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

Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
#1
Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
Using cpap full mask 3 days including naps. Having sleep paralasys every time feel like suffocating. I am scared to death to use again but always so tired, making depression worse. What can I do feeling very hopeless
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
Welcome Mjungle773, I lot of people suggest having it on while awake watching TV or reading to try to get used to it and have you spoke to your Sleep Specilaist about it or at least the DME?
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
(08-16-2015, 08:02 PM)Mjungle773 Wrote: Using cpap full mask 3 days including naps. Having sleep paralasys every time feel like suffocating. I am scared to death to use again but always so tired, making depression worse. What can I do feeling very hopeless

Do you know what specific machine that you have? It should tell you on top of the machine. Also, what is your pressure? If you feel like you are suffocating, it may be because you have the ramp on and it is too low of a starting pressure or your pressure is just too low period.

We really need more info to help you better.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
I don't use the ramp feature. I put it on at least 30 min before going to sleep to try and calm down and relax. It's a respironics with full face mask, amara full face mask. I am at 10.0 cm h2o. I fall asleep fine, it's just about 2 hrs in I have the worst nightmare ever. Feels like suffocating, can't move and can scream all I want and nobody can hear me. Pressure was set after my second sleep study. Don't see sleep doc for another month, can get ahold of respiratory theripast a little over a week if I throw a fit.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
Hi Mjungle773,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I'm sorry you are having such a rough time with CPAP therapy.
Do you have ramp turned on on your machine? If you do, you can either decrease the time on it so it doesn't take so long to get up to your pressure, or, you can just turn it off.
Much success to you with your CPAP therapy and hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
(08-16-2015, 09:13 PM)Mjungle773 Wrote: It's a respironics with full face mask, amara full face mask. I am at 10.0 cm h2o. I fall asleep fine, it's just about 2 hrs in I have the worst nightmare ever. Feels like suffocating, can't move and can scream all I want and nobody can hear me.
First of all, identify your machine, if the machine is data capable, we can have an idea of going on, things like AHI
Downloading SleepyHead going to be great help to see whether the nightmares coincides with clusters of apneas

WARNING: Remove the water tank from your CPAP machine before turning the machine over or moving it.
[Image: PR-model-1.jpg]




Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
(08-16-2015, 09:13 PM)Mjungle773 Wrote: I don't use the ramp feature. I put it on at least 30 min before going to sleep to try and calm down and relax. It's a respironics with full face mask, amara full face mask. I am at 10.0 cm h2o. I fall asleep fine, it's just about 2 hrs in I have the worst nightmare ever. Feels like suffocating, can't move and can scream all I want and nobody can hear me. Pressure was set after my second sleep study. Don't see sleep doc for another month, can get ahold of respiratory theripast a little over a week if I throw a fit.

30 minutes is a long time to build up to 10 and that may be part of why you feel that way. I would suggest that you shorten your ramp time a lot or turn it off completely. I would also suggest that you download SH and take a look at what happens when you have the nightmare and feel like you are suffocating. Are there big leaks? Are there some events happening?

If you want to post the graphs here, we can help you better.

In the meantime, you can take your machine and go to the place that you purchased it from and ask for the manager if you can't see a RT and let them look at your data and see if they can help you. I wouldn't wait a week. If you want to throw a fit, do it while you are in the waiting room or reception area where it makes more of a difference than throwing a fit on the phone. I would not throw a fit until you give them a chance to look at your data and see what they can suggest to help you. But, if it were me, I would be at their office the minute it opens.

Hope this helps.
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
Can you describe the experience you are having?

Any chance you can convince your sleeping self that it's not a horrible thing and that it will pass? One suggestion is to try wiggling your toes or fingers.

I occasionally get something similar, but it's mild compared to what I've heard about. I'm not even sure it's "real" sleep paralysis. Mine is usually a "dream" that I've got my fingers laced together behind my head and can't pull them apart. Unfortunately, I'm not coherent enough to relax or try to work my way out of it. Luckily, it's not that severe or uncommon.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
@Mjungle773 - has sleep paralysis been something you experienced much of before you think you developed apnea? It definitely sounds like it is related to REM sleep, and how you particularly do REM sleep. hyperventilation is quite common in REM and can cause breathless or suffocating feeling.

@me50 - OP does not use ramp at all, but wears the mask for 30 minutes leading up to bedtime, as some suggest for getting used to the feeling of having the mask on.

You may profit from sleepyhead software after you get to know it a bit. It would at least show whether you are actually breathing or not when you believe you cannot, and whether you had been experiencing the effects of hyperventilation I am guessing.

QAL
Dedicated to QALity sleep.
Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: Help, Sleep paralysis nightmare devastating
Mjungle773,
I have experienced what you have described, but that was prior to using CPAP. Have not experienced it since I've been on CPAP.

I know the feeling of being somewhat awake, and not being able to move, or speak. I remember trying to call out to my husband, but could not. It is a frightening experience. The most interesting thing is that the brain is functioning well, and somehow I was able to reason myself out of the "sleep paralysis".

Also, was not able to recall any dreams prior to the experience, but I believe it has something to do with REM sleep. If you Google this, you will find some information on the subject.

I never felt as if I were suffocating, just felt paralyzed, so the feeling of suffocation may be due to your pressure settings not being optimal for you.

Download sleepyhead software, as quiescence at last has suggested.






OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



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


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  [Treatment] Request for Sleep Data review compared to Sleep Study thesingingchef 2 165 03-14-2024, 05:14 PM
Last Post: thesingingchef
  adding sleep report (Wondering whether changing sleep position can "cure" apnea) NewlyDiagnosed 1 208 02-26-2024, 10:19 PM
Last Post: BoxcarPete
  Inconsistent Sleep Patterns and Confusing Sleep Studies - Please Review mperry99 17 1,362 10-14-2023, 04:20 PM
Last Post: mperry99
  [Equipment] User interface nightmare - Resmed Airsense 10 edsela 4 621 09-15-2023, 07:23 PM
Last Post: edsela
  [Diagnosis] Sleep deprivation vs sleep apnea - my therapy thread JRNfromAZ 2 808 08-01-2023, 02:43 PM
Last Post: JRNfromAZ
  Sleep apnea and CPAP use and it’s effect on HRV and Sleep Quaility tinyobject 1 1,011 01-21-2023, 10:37 AM
Last Post: Jay51
Gross First night Nightmare's Willowbender 3 604 11-27-2022, 05:14 PM
Last Post: Willowbender


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

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