First night with CPAP - AS11 w/Sierra Nasal Mask

[cramseur]

Here is the OSCAR data from my first night using my AirSense 11 w/ Sierra Nasal Mask.  

My starting dx showed 22.4 AHI, 7% below 90, and 7 minutes under 88%.

Looks like it's working!

[staceyburke]

Welcome to the board.

I would make a couple changes-

Min7
EPR ON FULL TIME
EPR3
Turn off the ramp

Why? To start with 4 is the lowest any pap machine can go. 4 is a child’s min (inhale pressure) an adult needs more air.

Second EPR controls H events and flow limits but you have to have the min at 7 or higher. Inhale is the min number, exhale is the min 7 - EPR 3 = 4 exhale pressure.

When using ramp you are not getting therapy and events are not registered.

[cramseur]

Thanks,

I just used it with the settings it came with, which seemed to correlate with my prescription.
I guess they just set it to basic parameters.  I'll try your settings tonight.

Craig

[staceyburke]

We ALL had to learn. They just look at 2 things and say it’s good. 

1 at least 4 hours a night. 2 AHI under 5

Do that and they say you got it. But we try to get the best sleep possible not just you meet the minimum requirement. 

Post tomorrow and let’s see how you feel because that is what it is all about.

[cramseur]

Tried the new settings...here's the 2nd night's data.

[SarcasticDave94]

This appears to be what we call Positional Apnea, those clusters of events flags. This is not what doc discussed as positional on the test. That positional referred to sleep position, supine, side, prone. Here we mean that your neck position is in a chin tuck and kinking off the airway. A thick pillow or a stack of them will do this. Other times it's just your chin points towards your chest. Look at the soft cervical collar wiki to help visualize better.

[staceyburke]

The increase in AHI is due to positional apnea I believe. It is when you sleep in a position that cuts off your own airway and nothing the Cpap can do to prevent the events. You have to find out how to stop getting into that position. 

It is also called chin tucking where your chin drops down to your sternum. Sometimes it happens when you sleep on your back or have to high of a pillow. 

Most people need help and use a collar. There is a link in my signature on collars, please take a look at it.

[cramseur]

Wow I just assumed that the change was because the first night I had the machine set to "ramp on" and the pressure was set to begin at 44 (which you said would add
non-readings). So I just threw those reading out, and figured that the most recent readings were more accurate.

I do sleep with my chin in a tucked position. We have a collar somewhere in the house. I'll try it tonight.

Thanks!

[cramseur]

Okay...here's my most recent data. 

I changed masks to a smaller, more comfortable one.  

I started the session with the pressure set to 9 - 15, but after a few minutes reduced it to 7 - 15.  

The humidity was set to 3, but I got too many drops of condensation tickling my nose...

but overall I'm getting more comfortable with the mask and sleeping with the machine. 

Thanks!

Craig

[cramseur]

Okay, so here  is an update.  My AHI fluctuates from night to night  usually around 3 but anywhere from 0.92 to 5.95.  Here are a selections of the OSCAR charts.

I'm just not sure what to do from here.  Do I need any adjustments?

Thanks!

Craig