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Issues with taking off mask
#1
Issues with taking off mask
Hello, I'm new here so please feel free to move this post if it doesn't belong in this section. I have been on CPAP For 4 years and have little to no success in terms of how I feel. I was diagnosed with severe OSA with 30+ AHI and now down to below 5 which is really good but I don't feel the affects at all. Even though I have been using it every single night for 4 years, I always wake up without the mask on, you would think it's the mask itself but I have tried pretty much every mask on the market with no improvement. The one I seem to have stuck with is the  N20 nasal due to comfort. I have tried recording myself sleeping and always scrunch up my nose and rip off the mask in my sleep, as if there's discomfort... but it's with every mask. I honestly feel hopeless... I haven't  had any help from sleep therapists so i'm hoping to have someone analyze the data I have attached. And again, i'm sorry if I didn't screenshot everything, I was having issues trying to figure out how to zoom out on the left side bar.


Since the mask comes off a lot it was hard to find a night where there was much data available. But the night I attached seems to have been decent. Feel free to request more info if needed.


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#2
RE: Issues with taking off mask
There are two main reasons people remove their mask in the middle of the night - discomfort because it's too tight, of feeling air starved because the pressure is too low. I can't tell if either of these applies to you. Your leaks seem fairly low, so I don't think your mask is too tight. You should be able to pull it away to scratch your nose (mine itches) fairly easily.

What I notice from your chart is the the few OA you have seem to start when the EPAP gets down towards 4 cm H2O. There are two ways to raise your EPAP - reduce your EPR, leaving the pressure the same - or increase your pressure, leaving the EPR the same. Or, for double the effect, lower the EPR and raise your pressure.

Since you have very low flow limitations and no hypopneas, I suggest starting by reducing the EPR by 1, and see how it feels after a few days.
Apnea Board Monitors are members who help oversee the smooth functioning of the Board. They are also members of the Advisory Committee which helps shape Apnea Board's rules & policies. Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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#3
RE: Issues with taking off mask
I don’t see anything wrong. My own experience is that I need at least 9.4 min or I’m air starved and that may be why you are taking your mask off. 

The min is the amount of air you inhale if there are no leaks and you are not mouth breathing. I would increase the min, see if that helps and if not raise it a little more until you haVe enough air
Apnea (80-100%) 10 seconds, Hypopnea (50-80%) 10 seconds, Flow Limits (0-50%) not timed  Cervical Collar - Dealing w DME - Chart Organizing
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#4
RE: Issues with taking off mask
Thanks for the feedback. This is what an average night looks like. Kinda sad lol.


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#5
RE: Issues with taking off mask
Rather than increase minimum pressure a bunch, you might increase by 1 and try if for a few days. One night does not make a trend. After a few days, you could increase again. You could even experiment with increases by less than 1. Your machine is built to change pressure in increments of 0.2.
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