RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
Your last idea of 6-7 cm pressure is looking pretty good. Did you ever get the oximeter?
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
(12-07-2016, 09:30 AM)richb Wrote: In my case I was able to see immediate changes in frequency of CAs with pressure changes. I would look at a setting of straight 7 CM H2O to see if you can get a drop in
CAs. I also hope you can hook up that Pulse Oximeter soon.
Rich
Rich,
Sounds like a plan. CM straight 7, EPR 1 and as long as I actually get the delivery today I'll be using the Pulse Oximeter tonight and have that data tomorrow.
I'm also going to have to lower my humidifier. Auto is too much, I wake up with water inside my mask and on my face.
~Casey
12-07-2016, 12:13 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-07-2016, 12:25 PM by richb.)
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
I set my humidifier to 74 degrees for the same reason. I was also going to suggest that you turn off EPR completely. It is my feeling that pressure differentials make central Apnea worse. You can always turn it back on if it doesn't help. Keep in mind that we are trying to make your present machine work. If it doesn't you will need an ASV machine. With an ASV machine you could have an initial setting of EPAP 6 IPAP 8 for comfort and to eliminate Obstructive events and the machine would stimulate you to breathe when it sensed Central type events.
Rich
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
(12-07-2016, 10:06 AM)Sleeprider Wrote: Your last idea of 6-7 cm pressure is looking pretty good. Did you ever get the oximeter?
SR,
My wife tells me that the Oximeter is waiting for me at home so I'll get it all setup and install the software etc tonight to make sure it's functioning properly and then I'll wear it through the night. Once I get screen caps of that data I will post them here with the corresponding sleepyhead data.
I think I'm going to do a couple days of testing the pressure differential theory and keep it at 7 with no EPR while also using the pulse oximeter. Depending on that data I will likely end up going to a 6-7 and then possibly a straight 6 after that I'm thinking.
(12-07-2016, 12:13 PM)richb Wrote: I set my humidifier to 74 degrees for the same reason. I was also going to suggest that you turn off EPR completely. It is my feeling that pressure differentials make central Apnea worse. You can always turn it back on if it doesn't help.
Rich
Rich,
It makes sense if I'm narrowing to a single constant pressure to allow that to operate without EPR for thorough testing. I'm curious to see the results now.
The other issue might be that we usually have a stand alone humidifier in the room and we keep our heat set at 55. The cold with the warm air is probably causing lots of moisture in my mask.
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
If you don't already have a heated hose, you're going to want it eventually. A hose cover can help avoid some condensation, but the two together are pretty amazing, especially in a cooler room. Your doctor appointment is an ideal time to raise the issue of condensation and request the script modification for heated hose.
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
(12-07-2016, 12:49 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: If you don't already have a heated hose, you're going to want it eventually. A hose cover can help avoid some condensation, but the two together are pretty amazing, especially in a cooler room. Your doctor appointment is an ideal time to raise the issue of condensation and request the script modification for heated hose.
Yeah I actually do have a heated hose. I'm thinking of bringing the hose and humidity temp into the high 60's/low70's to combat the moisture. That moisture causes itchy face too lol.
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
It's a good strategy to have the hose at least 10 degrees F above room temperature to avoid condensation. I'm using a humidity level of 4 with hose at 76 degres, and that seems to avoid problems. I have it set to manual so I can separately control humidity and tube temp.
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
(12-07-2016, 02:04 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: It's a good strategy to have the hose at least 10 degrees F above room temperature to avoid condensation. I'm using a humidity level of 4 with hose at 76 degres, and that seems to avoid problems. I have it set to manual so I can separately control humidity and tube temp.
That's a good point. What do you have your heat in your house set to though?
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
Low to mid-60s at night this time of year.
12-08-2016, 08:56 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-08-2016, 09:06 AM by CaseyF.)
RE: New and need some help lowering AHI
New day today and I actually slept last night (I think). Still some work to be done, but I honestly might have an issue with my mask that I'm pretty sure just started last night. It could also be caused by the low pressure on the machine I guess.
Problem Description (Amara View): After about 2:45am (you'll see I turned the machine off for about 15min) I was awoken by my anti-asphyxia valve in the front of the mask opening and closing when I breath. (picture placing your hand over a vacuum hose on and off with no real pattern). That somewhat of a popping sound woke me up and then it worried me so I attempted to research it to no avail. (I think I'll be calling the mask company today). My thoughts on this problem is that when I'm deeper breathing I consume all 7cm worth of air for a brief second and the valve closes (to prevent asphyxiation) because it thinks the machine has turned off, but when pressure immediately resumes it opens back up. It's my thought that the excess positive pressure before kept it open with no issues. Only caveat to this theory is I've always started my machine on 5cm and don't remember having this issue before... I'll see what the company says.
Otherwise here is my Pulse Oximeter Screen Cap as well as the several sleepyhead shots. Take a look and please share thoughts. I find it oddly coincidental that all of my problems were after this apparent valve issue started, but then again last portion of my nigh has been my issue in the past.
**Edit** One last afterthought is that when I started having mask issues I was very tired and thought it could have been temp settings... prior to 2:45am it was tube 72 and humidifier 4, but after I went back to auto and auto and had noticed water in the mask when I woke up...
Pulse Oximeter -
http://imgur.com/jj3wmFS
SH Whole Night -
http://imgur.com/570wCTf
5 min -
http://imgur.com/hfTEj3H
5 min -
http://imgur.com/WPUIeoK
5 min -
http://imgur.com/FYc4igN
Thanks, y'all!
~Casey