12-21-2016, 09:39 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-21-2016, 10:02 AM by Sleeprider.)
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
In the first episode, your events came under control at a pressure of 12, and the machine went higher in later series. I think you can continue with APAP, but you need to increase the minimum pressure to 9-10 and see if that can head off the clusters of OA events. Your sleep study points to obstructive apnea as being your problem, and I think we have to go with that for the moment. It's not uncommon to need higher minimum pressure to resolve that.
If your husband can observe what sleep position coincides with the apnea cluster (or use an inexpensive IR camera to record it), we could also take a look at sleep position as a trigger. Oddly enough, your sleep study points to OA being worst on you back (supine), but is pretty serous when you are on your side as well. Since your apnea occurs in clusters, it may be you are tucking your chin, which can cut off the airway. Several people on this forum use a soft cervical collar (available at drugstores or Walmart) to prevent chin tucking. Getting one that s comfortable with a fabric cover and gentle pressure will be key to making that solution work. It may be your sleep apnea is mainly resolved by avoiding this problem, as opposed to keeping the airway open with air pressure.
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
That is interesting about the positions and tucking my neck. I think I do do that.
I am going to try to increase start pressure to 9. See what happens with that for a night.
I did put a headband around my chin to try to keep mouth shut. It helped a little bit.
Tomorrow will get the collar and experiment anew to see if maybe it could be just I don't know how to sleep properly! Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Thank you so much SleepyRider and everyone!
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
It would be nice if one of the collar users, dropped in on this thread. When you get a chance, try an exercise breathing with your chin level, and then note what happens if it drops toward your chest. If you notice a significant difference, you probably found your problem.
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
I was able to try a nap. set at 9-20. I didn't feel the "wind" effect. At some times wondered if it was even on. Felt much more comfortable? That seems strange since pressure was higher.
12-21-2016, 04:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-21-2016, 04:32 PM by Sleeprider.)
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
You need to access the Ramp setting and increase the minimum pressure, and shorten the ramp time. You are still starting at 4.0 cm pressure.
Also, when posting a graph, it would help if you would use the large thumbnail and select the link for "Linked BBCode (message boards)". It is the last option on the links listing. That will let us access larger images.
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
Adjusted ramp to 7
Ok will do on the screenshots.
Thanks!
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
Woke up thinking it was morning (out of it). Felt like slept longer... Why are there blanks in the charts? Going back for the rest of the nights sleep (or whatever this is). Thanks!
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
Up at 4am but feel like I really slept. Are we on to something? Only complaint is waking up with big wind blowing in my face.... It said 14... Is that normally the way the night ends?
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
RE: First night ever - First Nights Data
If you're feeling wind, that is either a leak or the vent is reflecting back at you. Your leak rate doesn't look too bad. This looks better than where you started, but you might want to try that soft collar. Might not hurt to zoom in on one of those clusters, and we can take a look at what's happening breath by breath. Don't forget to right click on the left axis in the Flow Rate graph, select dotted lines, and check zero. That gives a zero flow reference line so you can tell where inhale/exhale begins and ends.