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[Treatment] Just starting out
#1
Just starting out
Hi Everyone,

My first post here. I've self-diagnosed myself with sleep apnea. This thought had been on my mind for years. I snore, I'm always tired and groggy, I get headaches every day because of sleep. When I put on a smartwatch, it told me I was getting barely any deep sleep.

I bought the S9 Autoset and have been playing with some pressured. I wanted to post the data here to see what you all think so far.

I've been using it for two weeks now. I don't see a significant difference with my energy levels. But I'm not the one to give up.

Thank you in advance.


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#2
RE: Just starting out
I agree your results are not significantly different between the tests you have conducted. The most significant difference here was the use of EPR and the trials on 8/23-24 where you used no EPR. The trial on 8/24 was the only one where you used a higher minimum pressure of 8.0 and it is also your longest session. I'm not too concerned with the CA events, and OA and H events seem pretty well controlled when EPAP is above 6.0 cm.

Based on what I'm seeing in your results to date, I think you would benefit from a more steady pressure that includes some EPR. This should avoid obstructive events, and limit sleep disruptions that might be the cause of CA events. If you are willing to try a lower pressure variation, my suggestion is minimum pressure 7.0, maximum pressure 9.0 and EPR 2.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
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#3
RE: Just starting out
Ill try that tonight and collect data for a few days. 

Thanks
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#4
RE: Just starting out
(08-27-2019, 09:21 AM)OK. Here\s data after the change. I didn Wrote: When you feel so crappy, it's hard to know the difference between crappier and crappiest Smile





SleepriderI agree your results are not significantly different between the tests you have conducted.  The most significant difference here was the use of EPR and the trials on 8/23-24 where you used no EPR.  The trial on 8/24 was the only one where you used a higher minimum pressure of 8.0 and it is also your longest session.   I'm not too concerned with the CA events, and OA and H events seem pretty well controlled when EPAP is above 6.0 cm.

Based on what I'm seeing in your results to date, I think you would benefit from a more steady pressure that includes some EPR. This should avoid obstructive events, and limit sleep disruptions that might be the cause of CA events.  If you are willing to try a lower pressure variation, my suggestion is minimum pressure 7.0, maximum pressure 9.0 and EPR 2.


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#5
RE: Just starting out
I posted this in another thread, but it is relevant here as well.

How long have you been using the CPAP? 2 weeks
Now comes the important question: How long before you got the CPAP did you have untreated sleep apena?

Getting the right pressure settings is critical. Trust the data. I fiddle with my pressure settings in the first year. Got some surprising results.
The doctor started me with a setting of 6-14.
Since I seem to average 10-11 throughout the night, I thought adjusting the settings to 8-14, would get me closer to the usual starting point.
My AHI readings were worse (2x-3x) starting at 8. I can't explain why, but that is what the data showed me.
Went back to 6-14, and things went back to "normal" (aka low AHI).

From my experience, and no guarantee of medical information correctness, CPAP was not a magic quick cure.
It is a valid treatment and it can limit sleep apena, but sadly, it is NOT a cure.
After my first night on CPAP, the next morning the nurse came in and asked how did I feel?
I felt the same as the previous day or month or year.
With the CPAP, I felt no different INITIALLY. Over time, with constant CPAP usage, I started feeling more refreshed.
However it took me a few years (with low AHI every night over that time frame) to get over the sleep debt.
I do not know if medically, they believe in sleep debt, but for me, I do now.
Once I had "paid off" the debt, most mornings now, I feel refreshed and alert.
No more drowsiness in meetings (although they still are boring)
No more drowsiness while driving (this was getting serious)
No more drowsiness while watching TV or listening to the radio.
It takes times, but pay off your debt and you should start feeling MUCH, MUCH better.
I had incurred 10+ years of sleep debt due to the apena and my reluctance to do anything about it.
I dislike having to use the CPAP every night, but I do use it every night.
I disliked the issues caused by the apena far worse.
It is a choice that I make to use it every night and it is the right one for me.
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#6
RE: Just starting out
Based on your latest charts, it looks like you have persistent CA's, and not a few of them.  Please await further opinions, especially from Sleep Rider or Bonjour if they should happen to look in, but I think you might be looking at reducing EPR even more, possibly shutting it off altogether.

Please be patient...
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#7
RE: Just starting out
Thank you so much. You are all very encouraging and helpful. I really appreciate it.
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#8
RE: Just starting out
Based on my data thus far, One honest question:
As I work with the settings, what am I really looking for? 
How will I know from this data (other than my own feelings) that I have the right pressure settings?
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#9
RE: Just starting out
You will see clusters of events disappear, although you'll still see the odd event...but that's the second thing you want to see; you want to see the AHI night's result get well below 5 ideally.  That is to say, even if your events no longer cluster, and that's an important victory, you also want to eventually get your hourly events down to 2-3 at most.  Many of us routinely hover between 0.5 and 1.5, so it's not an unreasonable goal.

One other thing: I can't tell you how many unpleasantly surprised people come to this forum lamenting that, even though they are apparently well served by their treatment, and have low AHI each morning, they still feel like they've been rode hard and put away wet.  It's a very unfortunate artefact for quite a few newcomers to the therapy.  On the other hand, many also run into the streets their first morning shouting 'Eureka!!'  Go figger.
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#10
RE: Just starting out
"...they still feel like they've been rode hard and put away wet."

to anyone that feels this way, don't give up. I'm here to tell you there's hope and that perseverance pays off. I suspect I'm an extreme example but it's taken me just shy of 3 years of cpap to start feeling really functionally better and that's because it turns out apnea isn't my only sleep issue. a good 2 years to get my ahi down close to 1 with some consistency. an enormous help but still tired. then last week I finally got an Rx that seems to be working to reduce periodic limb movements, reducing my frequent arousals and severe fragmentation, enabling me to sleep 8 hours without a full awakening for the first time in memory. what a difference it is!

I've said for years, right up to quite recently, like last week, that sleeping is exhausting. now it's starting to feel really good. I'm not sure I'm feeling 'normal' yet but I am reveling in how marvelous it feels to be so much more refreshed in the morning than I ever remember.

it's been a long time coming but oh boy it is worth it!
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