Waking up with nightmares in cpap

Can anyone suggest what is happening to me I have been using my cpap and I woke up screaming with my heart easing also I remember it felt like I was having an out of body experience like I was coming of own body and felt a lot of pressure coming out of the coal anybody has suggestion I also felt literally I was dying??

Well can you give us something to go on, to help you? What machine (full name/model vs just brand name) and type of mask are you using? What are the pressure settings? Do you know the results of your sleep study including oxygen levels? Without any of that to begin with, there's nothing to comment on, and whatever experiences others have had will also not be relevant unless your medical condition, study results, machine set-up, etc. etc. are identical, never mind the very subjective experience you describe, whether or not just something like a leaky mask might be the problem, or generalized anxiety, or ineffective machine settings, etc. Are you using the ramp, btw, and at what setting?

Hi Julie the type of mask I have is called the dream wear which is the newest model pressure is set on 4.0 I was diagnosed with OSA hypopnea and according to my physician I have 10 percent central sleep apnea this morning I have not been able to go back to sleep literally I had almost an out of body experience felt like someone trying to take me out of my body

asimk16 wrote:Hi Julie the type of mask I have is called the dream wear which is the newest model pressure is set on 4.0 I was diagnosed with OSA hypopnea and according to my physician I have 10 percent central sleep apnea this morning I have not been able to go back to sleep literally I had almost an out of body experience felt like someone trying to take me out of my body

Hi asimk16,

To help the forum members help you, please go to this link to register, https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?mode=register. Once you do that, you can use the link in my signature to register your equipment. The reason I am asking you to register it is everytime you post once you have a user ID and password, members can see exactly what you are using and don't have to find your initial post in which you only give the name of the mask, which is the dreamwear.

Meanwhile, if you could tell us what machine you are using? We need to see if it is a data capable machine that would enable you to post screen shots that would help members help you better analyze your data to see what is going on.

When your physician says you have 10 per cent central sleep apnea, that could mean almost anything. Perhaps, you are still getting central apneas that will disappear once your therapy is optimized. Or maybe you have so many of them that are legitimate that you need an ASV machine.

But without knowing anything about your situation, we all are flying blind. So if you could help us out by posting what is requested, that would be greatly appreciated. And that includes the information Julie asked for.

49er

Having dreams, and I guess in your case, nightmares indicates your therapy is working. I probably dream every night. They are not nightmares. I get a nightmare maybe once a month. Your sleep apnea prevented you from getting the proper sleep stage(s). With cpap treatment, you are now getting the proper stages... and the dreams that come with it.

I'm not sure about the "pressure from the coals" phrase. Do you means "farts"? If you do, you are getting air in your stomach from the machine. I get them, and they blow when I first get outta' bed. My wife calls them Granny-farts. Just let them rip! I gives you personality! If they hurt, the condition is called agraifilia... or something (Too early to spell).

Please place your equipment in the profile, so we can know what you are using in future posts.

(The one and only) Sheriff

What I mean pressure is pressure from the mask lol like a lot of air coming from the mask when I have nightmares

asim.24@hotmail.com wrote:What I mean pressure is pressure from the mask lol like a lot of air coming from the mask when I have nightmares

Thanks for registering but you don't want to use your email address as your ID. Unfortunately, I am not sure how to change it but hopefully, someone can tell you how to do it.

49er

I have uploaded my device info so going back to what I posted earlier I feelt suddenly air pressure coming from the tube or the mask all I remember was I was screaming and felt like I was coming out of my body like an it if body type experience my diagnosis is moderate obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea and with 49 percent osa and 10 percent central sleep apnea also ever since I have had the coal machine I've been waking up every 2 hours

What you experienced may be just a one off thing (unless you tell us otherwise) and until it happens again, I wouldn't worry too much, however scarey it might have been. I certainly wouldn't blame Cpap for it without more evidence... stuff happens, and you're new at this, so your brain is still adjusting too. Don't be too concerned about the centrals on your diagnosis either because many of us have a handful on going to sleep and before waking... again, not what is validly known as 'central apnea', but more as sleep-wake junk.

Your 'setting' of 4 is actually the machine's default low (it doesn't go lower) and too many doctors 'prescribe' that thinking auto machines will know to raise the pressure for events no matter how long it might take to reach events occurring at much higher levels... doesn't work well, however, and it's also really hard to breathe normally at 4, so just about anyone with that setting raises it on their own to at least 6 or 7 with better results... most in fact end up closer to 10 in time, but it's better to stay lower until you know more is needed. If you want help to raise yours a bit, just say so.

All the hypopneas could be partly due to back-sleeping vs side sleeping, and if you can sleep on your sides instead of your back, the number of them will be lower.

asim.24@hotmail.com wrote:I have uploaded my device info so going back to what I posted earlier I feelt suddenly air pressure coming from the tube or the mask all I remember was I was screaming and felt like I was coming out of my body like an it if body type experience my diagnosis is moderate obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea and with 49 percent osa and 10 percent central sleep apnea also ever since I have had the coal machine I've been waking up every 2 hours

Hi and welcome to the forum. Your nightmare doesn't surprise me at all as I've had my share since starting cpap therapy earlier this year. Mine average about 1-2x a month and it's always about drowning or suffocating. And usually when they happen, I don't get back to sleep at all. I believe mine happen after being on my back for longer than usual (apnea at its worst) or else I have a stuffy nose. When that wakes me, I just use my positional therapy belt and try for more sleep on my side. For many people on here, cpap isn't a quick fix. It's several months or even longer of ongoing trial and error, adjusting various pressure, humidity and cflex/aflex settings. Many people here have tried several types of masks before finding one that works for them. Make sure you get enough exercise for deeper sleep, eat a nutritious diet, and practice sleep hygiene habits, etc. Be sure to keep your followup sleep clinic appts. and be persistent with getting more help when needed.

Thank you Silvia for your insight it makes me feel better I'm not the only one with this interesting thing is I do work out yesterday went to the gym at 8 pm only did light cardio if 15 to 20 and upper body exercise after getting home I got overwhelmed by sleepiness dozed off in front of a couple of guests that came over I'm starting to think I may have narcolepsy with my apnea what type of apnea do you have?

asimk16 wrote:Hi Julie the type of mask I have is called the dream wear which is the newest model pressure is set on 4.0 I was diagnosed with OSA hypopnea and according to my physician I have 10 percent central sleep apnea this morning I have not been able to go back to sleep literally I had almost an out of body experience felt like someone trying to take me out of my body

your pressure is probably too low to adequately treat your apnea.

Tomorrow is Monday, and one of the programmers should be able to help you
change your userid to something other than your email.
No such thing as a stupid question if you are a rookie, (and acknowledge it).

There are so many maybes that ferreting out the meaning of YOUR dreams is a guessing game. I agree with those who suggest a pressure of 4 could contribute to the issue. Having the pressure so low it allows profound events certainly is suspect. The mask on the face alone could be a trigger, and a leaking mask could further fuel a dream. I personally believe most dreams are born out of a physical sensation. Your description caught my eye due to my own experience, as an out-of-body dream felt different from all the rest - felt so very REAL. For me, once I got my ramp off of a pressure of 4 the dreams stopped. Here's an excerpt of an old post of mine from several years ago...

"Mine were when first starting cpap and they and were so unsettling I quit treatment for a while. They totally fit descriptions of an OBE - eerily realistic with me high in the room looking down on myself lying still on my bed. The room is profoundly silent, almost hollow sounding as a voice beside me in the room says, "It's been a while since you took a breath." Then I am no longer looking down but lying there very aware of the passing of time and not breathing, and reply, "Yes, it has been." Then the voice in the room says, "You should breathe now." I do and the dream ends. I am convinced my episodes were directly caused by having a ramp and pressure that was so inadequate my apnea was made worse. "

Good luck in resolving your scary dreams. When mine happened I I avoided sleep until I couldn't fight it any longer, was too scared. I wouldn't begin to advise you on pressure without knowing what your mention of central apnea means in your case.

Adapting to CPAP is a big body/brain change. Maybe a pressure change like palerider suggested is a good idea. Adaptations of this CPAP experience can often generate nightmares, depression, physical symptoms plus other subtle reactions. Hopefully this will all iron out after a week or two and you will get back on an even keel. If that does not happen please come back and ask more questions and/or consult your sleep doctor about your issues.