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Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
#1
Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
Hi there everyone.... new here.... new to CPAP. I have been using a rental machine for the last month, and thankfully seemed to have very few 'teething' problems.

I use a F&P Pilairo, had a bit of a sore nose for the first week, used some cream on it and now it is fine.

I had to play with the humidity a bit, but seemed to sort that out.

Also played with the positioning of the hose....after nearly strangling myself with it one night, now hang it over the top of my bedhead.

I live in Australia and ended up ordering from a US company, even after shipping and customs fees I ended up saving over $1000 by purchasing it overseas!!!

Anyway - my new machine arrived this week and have been using it for three nights. Different brand from the rental, different hose.

Here is my problem, each night I have been having really weird scary dreams. If you ask me now what they were about I have no idea. I just know that I wake up in a panic, usually about 2hours before my normal waking time. I have to sit up, take of my gear, then I have trouble going back to sleep. Even though I can't remember what the dream was I have continued to feel anxious all day because of it....

Very strange.

I have looked at the data, and it seems like everything is OK... AHI between 1.5 and 2.5, I don't have any trouble going to sleep, and this is happening around hour 6-7 of sleep.

I have heard about REM rebound... but I wasn't experiencing this over the last 6 weeks with the other machine. I don't know if this has anything at all to do with CPAP or not. Just seemed an unusual coincidence that it only happened when I started on new machine.

Any ideas from anyone?

By the way - I did a lot of research on here looking at different machines and reading peoples posts and learning lots. Glad to have found this forum!
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#2
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
(04-05-2013, 08:42 AM)Megsy Wrote: Hi there everyone.... new here.... new to CPAP. I have been using a rental machine for the last month, and thankfully seemed to have very few 'teething' problems. ...
Anyway - my new machine arrived this week and have been using it for three nights. Different brand from the rental, different hose.
Here is my problem, each night I have been having really weird scary dreams. If you ask me now what they were about I have no idea. I just know that I wake up in a panic, usually about 2hours before my normal waking time. I have to sit up, take of my gear, then I have trouble going back to sleep. Even though I can't remember what the dream was I have continued to feel anxious all day because of it. ....
I have looked at the data, and it seems like everything is OK... AHI between 1.5 and 2.5, I don't have any trouble going to sleep, and this is happening around hour 6-7 of sleep.
I have heard about REM rebound... but I wasn't experiencing this over the last 6 weeks with the other machine. I don't know if this has anything at all to do with CPAP or not. Just seemed an unusual coincidence that it only happened when I started on new machine.

We're glad you found us! Welcome

What was the make and model of the rental and what settings was it on?
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#3
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
Hi Megsy,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I don't know why you would have scary dreams just because you switched to a different machine but hang in there for more ideas.
Best of luck to you.
trish6hundred
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#4
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
If you are getting gnarly dreams then I think that's a good sign that you are making progress.
Not unusual for the patient to not get enough REM (dreaming) time in before start of therapy.

The nightmares will most likely simmer down and with any luck you may get a few good dreams in for a change.

Welcome

Sleep-well

"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Cool
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#5
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
A lot of folks have bad dreams, or vivid dreams, after starting the CPAP. Your brain is having fun after finally getting into true REM sleep.

If it becomes an issue, talk to your doc or the sleep doc.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#6
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
Megsy, I agree with the others about the dreams you are probably now getting to REM sleep and getting the restorative sleep you need. We go through many sleep cycles a night not just one and each one is made up of different stages. You just need to go with the dreams as they are natural. I'm also in Australia and glad you saved the $1000, I bought mine at full price $2,500 because I didn't know anything about SA before I was diagnosed 2 years ago, but now I know a lot more, next time will buy over the net, good luck. Your AHI figures sound good too.
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#7
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
I used to could manipulate my dreams. Stop, start, rewind, fast forward, change things, etc. But once I started on CPAP, I could swear I could hear my brain say "PAY BACK TIME!". I had vivid dreams but few nightmares. This lasted I guess about a month or less then slowly stopped. Now I guess I dream like "normal" people do.

As to why you are having them now and not with the rental, I don't know. Is the pressure the same? Was the rental an autoPAP, too?
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#8
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
Its okay to dream but bad dreams sign of something need further research
Bring it up with your sleep physician

Before CPAP, they were mostly bad and some disturbing dreams
Since got on the hose, no more bad dreams
I don,t miss them

Whats breakdown of AHI (AI, HI, CAI) and leak
Even with good leak number (below 24 L/min), if air allowed to escape thru the mouth can reduce the effectiveness of the therapy
A chinstrap can helps keep mouth closed and minimize mouth leaks

If you sleep on your back, try sleep on your side, some train themselves to sleep on their side by placing a tennis ball inside a sock stitched on back of pyjama tops or T-shirt. Its painful to roll on the back so they roll back on the side .. simple but works

Did you change any of the setting, pressure, EPR, Ramp
Have you tried set the machine on auto and let the machine adjust pressure to your needs throughout the night

It can some time and works to get everything dialed in

Congrats on doing your homework and get your machine from the states, prices are big rip-off here

Not all suppliers ship Resmed products to foreigners but suppliers #2 and #10 does. I've bought some stuff from both and both are very good and reliable source. Supplier List: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...plier-List

If you,re using power plug adapter, you can get an S8 power cord to use with the S9 power brick instead the one comes with the machine from Supplier #13

BTW CPAP tax exempt, did you pay custom tax because the total was above $1000
Best of luck






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#9
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
(04-05-2013, 08:42 AM)Megsy Wrote: I live in Australia and ended up ordering from a US company, even after shipping and customs fees I ended up saving over $1000 by purchasing it overseas!!!

I know things are a little upside down there (according to my globe) but with places like ResMed originating down under, why would things not be dirt cheap? Or at least, if not cheaper than here in Canada, maybe at a comparable price?

Quote:Here is my problem, each night I have been having really weird scary dreams. If you ask me now what they were about I have no idea. between 1.5 and 2.5, I don't have any trouble going to sleep, and this is happening around hour 6-7 of sleep.

It happened to me a few times, I wake up in terror because of the dreams that people were trying to kill me.

"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me."

I really don't have a solution. Maybe it's something we ate?
Huh
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#10
RE: Scary dreams..... felt anxious all day!
Thank you everyone for your replies....

I am happy to report last night no nightmares!!!

I did have a waking moment again at about the same time....roughly 6hours into my 8 hours of sleep. But this time just sort of woke up, rolled over and went back to sleep.

I was using a RemStarPro M Series....fixed at 10cm pressure. That was the rental.

When I had my first CPAP titration they said I didn't have any REM sleep (had hardly any sleep actually) so they made me go back after a month and do another one. Maybe I was just not getting much REM sleep at all.

I don't understand the prices here either....seems crazy that it is an Australian company yet costs twice as much to buy here....someone is making some big bucks of our need!

I decided to go for the auto as it would adjust as I needed it. I still can't believe how much I saved....just the machine and humidifier was quoted over $2000, then the mask was going to be $275. But ended up with the machine, humidifier, the mask, three replacement nasal pillows, two replacement head straps, shipping and customs all for about $1300 (and they even included the power adaptor for me!).

As I rented a machine to start with - I can claim that fee of my health fund. I don't think I would get any back for purchasing overseas....but it would only be a couple of hundred anyway because I had claimed the rental, they apparently take that off the amount they would give as a rebate for purchase anyway.

So as for results.... I didn't really feel that I was falling asleep during the day or anything. I only got tested because my sister was diagnosed with apnea last year and bugged me all Christmas get together telling me I had to be tested and she was raving about how much more energy she had etc etc etc

The main difference I have noticed is that when I wake up I am immediately awake. I used to hit the snooze button 10 times and even then still be a bit of a zombie for the first half hour or so after getting up. Now, the alarm goes off, and I am up and away. So I guess that is a good thing.

Fingers crossed these dreams settle down....was just the strangest most unsettling feeling.....

Thanks again!
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