SOLVED - Feeling claustrophobic on a CPAP machine?

If you're currently on CPAP therapy, and feel like you struggle to get comfortable and get a good nights rest, then we've got the top five elements that you may need to fix now! Feel claustrophobic on a CPAP machine? We've got the answer.
Reach out to us on www.cpap.com.au for more information.

[@stellarnomad42]

Thank you, this really helped! I had to find the "clinical settings" on my Resmed 11 and saw that the pressure relief was on 2 so I went back to patient settings and turned the auto ramp off. Now I don't feel like I'm suffocating and can actually fall asleep with my CPAP! You'd think they'd mention this when doing your orientation and mask fitting! 🤷‍♂️

[@RevelYell89]

What other settings are you running? I can barely sleep or breathe with mine

[@D.Frasure]

So true, don't give up until you get the settings right. I feel so much better.

[@kaysyrah]

When I first started on CPAP 20 years ago, there was a ton of support. I actually saw a sleep doctor who explained every detail of my sleep study, and then had a technician work with me to find the best fitting mask, and instruct me on proper use and machine care etc. Any problems were addressed and remedied promptly. There's no such thing as "working with a clinician for the proper setup" these days. I've had a CPAP machine for over 20 years, and I have never liked full face masks. I used a Puritan Bennett Breeze mask with nasal pillows until it was discontinued. Best mask ever for claustrophobic people. It was the ONLY mask I ever felt completely comfortable with. The nasal pillow masks now just don't fit my nose properly, so they insisted on a full face mask. They set my machine for 30 minutes of ramping (without asking my preferences) which I also dislike. I've never ramped, just give me a decent amount of air to start so I can get to sleep quickly. There's no in person support, and the insurance company apparently monitors the machine usage (via an app on my phone and a monthly fee of $25 for the monitoring that is non-negotiable) for compliance, and they will not pay for the machine unless it's in use 5-7 hours a night or more. So far, I've only been able to wear it for less than an hour, and sleep is impossible until I remove the mask. I have not watched the whole video yet, but am looking forward to learning what can be done to help this situation.

[@joshuab6445]

Omg this makes so much sense! I'm absolutely amazed. Turned it up and it became more comfortable!

[@jamesfrommanitoba.1992]

This is my second machine. The 1 st one was of course recalled but now I have a new one. I can’t thank you enough for explaining the machine and how it works it makes perfect sense now I just adjusted my machine and it now works so much better. Why didn’t CARICA explain any of this to me. What a joke. Thank you so much sir.

[@DonDiego3185]

I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea when I was 23. I'm now 48. Doesn't matter where the pressure is set, I end up ripping it off my face within an hour. I have also tried every mask out there. Nothing works. Have had the machine set up by professionals, and have even set it up a few times on my own. It has never worked. Recommended pressures are between 11 and 14. Best sleep I've ever achieved was in a laz-y-boy arm chair. Without the machine. This, of course, is my own experience. I am not suggesting that anyone give up on their machines. Good luck everyone!

[@jesuslightchristianchurch5322]

Yea I’m going through same problems diagnosed at 23 an I’m 25 now the only time it ever worked for me was a hour in my reclining chair other than that I will sit for hours an can’t sleep or when I do I get irritated after 45 min an throw the mask across the room

[@Osnosis]

Have you checked out the Inspire device?

[@DonDiego3185]

@@Osnosis I have. Unfortunately the clinics here are slow on the uptake when it comes to cutting edge products. That and I had to argue extensively with a doc just to do a simple procedure to widen my nasal passages some. That worked, but only for a little while. I'm looking to try the electric bed frame that raises up when apnea episodes are detected. At least a prescription isn't needed for that. Lol

[@Osnosis]

@@DonDiego3185 my local ENT doc has done 120, 118 still in. In 40 years your Medicare will pay for it!😤

[@photo80sjeff84]

Same here, 4 years later, barely use it.😢

[@candouidus]

Just bought a machine and had that very uncomfortable feeling yesterday, this feels very encouraging to see how easy it is to fix! Thank!

[@leoinsf]

Love your efforts at instructing re. CPAP! More and more of my relatives are starting CPAP, and yet where are the doctors whose specialty is sleep apnea. Yes, the young people who are working with CPAP patients are very helpful, but CPAP patients should be working under a doctor and it doesn't look like this is going to happen anytime soon.

[@Maxim.Teleguz]

It doesn’t happen because when I called the sleep specialist they wanted me to go to a doctor pay for a doctor to take my self diagnoses and then write me a referral to the specialist. Doctors dot. Have the tools to study your sleep only there to give you a referral. So when I explained this to the sleep specialist receptionist she insisted for me to get a referral anyway because self diagnoses isn’t allowed. WHY would I pay a another person to refer me based off my diagnoses to begin with why can’t I go directly to a sleep specialist?! That’s a lot of funds that are drained for no reason at all. This makes me distrust the wisdom from the sleep specialists too. I wouldn’t even begin to trust them with my sleep if they are purposely causing me to spend money for no good reason at all and won’t see me directly. Most young people think like me and if nothing changes in the sleep practice they will all soon be out of business. Us young people are better at solving technological hurdles better than anyone out there and we can figure things out. Wellue will give you a apap without a prescription and a hsa will work with it.

[@ttiinickdupree8503]

Really great information in this video, I was feeling claustrophobic wondering why my breathing out caused my mask to blow up like a balloon and wondered what i was doing wrong or if i should quit. Thanks so much!

[@DuderofDudeness]

My dang Resmed 11 thinks I'm exhaling when I'm not. I think that's why I keep ripping it off. Maybe I have to double my original intake pressure to 8 but it doesn't seem to matter much every 1 increase.

[@straceshow3212]

You hit the nail directly on the head when you said that CPAP patients in many cases did not have the right support from the start and as a result never adapted to the CPAP, ultimately rejecting it. It's true in my case, at least. My doctor and his office and even the medical company I received my first CPAP from did absolutely nothing and had absolutely no advice when I told them I feel as though I cannot breath when using the machine. They did turn up the pressure but this did nothing. I ended up throwing the thing into the trash. I was able to stop myself from throwing it against a wall like my neighbor did with his CPAP. In my case my issue was there was a hesitation in the CPAP between when I exhaled and when it pumped air into the mask. There was a moment when there was no air coming in and this was enough to make me feel like I would suffocate if I fell asleep. The "experts" had no solution or advice. I have since learned that there is an adjustment for that situation. I have just received a new CPAP, paid for by the insurance company, and I will give it a go.

[@SkyhawkCaptain]

Could you share what setting this is? I've figured out how to drop the exhale pressure but the other annoying thing is the machine starts to ramp up the pressure for inhale before I've finished my exhale. I would like to delay the pressure increase by like one or two seconds but don't know if that can be changed.

[@elizabeth1427]

Absolutely how I feel. The lady didn’t even listen to me.

[@jacksonh4142]

This helped a lot. I have gotten way too little help from my doctor, CPAP company etc. Gonna show this to my Dr and hopefully they will change it.

[@kaysyrah]

Wow, I didn't even see a Dr. Only a sleep lab tech and a quick phone call from the company supplying the machine, and that was just to tell me that it would take 6 months to get a machine due to supply shortages. There was no discussion about set up or preferences or masks.

[@DAVADMDAVAD]

I'm under the care of a neurologist. I have asked him about what to change on the Resmed Airsense 10. He has no answer. You just explained it perfectly. I get it. I actually had a BiPap, the infamous Phillips Respironics Cancer machine, and loved it. But stopped using it for obvious reasons. But now the 10 is unuseable. Until perhaps this bit of news. I know how to adjust the settings and my 16/4 will now be set at 16/6 or even 16/7 just to see if that helps. THANKS!

[@Suntrader1]

Push the dial and on/off together and hold until settings appear. There you can adjust pressures

[@guysolis5843]

I gained some weight due to foot surgery and now have sleep apnea. I waited 4 months for my machine and today is day 2. My experience last night was claustrophobic but in the beginning it was all about mind over matter but I woke in a panic and had to pull the mask off of my face. It's mostly about pressure and I'll be calling support. I looked forward to good results from this machine. The mask also makes me break out...

[@beachlife4704]

I gained about 30 pounds after doctors put me on Lexapro. I am off it now and am losing weight. I have lost 12 pounds and plan to weigh less than before Lexapro. This CPAP Mask is a huge driving force. I hate this. I never had sleep Apnea until the weight gain. Have you been trying to lose weight? If so how is it going?

[@detourautotransportllc3275]

You eating uncontrollably is what caused your weight gain.

[@rachelvonsiebenhoven5886]

Nasal mask versus full face mask helped with the claustrophobia for me but this helped me understand it more

[@jacqieustioneverythingsmit5323]

I now use a nasal mask it works for me and I don't need to use the chin strap either . I had to turn the air pressure down as I felt like my head was being inflated , I also have a water tank humidifier and its working . Prefer the nasal mask to the full face masks .

[@sgtcojonez]

Thank you I will give mine a try (it has been almost a year dince I last tried).

[@richard2845]

Thanks for the info. Turned out min exhale pressure is 4.

[@keithsteffen5770]

Thank You for the info. I'm one that is terrified of this machine, (Very recent user) and for the reason you stated. Keith (In Florida )

[@marinovignola330]

Haw can I get some information haw to set up a Philips respirinics machine. Seem like the res med is the only machine on sale and information haw to set it up.

[@HelloWorld-up4of]

First day on cpap and i exactly feel suffocating because of the absence pressure difference when i exhale.. i feel like i can't push air out.

[@asaka616]

I had little to no support when I got my CPAP machine. They rushed me through some stuff and asked if I breathed through my nose or mouth, gave me a mask and that was that. I told my sleep specialist this and she arranged for me to have a hospital stay where they can monitor me and give me a variety of masks and see what pressure works best for me.

[@mister3566]

Why does the water level in my machine never drop? The box is still full in the morning

[@wjimz]

OMG THANK YOU! This worked for me!

[@lunabeam916]

That doesn’t stop from the mask tight on my head and the hose strangling me while I’m sleeping or it making a weird knocking noise everytime I turn to my opposite side.

[@bigdaddy5948]

Start an exercise program no matter how small the start. Get that heart and lungs on the road to healing

[@mmm__we]

That has nothing to do with sleep apnea i exercise every day and not overweight and yet I still have mild symptoms.

[@bigdaddy5948]

Agreed. But the stronger the heart and lungs the more likely to survive Apne events

[@mmm__we]

@@bigdaddy5948 True but it’s uncommon to die in your sleep from sleep apnea. More likely to give you a heart attack or stroke. And if your brain isn’t getting oxygen then training your heart and lungs can’t help you there, but true exercise is a huge importance here regardless

[@jmfia2391]

​@@bigdaddy5948you don't what you're talking about

[@ericfunston4262]

My Resmed is set at 4 on the low end 10 on the top. So you are saying move the 4 to 7 with a relief a 3. Your not real clear on this. Any help from anyone would help. I can stay under my make more than two min... Ramp is on

[@jamesrich8463]

This may be what is happening with me I lately after two months finding harder to breath with cpap beathing out I feel like its tougher and really I"m around the min pressure all the time so maybe this is why I been having hard time using it lately.

[@bryanregardsoe4496]

When I was diagnosed with OSA there wasnt much support. The machine was given to me and it was said to be fully auto. Not the best

[@williamdistasio9358]

I tried it like 3 or 4 times went back to the doctor twice the second time I got a different mask and he looked at my progress on the computer and he could see I had only tried it twice and was like you got to really keep trying and I was just like bro, I can't wear it I literally woke up and threw the mask off of my face as I was falling asleep. I don't think I'll ever be able to use it. It makes my ears pop oh, and it also feels like my heart has to work harder when I have to breathe out past that forceful air that is making my ears pop at the same time it's so uncomfortable.

[@jacqieustioneverythingsmit5323]

I was the same , I kept pulling the full masks off , now I have a nasal mask , its wonderful . I had to turn the pressure down , what machine do you have ? have you tried turning the pressure down ?

[@williamdistasio9358]

@jacqieustioneverythingsmit5323 The Res med Airsense 11. I'm paying for the thing, I'll own it in February, and they've got it locked. I told the lady at the doctor's, but she just says to... just keep at! Well, I stopped trying a while ago. After watching this guy'svideo, I realized they're full of shit at the sleep center of America. Maybe the lady assigned to show me my machine just didn't do her job? But the machine is locked . I can't adjust ANY settings. They have then locked. I look at it, and I get disgusted with the entire affair. And all this while, I'm getting more and more tired all the time. It stinks.

[@williamdistasio9358]

Also, I went and bought a nasal mask as well, and, same deal. I'm just not comfortable. I would like it adjusted like this guy is saying. By MY doctor and the girl that fits the makes and goes over all of the procedures getting started, etc.. She seemed irritated when I came back the first time asking about the settings. I told her I wanted to get them to my liking, and she said that the settings were locked and that they were already set for me specifically. Blah blah blah blah So I left feeling like nothing was resolved. They were basically like try harder. I said, I know myself, and it's not gonna happen. Anyway I go back a second time, same problems, and same answer. This time, though, the doctor said maybe I should get an implant.... I'm like hmmmm....nahhh Why don't you freaking adjust the machine before robotisizing me? (I made a word) So, this is where I'm at sadly.

[@EELLISON2012]

Me too, but I stayed in there. You have to use EPR. The setting makes expiration easier. Before I used it, I felt like a V6 piston being pushed back by the combustion reaction. You probably may need the Aircurve 11. It's $900.00 more than the Airsense 11. It allows for easier expiration settings, a higher pressure range from 4 to 30 cm of H20 and etc.

[@randyfisher8001]

awesome video

[@jimwest7107]

Struggling like crazy with mine.

[@tracyshelton5599]

I hare mine, I feel like I'm drowning, I can't it comfo r table to sleep

[@kencratchley8697]

It sucks that Medicare isn’t patient with people needing to get used to these things. After a few days of not using it for at least 4 hours a night I’m not eligible for any funding.

[@annettemaxwell648]

I have set my reslex at the highest setting but it still doesn’t help

[@observer1ize]

Thank you for your help. I am new to this. I just changed my settings and what a big difference.Wow I can breathe 😮😊

[@Ryan-yi6su]

Exactly! Im struggling to breathe, Feels like im trying to breathe with a hand on my Mouth!

[@mitsavage]

Going through this right now

[@guar67]

EPR makes it harder for me to sleep. When I turned it off, I was able to sleep a lot better.

[@jamesj9998]

My issue is that warm, moist air makes me claustrophobic. I wish I could make the air cooler.

[@Hope-ot1xy]

Change the humidifier setting

[@Tantemify]

lets say even if cpap is uncomfortable, is still beneficial to the our bodies ? this is what i want to know.

[@calmb4storm205]

Are they noisy?

[@observer1ize]

Resmed 11 mine doesn't make any noise... don't even hear it running at all 😊

[@vasis_studio]

Thanks for this video, this is one of my problems but then how do I set it to the right level, I didn’t hear that in the video

[@marksaunders4149]

Will keep this short…I have heart failure and contracted Covid.I was hospitalised and in icu fir 6 weeks with a total time of 16 weeks. During this time I was tested for sleep apnea and recorded 15 per hour. They put me on a cpap machine and it was a dreadful experience …l24 hours later I was crippled with pain all over. It transpired I had air in my stomach. Help I need the machine they say but will never go through tha5 again lfekd claustrophobic too.

[@mmm__we]

how are you now brother

[@healthonluu6787]

Really uncomfortable please advise Thanks,

[@briantix7693]

NIght 1 Nightmare from hell, gonna turn Ramp up to 6 right now and hope for night 2 success.

[@wasupfool5692]

It's like trying to breathe with scuba gear on.

[@aaronmccardie8795]

I don't have problem with the machine i have a problem wearing the mask it's uncomfortable for me and wakes me up more now than before but I've only been on it for a week. Am a mouth breather

[@yankeecornbread8464]

Is it really life-saving therapy if most people do not like rebreathing their own CO2?

[@jacqieustioneverythingsmit5323]

it is filtered .

[@finallythetruthisout761]

My CPAP experience has not been good. The first couple nights were not too bad but last night I felt suffocated and had to remove the mask.

[@seldom_seen8713]

Same here...I felt smothered

[@perrigo68]

I'm glad I'm not alone, I feel like I'm suffercating when I breathe out

[@mmm__we]

Ya same it’s giving me adrenaline rushes and feelings of suffocation

[@jmfia2391]

​@@mmm__weyup!😅

[@jacqieustioneverythingsmit5323]

@@perrigo68 If you have a full face mask , try a nasal mask they are the best .

[@ryansmith7740]

Wht am I doing wrong when I feel sir in my mouth and it makes it very dry

[@fabAB912]

You're breathing through your mouth, only breath through nose.

[@ryansmith7740]

@@fabAB912 thanks however it's happening when I'm in my deepest part of sleep so I don't realize, any situation for tht

[@elizdonovan5650]

@@fabAB912 I can only speak of my experience when I first started using cpap and my mouth and nose used to get very dry. One can get a spray from the chemist/pharmacy to use until ones body becomes used to the cpap machine. Likewise, I got an ointment for my nose as it became very dry and crusty. The good news is that after a time, my body became used to the cpap and I no longer use or need the ointment or the spray. Best of luck and I hope this comment is of help to you. ☘️🌝🌲

[@jacqieustioneverythingsmit5323]

I'm on my third mask , I have now got a nasal mask and its working , I had 3 nights of 9 hours on and off sleep and had 3 events per hour .I am now at least sleeping for over two hours each time before I wake and then back to sleep .

[@mcwotty8670]

I don't think this advice is correct. You wouldn't increase the minimum pressure to create a variance. That would eliminate the variance. You turn up the maximum pressure and make sure pressure relief is turned to max. The claustrophobic feeling will not be entirely eliminated because the pressure relief really doesn't relieve that much pressure even at the max setting.

[@MaxIsBackInTown]

Why are all cpap videos from Australians?

[@CPAPDirect]

We must all have sleep apnoea... 🤣

[@youcanthide004]

BRILLIANT

[@healthonluu6787]

After using for 1 hours and a half I felt my chest and my stomach filled up with air a

[@tonyp6631]

1:46 busted in a lie. This guy doesn't cpap. You even pap, bro?!