CPAP Causing very strange awakenings

I'll try to make this brief.

This all began when I was given a trial CPAP from fisher and paykel, a fixed pressure unit. I would wake up in the middle of the night doing strange things with my mask or I'd be half awake and half sleep walking. It's hard to explain but I'll do my best.

I'll be dreaming and then suddenly wake up doing odd things like looking for socks, so I wake up somewhat "disoriented" but still in the mindset that I should be looking for socks or whatever the hell it may be that night. As soon as a couple seconds pass I snap out of it and realize "another strange awakening" Other things that happen are I'll wake up and I'll be prying the mask off my face, but not the actual mask itself but moreso the nasal attatchment piece where the hose connects and the air is vented out. I am shocked I haven't broken it yet, I wake up prying the life out of it.

This is just a brief summary of what happens, it's not the worst in the world but it is definitely frustrating and to be honest sometimes a little frightening.

Now I know what you're all thinking, I've probably been doing this for a while, but this has NEVER in my life happened before CPAP. If I don't sleep with my CPAP this never happens. It ONLY happens when I use the machine, so I fully blame the unit for this. I know some of you are going to say this isn't the case but I am 110% confident that it's from the machine.

I have no idea what is causing this but I intend to ask my sleep therapist, my friends/family say it's "too much oxygen" but I have purchased an AUTO CPAP (respironics, see sig) so who knows. I don't know if this is a common thing or if I am just crazy and alone here. But it's becoming so annoying that it prevents me from wanting to use the machine, so my compliance is going downhill. Why use it and go through this nonsense when I can sleep without and usually more times than not wake up feeling more refreshed somehow than if I used it.

Sorry to rant, I am just cranky and tired... fed up with this nonsense really. Chances are I am alone with this but I'll be determined to find out why this might be happening now all of a sudden since I started CPAP. Before CPAP, this NEVER happened and I can't even think of a time in my life where something even remotely close has occurred.

End rant.

Hi, and welcome to cpaptalk.

My guess is you're having rem sleep now that you're on cpap. That's a deeper stage of sleep that you probably don't have without the machine because you're wakened frequently by apneas (even if you aren't aware of it). It's a whole new way of sleeping, and ultimately will give you much better rest, and you will feel better. Rem sleep is deep enough for you to dream, and for some reason you're waking up while dreaming/sleepwalking.

It's a whole new experience, and I wouldn't worry about it or take it too seriously. Hang in there.

NewToCPAP wrote:I fully blame the unit for this

Is it possible there is a connection between the above statement and the following?

NewToCPAP wrote:my compliance is going downhill

The thoughts we allow ourselves to have DO matter. I appreciate that you are tired, cranky (who wouldn't be with what you are going through), and frustrated, but my advice to you is to stop blaming the machine, and try to see the machine as your friend. The fact that this problem only occurs when you use the machine suggests that CPAP therapy is revealing an existing problem, not creating one.

Changing your mind about the machine won't solve the problem with strange night awakenings. But it will be better for you if you do not develop a hatred for the machine.

In 5 years I'd have to say this hasn't happened to me. It sounds like you might be awakening from REM sleep too quickly, still partially in a dream/daze, or it could be something more serious like your airvent holes on your mask are blocking the CO2 from being exhaled.

Have you checked your vent holes aren't blocked on the mask? There should be a steady stream of air coming out of the vent holes.

I would definitely suggest mentioning this to your sleep doctor just in case. I've woken up dizzy sometimes, but never to the point that I've started doing things like you suggest. I don't think it can be too much oxygen, it might be just a different way in trying to adapt to CPAP although it's not something I've heard of before.

Thanks
Dave

You could also be having apneas during REM that are not being addressed by your pressure. Check your data for the timing of the wake ups.

I'm on my 4th month and still can't get used to the mask. I have two a full and nasal. I last about an 60-90 minutes before it wakes me up and that is with a Ambien and melatonin at bedtime. Sometimes I wake up because I'm trying to pull the thing off other times I wake up because it itches so bad I need to scratch my face. I've tried mask liners with no luck. I used to use benadryl to help me sleep and that helped with the itching but I found out it really causes problems with Restless Leg Syndrome which is one of my other issues so had to stop that.

You have something unnatural stuck to your face and your wondering why you wake up trying to pull it off Totally reasonable to me. As for looking for something you've lost that is likely anxiety causing that response. Having a mask on my face causes me anxiety that is for certain. Sorry I don't have any help since I can't resolve my own problems yet but I keep working on them. Woke up this morning with scratches all over one arm. I'm sure I was trying to reposition the hose or something and kept grabbing my arm instead.

You may need to try something to help you sleep and that might make a difference or change masks - I hear the nasal pillows are pretty comfy. My allergies have kept me from trying those but I'm planning on doing that soon just to see if it is easier to sleep.

My quality of sleep hasn't really improved since going on CPAP though I know I'm getting more O2 when I did manage to keep the mask on. But waking up every 60-90 minutes to adjust the mask etc. really isn't making for quality sleep.

good luck
John

I agree it has to do with REM sleep. When I had my study I had almost no REM sleep with CPAP. Now I also find myself dreaming more. Probably just catching up on your sleep deficit.

It is not that strange. I would dream I was at work and wake up trying to fix my machine and then lay there for 15 minutes trying to figure out the problem before realizing that it was JUST A DREAM! This happened very soon after starting CPAP. I think that I was so used to not dreaming it took time for my brain to learn the difference.

7 Years fully compliant except for about 5 nights scattered through those years and those nights were HELL! Keep working on it.