Onset apnea getting much worse

[Chkenparm]

I have complex apnea, but the obstructive is pretty mild. My main issue is the onset central apnea. I can’t take a nap on the couch without the cpap. Been using the cpap for almost a decade (nasal pillows, Resmed 10 cpap) with no problems. 

Last September I had a night where I had constant onset episodes. Had an overnight sleep study and nothing abnormal came up. Didn’t have an episode again until November.

Happened twice in January, then twice last week and again last night. 

When this happens I feel a jolt every time I’m about to fall asleep and/or the cpap blows a lot of air at once and wakes me. And that happens over and over all night. The Cpap will show zero apneas the next day.

So long story short this issue is ramping up. When it happens I get almost no sleep, can’t function at work, and am very worried about how this will effect my health. Has anyone else had this happen to them and do you have any advice?

[Sleeprider]

We see sleep onset central apnea fairly common, and it is often a problem during sleep transition when the body passes off respiration as voluntary to an autonomic nervous system. Respiratory drive is complicated and this can be a real problem In your case it has been intermittent and very difficult to measure in a sleep test, because events don't count until you are asleep and this problem keeps you at the threshold of sleep.

Your would do better to get a free copy of OSCAR so you can document the problem in data and charts and use that to discuss with your doctor. There may be some other options we can help with and the OSCAR data will also help us to understand the severity, frequency and circumstances of these events. So my immediate suggestion is to get the software to document this, then we can take a meaningful look at the data and charts and make suggestions from there.