Throat vibration -- is this usual?
Early 40's male, recently started CPAP therapy after a sleep study found mild sleep apnea (AHI 10.6, RDI during REM was 21). The worst is during REM with a lot of hypopneas and RERAs. They said I responded well to a pressure level of 6 even though I told them I was awake all night for the pressure test. Anyway, the daily fatigue and required naps feel severe to me so am willing to try anything.
One frustration so far is waking up shortly after putting it on (30 mins or so) when my mouth opens and I wake up to a loud noise of air escaping. The happens over and over. I'm working on getting mouth tape or getting a chin strap. Work in progress.
First question I have -- I can simulate my snoring and my night time breathing issue while awake just by getting really relaxed, letting my jaw, tongue and throat totally relax. I know I'm in that state when I inhale through my nose and it's a struggle to get air in and causes a slight snore, and on exhale the air cannot get out of my nose and instead builds up and air puffs out through my mouth which can cause a popping sound as my lips briefly open. This is the same sound I hear when I record myself at night. Can others simulate their apnea like this when awake just by relaxing a lot?
Second question -- I simulated my breathing issue while awake as described above this week but this time with my CPAP on. At pressure 6 it caused snoring during inhale and on exhale I puffed out through mouth. I was thinking, hmm, I guess the pressure needs to increase. I kept increasing it until I could exhale out through my nose -- I had to get to 11 AND get on my side, then I could exhale through my nose but started getting an audible vibration in my throat as I breathed out and in (not exactly my classic snore sound, more like a flapping sound). The flapping increased and pitch increased as the pressure went higher. It didn't matter how much I increased the pressure, that vibration sound in my throat was noticeable and I could even feel my throat/nose vibrating. But the higher pressure was required to open my nose to exhale. I guess this is the uvula or soft pallate vibrating? I was under the illusion that CPAP fixed all breathing issues. So I guess I need to get used to CPAP, requiring side sleeping AND pseudo snoring/throat vibration at a higher pressure. Is this usual or anyone else experience this?
One frustration so far is waking up shortly after putting it on (30 mins or so) when my mouth opens and I wake up to a loud noise of air escaping. The happens over and over. I'm working on getting mouth tape or getting a chin strap. Work in progress.
First question I have -- I can simulate my snoring and my night time breathing issue while awake just by getting really relaxed, letting my jaw, tongue and throat totally relax. I know I'm in that state when I inhale through my nose and it's a struggle to get air in and causes a slight snore, and on exhale the air cannot get out of my nose and instead builds up and air puffs out through my mouth which can cause a popping sound as my lips briefly open. This is the same sound I hear when I record myself at night. Can others simulate their apnea like this when awake just by relaxing a lot?
Second question -- I simulated my breathing issue while awake as described above this week but this time with my CPAP on. At pressure 6 it caused snoring during inhale and on exhale I puffed out through mouth. I was thinking, hmm, I guess the pressure needs to increase. I kept increasing it until I could exhale out through my nose -- I had to get to 11 AND get on my side, then I could exhale through my nose but started getting an audible vibration in my throat as I breathed out and in (not exactly my classic snore sound, more like a flapping sound). The flapping increased and pitch increased as the pressure went higher. It didn't matter how much I increased the pressure, that vibration sound in my throat was noticeable and I could even feel my throat/nose vibrating. But the higher pressure was required to open my nose to exhale. I guess this is the uvula or soft pallate vibrating? I was under the illusion that CPAP fixed all breathing issues. So I guess I need to get used to CPAP, requiring side sleeping AND pseudo snoring/throat vibration at a higher pressure. Is this usual or anyone else experience this?
