Please help

[annbower1125]

for the last few days during the day I feel like I am having a hard time breathing, the picture I am posting is only 2 minutes but it seems like between 1am and 2am is my worst time, maybe someone might have a suggestion for me, I haven't talked with a doctor or anyone about my machine and I have had it for over a month, I am freaking out how do you have a ahi that high, I tried google and I cant seem to make heads or tails about what I am reading, thanks you all

[retired_guy]

It's not what we want it to be, but it's not all that freakish either Ann, so relax time: Ommmm...

Your sidebar indicates your pressure is 4/20. Is that correct? It would be helpful to see your graphs - pressure, leak, etc -- for the whole evening.

But yes, you probably do need to have a conversation with your Doc since you are concerned about daytime breathing. You could have something else going on that needs attention. For instance, you may have swallowed your cat. Have you noticed anybody missing around your place?

Mostly don't fret too much. This is solvable.

[annbower1125]

[attachment=978]

is this what you need? and yes my pressure starts at 4 and can go to 20 not sure if it ever got that high though

[retired_guy]

I like that period between 4:30 and 5:30. So what's different about that time frame versus the 12:00 - 4:00 stuff?

Well, it looks to me, in my uneducated way, that your body is happy once things settle down. Once the pressure gets to about 15, the leaks stay mild, and the chickens have all gone to sleep for the night. Your body is at peace, and so is your apnea's.

Earlier, your pressure is running up and down from 4 to 15 or so, and your body is having lots of apnea events.

When you talk to your doc, ask him/her if setting your start and max pressures much closer together might not be a bad idea. I personally do much better --- actually so much better that it allows my therapy to be effective --- if my low and high are in a more tightly bound range. Not fixed at any particular pressure, but a range of 4 or 5 between low and high.

I think that may be what your body is trying to tell you.

[DNB128]

What is your AHI? That shows up on the details tab; if it's under 5, there may not be anything to be concerned about, but of course we do have to look at the whole picture, which includes the daytime issues.

[bwexler]

Yes. That helps.
If it were me, I would raise my minimum pressure to around 6 or 7 and max to about 17
The min would increase your start and end of night pressure a bit. The max is above your highest actual pressure. Sometimes tightening the range helps. After a week or so look at the results and how you feel. Then you can make smaller adjustments as you focus on what works best for you.
Pressure of 4-20 cm is a lazy practitioner leaving the machine wide open.
I would not worry about offending your dr or rt they don't seem to care much and may never notice your adjustments.
Your AHI is actually within acceptable range, just not perfect.

You may also want to read the thread about Medical Mafia.

[surferdude2]

The AHI would appear to be 3.4 which isn't all that bad. I do agree that setting your lower pressure upward will give you some relief from those early on events that you are having. It's like trying to enter the freeway by driving 5 mph on the on-ramp.

Edit: See a doctor about that daytime breathing problem.

[annbower1125]

thank you all for the kind words, my machine is a auto cpap so I don't think I can set my pressures. can you set your pressures on a auto?

[retired_guy]

Yes you can Ann,

Find and download the clinician manual for your machine. It should be around here someplace...

Oh yeah, here it is.....
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-pr...tup-manual

[retired_guy]

Now, if you would like to try setting the pressures yourself, I'm good with that. But please leave the top end at 17 or so until you get a little experience with the results. The low end, were it my machine, would sit around 8 to start? Something like that. That's a much wider range than I like to see, but you need to sneak up on your sweet spot, not jump up and down on it all at once. Change things a little at a time, and once you get started, only one thing at a time. For instance this week change the pressures (yeah, that's actually two things) then next week change the sheets, then the next week change the low end a little more...... That sort of stuff.