RE: Depressed & Discouraged...What have i gotten into?
Keep at it, I know that it can be so frustrating. I was trying to achieve a perfect night's sleep which includes falling back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. That pursuit basically sabotaged my sleep by keeping me awake worrying about sleeping. Like to fall asleep on my side which can be challenging with a mask, however I do fall asleep and somehow end up on my back.
I had finally gotten settled in to CPAP and a couple of years went by and then all of a sudden my mouth would be open and air would be wooshing out. See part 1 about worrying about sleeping! I started using a chinstrap which worked but I hated the dam thing. I tried several different chinstraps and hated all of them. After a couple of years of hating the chinstrap I just took it off with the plan see how it goes for a month. I have never put a chinstrap on since. I still woosh here and there but my numbers are good and I feel good.
Long story short, just keep at finding what works and try not to worry too much.
RE: Depressed & Discouraged...What have i gotten into?
Like you my problem with mask leaks and awaking in night seems like my sleep was compromised. (AHI >1.95 leak +30)
I'm in my 3rd week of setting up ACPAP therapy on my own. This temporary advice goes against standard practice to have headroom on Max pressure setting for auto CPAP to do it's job.
My Plan and it might work for you lower high pressure setting until mask is adjusted and leaks under control. I lowered my CPAP maximum pressure to match my Average SleepyHead Max pressure readings. This morning woke to alarm, not middle of night, to (AHI .47 with leaks at 3.47/ .019% over redline) Like most advice given here, this is one night data so I take this temporary fix with a grain of salt.
Background, bought for $175 a ResMed S9 autoset with 11500 hours with 2 medium sized masks and extra new cushions. Though Mask templates show I could use a large mask. Oh well, using what I got and chasing that perfect second CPAP night when I woke up like on Redbull without all the side effects.
I'm studying information presented on this forum, keeping notes and action/result plans inside SleepyHead Notes section.
RE: Depressed & Discouraged...What have i gotten into?
(12-01-2017, 05:28 PM)freetime Wrote: Like you my problem with mask leaks and awaking in night seems like my sleep was compromised. (AHI >1.95 leak +30)
I'm in my 3rd week of setting up ACPAP therapy on my own. This temporary advice goes against standard practice to have headroom on Max pressure setting for auto CPAP to do it's job.
My Plan and it might work for you lower high pressure setting until mask is adjusted and leaks under control. I lowered my CPAP maximum pressure to match my Average SleepyHead Max pressure readings. This morning woke to alarm, not middle of night, to (AHI .47 with leaks at 3.47/ .019% over redline) Like most advice given here, this is one night data so I take this temporary fix with a grain of salt.
Background, bought for $175 a ResMed S9 autoset with 11500 hours with 2 medium sized masks and extra new cushions. Though Mask templates show I could use a large mask. Oh well, using what I got and chasing that perfect second CPAP night when I woke up like on Redbull without all the side effects.
I'm studying information presented on this forum, keeping notes and action/result plans inside SleepyHead Notes section.
I'm interested to see how this works out for you. Keep me posted. I bought a hose holder & moved to a large on my Simplus mask. Not a single leak. Hose never got in the way. Slept till morning last night. AHI 1.7. I also adjusted min pressure to 9. Kept max at 20.
I had also bought a large quattro mask but it leaked like crazy. Wondering if I need to fit it better or go down a size. Hows the mask working for you
RE: Depressed & Discouraged...What have i gotten into?
(11-30-2017, 12:53 AM)Ghost1958 Wrote: I'll give it a shot.
First the Simplus isn't a "float on your face" mask and adjusting it as such guarantees it will leak.
Adjust the bottom straps until it doesn't leak around the bottom or sides then tighten the top side straps just enough to not leak.
Let that roll fit on the top do it's thing. The mask upright should NOT be resting against your forehead.
It also rides lower on the face than other masks. .
Go into clinical settings on your machine.
It has as auto trial mode.
Put the machine in auto trial with a min pressure that doesn't make you feel smothered probably about 8 or 9.
Leave the max setting at 20.
Set the number of days auto trial is too run. I think 7 days is the minimum it can be set for.
Now the machine will treat you but also titrate your pressure pretty much like a sleep lab would do.
At the end of time you set the machine to run in auto trial, it will enter cpap check mode automatically and begin running on single pressure mode .
While it's in cpap check mode it will gradually make minor adjustments up or down until it finds your single pressure setting based on residual events
Now you have a good titrated single pressure to work from.
Go back to auto mode. Set min a couple of numbers below that pressure or use it as your min and leave the max wide open.
Doing it this way is slower , takes, a, min of two weeks but it has the advantage of the machine not responding to centrals, and a pressure titrated based on events
using the machines own algorithm.
Youll need stay with one mask while doing this.
Sorry for the post length. It's not as complicated as it sounds.
Hope it helps.
I couldn't try the titration settings as my dream station does not have auto trial mode. I'm guessing that's only on the pro models. Wonder if there is a software update for it
RE: Depressed & Discouraged...What have i gotten into?
Thanks for asking, lowering my high pressure 2 points below my Max pressure in SH data worked to keep me from awakening to a leak. The graphs showed flat peaks were my APAP wanted to raise pressure. There were not many events surrounding those flat peaks and I awoke feeling okay. AHI 1.3
To reiterate, this advice is only a temporary fix as I get my mask sorted out. My used mask is a medium and the "Template Charts" show I need a large. FYI, always use a printed Mask Template before trying on masks.
Quick side note on how little things can change a mask seal. In morning had 2 dental fillings replaced, went to bed with zero pain but noticed mask fit tighter and leaked at nose bridge. My cheeks were swollen from dental work.
