New CPAP user feel like crap

[Paptillian]

When you start at a pressure of four, but spend most of your time at 7, you spend the first hour or more starving for air until the machine finally gets up to therapeutic levels.

I haven't found that to be the case for me. My machine seems to ramp up quickly when it senses flow limitation, so I'm not sure that's necessarily true. I can't comment on the F&P Ikon.

I find it easier to breathe against a starting pressure of 5 or 6 personally (4 seems to require a little bit of work), but I had tried that for a few nights and saw an increase in AHI. I backed it down to 4 and AHI went down. Weird.

[DreamDiver]

When you start at a pressure of four, but spend most of your time at 7, you spend the first hour or more starving for air until the machine finally gets up to therapeutic levels.

I haven't found that to be the case for me. My machine seems to ramp up quickly when it senses flow limitation, so I'm not sure that's necessarily true. I can't comment on the F&P Ikon.

I find it easier to breathe against a starting pressure of 5 or 6 personally (4 seems to require a little bit of work), but I had tried that for a few nights and saw an increase in AHI. I backed it down to 4 and AHI went down. Weird.

For those of us with little or no flow limitation, it takes obstructive apneas to get the machine to raise the pressure. To my mind, any time spent in apnea when it's not necessary, is time wasted in hypoxia. For myself, I'd rather start at a therapeutic level. Perhaps you are one of those for whom 4 is actually therapeutic. What's your "Last 30 Days" 95% Pressure on SleepyHead Statistics Tab?

[Paptillian]

What's your "Last 30 Days" 95% Pressure on SleepyHead Statistics Tab?

8.6

[DreamDiver]

What's your "Last 30 Days" 95% Pressure on SleepyHead Statistics Tab?

8.6

Assuming you've had these settings for a while, I'd like to learn a little bit about what works for people with noticeable flow limitation from you.

If it's okay to ask, in ResScan, statistics tab on the review pane, when you choose "30 days" in the range, what's your AHI breakdown?
Obstructive Apnea: ?
Central Apnea: ?
Unknown Apnea: ?
Hypopnea: ?
AHI: ?
Leak 95th Percentile: ?
Pressure Median: ?
Pressure 95th Percentile: ?

Going to sleep now. Will return tomorrow.

Sleep well!

[Paptillian]

In the name of science!




Disclaimers:

• SleepyHead generally gives higher numbers than ResScan
  
• A few of the nights were at different settings, but the min pressure never exceeded 6 and the max never exceeded 11. I experimented with EPR during those nights. In total it was only 3 nights that I deviated from my prescription. If you count EPR modifications, then it's 6 nights.
  

[DreamDiver]

In the name of science! ...

Median leak of zero... It's almost like your mask is glued on. Amazing. I guess at that low a pressure, face farts and leakage in general are smaller. Your AHI is remarkably well-controlled at such a low pressure. If these were my numbers, I'd say I was on the right path. I wonder how that ties in with significant flow limitation.

Thank you so much for sharing!

[Paptillian]

Thanks. Any day now I expect to wake up feeling like the Energizer Bunny.

I don't know why the max pressure number is so low. I've seen it go well over 8.9 on a day to day basis. In some cases it's topped out at 10. When I raised my max pressure to 11 one night, it got up to about 10.4. That must be an average as opposed to a maximum over 30 days. They've been lower since I started side-sleeping, though.

Apologies to markrb. I made this thread about me. Pulling out now.

[Sevensox]

Hi
I felt better the night of the sleep study! They started me on a nasal mask half way through the study and by morning I did not wish to leave without that mask! The best nights sleep
I had had in years. So if your therapy is not making you feel better, I would look for another sleep doc or study.
Lee

[markrb]

I just got the machine and my Doctor needs to do it this way, because I couldn't handle the machine they had at the study and I can't afford another study. My insurance will pay 80% of the machine, but not the 1st $1000 and I would have to pay 20% after that.
So she is helping me out.

I am staying in close contact with her and she viewed my data and wants to have the range tightened to 6-20. I told here I have the manual and can do it myself and she said go for it. I was sure she was going to say to go to the DME, but I guess she has confidence I can do it myself. I do like the increase as it felt like I had to work to breath in more than I should have in the beginning.

She also said there was a fair bit of leakage and I might want to change masks types, but is leaving this up to me for now. I think I will change from the wisp I have now to an in nose one.
I will also look into a mouth strap. If that doesn't work I will try a full face mask next.

I appreciate all the feedback.

Mark

[DreamDiver]

I just got the machine and my Doctor needs to do it this way, because I couldn't handle the machine they had at the study and I can't afford another study. ...

I am staying in close contact with her and she viewed my data and wants to have the range tightened to 6-20. ...

She also said there was a fair bit of leakage and I might want to change masks types...

Okay, now I get it. You are basically self-titrating at home with the doctor's help because your sleep study was somewhat inconclusive. So you are probably in good hands, thank goodness! Like I said, sometimes that happens.

It's likely you're mouth leaking. When you are getting large leaks like this, it means you're not getting therapy. Chin straps definitely help, but for some of us, even with the chin strap and a nasal mask, we mouth leak. Some people tape their mouths. Blue painter's tape seems to be popular. Others of us elect to use a full face mask. I prefer a full face mask because tape doesn't work too well for me.

Looking forward to hearing what your AHI is averaging with your lower pressure set to 6 after a few days at the new setting. I hope you'll be able to figure out the leak thing in a way that works for you.

Hang in there.