Amara View mask help please

[sweetdrea10]

I am a new CPAP user. So new I got my machine today. While I was getting fitted for this mask he turned it on and I started breathing but when I was exhaling it seemed like it was going into the mask and not anywhere else. I got extremely Dizzy and almost passed out. I asked them if that was normal they said no but continued anyway. I got home put everything together and noticed there is a flap on the inside of the mask when I breathe in the flap opens and when I go to exhale the flap closes so the mask fills up with my exhale and then I breathe again to get what I exhaled out and some fresh air. Is this normal? I feel like there is no way am I going to be alive by breathing in all my exhaled air after a short while. I get so light headed like im going to pass out. please tell me this is not normal. What can I do? shouldn't that flap open up when I exhale to let the exhale out of the mask? why am I getting dizzy like this. I did not get dizzy with the other full mask that I had used for testing night. oh my machine is the Res med Airsense 10 and its set at a 4 then something called a ramp after 20 minutes said it goes up to 20 I believe? Help please....

[Crimson Nape]

Hi sweetdrea10!



It sounds like you're trying a little too hard and winding up hyperventilating. There should be some small holes on the mask, usually in the front. These weep holes allow for some, but not all, of your exhaled air to escape. The body needs some CO₂. The flap is to prevent your exhaled air from going back into the hose. You might try seeing how slow you can breath in and out while using the CPAP to aid in getting use to it.

Good Luck!

[zonk]

I did not get dizzy with the other full mask that I had used for testing night. oh my machine is the Res med Airsense 10 and its set at a 4 then something called a ramp after 20 minutes said it goes up to 20 I believe? Help please....

If pressure start 4 and Ramp set for 20 minutes, you're at 4 for solid 20 minutes, that would make anybody dizzy

What is the model name of the machine?


Profile shows "CPAP Pressure: 4-20", that indicate an AutoSet set on auto mode with minimum 4 and maximum 20, machines leave the factory at such settings. But will need clarification from you, so we don't make the wrong assumption

What is the recommended pressure after the "testing night" and do you have copies of the results?

[trish6hundred]

Hi sweetdrea10,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I would think that the dizziness should go away over time. If you keep having this problem, talk to your doc about it.
Hang in there for more suggestions and answers to your questions and much success to you with your CPAP therapy.

[PoolQ]

The REsmed Airsense 10 Ramp feature set to 20 minutes will start ramping as soon as you turn on the machine and be at your minimum therapy pressure at the end of 20 minutes (page 10 of the user manual). In auto once sleep is detected the pressure will increase 1 cm per minute from starting to minimum pressure setting.

Besides all the above. The machine is set for 4-20 cm, or wide open so ramp or no ramp does not matter, you cannot set the machine to below 4 even if you wanted to.

[PoolQ]

The Amara View has a bunch of little air holes that you exhale through. Put the mask on and turn the machine on, take a breathe and hold it, the put your had in front of the mask and you will feel the support air flow coming out of those holes. Exhale and feel the air flow increase.

My guess is that you are feeling dizzy because the pressure is set too low for you. As an example, and I am NOT suggesting that you use my settings, I had pre-ramp set to 5.6, min pressure at 8 and max pressure at 14. My machine would start at 5.6 and ramp to 8 over the first 20 minutes and then range between 8 and 14 depending on what my apneas needed to stop them.

Since your machine is wide open, 4-20, I would suggest you set your pre-ramp to 5, then 6 and with the mask on and laying down, try each setting and see how it feels. Once you find you minimum level also set the min level to this pressure. Get some sleep and collect some data. Load sleephead free software and post some of the graphs (there is a sticky at the top of the forum). people here will help you adjust your machine

[AlanE]

Did your doctor prescribe a setting of 4-20? If not the DME may have failed to set the machine up properly. If you don't have your prescription call your doctor and find out what the prescribed settings should be. Also ask for a copy of the prescription. Change the settings yourself. Information on how to get the manual is at the link on the top of the page. "CPAP Setup Manuals"

[AlanE]

my machine is the Res med Airsense 10 and its set at a 4 then something called a ramp after 20 minutes said it goes up to 20 I believe?

If it is an autoset, the pressure will stay at 4 (your minimum) all night long unless it detects a snore or flow limitation and then will start to raise the pressure. It may never get to 20. That setting just indicates the machine is allowed to go that high if it needs to otherwise it will always try to return to the minimum pressure: 4. Which others have pointed out is low for most people.

[DannetteDN]

I tried the Amara View mask and felt like I couldn't breathe with a setting of 4-20. The vents on that mask are near the nose, and not near the mouth. The instructions for the mask say to breathe out through your nose. Aren't we given full face masks because we are mouth breathers or have trouble breathing through our nose? The vents are small and it takes a while for the exhaled air to leave the mask. If they are further from the mouth, this would take longer and more exhaled air would be breathed in again. I switched to the ResMed AirFit F10. The vents on that mask are near the mouth, around where the tube goes in. My pressure settings haven't changed, but I feel as though I can breathe better.

[PoolQ]

The way all these masks work is that there is a constant air flow from the hose, through the mask, and out through the vents. When you exhale you exhale through the vents along with some "fresh" air from the hose. The fresh air continues to flow and flush out the mask.

The setting of 4 is quite low and for me at least I need at least a pressure of 6 to get enough air to feel like I am breathing.