Pulling off my mask, not remembering it.

[Harryl]

I came on today to write about this same problem. I have been using Cpap for several years with mixed results. I never attained the wonderful sleep I had hoped for. However it has saved me and I do sleep enough. I wear a lightweight mirage mask and use a resmed 9.
I often fall asleep without my mask, then wake up and put it on, only to find I have taken it off and wake after a few hours. It is frustrating and I have no memory of removing it. It's like my body doesn't want to put it on and if I do it doesn't want to keep it on. Apnea denial?
I wonder if I must not be struggling for air with it on and take it off?
Once it's off I have no idea how long I continue to sleep before I wake but I always wake with my heart racing, clearly having a problem getting air.
I saw the suggestion of raising the min pressure .
Does anybody else have any experience solving this problem.

Harry

[Shastzi]

I have had problems with pressure too low as well.
From what I understand 4cm does almost nothing for you but
it is a low enough pressure to allow a good deal of your CO2 to back up the hose.
Your exhalations don't have time to fully get flushed out the small exaust vent so it has nowhere else to go but back up the hose.
The flow rate at 4cm is so low that it cannot flush this big slug of CO2 out of your mask before your next breath.
This effectively increases the 'dead space' in your mask.
On your next breath you inhale a big slug of stale air, much like breathing into a paper bag.
The natural reaction is: "This thing is too stuffy!! GET IT OFF!! NOW!!!!"
bumping your minimum up to about 6cm wont hurt you since you are already hitting 16 max but at 6cm
your mask/hose system will purge itself faster.

Try it.

[Harryl]

Thank You Shastzi
I have increased my low end pressure. I hope I don't get arrested.
I will try it tonight.

[Shastzi]

You wont get busted for that Harry.
You are being advocate in your your health care!
If your Doc finds out he/she might squawk is all or if your doc is liberal enough you'll get praise for
seeing you have a problem and taking the bull by the horns.

If the Doc gives you any crap just tell the Doc to jam it.
Diabetics are doing the same thing everday by keeping their own insulin levels in balence.
They are playing a LOT closer to the thin red line than we are too.
With CPAP, we aren't dealing with rocket science here, anyone with enough resolve can learn
how to manage the hardware these days or get help when needed.
So the Men in Black will not be breaking your door down and hauling you off to Gitmo for bumping your
pressure a bit.
Maybe soon you'll be able to sleep the whole night.

I change my car's spark plugs too. *giggle*

Hang in there and good luck, Harry. =^.^=

[zonk]

Once it's off I have no idea how long I continue to sleep before I wake but I always wake with my heart racing, clearly having a problem getting air.

see your doctor asap, waking up with heart racing is not normal with or without cpap
whats the pressure when you wake up? pressure displayed on screen and Resscan pressure graph
I would struggle at 4 but everyone is different. some might need lower or higher pressure

whats the AHI breakdown, pressure and leak stats (median, 95% , percentile and maximum)
AHI breakdown and leak only available on S9 Autoset and Elite (not on Escape or Escape Auto)

[Mike in Toronto]

I have had my own CPAP for a little over a month now and I found that initially I tore my mask off often and for a long time. That is slowly decreasing. I find that I am imposing a little more discipline upon myself. When I am half awake and want to take the mask off I try to resist the temptation.

Hi Mike,

If the pressure is low when you feel like taking the mask off, it may help to raise your minimum pressure a little. Like 7 or 8 instead of 5.

Take care,
--- Vaughn

Thanks. I increased my pressure to 7 and it has made a big difference. I appreciate the advice.

Mike

[BlueDevil]

I have had the issue of taking off the mask during the night but only a few times in the couple of years I have been on CPAP. It does seem weird when you wake up and the mask and hoses are all stowed just I would normally do when I wake in the morning, but I have no memory of doing it. Ther is some interesting advice in this thread which I will keep in mind, but given it has only happened a few times I am not too concerned.