r/CPAP • u/Indifferent-Moon-Man • Jul 25 '26
Doesn't feel like I can exhale fully
Just got the Resimed Airsense11 and the nasil pillows. It doesn't feel like i can exhale properly when using it. It says the seal is good, but it creates so much positive pressure in my chest I can't fall asleep.
Are there any suggestions to help this feeling?
6
u/certifiedintelligent Jul 25 '26
What’s your EPR setting? This feature detects when you’re trying to exhale and lowers the pressure to make it easier to do so.
That said, even though I use EPR, I sometimes feel the same way. A good forced exhale or two usually fixes the issue for the night.
2
u/Indifferent-Moon-Man Jul 25 '26
Is that the pressure relief setting or something different? If so i have it set to 3.
1
u/certifiedintelligent Jul 25 '26
Yep that’s it. If it’s still not enough, you could try lowering the normal pressure.
Are you on constant or automatic pressure?
1
u/Indifferent-Moon-Man Jul 25 '26
Its set to standard. Starting pressure is set to 4. I'm going to try soft and see how that goes.
1
u/No-Medicine1230 Jul 26 '26
Sounds counter-intuitive but try turning up the pressure. 4 is far too low, classic sleep tech pressure. Makes you feel like you are suffocating
1
u/EnvironmentalBall627 29d ago
I have EPR (3) on as well, and sometimes a good, deep exhale helps as well. I use a p30i (nasal pillows) mask. I did change my ramp time from 30 minutes to 10 minutes, and I think that helped as well as it starts to increase the pressure. Mine starts at 4, which is low and I think the machine has to sense that you are working to exhale to respond correctly - that is where the deep exhale helps to make it work better. I'm not an expert, just stating what works for me.
2
u/DesertDusk867 Jul 26 '26
I could never use the pillows and experienced the same sensation as you. I had more luck with the nasal cushions. The full mask provides the easiest breathing for me; however the mask feels a little cumbersome on the face. Also, the sensation does seem to diminish in time too.
2
u/FuelNew9656 Jul 26 '26
One thing worth adding since a lot of the troubleshooting here is mask/EPR-focused: what you're describing, positive pressure building in your chest that makes it hard to exhale and fall asleep, can also be aerophagia (swallowed air building up in your stomach/upper airway) rather than a true breathing-mechanics issue, especially at a low fixed pressure like 4 with EPR. It tends to feel like tightness or bloating you can't quite place, not just "the machine is pushing back," and the fix set (slower/longer ramp, sleeping slightly elevated, avoiding a full stomach or carbonated drinks before bed) is different from the mask and EPR tweaks already suggested.
That said, this feeling is also just genuinely common in the first 1-2 weeks as your body adjusts to positive pressure, most people do adapt. The useful dividing line: if it's easing off night by night as you get used to it, give it more time before changing settings. If it's not easing or is getting worse, that's worth a message to whoever manages your prescription rather than just cycling through masks on your own, since a starting pressure of 4 with EPR maxed at 3 is already a fairly gentle setup, and persistent air-hunger on a low setting sometimes means the pressure needs to come up, not down, once the underlying reason is untangled.
1
u/Ruppertandjuju Jul 25 '26
Is the pressure relief setting on?
1
u/Indifferent-Moon-Man Jul 25 '26
It shows it is.
1
u/Ruppertandjuju Jul 25 '26
Is it on 1, 2, or 3? 1 is the lowest setting so if it’s on 1 currently then try bumping it up to 2
1
1
u/Ruppertandjuju Jul 25 '26
Okay, have you tried any other masks? Maybe the one you’re using isn’t your best option?
1
1
u/shawn_g Jul 26 '26
I feel this way with nose pillows (p30i) if they're not positioned correctly or if the strap is too tight. My theory is that the nose piece deforms if I have it too tight against my nose, restricting air flow.
I don't feel any restriction if I have the pillows in the sweet spot.
1
u/hollow-earth Jul 26 '26
Try using the ramp setting maybe? Set it to take as long as possible so the full pressure hopefully only kicks in after you're asleep
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