Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

[Diagnosis] Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
#11
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
Your numbers are excellent. But your pressures are lower than we generally like. Are you sending any difficulty with your breathing, I'll call it as similar to breathing thru a straw.
Please be honest and critical with how you feel. You would be surprised at how difficult it is to fix "I feel fine"
Post Reply Post Reply
#12
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
Central Apnea flags are somewhat common, and in small numbers can be safely ignored. To the CPAP, a CA is a Clear Airway, or Central Apnea. These are a state of not breathing for 10 or more seconds. A CA can be nothing more than a breath hold while turning over in your sleep. With a single one like yours, that's likely to be the cause. If you had a lot of CA, then it's something altogether different.

The other reason for a CA is the common one, too low CO2 level to trigger a breath.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#13
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
Thank you both for the replies.

What do you mean by pressure? Actually, I really liked the CPAP - it felt easier to breathe and my lungs could get more air (I do have asthma and many allergies that are heavily medicated. So anything is probably better ahah). I did notice that my lungs wouldn't "catch" while i was on the CPAP if I was on my back. If i turned to my side, I was able to once or twice. Does this make sense?
Post Reply Post Reply
#14
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
With your asthma I think EPR will be your friend by giving you that extra boost. You are not taking advantage of this despite the EPR being apparently set at 3. The issue is CPAP pressure cannot go below 4 and your exhale pressure is the greater of 4 or you inhale pressure -3.

Please set your min pressure to 7 and try that then repost new OSCAR charts.
Post Reply Post Reply
#15
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
Just passing on things I've learned as the various pulmonary docs I've used can't decide if I have Asthma or COPD, no chance to treatment just the name they call it...Dr. McQuack's issue I guess...

Getting the assist from EPR that Gideon mentions will be helpful. Also take special note of difficulty in staying synchronized in inhale to exhale patterns and timing with your PAP. If that becomes an issue, the BPAP VAuto or higher level machines with timing controls may be valuable.

I'm not saying you will have similar sync timing issues as I do, but just mentioning it to make you aware if it presents itself.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#16
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
(10-28-2021, 12:03 PM)tired4life Wrote: Thank you both for the replies.

What do you mean by pressure? Actually, I really liked the CPAP - it felt easier to breathe and my lungs could get more air (I do have asthma and many allergies that are heavily medicated. So anything is probably better ahah). I did notice that my lungs wouldn't "catch" while i was on the CPAP if I was on my back. If i turned to my side, I was able to once or twice. Does this make sense?

How do I change the settings? Unfortunately, I am doing a 1 month trial, so I am not sure what changes I can make.

I may try it again tonight with a full night's sleep with the current settings and maybe there will be other issues?
Post Reply Post Reply
#17
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
For this one night (all are somewhat different) the machine seemed to adjust the pressure as the night progressed, and only rarely (once) got above 7 cm pressure for inhale. the setting of 5 to 15 cm would have allowed more pressure if it were needed.

presented these facts, i would not change anything for a couple days, just to get an overall average.

feeling rested is one of the primary indicators.

QAL
Post Reply Post Reply
#18
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
Quote:I just pressed stop and took the SD card out. Should I actually unplug it each night?

regarding this, on my machine, i have to wait more than a few seconds for the machine to finish closing out the files, then i can take out the SD card.  you should not have to unplug the device at all unless you have to move it to another outlet.

QAL
Post Reply Post Reply
#19
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
To access the Clinical Menu, hold both Dial and Home in for 5 seconds. Scroll down with the dial, click on Min pressure, dial in 7, click dial again to lock it in. Click home to jump to the top of the clinical menu, then exit by a dial click. Done.

What are you permitted to change? All of it. Regardless of renting or owning, you can legally change every setting. The doc, DME, insurance only care about usage compliance.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#20
RE: Borderline/Mild Sleep Apnea - CPAP Improvements?
(10-28-2021, 12:52 PM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: Also take special note of difficulty in staying synchronized in inhale to exhale patterns and timing with your PAP. If that becomes an issue, the BPAP VAuto or higher level machines with timing controls may be valuable.

I didn't want to hijack the thread here, but Dave I asked you a question about this on my thread over there: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid419410
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Apnea has gotten worse recently, I have no sleep study, can I just buy a cpcp? replayablecontent 12 216 Yesterday, 12:38 PM
Last Post: replayablecontent
  Collars for positional sleep apnea Jimasripper 17 347 03-25-2024, 10:05 PM
Last Post: Deborah K.
  Can someone take a look at my OSCAR results? 3-4 weeks of CPAP & still improvements senseisaitama 5 129 03-24-2024, 10:43 PM
Last Post: Deborah K.
  Invisalign to help sleep apnea and dental extractions as a cause of sleep apnea SingleH 10 608 03-24-2024, 07:00 PM
Last Post: stevew168
Question Oscar Help - Analysis after 3 Weeks, Improvements! ef8mk 7 319 03-24-2024, 03:43 PM
Last Post: ef8mk
  Sleep Apnea or Something Else? RoughriderTR 6 286 03-23-2024, 04:43 PM
Last Post: ButtonNoseBarbie
  Obstructive Sleep Apnea After Stroke Help MB123 1 74 03-23-2024, 01:08 PM
Last Post: Dormeo


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.