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Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
#11
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
(07-25-2015, 04:17 PM)TyroneShoes Wrote: There are two things I can provide from my experience:

1) Try the larger sizes of the NPs. I found that it is significantly harder to breathe through the mediums, and especially the smalls.

2) The Swift FX is a fine mask; I started on that. But when I switched to the P10 I found it easier to exhale, all else held equal.

Switched to large last night from the medium, and made the other changes recommended in here, other than top pressure. I was able to sleep for 3.8 hours on the mask last night!
(07-25-2015, 04:16 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: Ya gotta love the name!

I agree turn off the ramp. With a minimum pressure of 5 you don't need it. Add some posts and eventually you can post some images of the therapy data. It wont' take much to make some sense of it for you. Meanwhile, it would be good to get a handle on this panic reaction snd figure out where it's coming from. You don't strike me as the irrational claustrophobic type. Make a point to ask yourself WTF am I doing and why? If you can do that much, you can continue to wear the mask and sleep.

Got a USB SD card reader on order right now. Should have it Tuesday, and if things continue to improve like last night (3.8 hours on the mask), hopefully I'll have some good data by the weekend.
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#12
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
That's great IBM....Smile

Usually time is the best remedy, but a larger pillow size and some data can't hurt.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
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#13
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
You've received some really good advice in the posts above mine. Just thought I'd stop by and tell you that I'm rooting for you! Your great attitude will make all the difference! Smile
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#14
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
A beginner running 10-20cm, no wonder, you might think you're getting your brains blown out. You might think the nasal pillows are working
better but you might also be letting your mouth fall open and venting off that pressure. End result is your therapy is getting blown off too.
So...
I would start at 7cm at the lowest, no ramp. No EPR.
Just sit around the house with the full face mask on and watch TV (read a book, etc) a few hours while running like that.
It will give your body *time* to acclimate to the *whole new ball game of breathing a new way*
Do this for 3-4 days straight until you think you can tolerate it,
Then try setting the high end up to 10cm.
See how this works for you and try napping with this set up.
Keep it up for a couple weeks until you pass the sore ribs stage (if any)
Keep an eye on your OA events with sleepyhead.
After working a couple weeks bump your low pressure up 1cm and high end up 1cm.
Run a couple weeks like that, allow your body time to acclimate.
Eventually if you keep this up you'll hit a spot where your OS events disappear.
You found your own *sweet spot*!
Clear? Simple? Easy? Persist! Smile
This is what worked for me but of course your mileage may vary.
Running your CPAP is part skill and part art.
Hang in there and you'll get it.

Sleep-well
"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Cool
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#15
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
EPR is a highly individual thing! I really like having it on! (bumped from 2 to 3 a while back and never turned back) however the recommendation to set the bottom number to 7 without a ramp is good. Majority of people feel air-starved (panicked) below 6 or 7.

back to EPR. shifting pressures can cause arousals or breathing cessations that look like centrals in some folk. for them EPR should go away - especially if the median pressures are low. For others, the exhalation relief reduces a pressure that causes kidneys not to work so well, and is beneficial for reduction of water retention. I am one of these latter sorts, and it made a lot of difference in my leg and facial swelling to increase EPR and my sleep doc says he may move me to a bipap. My median pressures are ~11 and once I am asleep I never go below 9 for more than an inverted spike.

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
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#16
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
(07-27-2015, 02:54 PM)Shastzi Wrote: A beginner running 10-20cm, no wonder, you might think you're getting your brains blown out. You might think the nasal pillows are working
better but you might also be letting your mouth fall open and venting off that pressure. End result is your therapy is getting blown off too.

No kidding! I think that's what's been waking me up with the pillows - I'll end up opening my mouth, and that sudden blast just jolts me right awake. Practically become afraid to go back to sleep.

(07-27-2015, 02:54 PM)Shastzi Wrote: So...
I would start at 7cm at the lowest, no ramp. No EPR.
Just sit around the house with the full face mask on and watch TV (read a book, etc) a few hours while running like that.
It will give your body *time* to acclimate to the *whole new ball game of breathing a new way*
Do this for 3-4 days straight until you think you can tolerate it,
Then try setting the high end up to 10cm.
See how this works for you and try napping with this set up.
Keep it up for a couple weeks until you pass the sore ribs stage (if any)
Keep an eye on your OA events with sleepyhead.
After working a couple weeks bump your low pressure up 1cm and high end up 1cm.
Run a couple weeks like that, allow your body time to acclimate.
Eventually if you keep this up you'll hit a spot where your OS events disappear.
You found your own *sweet spot*!
Clear? Simple? Easy? Persist! Smile
This is what worked for me but of course your mileage may vary.
Running your CPAP is part skill and part art.
Hang in there and you'll get it.

Sleep-well

Going to start this in a few minutes. Don't know how the VA will feel about me turning down the pressure, but if I can show it helps with compliance and reducing the number of events, then I'm willing to deal with them.

Thanks for everything!
(07-27-2015, 05:07 PM)DariaVader Wrote: EPR is a highly individual thing! I really like having it on! (bumped from 2 to 3 a while back and never turned back) however the recommendation to set the bottom number to 7 without a ramp is good. Majority of people feel air-starved (panicked) below 6 or 7.

back to EPR. shifting pressures can cause arousals or breathing cessations that look like centrals in some folk. for them EPR should go away - especially if the median pressures are low. For others, the exhalation relief reduces a pressure that causes kidneys not to work so well, and is beneficial for reduction of water retention. I am one of these latter sorts, and it made a lot of difference in my leg and facial swelling to increase EPR and my sleep doc says he may move me to a bipap. My median pressures are ~11 and once I am asleep I never go below 9 for more than an inverted spike.

I'm going to try the suggestions Shazti made as far as reducing pressure and turning off the EPR - already turned off the ramp - and see how that does. I'll have my card reader tomorrow, and I'll be able to start charting data tomorrow evening.

This is just another challenge, just like getting diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic a few years back. I used to troubleshoot and fix fighter engines - this should be a piece of cake :grin:

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#17
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
(07-27-2015, 02:54 PM)Shastzi Wrote: I would start at 7cm at the lowest, no ramp. No EPR.
...
Then try setting the high end up to 10cm.

So, per your suggestion, I switched back to full face last night. Changes in the setup menu:
EPR set to off
Ramp set to off
Mask type - full face
Min pressure set to 7
Max to 16

Checking the front menu this morning shows a usage time of 6.2 hours. Holy cow! I woke up twice - once for an emergency phone call, once because the boxer decided it was time to get noisy. I'll bump up the minimum in a couple days. I'll have my card reader this evening, so I can start pulling data from Sleepy Head.

Thanks
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#18
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
Ok, good!
Sounds like the full face mask will work for you, adapting to the pressure build up slowly over time can be your first goal. Wink
Your high pressure limit of 16 is still a bit lofty for a newbie. Can't talk you into setting it about 11? A four point spread is a good start point.
Take it SLOW. Be patient. Do not try to bump up the pressure on the low side too fast! You may overshoot the magic pressure combination that works
best for you.
But be ready to *reduce* your high end pressure.
We want to *slowly* work up to the spot where the Obstructives go away. ie: you keep breathing without stoppages.
That way you can adapt and eliminate any other problems that crop up, (if any) Only change ONE variable at a time.

Well-done

Keep on working on it and you'll get it!







"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Cool
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#19
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
ironballsmcginty, looks like there's a lot of responses.
Without reading all of them, my 2 cents is I think you need a BiPAP aka a VPAP in the Resmed world. A regular CPAP put me in panic mode like you've been in, and was very uncomfortable.
For me, breathing against the constant incoming pressure of a CPAP (constant pressure) was not natural, and kept me concentrating, alert, and not able to sleep.
It feels like trying to exert breaths against a blowdryer in my mouth.
The Vpap/APAP will back off when you exhale. Think of it like expanding and contracting a muscle. The machine acts like a weightlifting spotter in the gym, except in the reverse, helping in the contraction (breathing in) and backing off in the expansion (breathing out).
I don't know anyone with sleep apnea who fails to exhale (maybe I'm ignorant) ...its the inhalation part is the problem. It's "natural" to want to let go of holding your breath, the pressure builds up. But some people fail to take that breath because of the obstruction (nose/jaw) or brain function (Central Sleep Apnea).
A good Bipap helps you inhale, if there's any obstruction, and yields when you exhale.
If your condition is more severe, you can get an ASV, which will be more aggressive about each inhalation, and have the backup rate to make sure you take breaths, period.
Hopefully you can get the sleep doctor/lab to let you try the Vpap
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#20
RE: Other than not sleeping well, I have no idea what I'm doing
(07-28-2015, 03:56 PM)bilbofett Wrote: ironballsmcginty, looks like there's a lot of responses.
Without reading all of them, my 2 cents is I think you need a BiPAP aka a VPAP in the Resmed world. A regular CPAP put me in panic mode like you've been in, and was very uncomfortable.
For me, breathing against the constant incoming pressure of a CPAP (constant pressure) was not natural, and kept me concentrating, alert, and not able to sleep.
It feels like trying to exert breaths against a blowdryer in my mouth.
The Vpap/APAP will back off when you exhale. Think of it like expanding and contracting a muscle. The machine acts like a weightlifting spotter in the gym, except in the reverse, helping in the contraction (breathing in) and backing off in the expansion (breathing out).
I don't know anyone with sleep apnea who fails to exhale (maybe I'm ignorant) ...its the inhalation part is the problem. It's "natural" to want to let go of holding your breath, the pressure builds up. But some people fail to take that breath because of the obstruction (nose/jaw) or brain function (Central Sleep Apnea).
A good Bipap helps you inhale, if there's any obstruction, and yields when you exhale.
If your condition is more severe, you can get an ASV, which will be more aggressive about each inhalation, and have the backup rate to make sure you take breaths, period.
Hopefully you can get the sleep doctor/lab to let you try the Vpap

he turned off EPR and liked it better... so bipap is likely not the ticket for him. More likely he just needed a higher pressure than his lower number to feel like he was getting air.

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
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