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Lost weight - CPAP limbo
#1
Lost weight - CPAP limbo
Hi there,
I'm new to this thread and have a question.
I recently lost 60 lbs and used to use a CPAP at 14 pressure. After I lost the weight I turned it down to 6 as my machine said I was only having 0.4 AHI a night so I thought this was a good setting. Well, I have been feeling exhausted and noticed as I was falling asleep it was almost like I "forgot" to breathe (not the normal choking sound I used to have when I was heavier). When I have had my pressure too high in the past it was causing me to have central apneas. I think this may be happening again. I can't get into another sleep study until September because in Canada it is only covered every 2 years. I tried sleeping without the CPAP and still woke up with a dry, sore throat and exhausted. I also tried sleeping with the CPAP on the lowest pressure at 4 and again woke up exhausted but without the dry, sore throat. I'm thinking even the lowest setting is too high but no CPAP isn't working either! I am going to try sleeping upright tonight in a lazy boy with a chin strap on to see if that helps. I have tried the mouth guard that holds your bottom jaw forward but couldn't sleep. I guess my question is, has anyone else had this experience where the lowest setting is too high yet no CPAP isn't working either? I guess I'm just at the perfect weight that puts me in CPAP/no CPAP limbo! Feeling exhausted and frustrated! Any help or experiences with this would be helpful. Thanks in advance!
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#2
RE: Lost weight - CPAP limbo
What happens if you use your CPAP at 14?

Go here and tell us what machine you have.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#3
RE: Lost weight - CPAP limbo
Weight loss may or may not reduce your need for CPAP. If you were well treated at 14 cm H2O pressure, I would certainly continue with that good proven therapy.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#4
RE: Lost weight - CPAP limbo
Hi Zzzmeg,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
CONGRATULATIONS! on your weight loss. You might try what others have suggested and use your CPAP machine at your original pressure, (I think you said 14,) and see how you do with it.
Much success to you with your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
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#5
RE: Lost weight - CPAP limbo
dittos from me, the foul feeling you get from both non-CPAP and low-CPAP is the same. Both are ineffective. If you had selected a good software, and had a data-capable machine, you could confirm your feelings correlate with real data. Since you are getting good AHI on the machine screen at 6, you could experiment with something between 6 and 14. Feeling bad with low AHI could be due to unscored flow limitations. Bumping the pressure up above 6 should treat these flow limitations. The only gage you will have, though, is the feeling.

So, maybe you could split the difference and pick 10 cmH2O for 4 or 5 days and see if that changes the way you feel.

Good luck and hope you find a pleasing result.

QAL
Dedicated to QALity sleep.
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#6
RE: Lost weight - CPAP limbo
Zzzmeg,
First, congrats on your weight loss, but even with a weight loss doesn't mean that you are cured of sleep apnea. Did you consult a doctor when changing your pressure from 14 to 6? That is a hugh change to make at one time. The fact that you are feeling exhausted everyday should tell you that you need to be on CPAP. Your profile suggests that you quit using CPAP. Is that right? If not, please fill out your profile with machine make and model and mask.
Until you can get another sleep study that confirms you no longer need CPAP therapy, then you should not stop using it. If you have an Auto machine, try setting it at 6 to 14, download SleepyHead software and use that to determine your results.
Or you can set the machine at 10 or 11 and watch data. Also, be sure you are using a humidifier.
OpalRose

Thanks for filling out your profile.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: Lost weight - CPAP limbo
Congrats on the weight loss! Are you using any data to back the argument that your centrals were in fact increasing at 14? From the sounds of your symptoms you still need cpap and you need to monitor your data before making any drastic changes, like 14 to 6.
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