Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
#1
It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
Hi Everyone,

I was recently diagnosed with mild OSA (my AHI in the lab study was only 6.6) and my doctor prescribed a CPAP. I got the Resmed AirSense 10 Autoset For Her and have been trying to use it for the past week but I’ve encountered a problem and I’m hoping someone here can offer advice. I breathe very slowly compared to most people (not just while asleep, also while awake) and my exhalations are quite long. I feel like the machine is trying to get me to speed up my breathing. The pressure backs off slightly on the exhale but not for long enough, so it already starts pushing air at me again when I’m still only partly done exhaling.

Is there a setting I can adjust to slow the speed down or improve the machine’s sensitivity to better detect my exhalations? I’ve already tried using the three different EPR settings but that didn’t help. I also adjusted the ramp time to the max 45 minutes to see if the lower pressure as I fall asleep would make it less of a problem, but it still feels like the machine won’t let me breathe at my natural slow breathing pace. So far, I haven’t been able to fall asleep with it at all, despite keeping the mask on for up to 7.5 hours on some nights. (I've had to take daytime naps to compensate for the lack of sleep, which isn't something I can keep doing every day for much longer.)
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
It would help to see some charts from OSCAR, and in your case, we should look at a zoomed in view (2-minute segment where waves are visible) that includes Events, Flow Rate, Mask Pressure, Flow Limitation and Leaks.  Your profile shows your pressure is 5-15 and I suspect you must be using EPR because you describe a reduction of pressure during exhale.  The way the Resmed works with EPR is much like a bilevel. As inspiration ends and flow rate rapidly drops to exhale, the Resmed will reduce pressure by up to 3-cm. The minimum pressure is 4.0, so at your current minimum pressure you only get 1-cm of pressure relief, and until you reach 7.0 cm, you don't get the full benefit of EPR.  As the machine detects inspiratory flow, the pressure gradually increases to the set CPAP pressure and reaches a peak just before expiration.

If you have a very slow breath rate, the Resmed Autoset still follows your respiration with appropriate pressure changes, it never leads or tries to make you breathe.  However, if your cycle time in exhale approaches 10 seconds, the Resmed will start evaluating your airway using the "forced oscillation technique (FOT)". This is an oscillation of 1-cm pressure at 4 times per second. Some individuals are sensitive to FOT and perceive it as the machine trying to make you breathe.  There is no way I know of to turn it off. If you look at the detailed flow charts, you can see FOT during expiration if it is occurring.  Here is an example of an image showing the flow rate and mask pressure during an apnea where FOT is shown at 04:47:40.  Look for this pattern in your own chart.

[Image: attachment.php?aid=20326]


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


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.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
This might sound silly, but... did you try sleeping with earplugs? I found that the inhaling/exhaling noise of the machine somehow made me loose my natural breathing  rhythm, because I adapted to the sounds of the machine. Earplugs helped me big time to "decouple" my own breathing from whatever the machine is doing.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
Thank you for the information and for the suggestions. I turned off EPR last night and wore earplugs, and that combination solved the problem of feeling like the machine was rushing me to breathe faster than my natural pace. I was finally able to fall asleep with the machine for the first time. If my mask hadn’t started leaking a lot and woken me up about 2 1/2 hours later, I think I might have been able to stay asleep for even longer. I’m still working on dialing in the right adjustments for the mask.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
I found that the machine sounds really affected me when I was new to CPAP. I was desperate to just go to sleep, but the machine sounded like my breathing was getting faster. It amplified my anxiety.

I was able to use that sound to actually help me get to sleep. I soon learned that I was breathing heavier due to my stressing out over all the new aspects of CPAP and started controlling my breathing by deliberately slowing it down.

Hearing the motor noise slowing down was very relaxing much like breathing exercises are used in yoga.

Now, I generally am sound asleep within 10 minutes of "Mask On".

I could hear the sounds slowing down as I relaxed myself and soon the rhythm of a calm smooth breath became like a sleep noise, similar to any other sleep noise like ocean waves, frogs chirping, etc.

My wife also used the CPAP sounds, combined with knowing I was using CPAP to improve my health, helped her make the sound even more relaxing. The sounds actually also helped her go to sleep and stay asleep, just like a sleep noise helps many other people. Win, Win..!

Doing this will not only help you go to sleep, but when you have an awake moment during the night, it will help keep you from "waking up" and work as an inducement to just keep sleeping. You need to learn to make the machine your friend and train your mind get in sync with all the nuances of CPAP.

I'm a believer in resolving CPAP issues naturally, making as few physical changes (or equipment additions) as possible.

IE., earplugs, mouth tape, chin straps, on and on.

Coffee
My worst night on CPAP is 10X better than my best night without it  Eat-popcorn 
Good night Chesty, wherever you are..Semper Fi
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
I listen to audiobooks with ear plugs, It really helps to get your mind off your breathing and every day stressful events.
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
(02-27-2020, 08:53 AM)Nightynite Wrote: I listen to audiobooks with ear plugs, It really helps to get your mind off your breathing and every day stressful events.

Glad you found something that works for you.

If you ever watch NOVA they have a show with recent information about sleep health. 

It's called "Mysteries Of Sleep"...

Sleep-well
My worst night on CPAP is 10X better than my best night without it  Eat-popcorn 
Good night Chesty, wherever you are..Semper Fi
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
Resmed is trying to upsell its customers. It seems like common sense that you should be able to adjust the inhale time. I use the Resmed Aircurve 10 Vauto and I have the ability to change the inhale time. My max inhale time is 3.0 sec, and my min inhale time is 1.0 sec. It was defaulted to 2.0 sec inhale which was way too fast.
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
When I first started CPAP, I had the same feeling like the breathing didn't sync with my natural breathing rhythm, and then after some usage, I didn't notice that issue anymore. Perhaps I adapted. No idea.

Same for pressure early on, and then I got used to it. I guess it takes time for body to adjust.
Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: It feels like the CPAP is trying to make me breathe too fast
Hi, RealityShifter  Early on, I experienced the feeling you describe of the machine trying to get me to breathe faster.  Generally, if I persisted in breathing slower, I could get to slow down.  After a month or two, I no longer had this problem.  I don't know if I simply got used to the machine, or whether it was getting my pressure settings dialed in and dispensing with Ramp solved the problem.  Perhaps both.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  please help me make sense of my central apneas p4ncaketim 27 601 8 hours ago
Last Post: Sleeprider
  Not sure what to make of my OSCAR data Machinist 3 216 03-10-2024, 09:14 PM
Last Post: Machinist
  Can someone help me make sense of my Therapy Numbers? kc90 6 356 02-21-2024, 08:58 PM
Last Post: kc90
  N20 mask: waking up unable to breathe acordeon 1 265 02-05-2024, 07:54 PM
Last Post: SarcasticDave94
  Dreamstation 2 feels like it isn't treating my apnea (any suggestions)? Sunday3 4 288 02-05-2024, 10:01 AM
Last Post: Sleeprider
  [CPAP] Suddenly air feels too dry.. outasleep 2 290 01-15-2024, 09:42 AM
Last Post: PeaceLoveAndPizza
Idea Tell me how you've Modified your P10 to make it VENT more Hydrangea 47 6,416 01-13-2024, 04:53 PM
Last Post: her.suit


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.