That "I can't breathe" feeling

Over the past while, there have been a couple of occasions where it felt like I couldn't inhale while using the machine. I actually could, but it felt wrong and difficult. Last night was one of those times, and with the machine on it reached the point that I was getting lightheaded. No problems without the mask, and I used the time without it on to calm down a bit, get less fuzzy, and make some attempts to get more comfortable. It wasn't as bad after I switched over to the S pillows from XS, and changing the filter didn't help. According to the display, it was going straight to my pressure (7), with no ramp. Is there any way to stop this from happening? And if anyone intends to suggest that I speak with my sleep doctor about this, I already have plans to call his office next week; I need to book my first follow up, and the appointment card I was given bears a handwritten note that says to call them in January to book it.

For those of you who collect DME statements, when I had previously mentioned this to them (in the same phone call as I mentioned my distaste for the Flex setting they locked in), they claimed that changing the Flex setting would stop this.

I don't know whether this is the same or not, but I'll share just in case it might help. At the very beginning of my therapy journey I would start to panic and feel like I couldn't breathe and have to yank the mask off. Even now, almost five years out, I still get that feeling once every few months. Someone here suggested putting your hand out in front of the exhaust vent on the mask and letting that air blow on your hand. I don't know why, but that really helped. It calmed me and I didn't have to yank the mask off anymore.

I know it's frustrating, so I hope you can find a solution.

Pam

7 is a very low pressure....I would struggle a lot at that pressure. Try increasing the pressure a little...maybe from 7 to 9 and see how you react.

Opening your mouth and letting air blow out can also help you check that the air is flowing well.

In those times I do know that the air is flowing. I can tell by how it sounds and feels. Knowing that doesn't stop it from feeling like I'm having a hard time inhaling. Even the graphs in SleepyHead don't look like they normally do (when considering the same part of the night, trying to get to sleep) (this was the first time I saw an event listed as 36 seconds that actually looked like 36 seconds of not breathing (hooray for clear airway events that don't count)) (it looked so flat, especially before I swapped the pillows).

tetragon wrote:.

For those of you who collect DME statements, when I had previously mentioned this to them (in the same phone call as I mentioned my distaste for the Flex setting they locked in), they claimed that changing the Flex setting would stop this.

The Flex feature is to help with exhaling against pressure, so I'm not sure what that has to do with your problem. It sounds like you're feeling a bit suffocated and raising the pressure might help you breathe easier. Let us know.

Like many others, I get that panicky feeling sometimes too. When I feel just about ready to take off my mask (mine is a nasal mask so my mouth is free) I first try breathing in with the mask and then exhaling through my mouth for a few breaths. That feels almost as good as taking off the mask. My ASV is smart enough not to boost pressure if I do that and also not to boost it if I am coughing (which I am doing very frequently right now that I have sinusitis).

Another thing is that many people get stuffed up if the humidity is high. Try reducing your humidity. You may wake up with a dry mouth but breathing better all night.

Mr Bill wrote:Another thing is that many people get stuffed up if the humidity is high. Try reducing your humidity. You may wake up with a dry mouth but breathing better all night.

I can't handle the pillows for a full night with a reduced setting, I've tried that before. I think I was able to turn it down a bit when I tried a nasal mask, and with that, I needed to not use preheat as the humidity caused issues. I'm considering picking one up at some point, possibly even using the same DME as I have been; my RT, the one who locked out basic settings, told the most ridiculous statements, and had a very basic fitting technique (sit in chair, pull on headgear, it looks like it fits), no longer works there, and the one I got last time seems more competent.

I remember that in the sleep study they tried starting me at 5 or some such ridiculously low number and I felt like someone had a bag over my head suffocating me. They moved it up to 6 and I still didn't feel right but they wouldn't go any higher for a starting pressure. Now when I try to go below 8 (just to see what happens since I've lost some weight) I can't do it because I feel like I can't breathe. So, maybe like some others have said, raise the pressure a bit just to see if that helps at all. If you decide to do this, I would suggest only moving up a small amount at a time, maybe to 7.5 for a few days and then 8. The suggestions here have usually been when changing pressure to do it a little at a time and wait at least a few days to see the results.

Hi Tetra,
I use a Respironics machine too...but at somewhat higher pressures. The Auto-trak algorithms built into the machines can sometimes cause difficulties. What happens with me is that the machine feels like it's become out of synch with my breathing.

I'm using a Bipap but I started out with the same machine you're using. I think mask leaks tend to worsen this issue, so when it happens with me, I re-seat my mask and listen and feel for leaks, and then breath more deeply for awhile and things usually smooth out. Oddly enough, a position change from one side to the other sometimes works to...but that probably is mask related.

Just thought I'd mention that, because occasionally it feels like I'm breathing against too much pressure as well as inhaling against resistance.
Jamis

I got that in the past. I'm at a setting of 8. What makes it odd is that sometimes I feel that I'm inflating, sometimes I feel that I can't breathe. I also find that by the time morning comes, flow is real low and perfectly comfortable.

It is totally mental. I was going through a phase when I was hyperventilating when laying down without cpap, just mental. Need to relax and get the mind off.

What helps me (it is against some other advice, but it works for me), is to have my iPhone or laptop with me when I Kay down, and look at it for a while. Books don't work for me as I'm not engaged enough. It doesn't take long to get engaged.

It really is mental. Does your machine have a ramp? When starting I found it useful, but after a while, it felt like it was too low flow.

I would be unsurprised if the suggestions to adjust the pressure wouldn't have been quite so enthusiastic had I included a mention of how most of my logged events are in the clear airway category. I even had a recent night where the clear airway index exceeded 5.0. I think that number may be in a gradual upward trend, but the data is so noisy and the trend so gradual as to be effectively irrelevant.

I may try just disabling Flex entirely, so that there should be no change in pressure to see where that gets me. I have had problems with it before.

I can relate to JHZR2's reply. I've experienced a similar sensation where I felt like I was slowly suffocating. This normally occurs as soon as I hit the sack and immediately don my mask. What I do now is lay in bed for a few minutes until I unwind, both mentally and physically, and then don the mask. Works like a charm for me everytime. It was all in my mind. Btw, my pressure setting is 6 and I too was contemplating raising it to 7 or 8. I'm glad I didn't. And yes, I got rid of the ramp-up feature as well. As soon as I don the mask the air pressure goes to six immediately.
It's always wise to speak to your doctor about your problem. I am merely sharing my experience with you and others.

It's strange that you can sit there feeling like you can't inhale with 4 cm pressure, but when you take the mask off and have zero pressure, you feel like you can inhale again. However, it does happen. A mind is a terrible thing.

I liken it to an old style water bed; if you don't relax and let it flow, you're expending too much effort.