Suffocated while using machine - the perfect storm?

Hey, I know this sounds weird but I wanted to share this here to find out of I am imagining things or others have had similar experiences. I am currently using a cpap machine with the nasal pillow and chin strap. I woke up after a weird dream in which I was warning some people that they may be in some serious trouble if they don’t get their story right only to find that I may have been suffocating and my brain was trying to get me to wake up because

The tubing was wrapped around my neck
Somehow part of the small connector tube had dislodged from the nasal pillow
One nostril was shut due to cold
My mouth was trying to breathe but was closing because of the pressure

Was I suffocating?
Has this happened to anyone else?

This sorta happened to me years ago. I seems to me that you are an active sleeper like me. Years ago, I woke up with the hose under me and I was yanking the dang thing and eventually ripped the hose. I needed a hose management system and bought the Hose Buddy... and never looked back.

Sheriff

You probably weren't suffocating. You have to squeeze someone's neck pretty hard to stop the airflow. Ask anyone over 40 who wrestled competitively - it's hard to choke someone out. Having the tube wrapped around your neck is probably pretty uncomfortable, though, and could have contributed to your dream.

Your mouth wouldn't be forced shut because of pressure. On the contrary, it would be blown open. Lots of CPAP users have to use extreme measures like chinstraps and even taping their lips to try to keep their mouths closed.

Dreams, or even the time between sleep and waking, can be funny... often interpreted as e.g. suffocating (or being strangled by something, someone) because of being half-awake, when the reality was just the hose around your neck - which couldn't actually have strangled you so much as just seemed like it - unlikely to have really happened. I know when I was younger I could have dreams of awfui things happening that of course hadn't once I was awake enough to realize it.

Thank you guys! That is helpful. I am switching to face mask as well from the nasal pillow.

Sheriff Buford wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 3:27 am

This sorta happened to me years ago. I seems to me that you are an active sleeper like me. Years ago, I woke up with the hose under me and I was yanking the dang thing and eventually ripped the hose. I needed a hose management system and bought the Hose Buddy... and never looked back.

Sheriff

Hose Buddy? I will look into that. Thank you!

Another option is the Houdini hose lift, which I’m really liking these days. It swivels smoothly at night and telescopes down to hide behind a pillow during the day.

Mine is a home-made gantry that looks like something stolen off Rube Goldberg's drawing board.
It includes a swivel plant hanger, a broken casting rod, duck tape, scrunchies, and clothespins.

Sounds like you need an address for it!

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:55 am

Mine is a home-made gantry that looks like something stolen off Rube Goldberg's drawing board.
It includes a swivel plant hanger, a broken casting rod, duck tape, scrunchies, and clothespins.

is their a row of dominoes in there somewhere?

zonker wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:57 am

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:55 am

Mine is a home-made gantry that looks like something stolen off Rube Goldberg's drawing board.
It includes a swivel plant hanger, a broken casting rod, duck tape, scrunchies, and clothespins.

is their a row of dominoes in there somewhere?

I had to remove the dominoes--too many random cat-initiated disasters.
It was fun to watch, though . . .

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:44 am

I had to remove the dominoes--too many random cat-initiated disasters.
It was fun to watch, though . . .