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[CPAP] Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
#1
Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!

Hello! This is my first post (newbie). My husband has been using the RemStar Pro for the past 2 months. His pressure is set at 13. He wears a full mask. The snoring and apnea episodes have not been present since starting therapy. He has a history of gastric reflux (He has been known to wake from a deep sleep, choking and gasping for air). This has not happened since starting the cpap therapy until Friday night.

This past Friday, he woke up with the sensation of choking/gasping for air. He struggled to get his mask off and I finally was able to unsnap the strap. Soon as he got mask completely off, he passed out. I thought he died! I screamed his name and went to call 911. He finally woke up (this was all prob less than one minute but at the time, it felt like forever). He has no memory of falling face first off the edge of the bed. He said he was gasping from the reflux, and felt that he "Hyperventilated" from gasping and the machine forcing air into his airway. I called his Dr. and he goes tomorrow. He refused to go to ER the night this happened. He said he didn't think his mask was on tight enough that night.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? Thank you in advance for sharing.Thanks
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#2
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
Hi Cpap_wife,
First, WELCOME! to the forum.!
It's good that your husband has an apointment with his Dr.
I haven't had this experience but hang inthere for more suggestions, best of luck to you both.
trish6hundred
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#3
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
(10-21-2012, 10:13 AM)trish6hundred Wrote: Hi Cpap_wife,
First, WELCOME! to the forum.!
It's good that your husband has an apointment with his Dr.
I haven't had this experience but hang inthere for more suggestions, best of luck to you both.

Thank you!
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#4
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
I've heard of that happening. It's probably just a bump in the road. CPAP therapy is hard to adjust to and it takes time. It's good that he's going to see the doctor.

Do you know the model number of his RemStar Pro machine? It's probably 450P or 460P. If you remove the water tray you can look on the bottom of the machine to find it. If it's the 450P you should download the free SleepyHead software and look at his data. You'll be able to see if he's still experiencing a lot of apneas, and if he is you need to talk to the doctor about that, too.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#5
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
(10-21-2012, 11:04 AM)Sleepster Wrote: I've heard of that happening. It's probably just a bump in the road. CPAP therapy is hard to adjust to and it takes time. It's good that he's going to see the doctor.

Do you know the model number of his RemStar Pro machine? It's probably 450P or 460P. If you remove the water tray you can look on the bottom of the machine to find it. If it's the 450P you should download the free SleepyHead software and look at his data. You'll be able to see if he's still experiencing a lot of apneas, and if he is you need to talk to the doctor about that, too.

I don't understand about software. When I download the software, will it automatically pick up his progress? Do I need my computer on in order for it to work? I do know that we have an antennae for wi- fi, i believe? I guess I am in the right place to educate myself and Hubby! Thanks!
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#6
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
Once you install the software you'll have to remove the SD card from the CPAP machine, insert it in the computer, and then download the data. Then you put the SD card back in the CPAP machine.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
(10-21-2012, 11:15 AM)Cpap_wife Wrote:
(10-21-2012, 11:04 AM)Sleepster Wrote: Do you know the model number of his RemStar Pro machine? It's probably 450P or 460P. If you remove the water tray you can look on the bottom of the machine to find it. If it's the 450P you should download the free SleepyHead software and look at his data. You'll be able to see if he's still experiencing a lot of apneas, and if he is you need to talk to the doctor about that, too.

I don't understand about software. When I download the software, will it automatically pick up his progress? Do I need my computer on in order for it to work? I do know that we have an antennae for wi- fi, i believe? I guess I am in the right place to educate myself and Hubby! Thanks!

What kind of software you need depends on the make and model machine you have. You can find this on the bottom of the machine (but be sure to pull out the water tray first, lest you end up with water all over the place).
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#8
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
I have been on CPAP for about 6 months now, and I used to have gastric reflux so bad, I would wake up gasping and choking - I was annoyed that the doctors I went to didn't take it seriously I got to the point of being afraid to sleep. They just gave me the usual don't eat these foods, prop your head up etc. advice - but I suspect it was the obstructive apnea's that triggered the attacks of internal reflux and choking because I can drink red wine and eat pizza now and sleep through the night with not problems...it didn't make any difference before what I ate but that is what I thought triggered it.
I have not experienced any reflux since being on CPAP so cannot comment on what your husband experienced but understand how scary it can be. I personally feel much more relaxed and safer using CPAP than before. Hope you have some resolution to this and don't have to experience it again. It took me a few months to adjust fully to the treatment and feel real benefits from CPAP.
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#9
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
(10-21-2012, 11:15 AM)Cpap_wife Wrote:
(10-21-2012, 11:04 AM)Sleepster Wrote: I've heard of that happening. It's probably just a bump in the road. CPAP therapy is hard to adjust to and it takes time. It's good that he's going to see the doctor.

Do you know the model number of his RemStar Pro machine? It's probably 450P or 460P. If you remove the water tray you can look on the bottom of the machine to find it. If it's the 450P you should download the free SleepyHead software and look at his data. You'll be able to see if he's still experiencing a lot of apneas, and if he is you need to talk to the doctor about that, too.

I don't understand about software. When I download the software, will it automatically pick up his progress? Do I need my computer on in order for it to work? I do know that we have an antennae for wi- fi, i believe? I guess I am in the right place to educate myself and Hubby! Thanks!

First I would like to welcome you
This is the right place to be asking questions & to educate yourselves.

As Sleepster said make sure you remove the water tray (Humidifier) then write down the entire model number from the bottom of the main unit.
If you need help on how to remove the water tray (Humidifier) your manual will show you how, if you can't find it many people here will be able to help you with that, it is very easy.

This is a picture of my model number so you know what to look for.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/104178268/Sleep...ies%29.jpg
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#10
RE: Hubby woke up gasping and after removing mask, passed out!
(10-22-2012, 06:23 AM)Ulrika Wrote: I have been on CPAP for about 6 months now, and I used to have gastric reflux so bad, I would wake up gasping and choking - I was annoyed that the doctors I went to didn't take it seriously I got to the point of being afraid to sleep. They just gave me the usual don't eat these foods, prop your head up etc. advice - but I suspect it was the obstructive apnea's that triggered the attacks of internal reflux and choking because I can drink red wine and eat pizza now and sleep through the night with not problems...it didn't make any difference before what I ate but that is what I thought triggered it.
I have not experienced any reflux since being on CPAP so cannot comment on what your husband experienced but understand how scary it can be. I personally feel much more relaxed and safer using CPAP than before. Hope you have some resolution to this and don't have to experience it again. It took me a few months to adjust fully to the treatment and feel real benefits from CPAP.
Thanks for your response...glad to hear you don't have that any longer. This was the first time since he has been on cpap that he had an episode w/the reflux. Went to Dr. yesterday and was told to keep up w/treatment. He is doing well now. We think that he just didn't have his mask on tight enough. Hope it never happens again.
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