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Great start, now not so great.
#1
Great start, now not so great.
I just completed my first week of CPAP. I have a Phillips Respironics Dream APAP and humidifier. with an Amira View mask. The minimum pressure is set to 5 and max to 10, ramp pressure is set to 4.

I really thought I was getting off to a good start with a first night's AHI of less than 5, and even got down to 2.5 after a few nights.

But then I started trending in a worse direction. Last night was my worst night so far with an AHI of over 6. I've included a screen shot of my "overview" pages showing the last week. but due to new user limitations, I can't post more than that right now.

While I'm not having any issues with the mask coming off at night, it does feel like an "annoyance." But I'm sure I can learn to live with that.

Several issues, I tend to change sleeping positions a lot, I've always been a tosser and turner. I do suffer from dry mouth, and I am a definite mouth breather. And I do need to urinate once or twice a night, I'm not sure what's actually waking me, the need to urinate or the Apneas. Time will tell on that issue.

I do know how to change the DME settings, but I wonder what impact that has with my doctor and or DME concerning compliance etc. And I'm travelling out of country for two weeks, so I just want to make sure I don't screw anything up, as I won't be able to work with the DME or doctor during that period.

Let me be clear, I'm not down on the process... I really want it to work, I don't plan on giving up. I did get off on a what I thought was a great start, but now I feel a bit frustrated, and I'm hoping that I can get some assistance.
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#2
RE: Great start, now not so great.
Welcome
I would suggest not doing too much number chasing after only one week.
I suggest you keep things as they are and travel as per your plans.
Yes, you will become accustomed to wearing the mask. After a while it will be second nature.
After 6 years, my mask has trained me like Pavlov's dog. I put on the mask and it's my queue to sleep.
Member levels are explained here: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...-explained
I see you have Sleepyhead -- great.
Some doctors do not like it when tweaks are made to therapy. One week's data is not enough to establish a pattern.
When you return from travel, perhaps a bump in min pressure would help.
PAP therapy usually helps with nocturia.
Admin Note:
JustMongo passed away in August 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#3
RE: Great start, now not so great.
Welcome

You've found the right place for the quest for the perfect sleep. Much wisdom can be found in the forum(a little foolishness too) be patient, it takes awhile to adjust to Therapy. justMongo has given you a some fantastic info; you'll get plenty more if you keep positing.

I look forward to reading about your struggles and successes in this endeavor
Bed
2004-Bon Jovi
it'll take more than a doctor to prescribe a remedy

Observations and recommendations communicated here are the perceptions of the writer and should not be misconstrued as medical advice.
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#4
RE: Great start, now not so great.
(04-27-2016, 06:47 AM)mscottc Wrote: I do know how to change the DME settings, but I wonder what impact that has with my doctor and or DME concerning compliance etc. And I'm travelling out of country for two weeks, so I just want to make sure I don't screw anything up, as I won't be able to work with the DME or doctor during that period.

Others with more experience will chime in, but from reading many posts here I gather that compliance is all about whether you are using the device at least four hours a night, and not whether you are tweaking the settings. It's something your insurance carrier is interested in, since they don't want to be paying for a treatment you're not actually using, and there are unfortunately too many people who get a machine and stop using it.

As to whether your doctor will have a problem with you making changes, that's impossible to predict. Some do; some don't. I don't know what my doctor will think yet. I plan to bring my laptop, so I can show all the SleepyHead data. The key is to make small changes, one at a time, and give each change at least a week to make a difference. And that's not easy when you want to get things all dialed in ASAP. After over a month on my new machine, I've yet to find the winning combination.
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#5
RE: Great start, now not so great.
Hi mscottc,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I'm sorry you are having a bit of a frustrating time with your CPAP therapy, but just stick with it. You have a good attitude and that goes a long way.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you and have a nice trip.
trish6hundred
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#6
RE: Great start, now not so great.
(04-27-2016, 07:02 AM)justMongo Wrote: After 6 years, my mask has trained me like Pavlov's dog.

Laugh-a-lot
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#7
RE: Great start, now not so great.
I have the same machine but a different mask. I have been at this about six weeks so far. The morning after the first night that I used it was AMAZING! The first week was mostly pretty good. Since then it has been up and down as I have adjusted to it, to different machines, pressures, and switching between APAP and CPAP. I think you have to give your body time to adjust and heal. I think at first mine was thinking "OH MY! YES! YES! OYXGEN!!!" Then it and your mind has to have time to adjust to different sleep patterns, healing oxygen levels, the mask and blowing air etc. So I don't find it surprising that my AHI has gone up and down. I increased my lower end APAP by 0.5 and it took a week before my AHI started to come down. Of the last three nights, the first two were under 2, and the last was 4.4 as I went to bed too awake and with too much energy.

The mask you will get used to. I often have to reach for my face to confirm I am wearing it. I too, tend to change sleeping positions a lot. With lower AHI numbers I do this less as I am not awake enough to turn. I have always gotten up to urinate once or twice a night, but on the few nights when I slept really well with low AHI numbers, I did not get out of bed once! For me, I think it is more a case of "well, I am awake, I might as well to to the washroom" rather than "I woke up because I really need to go!"

Hope that point of view is of some use or comfort to you.

Chuck
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#8
RE: Great start, now not so great.
Thanks to all of you... I just wanted to make sure I wasn't way off course. I do believe I'm just in that period of transition. I very much understand that these transitions often do take a long time. I was warned it would take me forever to get used to varilux lenses, I was used to them immediately. I guess I was hoping to have that incredible first night sleep and so on, as many people both here and amongst those I know personally, have had. But that's not the case. On the other hand, I'm not having bouts of panic, ill fitting mask issues, or pulling the mask off in the middle of the night. I've had no "Large Leaks" so I take that as a sign of doing well with the mask. And I feel positive about the whole thing.
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