAR https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... stallation
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... rpretation

Need to see what the pressures were or weren't doing later on during the night that might explain waking up and feeling suffocated.

The starting pressure of 4....most people will have a problem with that low of a pressure. It's rather stifling and while we won't suffocate it sure feels like it.

Probably need something around 6 or 7 starting minimum and maybe add in EPR at 2 or 3 for comfort.
Explained in the manual.
https://www.respshop.com/manuals/ResMed ... %20her.pdf