Vivid dreams???

[antcyd]

So I have been trying to get used to my CPAP for about 4 weeks now, things are better but there are still some nights I rip the damn thing off in the middle of the night. I have noticed that when I do that and go back to sleep without the mask I have very vivid dreams, like I am not in a fully deep sleep at any point . I had alot of this prior to getting the CPAP so I am wondering if all this dreaming is common with sleep apnea???

[312capri]

Humm, interesting, no vivid dreams here! I've experienced progressively increasing sleep apnea for at least the last 20 years, having been repeatedly told I snore and stop breathing for long periods of time; however, I never felt sleepy during the day and seemingly had no work performance issues... Went my blood pressure kept increasing in spite of continually increasing my medication types and dosage my primary care physician told me some night I would go into cardiac atrial fibrillation and die. He first recommended a sleep study over a year ago, but I just brushed it off. I had the sleep study in late April 2012 and receive my Bi-Pap machine late May. I am so much better! I never experienced your dream problem before the Bi-Pap and have not had any out of the ordinary dream experiences since. I just wake up fully rested and have so much additional energy... just wished I had agreed to the sleep study years earlier.

[TorontoCPAPguy]

Vivid dreams can be a sign of REM sleep, which is where you are wanting to go in the first place. More importantly, REMEMBERING vivid dreams can indicate that you are awakening DURING the REM sleep. I was doing this and the end result was a mind-blower. As I entered REM sleep my breathing became shallow and my blood pressure skyrocketed as a result of poor blood SpO2. This is a very dangerous situation and one that URGENTLY needs to be attended to. The XPAP is allowing you to get down to REM.... for whatever reason you are exiting REM suddenly (ripping the mask off is a good guess... but so is suffocation due to shallow breathing... strange but true).

I would be examining the data from my XPAP to see what my sleep was like with the mask on; and I would also be using a recording pulse oximeter like the Contec CMS50EW (Bluetooth now) to see what my SpO2 looked like during the night. For several nights if not every night.

If you are ripping your mask off during the night I would examine the reason for this. I cannot sleep well without my XPAP now. What is your pressure set at and do you have exhalation pressure relief cranked to max? Are you using a nosebag or a full face mask (highly recommend the Quattro full face mask, especially if you suspect mouth breathing as it permits mouth breathing if your nose gets congested). The Quattro full face mask would be a job to rip off at night.... if aroused you could unclip in a fraction of a second or rip off the swivel/valve.... but pulling it off in your sleep might be difficult compared to nasal masks or pillows, which I have tried (all of them!) and will no longer use. I find the Quattro gives me a better and more consistent seal if put on properly and adjusted properly and it stays put of my face smooshes into the pillow.

Anyway, just a few bits that I hope will help you along. This is not, generally, an instantaneous solution nor resolution of your apnea situation. It takes time but the doctors generally will not donate that time to resolving things and generally do not know HOW to resolve your situation unless they are hoseheads themselves. I had to learn and advocate and play for weeks before I hit on the right pressure range, the right mask and how to adjust same, and all of the other intricacies. I eventually insisted on infused O2 and the sleep doc just wrote +++O2 on my existing scrip and gave it to me. I had to titrate my O2 myself and the first afternoon that I had everything in alignment? I fell asleep at 5 p.m. after setting up my O2 concentrator and slept pretty much through to sunrise the next morning. It was amazing.

Again, understand that you are going to have to educate yourself (nobody has YOUR answer), advocate for yourself (like I did with my O2 after showing why it was needed) and contemplate your situation (yes, nasal pillows are nice and comfy but some of us simply NEED full face masks... and to find the best FFM for yourself is a journey in itself. Think about that Quattro and buying it online you may be able to find it for as little as $70 like I did. I have five of them now and rotate through them so I don't have to disinfect every week.)

Good luck. You are on the path. Stay with it. Apnea begets all sorts of other issues, like diabetes, atrial fibrillation, etc. I have the T shirts.

[PaulaO2]

So I have been trying to get used to my CPAP for about 4 weeks now, things are better but there are still some nights I rip the damn thing off in the middle of the night. I have noticed that when I do that and go back to sleep without the mask I have very vivid dreams, like I am not in a fully deep sleep at any point . I had alot of this prior to getting the CPAP so I am wondering if all this dreaming is common with sleep apnea???

Oh yeah, very vivid dreams! That's actually a good sign. If you find that you are having nightmares to the point they are effecting your sleep, talk to the doc.

I used to could manipulate my dreams. Stop, rewind, change things. Then after CPAP, it was like my brain was enjoying making its own movies without my input! Holy cow. It was amazing.

[trish6hundred]

Hi antcyd, It would be a good idea to talk to your Dr. about this situation. Hopefully, you can figure out what cmight be causing you to throw off your mask. Do you remember if you are dreaming at the point of throwing it off? Does it get uncomfortable for you? Are you clostraphobic? Not tryin' to be nosey or to play 20 questions and 20 answers here, (Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha,) just some things to think about. Glad you have made it through 4 weeks, best of luck with your therapy, keep on tryin' and don't give up .

[archangle]

You also tend to remember dreams better if you wake up in the middle of a dream, and immediately start thinking of it.

You may be dreaming more vividly, or you may just be remembering them better.

[antcyd]

Thank you for all your support. I do find I am having this vivid dreaming only when I dont have my mask and CPAP on, so after I rip it off in the middle of the night and then fall back to sleep is when I am having it. I dont think I am claustrophobic , I take it off just because it is annoying me. We have been working hard on getting the fit right and have figured out I was wearing too small nasal pillows, so now that has been resolved its the straps on the face that bother me. On Tuesday I am going to the sleep doctor to see what he has to say. I am just so frustrated. I know I feel better the next day after sleeping with the CPAP on for most of the night but I dread wearing it because I dont get a decent nights sleep!!!

[Sleepster]

So I have been trying to get used to my CPAP for about 4 weeks now, things are better but there are still some nights I rip the damn thing off in the middle of the night.

I realize it's frustrating, but if you are sleeping without the machine, you are training your brain to sleep without the machine. You say you want to do the opposite, train your brain to sleep with the machine.

It's in your own best interests to stick with your plan and wear your mask at all times when sleeping.

Dreams are affected by all kinds of things. Maybe your dreams are telling you to do what you know in your heart is the right thing to do to improve the quality and longevity of your life.

[mjbearit]

So I have been trying to get used to my CPAP for about 4 weeks now, things are better but there are still some nights I rip the damn thing off in the middle of the night. I have noticed that when I do that and go back to sleep without the mask I have very vivid dreams, like I am not in a fully deep sleep at any point . I had alot of this prior to getting the CPAP so I am wondering if all this dreaming is common with sleep apnea???

FWIW, I never remembered having dreams when my machine was in the bottom of my closet. The only exception to that was some meds I was on once upon a time....when meds cause vivid dreams they are REALLY weird!... but now that I am once again "compliant" (something about that term grates against me nerves) I do have some very vivid dreams that I do remember. Not all the time, certainly not every night, but a couple times a week. Hope this helps.

[trish6hundred]

Hello again antcyd, That's good that you moved up to a different size pillows and hopefully, you can get your straps so they won't be so annoying to you. It's good that you are going to talk to your sleep Dr. I know it must be frustrating but keep on trying.