Nightmares and Night Terrors on the CPAP

I used my machine last night for the 1st time, and was woken by blindingly graphic nightmares. I have not had a nightmare in my life that was as terrifying as the 2 I had last night. I am not prone to having them, either. Maybe 2 in the last 5 years, but they were mild. What I went through last night was almost like a hallucination!!

piperzdad@aol.com wrote:I used my machine last night for the 1st time, and was woken by blindingly graphic nightmares. I have not had a nightmare in my life that was as terrifying as the 2 I had last night. I am not prone to having them, either. Maybe 2 in the last 5 years, but they were mild. What I went through last night was almost like a hallucination!!

That is a good sign that your CPAP therapy may be working. You are likely experiencing REM rebound (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REM_rebound). This may continue for some weeks until your sleep deprivation is fulfilled.

Are you tracking your CPAP efficacy data using the information on the machine display or better yet, using software such as the free Sleepyhead?

CPAP machines are not magic wands. To be sure the therapy is effective, the data needs to be tracked. There are a number of things that can go wrong with the therapy and you might still be having apneas. The data can lead you to make adjustments to get an effective therapy.

You could try wearing the mask (with the machine running) before bedtime,
watching TV, etc, so you get used to the mask and the pressure.
Get used to this thing on your face; maybe even try a mask liner, to help with anxiety.

chunkyfrog wrote:You could try

... not resurrecting five-year old threads.

ChicagoGranny wrote:

chunkyfrog wrote:You could try

... not resurrecting five-year old threads.

???
Chunky was NOT the one wh resurrrected this thread.

Nor was chunky the first one to respond to the poster who resurrected this ancient thread.

ChicagoGranny---YOU were the first one to respond to the poster who resurrected the thread. So you have absolutely NO excuse for posting a snarky response to Chunkyfrog.

RobySue, You need to learn how to deconstruct a sentence.

You could try



... not resurrecting five-year old threads.

Most likely the subject, "You", in Chunky's sentence referred to the Guest who did resurrect the thread. So what I added was addressed, not at Chunky, but at Guest.

IMO, Guest would have been better off to start a new thread. But maybe he just wanted to make a drive-by post. We won't know unless Guest comes back to discuss it.

The problem is not entirely uncommon, especially with newbies-
---and most particularly those with poor/no support.
I merely inserted a harmless, catchall solution that might work.
Not just for the guest, but random lurkers too shy to ask.
I beg your forgiveness.

chunkyfrog wrote:I beg your forgiveness.

It was just a joke.

If you have to 'splains them ...

chunkyfrog wrote:I beg your forgiveness.

sometimes granny's fine tuned sense of humor misfires... perhaps the barrel gets caught in her pettycoat.. I dunno.

*hugs his favorite frog*

wrote:sometimes granny's fine tuned sense of humor misfires

I suspect when people don't get it, she enjoys it the most.

Granny, Count me as one who always gets it.

I have been diagnosed with OSA and my monitor test showed 48 incidents per hour. I have been on the CPAP programme for just 6 nights, and use a nasal mask. I have been OK with it since day 1, but often wake with a very dry mouth and throat as I have been breathing through my mouth. This can be remedied, I know from following other users, by a change of mask or chin strap. However, my biggest problem is the very vivid dreams I have been experiencing since starting the programme. They border on nightmares. I never had them before, in fact I rarely dreamed. Is this normal? And what causes it?

Sue : Welcome to cpaptalk and to the journey through sleep-land.

If you read through this thread from the beginning I think you will have an answer to your question.

If you have other questions please start a new topic.

Sue, if you start your own thread, preferably after registering and filling in your equipment,
your problem is more likely to be addressed directly.
Conversely, you could have read the earlier replies in this thread to get your answers.
On the weekend, many of us simply ignore old threads, and some are not at work,
where they use their computers "during break".

chunkyfrog wrote:Sue, if you start your own thread, preferably after registering and filling in your equipment,
your problem is more likely to be addressed directly.
Conversely, you could have read the earlier replies in this thread to get your answers.
On the weekend, many of us simply ignore old threads, and some are not at work,
where they use their computers "during break".

Or maybe your mask is possessed.

Along with collecting the data from your equiptment, a overnite pulse ox recording could be useful. Jim

"It's the weekend folks", no need to check the calendar, just read the outdated posts.

Hi,

I have had very beautiful dreams and "visions" as I fall asleep (pre cpap). If I did have a "bad" dream, it was quite manageable and did not cause any anxiety.

Ten days ago, I started the cap...level 5. I have no trouble whatsoever with the machine on my face; I was extremely happy about getting the machine. I heard so many success stories I could not wait to start therapy. I now dread sleep. I am waking up every 2-3 hours and I am having horrible visions and dreams. I am not under any excess stress nor is there any
"baggage" in my life.

Since starting Cpap therapy, I have had visions of being shoved in front of a train, of friends being swept away in a rapid river current and scathing fights with family members(that I am close to in my waking life.) Furthermore, these are not "dreamy"-like states, but filled with deep seriousness. I think it is a warning that something is wrong with my oxygen,but I cannot figure it out. I am also having very strong "brain fog" in the morning...spacey. It seems to go away by late afternoon.

I do not want to give up Cppap, but I am getting very concerned. I have had zero improvement. If anyone has insight, I would appreciate a response.

Thank you,