Very Scary

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:59 am

Last night, shortly after I "hosed up" (about 17 minutes to be exact), I woke up in a coughing fit. The kind I used to get pre-cpap. The kind that I know were a result of not breathing,like someone was choking me. Why would this happen? Shouldn't my machine have prevented this? Its a very scary feeling, if any of you have experienced feeling the actual apnea.

dsm-guest · Post by **dsm-guest** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:11 am

(logging in as guest from home to see if it works this time)

Melissa,

The only reason I can think of for such an attack is some kind of rritant in the throat & can't see that being caused by the cpap machine.

Have you had a cold ?

DSM

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:16 am

I have been having the same problem recently - 'most every nite. I wonder if it is too much heat on humidifier - almost feels like it. But if I turn down the heat on the humidifier I get all sniffly, snuffly, sneezy and miserable. I must get a heated hose. Hopefully that would fix it. I am having some asthma problems lately and it seems to be connected to that I think. I am wheezy and tight in chest when this happens.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:54 am

Melissa,

Any chance your pressures needs tweaked?

Kathy

Current Posts as New User: "If it ain't one thing it's another!"
Future Posts to Help New Users: "If is wasn't one thing it was another."

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:27 am

It sounds like you know the coughing is related to your apnea. The machines don't catch all events. That is why all the people on xpap don't report zero AHI every night. Did you notice what your heart was doing at the time. Apnea can cause the heart to race/pound and sometimes an arrythmia is triggered-arrythmias can trigger a coughing jag. Do you have a copy of your sleep study? Look at it for reports of arrythmia-but even if there were none reported that night-it won't mean for sure you don't have them. If there were arrythmias reported-you'll know for sure you do have them.
If you still have a high AHI you probably need a pressure adjustment-if it is an isolated event I would keep track of it. With Encore you can track your AHI-and with My Encore you can look at the duration of apnea.

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 12:49 pm

This is not related to a cold, this was an apneic event. I know the feeling well. I don't have asthma and don't smoke either. It actually feels like someone was choking me (cutting off my airway). During my sleep study and even before that when I did an overnight pulse oximetry, my heart rate would increase during the apneic events, but I'm not sure if there was any documented arrythmias, I will look. So far my AHI has been averaging @ 1.0 on swift and 0.9 on CL2. I think that's pretty good. I will check last nights. I'm on an auto set to 4-20 and my 90% pressure has been coming in @ 5.8. The only other thing that is different is that the past few nights I have felt this ball of phleghm in my throat ( I know...gross) that I can neither swallow or cough up. Maybe that increased an obstruction. I wish I knew how to get rid of it. I am not having any post nasal drip or any other nasal problems at this time. I have had this many times before, nothing new.

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:07 pm

Melissa, I used to have the same problem! I still had it from time to time on cpap. Since I started keeping my HH on 3 and using the aussie hose I haven't had the problem once. I'm not sure why this helped but it did.

Brenda

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:08 pm

Why 4-20 for the setting?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:43 pm

Anonymous wrote:Why 4-20 for the setting?

I'd be changing that to a higher minimum setting. 4 usually isn't anywhere near enough to "treat" most people. Apneas are probably hitting while you are drifting off to sleep and the throat begins to relax.

I tried several straight pressures while laying in bed letting my throat relax completely. Found that it takes a pressure of at least 8 to keep the back of my throat even partially open when I deliberately tried to mimic somewhat the relaxation of sleep. That's why I had the low pressure of my autopaps set for 9, and is why I use 9 as the EPAP pressure with my bipap auto.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:47 pm

Same question about the 4-20 range.

I've had events similar to the ones you are describing. One is the sensation of phlegm in my throat which I cannot swallow or cough up-which I now think was probably the back of my tongue & uvula obstructing my airway. The second is the feeling of being absolutely unable to take a breath-but at the same time I really am breathing-usually that is immediately followed by "palpitations" and coughing. The other thing is waking up with my heart pounding-I had a Holter monitor done-but of course that was 24 hours when none of the above happened. For me the third is the worst since the sensations are so pronounced and last much longer-plus the docs think since the Holter was negative-it isn't serious. Fortunately since starting xpap all three have almost disappeared-that does provide reassurance. And it is highly motivating to put that mask on everytime I sleep.

The only thing I can really say is that having the software & card reader is the only way we know how the treatment is going on a nightly basis. Keep that as a priority for your treatment and peace of mind. It could help you narrow the 4-20 range. I set my upper number lower as I don't want the machine to chase snores-I have a small airway and will probably always have some snoring. At 4 I feel like I'm suffocating-6 is my absolute minimum and most comfortable at 8.

Goofy-Guest · Post by **Goofy-Guest** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:00 pm

Betcha its GERD.

betcha.

C

Kazoo · Post by **Kazoo** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:14 pm

This may be way off base, but I will go with it. I had just awful congestion in my throat. Was coughing up nasty stuff and could hardly breathe. Did every anti-biotic known to man. Problem ended up from Acid Reflux. Thought I had it under control, but Doc said that it still was there in my throat. Started not eating or drinking anything, not even water at least three hours before I went to bed. Raised the head of the bed four inches. In just three days it was amazing. I had a breathing test of 39%. In three weeks I am at 91%. I have been using an Advair inhailer. This might not be it, but sometimes simple things are the answer. I am one happy hosehead now sleeping around 8 hrs.

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:42 pm

RG-but if my 90% is averaging @ 5.8, what should I raise the "4" to? 5? I would buy the tongue and uvula relaxing, except this happens during my waking hours too. But mostly in the evening. Maybe it is acid reflux, I had pasta sauce 2 nights in a row. I was diagnosed with acid reflux about 3 years ago, but symptoms subsided after my gall bladder was removed. I haven't had the obvious signs since, i.e. heartburn, burping, but I'm starting to think that it might be back, now that you mention it. I couldn't tolerate nexium, or aciphex, only protonix. I'll talk to my MD about it. Thanks.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:16 pm

NyNurse33 wrote:Maybe it is acid reflux, I had pasta sauce 2 nights in a row. I was diagnosed with acid reflux about 3 years ago, but symptoms subsided after my gall bladder was removed. I haven't had the obvious signs since, i.e. heartburn, burping, but I'm starting to think that it might be back, now that you mention it.

ahhhh. GoofyUT (guested) nailed it, probably. Good call, Chuck!

"Silent Gerd" -- not showing obvious heartburn symptoms.

Apr 28, 2006 subject: Articles about Acid Reflux, Sinus and Nasal congestion. Links posted by RestInSeattle

Snoozing Gonzo · Post by **Snoozing Gonzo** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:17 pm

This may be way out there but I've had two relatives that had breathing problems many but not all evenings. One was always between dinner and bedtime in the form of a cough that was so hard that he could not breathe. The other was like his throat and lungs would swell shut, kind of a painful strangling feeling.

These are not your symptoms but both those people were eventually found to have those violent reactions in response to certain foods or food types. If you can't find a physical problem you may want to start a food (and other household item; eg. soaps) log to see if anything matches your incidents.

Another reach: In looking at many different variables in regard to two masks last summer I found pillow type and humidity stood out as seemingly innocuous things that could swing my readings and daily well-being fairly drastically. I must have neck support at night. I breathe better if my head is a little lower than my neck (especially on my back). Too high a humidity and I wake up with an achy full feeling in my upper chest.

Good Luck

Chris

Very Scary

Very Scary

Very scary indeed

GERD