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Nasal vs FFM
#1
Nasal vs FFM
Lately I have been sleeping like crap, waking up tired and feeling like I didn't sleep at all. I was doing good for a long time now
but something changed. I was using a Dream wear mask with straight cpap set at 10.5, EPR=3. I tape my mouth shut, but lately have been leaking a little on exhale only. I decided to pull out the Auto set and see if my pressure
needed changing. My AHI was always below .1 with zero days at least 3 times a week according to sleepyhead.
I switched to the Amara view and the Auto set to find out what was going on. I set it at 8-14 the first night. I felt even worse. My chart on sleepy head looked like a xmas tree with 109
seconds as my longest event, lots of ones in the 60-90 second range. My 95% pressure was 11.5.
Last night I turned EPR to one and set machine at 10-13. My chart once again had lots of events, but the longest one was 29 seconds this time. My 95% pressure was 12.75 and
my mouth felt like a desert all night long. Still feels like cotton 4 hours later.

I have always wondered if the machine doesn't pick up apneas as much with a nasal mask as it does with a FFM, or does a nasal mask just work that much better on me.
I found this article that makes me think the nasal mask just gives me better treatment.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824185


I am confused on what to do next. I am going back to the Dream wear tonight with the settings the same as last night to see the difference. I just don't understand why
for 2 weeks now I feel like crap when I was doing good for so long.
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#2
RE: Nasal vs FFM
Try not making so many changes at once because you wont know whuch chabge made the difference.
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#3
RE: Nasal vs FFM
Please post a daily chart.  You aren't differentiating the event types which would make it next to impossible to help you.  Look below at my Useful Links if you need help in posting an image.
Crimson Nape
Apnea Board Moderator
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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: Nasal vs FFM
Changing masks also requires you to change the mask setting on the machine, from nasal to full face.

It was ok to switch to your auto machine to determine a 90% pressure, but stick with one type mask. Also, wearing a full face mask usually requires more pressure than with a nasal mask.

Try each mask with the auto machine for at least 4 to 5 days to see a trend.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
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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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#5
RE: Nasal vs FFM
This is what I think
The FFM is right.
the nasal was mouth breathing.
with the elite we don't worry about the 90%, that is with auto machines.

If you have a very dry mouth, it could be because of mouth breathing in the mask or bad leaks. The elite would have a mask fit function where ot blows a higher pressure to use to fit the mask. you don't want it too tight.

With the fixed cpap elite, You keep increasing the pressure 1cm at a time, till the OA come down.
post a sleepyhead chart when you can
mask fit http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer
For auto-cpap, from machine data or software. You can set the min pressure 1 or 2cm below 95%. Or clinicians commonly use the maximum or 95% pressure for fixed pressure CPAP, this can also be used for min pressure.
https://aasm.org/resources/practiceparam...rating.pdf
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#6
RE: Nasal vs FFM
http://imgur.com/a/HrJfM

Not sure if I did this right.
There seems to be a major difference between FFM and nasal mask. This doesn't make sense to me. Either way I  would just  like to wake up feeling normal again.
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#7
RE: Nasal vs FFM
I forgot to Thank Crimson Nape for posting the how to on images
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#8
RE: Nasal vs FFM
This makes me think the FFm causes me more apneas. With either mask, I wake feeling like I never slept. I think tonight I will try sleeping without any mask and see how I feel.
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#9
RE: Nasal vs FFM
If you were using a FFM in the first instance and you changed to a Nasal mask, you must be getting mouth leaks causing your miuth to dry out and taste like the bottom of a parrots cage!
I would go back to the FFM and put the pressure up a bit, see if that helps, if it does try a bit more.
If you want to use the machine in APAP mode, try around 8 -16 or higher. Don't put it to too high a setting as it may rise if you get a leak to the point it might make the leak worse. If things improve, try putting the setting slightly higher.
As you were doing fine originality, go back to that set up and just give yourself slightly more pressure, if it is to hard to exhale, use the Expiry Relief and set it to the most comfortable setting. A slight leak on exhale should make little difference as it is the inhale that the obstruction usually occurs.
If you have put on any weight, it might mean you need more pressure.

Best thing you can do is to post your data.
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#10
RE: Nasal vs FFM
When setting your straight Cpap pressure, how much above your 95% pressure would you set it?
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