Feel like I'm suffocating

I guess last night was a lucky break cause here it is 1:25 am and I finally gave up trying to sleep with the mask. The stuffiness and feeling of suffocation is back. I've been trying to sleep since 10:30 pm. I was so sleepy and now I'm wide awake. The minute I take off the mask, the stuffiness goes away and I'm fine, but within seconds of putting it on BOOM stuffiness, can't breathe. My maximum pressure is 7 and either I can't or don't know how to change it. I don't want to give up but I have to go to work in 7 hours and I haven't slept a wink yet.

Press your fingers on your face on the sides of your nose. If that causes stuffiness you just need another mask.

What is your minimum? Is it still really low? Most people need at least 6.

It is still probably more likely that your mask is not a good match for you. Does your DME let you try them on at the office? Maybe you can try some different masks and find something that doesn't cause the same feeling.

I don't know if all DME's work the same but when they agreed to swapp the nasal pillows for a mask they just brought me the Wisp which I tried on while there and was fine. The night I went to the sleep center for titration I used a nasal mask and did not have this problem (just a lot of leaks toward my eyes). I think, like Pugsy, anything that touches my nose will make it feel stuffy. The good thing about the Wisp is that no matter how much I move it around, no leaks.

Min pressure is now at 5.5

And yes Stormynights, pressing my fingers to my face next to my nose does cause stuffiness. Never realized that. Does that mean I need a bigger nose mask?

The nasal pillows did not make me feel stuffy, but caused such severe sinus problems that I was miserable during the day.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

Glad it's getting better.

You mentioned the ramp. I feel like I'm suffocating when the ramp is on. Some people like it because they don't like the sudden force of air and like to get use to it gradually. It just causes me to feel like I'm suffocating and the feeling of suffocation causes me to be claustrophobic.

I've tried with and without ramp and either way I get that suffocating feeling and my nose gets stuffy.

Pugsy wrote:With the PR S1 heated hose there are 2 settings available.
Settings 1 through 3 are for humidity delivered...1 being 70%, being 80% and 3 being 90%.
There is also a setting for the air temperature...1 through 5 with 5 being the highest temp and starting point is base on the bedroom air temp.

Did you get to keep the nasal pillow mask when they gave you the Wisp to try?
If so, maybe go back to the nasal pillows and try the slightly higher starting pressure of 5 (or 6) and see if that helps and if the added humidity with the heated hose helps.
The first way of delivering humidity that you used initially actually uses much less water even at the highest setting.
The PR S1 without heated hose uses the default "new humidification system" and I have used it...much less water is used and even at the max setting it can sometimes leave a lot to be desired for people who need more moisture.
Investigate your settings to see what the actual humidity delivered is set at along with temperature...they are in the clinical setup menu where you change the pressure.

Pugsy, I have read this before, i.e., that the PRS1 has 3 actual humidity settings, along with 5 choices on the dial on top of the machine that actually change the air temp in the hose. But unless I'm looking at something wrong (and I cannot find anything else) in the clinician's setup menu my 760P has 5 humidity choices, not 3.

Am I looking at the wrong thing?

old dude wrote:Pugsy, I have read this before, i.e., that the PRS1 has 3 actual humidity settings, along with 5 choices on the dial on top of the machine that actually change the air temp in the hose. But unless I'm looking at something wrong (and I cannot find anything else) in the clinician's setup menu my 760P has 5 humidity choices, not 3.

Am I looking at the wrong thing?

Are you using the heated hose?....The 3 humidity settings and 5 temperature settings are ONLY available in the clinical setup menu if you have a heated hose plugged in...Heated hoses have a black end attaching to the humidifier.

Without a heated hose you only get the 5 choices....showing in the clinical setup menu.

Pugsy wrote:

old dude wrote:Pugsy, I have read this before, i.e., that the PRS1 has 3 actual humidity settings, along with 5 choices on the dial on top of the machine that actually change the air temp in the hose. But unless I'm looking at something wrong (and I cannot find anything else) in the clinician's setup menu my 760P has 5 humidity choices, not 3.

Am I looking at the wrong thing?

Are you using the heated hose?....The 3 humidity settings and 5 temperature settings are ONLY available in the clinical setup menu if you have a heated hose plugged in...Heated hoses have a black end attaching to the humidifier.

Without a heated hose you only get the 5 choices....showing in the clinical setup menu.

Yes, I do indeed have the heated hose-and I have 5 humidity choices in the clinician's menu and 5 on the dial that's part of the on/off button.

Whoops, EDIT: does the hose have to be plugged in to the machine when you're accessing the clinician's menu? This may be where I'm taking a wrong turn because I don't ever have my hose attached when I'm working in that setup menu.

flyingwithoutwings wrote:And yes Stormynights, pressing my fingers to my face next to my nose does cause stuffiness. Never realized that. Does that mean I need a bigger nose mask?

If you are like me it means you need to avoid any mask that puts pressure on that area of your nose.

Here's what happened to me with the Wisp.
I have long known that the traditional nose masks were too heavy and the pressure caused congestion so I have avoided them.
I thought the Wisp might be light enough not to be a problem so I gave it a try. Initially I didn't have the congestion issue when I put it on and thought it might work...so I attempted to use it one night.
I fell asleep just fine but during the time I wore it I woke up at least 6 times totally congested. I would pull the mask away from my nose and the congestion pretty much immediately cleared up in just a few seconds...so I kept doing this for probably 6 or 7 times and finally got tired of the sleep disruption and took that mask on and put my trusty Tap Pap back on and slept like a baby for the rest of the night.
Now I thought that I had spent most of the night with the Wisp on but to my amazement when I looked at the software reports I only managed 86 minutes with it. It sure felt longer than that.

So the Wisp went back to the DME. I hadn't really expected to keep it but I didn't think it would be such a dismal failure for me. I thought maybe it might work for me in some situation but 90 minutes of horrible sleep and congestion (I just don't do well if I can't breathe through my nose) told me that it wasn't going to work for me.
It fit fine...didn't leak..and a different size wouldn't have made any difference. It's just the way my nose is or does in response to even the slightest pressure up on those nasal turbinate areas of the nose.

Now if you generally like the idea of the Wisp and the cushion...ResMed has just released not long ago the Swift FX Nano..it's a cushion and I was able to successfully use it for several nights. It's either just light enough or touches the nose in a slightly different area...that I don't get the congestion at all with it. So that might be an option for you to consider.

No mask should present the difficulties you are experiencing...there are too many different masks that a person can try. Once you told Stormy that the slightest pressure on your nose causes congestion...I felt that you are probably more like me and I don't know if you will have consistent good luck with the Wisp. When you had the one good night I thought maybe it would work but now with what has happened and what you say...I don't know if it is a consistent workable mask for you.

I do wish you still had the nasal pillow mask to try because I think that there is/was a good chance that the difficulties you experienced with it were more from the humidity being too low than it was from the mask being the problem. What you described with your nasal pillow trial was exactly what I experienced when I chose a too low of a humidity setting...and now that you say that the congestion is generally lessened at the higher humidity setting...that makes me wish you could try the nasal pillow mask again.
Too bad the DME probably trashed them when you returned it. They can't do anything else with them but toss them in the trash.

Here's what the Nano looks like if you are curious. The nice thing about it...the nasal pillows for the Swift FX will fit the headgear..despite what ResMed wants to officially say...I know because I tried it and it works fine.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html

If your DME has the Nano (it's new and some won't have it yet) and will let you try it...I have some extra Swift FX nasal pillows and I could let you have one of them to try with it....So you could revisit the nasal pillow Swift FX. I really think that they are worth revisiting if you liked them at all. I think that the original humidity level you were using with them was the main culprit for your issues you had at that time.

This mask journey...that's the hardest part of all this cpap therapy IMHO. Finding the right mask that's suits our own individual needs. No one should have to "settle" on something that doesn't pretty much satisfy all your major needs. No mask is ever totally perfect but we need the pros to out weigh the cons by a considerable margin. Congestion is a "con" that is totally unacceptable to me. That's why I didn't spend any more time with the Wisp...there are other masks out there that don't do that so why waste my
time. I actually prefer the Tap Pap...see link in my profile as my number one mask. I do these experiments with the other masks just to get the experience and figure out things so I can offer help with them. I can probably successfully use several masks but have my main "go to" mask being the Tap Pap... I recently tried the Respironics Nuance Pro...nasal pillow mask..very similar to the Swift FX. It's workable..more pros than cons for me and the one main con (side straps a little too close to my eyes) is not a total deal breaker. So I can successfully use the Tap Pap, the Swift FX, the Swift FX Nano cushion, the Nuance Pro, the Aloha (very nice stable mask), the Pilairo, the Swift LT and even the Opus 360. My own personal preference for "less stuff on my face and head" dictates the order of my preferences but in terms of sleep...I can successfully use these masks. Each one has a little different pro and con situation. My pros might be your cons though...and vice versa...so I can't say for sure which one might suit your needs the best. I always tell people to look closely at the various models and if something looks "interesting" then if they can do it...try it.
That's what I do...if it looks interesting and workable...I try it if I can. If it doesn't look interesting then I don't bother. It might work great for someone else but it doesn't look like it would work great for me...so I don't try it.
The Wisp...looked interesting and I thought it might work but it didn't. It's still a great mask but just not for me and my needs.
The Swift FX Nano looked interesting and I thought it might work..and it did. I actually kinda liked it considering it was such a difference from what I have been using for over 4 years. It was a failure for some people though. All masks fit into the trash for one person and treasure for another person and before anyone can expect to know for sure what category it will end up in for them is they need to try it. We can only go on other people's experiences so far...in the end we have to try it to know for sure.
The Wisp is a great treasure for a lot of people but for me it was simply trash. It was the first real failure of any mask I have ever tried. I would still recommend it though...as long as someone doesn't tell me the slightest pressure on their nose causes immediate congestion.

old dude wrote: Whoops, EDIT: does the hose have to be plugged in to the machine when you're accessing the clinician's menu? This may be where I'm taking a wrong turn because I don't ever have my hose attached when I'm working in that setup menu.

Yep, that's your wrong turn. The heated hose HAS to be plugged in to trigger the other choices available in the setup menu.
Now once you make those choices you can unplug the hose and go about your business and when you plug the hose back in there's no need to change anything unless you want to.

Now when the hose is plugged in and you aren't in the clinical setup menu the little knob for the humidifier settings only offers 1 through 5 for the air temp. You have to go back into the clinical menu to alter humidity (1 through 3) as far as I can tell. I haven't been able to figure out how to alter 1 - 3 without being in the clinical menu but then I don't really need to. I set it at 3 because I like and need LOTS of moisture and I see no need to change it...ever. Now the temperature I might change depending on bedroom temp.
With the cooler nights I have increased it last night to 5 because I have already started getting a bit of condensation in the nasal pillow barrels. It's just something I accept as something I deal with since I prefer a cold bedroom and high humidity delivery.
It's easier to manage than trying to manage the nasal congestion issues I get with lower levels of humidity being delivered.

Pugsy, I totally agree with you. I realized today that just touching my face on the sides of my nose, no matter how slightly, I feel congested. I stop touching & I'm fine. I really really wish they had let me keep the nasal pillows I think they would've worked with the heated tubing. I don't know how many times my DME provider will let me change the mask but I don't think the Wisp, no matter how comfortable it is, is going to work for me. I'm waiting for them to give me a call back. Maybe they will have the Nano & I can take you up on the offer for the nasal pillows. Some nights I would wake up and wonder if my CPAP was working, I was getting there, except for the sinus congestion (haven't had any sinus problems since they took the FX nasal pillows back). The DME provider just kept suggesting I take an antihistamine which pissed my doctor off and she was ready to find me another DME provider.

But how would that work if I've only been on CPAP for 4 weeks and the equipment is rented? Do you know?

Pugsy wrote:

old dude wrote: Whoops, EDIT: does the hose have to be plugged in to the machine when you're accessing the clinician's menu? This may be where I'm taking a wrong turn because I don't ever have my hose attached when I'm working in that setup menu.

Yep, that's your wrong turn. The heated hose HAS to be plugged in to trigger the other choices available in the setup menu.
Now once you make those choices you can unplug the hose and go about your business and when you plug the hose back in there's no need to change anything unless you want to.

Now when the hose is plugged in and you aren't in the clinical setup menu the little knob for the humidifier settings only offers 1 through 5 for the air temp. You have to go back into the clinical menu to alter humidity (1 through 3) as far as I can tell. I haven't been able to figure out how to alter 1 - 3 without being in the clinical menu but then I don't really need to. I set it at 3 because I like and need LOTS of moisture and I see no need to change it...ever. Now the temperature I might change depending on bedroom temp.
With the cooler nights I have increased it last night to 5 because I have already started getting a bit of condensation in the nasal pillow barrels. It's just something I accept as something I deal with since I prefer a cold bedroom and high humidity delivery.
It's easier to manage than trying to manage the nasal congestion issues I get with lower levels of humidity being delivered.

Thanks Pugsy, that did the trick!

Any idea at which of the three humidity levels my machine had been operating at all along without being able to see that option in clinical setup? It has been using about half a tank in appx. 6 hours with the heat dial on 1 or 2, so it has been humidifying some.

old dude wrote:Any idea at which of the three humidity levels my machine had been operating at all along without being able to see that option in clinical setup? It has been using about half a tank in appx. 6 hours with the heat dial on 1 or 2, so it has been humidifying some.

Not sure but I suspect it would have been operating at the default setting and I can't remember what it was. I want to say a setting of 2 and that would be 80% which seems to be the most commonly used number...even ResMed's climateline in automatic modes says they try to maintain 80% at the mask level...and that's in their literature.

1 is 70% ..2 is 80 % and 3 is 90 %.
Amount of water used is going to depend more on the ambient room humidity levels than the temperature of the air.
Example..the other night it rained here pretty much all night and I had my level set at 3 (90%) because I like lots of moisture and my temp was set at 4 but I had the windows open all night so the ambient room humidity was probably real close to the 100% outside humidity because of the rain and I barely used any water at all even at my high settings.
With the windows closed and back to drier air in the bedroom I might use almost all of my water in 7 hours.

When you plug the hose in and go look...whatever it has been using will be the setting you see if you haven't changed it.
I am thinking probably setting of 2...but can't swear to it. I have slept too many nights since I first set up my machine and changed the settings from the default settings.

Just remember...the 1 through 5 setting when the heated hose is attached is the air temperature in the hose and not humidity delivered and doesn't do a thing in regards to heating the water.
Heating of the water (when the heated hose is attached) is regulated by the settings of 1 through 3 in the clinical setup menu.
Heating of the water is what increases are decreases the amount of moisture delivered to the air.
Now the warmer hose air temps will affect the humidity only if the air cools to the point where condensation occurs..that's why we use warmer air.

flyingwithoutwings wrote:But how would that work if I've only been on CPAP for 4 weeks and the equipment is rented? Do you know?

There is no reason why you can't continue with the machine rental with DME number one and purchase any and all other supplies from DME number two. The DME number two would have to have the same documentation that DME number one has but your doctor can handle that.
DME number two might not be in a position to immediately supply you with another mask though...it all depends on your insurance.
DME number one would have billed out for the first mask they gave you...subsequent swaps the DME doesn't bill to the insurance company..instead they just send a note to the first mask returned manufacturer that so and so mask was returned and they then get credit for it. Insurance only pays or even knows about the first mask.

If you used up your insurance allotment (for whatever time period before your insurance will pay for another mask) they won't be in a position to pay DME number 2 anything and DME number 2 want want to just give you a mask..
You need to check with your insurance to find out just what time frame might be involved before they will pay for a new mask.
It varies with insurance companies. I suspect at least 3 months though but never hurts to check.
If you have Medicare...6 months before they will pay for a new mask and headgear package. 3 months for a new mask without headgear but that's stupid because most people need new head gear too..but that's the government for you. Now some DMEs will do the mask at 3 months and not bill for the headgear..the just eat that little bit of money that they lose.

I don't know your financial situation but if money permits..you can just buy a mask from cpap.com. The Swift FX Nano comes with free return insurance..if you hate it you can get all your money back...even return shipping costs are covered.
Then you can just tell DME number one where to go... if they aren't going to let you try other masks.

Here's the deal with masks..any mask at any time...most of the major mask manufacturers have a 30 day return policy. Some DMEs don't choose to honor it..instead they make their own in house rules and they are free to do that. Mask manufacturers don't care if you are newbie or a long term cpap veteran with their 30 day policy...it's the DMEs that don't want to do the paper work masks that get returned so that they get credit.

The Wisp I returned...My DME has a little different policy. They don't care that I have been using cpap for over 4 years...any time I try a new mask from them I get 60 days to test it out...They could easily use the 30 day thing but they chose to do 60days.
My insurance got billed for the Wisp..and paid for it and my copay will be based on that allowable charge.....I returned the Wisp and got my trusty Swift FX for Her as a replacement (they don't carry my Tap Pap). I only get one mask/headgear combo every 6 months...my insurance bases its replacement policy on whatever Medicare allows. They filled out the paperwork for the returned Wisp and send it to Respironics (probably along with others that got returned) ....they don't have to physically send the returned mask...they just send some paperwork that so and so didn't work out for whatever reason....Respironics then issues credit to them for the masks that were returned...my DME wants the mask returned...kinda stupid but since they offer the 60 day thing that they don't have to..I don't bust them too much on it. When I questioned the manager about it...he rolled his eyes and said "yeah, they toss them in the trash but that's what his bosses make him do" he agrees with me but his hands are tied.