I'm new to this board but I've been using a machine for almost 2 years now. My first machine was a regular cpap and my pressure is 16. I was using a full face mask for the 1st year because my pressure was so high that the nasal mask was uncomfortable for me. I liked the FF but I had to strap it on really tight because of leaks and that was very uncomfortable and left me with marks on my face that almost never went away.
This spring I switched to a bi-flex machine and now my pressures are set to 16 on inhale and 12 on exhale. The nasal mask is much more comfortable for me than the FF, but I've started experiencing a couple of strange phenomena:
1. I've started holding my breath when I first start to go to sleep and wake myself up when I have a frantic inhale. I was afraid that I was having apnea episodes.
The Nurse Practitioner at the sleep clinic said yesterday that this was not happening because of apnea. She said that I was still adjusting to the new machine. I've had this machine almost 6 months! Adjusting to treatment has not been a problem for me -- I use the mask every night and have always done so. I've had no problems adjusting to anything but a lack of facial comfort and even that has not kept me from using the machine. Have any of you ever experienced this problem?
2. I get out of sync with the machine and then can't get back in rhythm with it.
Since my machine is supposed to change pressure when I trigger it by breathing, I was concerned that my pressure needs have changed and that I was experiencing apnea episodes. Again, the NP said I was not having apnea episodes, but that she didn't think I was really getting out of sync.
I really am. I wake up because I'm inhaling while it's exhaling. I try to inhale harder and longer to get the thing back on track, and sometimes that works, but I've had to cut the machine off and turn it back on to get back in sync. Again, she wrote me off saying that it was all part of the "adjustment" period. Basically, she acted like I was just complaining to be complaining. She told me I was a difficult patient!
Has anyone ever experienced either of these problems? Am I crazy???
Thanks for any advice!
Emilie
Hi Emilie - welcome to Apnea Board! Were you having problems before when you were on a regular CPAP machine? Did this problem occur only after you were switched to bi-pap?
What about switching back to a regular CPAP (with C-flex perhaps) and seeing if this solves the problem?
Your CPAP machine could be defective. My machine was replaced shortly after I got it. A friend has one that's failed twice in less than a year. I have a Respironics C-flex machine. Sometimes I hold my breath for a few seconds to see if I can confuse the machine and it's always back on track on my next breath.
John