Is this the best I can do?

[littlefatcat]

How tall are you? Your median tidal volume seems a bit low.

5' 6"

[littlefatcat]

Speaking of history, it would be great if you posted redacted copies of your sleep studies, full copies with charts and tables and not just summaries.  Summaries often leave out important details that are important.  Right now your diagnostic study is important because of your higher percentage of Central Apneas than most people.

I have obtained a copy of my sleep study by email. I don't know if this is the full thing or just a summary. Please let me know if you need more and I will contact my doc again. Thank you.

[SarcasticDave94]

OK that is your detailed report, that's good as it's got some info to help out. Reports show 1 mixed apnea, 5 centrals, 12 Hypopnea, and 190 obstructive. This could be treatment emergent central apnea that we're seeing in that earlier post of your OSCAR chart.

[littlefatcat]

I have used the FLEX setting for the past three nights. Here are my OSCAR charts. I'm not swallowing air now (thank you!) as far as I can tell. A couple of times I have noticed that I wake up with a really dry throat.

[SarcasticDave94]

OK a bit of progress there, that's good. On the dry mouth: What's the status on your humidifier settings and usage? It appears you're not using a full face mask, so are there any mouth leaks that may contribute to the dryness?

[littlefatcat]

OK a bit of progress there, that's good. On the dry mouth: What's the status on your humidifier settings and usage? It appears you're not using a full face mask, so are there any mouth leaks that may contribute to the dryness?

I’m not using the humidifier. I just seem to tolerate cpap better without it. I don’t know about mouth leaks. I am pretty certain that I sleep with my mouth closed. Previously I have notice that on high pressure air leaks out between my lips.

[Gideon]

Great good progress.

for the dry mouth, try a product called Biotene or xylimelts to get relief from this symptom.  For now only looking for a few days of relief.

The hard part
we need to raise pressure to help eliminate the obstructive events, and hopefully not initiate aerophagia.

Set min pressure to 12, looking at 13 tomorrow.

If this doesn't work, and we do need to give it a honest try, we will have some evidence that CPAP may not be the right machine for you and to try a BiLevel such as the VAuto.  The argument will be that the added pressure support will allow a lower average pressure thus gaining satisfactory treatment of your obstructive events without the painful aerophagia.

[littlefatcat]

The hard part we need to raise pressure to help eliminate the obstructive events, and hopefully not initiate aerophagia.

Set min pressure to 12, looking at 13 tomorrow.

If this doesn't work, and we do need to give it a honest try, we will have some evidence that CPAP may not be the right machine for you and to try a BiLevel such as the VAuto.  The argument will be that the added pressure support will allow a lower average pressure thus gaining satisfactory treatment of your obstructive events without the painful aerophagia.

So I am using C-Flex. Last night I raised minimum pressure to 12. I always try to sleep on my side. On my side, I kept waking up with these weird air sounds escaping in my throat. Tried on my back and I could tell I was becoming full of air so rolled back to side. Air escaping sounds coming up throat again. I don't know if this is from stomach or lungs. It's not painful, more annoying. Do I still keep it at 12 or should I go up. How long is an honest try? Do you think it could get better? Ugh! I just know I am not sleeping soundly.

[Gideon]

If you are sensing air we definitely do not want to go up. Let's leave it here for a couple of nights, and see if these symptoms ease.
Remember a failure is providing justification to at least trial a BiLevel. We (mostly you) need evidence to convince your doctor, so keep track of this.

[SarcasticDave94]

No problem on not using the humidifier. Like bonjour mentioned, Biotene can help. He's also suggested a few other things to build a case for BPAP. Let's view the results in a few days.