CPAP machine goes on, off, on, off, on, off, etc.
My CPAP machine goes on, then off repeatedly, over and over again when I begin to use it. First, a little history.
I was on CPAP for nearly ten years before I began to have problems. Up until then I was a conscientious user that had never experienced any significant problem. Then, my machine began to randomly shut down during the night. I would wake because my breathing was impaired, but if I continued breathing, it would start up again after a brief time, but I would then have some trouble getting back to sleep. I consulted with my sleep doctor, but got no help from him. I am on Medicare and knew that I can get a new machine every five years, and that anniversary was coming up soon, so I just toughed it out for several months.
I received a new machine, but the situation became even worse, in a somewhat different way. Now, when I activate the machine it begins pumping, then stops, then begins again after a short period, stops again, etc. for some period of time (the ‘on’ period being between 30 seconds and ten minutes). Then, eventually, it begins to work normally. This happens both when I go to bed, and also when I reactivate it after getting up to take a pee. This has gone on for as long as over an hour, but usually not that long. I consulted with my DME, and worked on troubleshooting the problem with them, as well as troubleshooting on my own. I tried every combination of settings that might influence it, with no success or improvement. This went on for a month, but nothing seemed to solve the problem, so my DME sent me a replacement machine.
I found that the replacement machine performed no better. I continued to troubleshoot and experiment and eventually learned that if I turned off all ‘smart’ features of the machine, manually starting and stopping it, using only the CPAP mode with a constant pressure, no ramp, and going to sleep on my left side, I had the least problem. Based up on my experience and troubleshooting I began to think the problem might not be with the machine, but that it might be me that is the problem.
I analyze my sleep periodically with Oscar software, but see nothing that indicates it is something I am doing, or not doing, that triggers the machine to shut down. When it does shut down the machine registers it as a ‘mask off’ event. My ResMed machine only counts ‘mask off’ events up to ten, and most of the time my nightly ‘mask off’ events are registered as ten, even though they should actually be two or three. I continue to use the machine eight hours a night with AHIs generally below 4 and usually with an adequate mask fit, but laying there waiting while the machine is doing it’s off/ons before it kicks in to begin pumping normally a number of times a night is very annoying. What could my problem be?
I was on CPAP for nearly ten years before I began to have problems. Up until then I was a conscientious user that had never experienced any significant problem. Then, my machine began to randomly shut down during the night. I would wake because my breathing was impaired, but if I continued breathing, it would start up again after a brief time, but I would then have some trouble getting back to sleep. I consulted with my sleep doctor, but got no help from him. I am on Medicare and knew that I can get a new machine every five years, and that anniversary was coming up soon, so I just toughed it out for several months.
I received a new machine, but the situation became even worse, in a somewhat different way. Now, when I activate the machine it begins pumping, then stops, then begins again after a short period, stops again, etc. for some period of time (the ‘on’ period being between 30 seconds and ten minutes). Then, eventually, it begins to work normally. This happens both when I go to bed, and also when I reactivate it after getting up to take a pee. This has gone on for as long as over an hour, but usually not that long. I consulted with my DME, and worked on troubleshooting the problem with them, as well as troubleshooting on my own. I tried every combination of settings that might influence it, with no success or improvement. This went on for a month, but nothing seemed to solve the problem, so my DME sent me a replacement machine.
I found that the replacement machine performed no better. I continued to troubleshoot and experiment and eventually learned that if I turned off all ‘smart’ features of the machine, manually starting and stopping it, using only the CPAP mode with a constant pressure, no ramp, and going to sleep on my left side, I had the least problem. Based up on my experience and troubleshooting I began to think the problem might not be with the machine, but that it might be me that is the problem.
I analyze my sleep periodically with Oscar software, but see nothing that indicates it is something I am doing, or not doing, that triggers the machine to shut down. When it does shut down the machine registers it as a ‘mask off’ event. My ResMed machine only counts ‘mask off’ events up to ten, and most of the time my nightly ‘mask off’ events are registered as ten, even though they should actually be two or three. I continue to use the machine eight hours a night with AHIs generally below 4 and usually with an adequate mask fit, but laying there waiting while the machine is doing it’s off/ons before it kicks in to begin pumping normally a number of times a night is very annoying. What could my problem be?
