First Night on CPAP Ruined by Panic Attack

[Naznarreb]

Hello all

Last night was my first night at home with a CPAP. I only had it on for maybe 5 mins when I experienced a full-blown panic attack; heart racing, hands shaking, sudden cold sweat - the whole deal. Needless to say I did not attempt it again.

Today I found this forum and did some searching in the archives found some good advice. I've decided to turn off the ramp feature and over the next couple days I'm just going to sit with it on for an hour or two to acclimate myself to it, with no pressure of actually sleeping the night with it.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone here for this resource. I'll probably be back before long with more questions and pronblems

[xenablue]

Hi, and welcome!

Good to see you've already done some searching here for solutions.

Turning off the ramp made a big difference for me, as did getting used to the mask when not trying to sleep.

After 5 months, I still go to bed early enough to sit up with my mask on, watch some TV or read, and all the while, adjusting the mask so it feels right - snug but not too tight. After 20-30 minutes I start to feel very drowsy and go to sleep without any trouble at all.

You'll get lots of advice and support here - the regulars are a great bunch and I've learned much from them.

Cheers,
xena

[Drowsy Dancer]

Hello all

Last night was my first night at home with a CPAP. I only had it on for maybe 5 mins when I experienced a full-blown panic attack; heart racing, hands shaking, sudden cold sweat - the whole deal. Needless to say I did not attempt it again.

Today I found this forum and did some searching in the archives found some good advice. I've decided to turn off the ramp feature and over the next couple days I'm just going to sit with it on for an hour or two to acclimate myself to it, with no pressure of actually sleeping the night with it.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone here for this resource. I'll probably be back before long with more questions and pronblems

Take heart. It gets better.

Drowsy Dancer (using CPAP since 2/17/2011)

[Alsacienne]

If this was your first ever panic attack, you must have felt really scared on top of all the other symptoms. Panic attacks are real, so don't let anybody say that you're making things up and they really are very frightening. However, they can't actually hurt you, but the memories do tend to hang around for longer than you might wish, and you may start to develop a 'what if' feeling incase something to do with your CPAP treatment caused the panic attack.

If you are a regular to these blasted things, just breathe deeply and know that it will leave no nasty after effects except memories.

I found that a book called PANIC ATTACKS - a Thorsens Paperback - by Christine Ingram, was a major breakthrough in learning to live with panic attacks. Written by a sufferer, it debunks the myths surrounding them, offers encouragement and advice and a coping structure to minimise their effects.

Please persevere with your CPAP therapy. It will help you manage your OSA, and give you better, deeper sleep and far more energy in your waking life. ALL GOOD WISHES, and keep posting if we can help.

[Naznarreb]

If this was your first ever panic attack, you must have felt really scared on top of all the other symptoms.

It was. Not an experience I care to repeat. I think part of my problem is I set my expectations too high. I really wanted to be one of those "one night wonders" who slip into CPAP therapy easy as lying. I had essentially no issues with the titration, and was comfortable and relaxed in picking a mask at my DME and even took a short nap with the CPAP eariler that day, so the sudden artery-seizing terror just as I was drifting off was surprising to say the least.

[Janknitz]

I had terrible panic attacks at first. Partly this is because your body is full of lots of extra adrenaline and its byproducts from all the time you sleep without getting enough air in. It takes a while to overcome the panic in your head, and meanwhile your body finally clears out all that "panic juice" from your apnea, and you will start to be more comfortable.

I sometimes ripped the mask off in a panic, but I always worked to calm myself down and then PUT IT BACK ON. I made sleeping without it NOT an option. I used some easy relaxation techniques--things like breathing in and out slowly while counting to 10, and would make myself do that before I ripped off the mask. Sometimes that was all I needed to get myself back under control. It got easier and easier as time went on. Now, it's a thing of the past!

Hang in there. The beginning IS hard. Persistence is the key.

If it helps at all, examine your mask closely. If it's a full face mask you'll see the valve that guarantees that fresh air will get IN the mask if the machine is not on for any reason. Finding that valve and seeing exactly how it worked help me know I wasn't going to suffocate in the mask. For nasal and nasal pillow masks, all you have to do is open your mouth.

[jdm2857]

You could even start out by wearing just the mask while reading or watching TV.

[BlackSpinner]

If this was your first ever panic attack, you must have felt really scared on top of all the other symptoms.

It was. Not an experience I care to repeat. I think part of my problem is I set my expectations too high. I really wanted to be one of those "one night wonders" who slip into CPAP therapy easy as lying. I had essentially no issues with the titration, and was comfortable and relaxed in picking a mask at my DME and even took a short nap with the CPAP eariler that day, so the sudden artery-seizing terror just as I was drifting off was surprising to say the least.

I used to have them drifting off before cpap - I guess I was having an apnea but I turned them into "Life is horrible I can't handle it, lets eat" things. It took me about 6 months to realize that I wasn't having them anymore once I got the cpap machine. Then talking to the therapist I realized that all they were was "fear" in a giant burp, now I could handle "fear".

When you used it before at the sleep study you knew there were people around monitoring you, you need to persuade your self that it is safe to sleep with the squid on your face. Remember that your sleeping mind has been standing on guard for you for a few years now and it probably is screaming "What do you think you are doing to me!"

[dae3dae3]

Panic attacks suck.

Just know that they can't really hurt you. I've been through them before and wouldn't wish it on anybody. You sound like you are taking steps to get used to the mask. Stick with it. It took me a quite a while and I went through several masks before I got everything set up exactly how I like it. Now I think I would have a panic attack if I had to sleep without the CPAP.

[BlackSpinner]

. Now I think I would have a panic attack if I had to sleep without the CPAP.

Same here. I have had nightmares where I had forgotten my cpap (or parts of it) while away from home. When I ended up in ER in January I was terrified to doze off and worried about how to get my machine and stuff to the hospital if they kept me over night.

[Naznarreb]

Second night was much better. I wore the mask with my machine at pressure for about 30 mins then actually dozed dozed off for about an hour. I decided to not go back to it after I woke up so I could have something I could mark as a success. Gonna try a similar thing tonight and try to set it up that if I doze off I'll be more comfortable and maybe sleep a good chunk of the night.

[Shell]

3 in the morning and can't sleep! My first night with cpap and when I woke after 2 hours of using it I had quite a major panic attack! Really upset with myself as I just can't put it back on. Have been told I can't drive until I wear this for a week for at least 4 hours a night and I think the extra pressure of needing to be signed back to drive ( i need to for my job ) is adding lots of pressure and is making me panic more. Help ant advise?

[zoocrewphoto]

3 in the morning and can't sleep! My first night with cpap and when I woke after 2 hours of using it I had quite a major panic attack! Really upset with myself as I just can't put it back on. Have been told I can't drive until I wear this for a week for at least 4 hours a night and I think the extra pressure of needing to be signed back to drive ( i need to for my job ) is adding lots of pressure and is making me panic more. Help ant advise?

I would recommend starting a new topic so that you get responses to your post and not the initial post from a couple years ago. It sounds like your pressure may be too low to start, which gives you the feeling that you are suffocating.

In your new post, tell us your machine, you mask, your pressure settings, and whether you are using ramp or not. If you have a machine with data, we can help you find and post that so that we can help you get better settings.

[fat rat]

Hello,
what kind of mask, what machine, how is the pressure set?

I first started with mask on and running machine while reading a book. - Watching tv would be very suitable, too. As descripted above find out all features of your mask. Put it off, put it on. If you use a full face mask look for a feature of fast opening. I had to buy extra a special clip with a string to pull. Correct the fit of the mask if it blows up. Get use of it while you are awake!

Then after a half hour or an hour you can probably sleep with it.

I wish you the best!

fat rat

[Nozzelnut]

Are the panic attacks starting while you're asleep and you wake up while having them? Or do you wake up and then have one start?