cpap causes shortness of breath

I have asthma and started on an S9 Autoset almost 2 years ago. I quickly learned that having EPR (exhale relief) < 3 made me more tired in the morning. When my asthma got worse a year ago, I not only noticed the tired problem but I would get short of breath quickly. The surprising thing for me when I switched to a bi-level was that having the pressure too low would make me breathless. After thinking about it, it made sense, the volume of air coming in wasn't enough for my body just as walking fast might make me breathless because asthma is preventing my body from getting enough air.

As others have said, if you include your machine in your profile, we could at least tell you if your machine has some form of exhale relief.

Thank you all for your answers. I talked last night to a friend of mine that has been using the system for years and he echoed a lot of what you folks have said. I imagine my doctor will call tomorrow and I think I am going to ask for a try with a full face mask, a fan (I usually sleep with one, and not only is there no fan in the room, it was HOT, too, which did not help). I will ask to be moved to a facility that has TVs in the rooms. There was no TV, not even a radio, in the rooms, and I have trouble reading without my glasses, which are impossible to wear with the confounded wiring. Just laying there staring at the ceiling did not help. I will finally request a machine with a 3 or 4 minimum setting.

Again, I very much appreciate your input. Please wish me luck.

I just got off the phone with my Doctor. He asked me some questions and then said that it was as he suspected: I need something called Bipap, which adjusts the pressure down upon exhalation. I told him about the suggestion that I try a full face mask and that I sit up and watch TV or something to get used to it. He agreed, and he is going to have the lady at the sleep center call me to schedule something during the day, sitting up, bipap, with a full face mask. He said that what happened to me is not unheard of and is a result of my lungs not fully emptying.

I feel so much better knowing that there still is a lot of hope this thing is going to work. Again, thanks for your help!

By the way, BiPAP is Respironics trademark for the generic "bilevel". "VPAP" is the ResMed trademark for bilevel.

The terms mean the same thing. There's some batwing and other black magic in how well a particular model and manufacture's machines work in terms of switching pressure.