[Treatment] New CPAP user desires lower AHI suggestions

[TexasCPAP]

I have testimony from two of you on that, so I feel sure I'll buy the nasal pillows at some point, probably when I get a little $ in pocket.  Thanks for recounting your experience.

[TexasCPAP]

Waterpik used to make a product called Sinusense which was essentially a motorized neti pot.  Quick way to rinse your sinus and nasal passages.  I used mine until the motor quit.  Only thing I can add is always use distilled water, not tap water. If you're not aware of possible rare infection from tap water, check this link:
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news...20reported.

[TexasCPAP]

   

I took the cervical collar suggestion,  and have been using it the past 3 nights.
Along with sleeping exclusively on my side, it seems to have so far produced somewhat
lower AHI's as you can see from last 6 nights data...   Adding the exclusive side sleeping
actually had a more drastic improvement in AHI than adding the collar, but it appears the
collar helps as well.
             AHI
July 26   7.42   side sleep only
July 27   3.66   side sleep only
July 28   7.09   side sleep only
July 29   6.13   side sleep + collar
July 30   2.77   side sleep + collar
July 31   4.63   side sleep + collar

This is certainly better than the double digit AHI's from 17 days ago when I started the CPAP.

(Not a lot of data points for analysis, but my computation shows on avg 34% less incidents
with collar (4.51)  than without (6.06) ).  

Now I just gotta figure how to relieve the lower back pain associated with exclusive side
sleeping.   Internet says bend legs and pillow between legs which I'm already doing. Aspirin
or tylenol will fix that,  but don't know if I want to get into that habit.

I mention this only as a side note, as to date it has not affected my lung function..... I was diagnosed
with sarcoidosis just 3 months ago.   A lymph node biopsy was done since they suspected I had
lymphoma, and they instead diagnosed sarcoidosis (a much better diagnosis). The disorder actually
disappears over time in about 60% of cases. Almost always non-fatal unless lungs are badly damaged
or the heart involved.  I have the classic sort with enlarged lymph nodes in chest/neck region,   and
very minor lung nodules in the lower node of one of my lungs.

It has been a toss up in my mind whether my long term fatigue is associated with sarcoid or sleep apnea
(or both), since both disorders can cause fatigue.   The jury is still out on that.  I am hoping the fatigue
is sleep apnea based, and  will be improved by cpap....because my lung doctor has told me unless I'm
having breathing problems,  he is definitely not prescribing steroids (something that WOULD relieve
fatigue and provide energy,  but also potentially produce really bad side effects).

I had a 3 month follow up with lung doctor yesterday,  and told him I was on cpap.   He informed me
that he is a sleep specialist as well (which I didn't know), and asked to see my sleep studies so he could
help me from here on out.   He also sort of chastised me for accepting a used cpap machine without
sterilizing the unit.   So I started looking yesterday at the SOclean and Virtuclean Ozone based cleaners.
Any recommendations on those?

I've included Oscar screen from last night with 3 minute period in Flow Rate chart showing OA's and
CA's if of interest.