Falling Asleep Gasping For Breath

Hi - I found you all by googling the above phrase. I am on a ResMed AirSense 10 with nasal pillows and have been using successfully for over 10 years. Recently I have started to have those gasping episodes as I am falling asleep - and last night it was really bad. Terrifying actually. Here is what I have it set at currently: Pressure 11, Comfort has nothing listed, Ramp time auto, EPR on, EPR full time, EPR level 3, humidity level 6 (I live in Florida), Tube slim line, AB filter no, Essential Plus, Smart start on.
I have read a few of your posts here that I should consider getting rid of "ramp" and setting to a comfortable setting to start. I can try that
Do you all have any other suggestions?
Much thanks!!
T

Welcome! Your gasping episodes sound scary and very disruptive. Because they come right when you're falling asleep, my first thought is that they are associated with hypnic jerks:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/parasom ... pnic-jerks

You'll see that there's information about steps you can take to reduce the occurrence of these events. I hope very much that following these steps will help.

In the meantime, it's fine to try turning off the ramp. Conceivably the change of pressure when the ramp is over is playing some role in your experience. Would it be hard for you just to go ahead and start at 11?

Hi - thank you for the info about hypnic jerks. I'm unclear as to how this isn't really something associated with the apnea since I wake up gasping for air. It isn't as if my body is jerking - it is literally that I feel like I can't breathe and I am gasping and it does feel like a type of pain. I'm going to try to start the cpap at 11 tonight. Just to try it out.
Best!

Sounds familiar.
Take a look a the advice given on the following thread:
viewtopic/t185972/After-10-years-I-Sudd ... h-Air.html

It was the timing that made me think of hypnic jerks. Let us know if the pressure change makes a difference. And do check your mask!

Last night I slept with no night terrors. Which is great. Thanks. I'll come back for an update later. I do have another question, but need to search the forum before posting.
Tonja

That's great, Tonja! When you post with your new question, it'd be good to stay in this same thread.