Used CPAP for the first time looking for OSCAR lookover

[staceyburke]

Dave knows far more than I do about this.  But looking at the Hypopnea from last night, could many of them be from positional apnea?  The first nights charts showed a few but last night had many and closely together.

[sporkisfaster]

Also hearing I may need an entirely different device since I just got this one (for free no less) is pretty discouraging, especially since I don't mind/feel comfortable with the tubes and everything that most people seem to have trouble with at night. I really don't mind sleeping with this thing at all

[SarcasticDave94]

OK, check off the altitude thing.

The thing is, there's several models of PAP machine as there's differing levels of need for therapy. It's not one size fits all. Generically speaking it seems that so far your body is very sensitive to pressure, with the sensitivity creating Central Apnea.

Let's try this, 8-13 instead of my earlier suggestion. Try it one night as long as you're able. If it feels real bad change it back. Post a single standard OSCAR with Events on top, followed by flow rate, pressure, leaks, flow limit. Squash individual chart segments thickness to fit all. Tell us how your felt during and after use.

Central 101 class time
Central Apnea is caused when CO2 diminishes in the bloodstream. CPAP devices make breathing more efficient at exhausting CO2. You're extra sensitive to this for some reason not known.

There's 3 basic types of CA, treatment emergent is where be PAP users get some CA in first 3 months, reducing EPR and other pressure swings helps get past 3 months while you're getting used to it. The pre-existing CA is where it shows on your diagnosic at 50% it more of your events before PAP is introduced. Idiopathic is medically unknown cause, possibly you're in group 3 unknown cause. The first type disappears when PAP users get used to it, the other 2 require specialized PAP called ASV as it targets the CA to treat. Just my opinion but yours don't seem to respond as treatment emergent CA would.

If these CA don't diminish soon, you need to get your doctor to script an ASV titration to prove medical necessity for the ASV to treat CA.

[sporkisfaster]

Will do, thanks again

[sporkisfaster]

   

Heres the full night with the categories requested at the top at the settings mentioned

[sporkisfaster]

Also considering a nasal mask as my full face one is irritating me in the mornings I think due to my beard

[Gideon]

Try Min = Max =13, no EPR (Your CA events seem to at a lower pressure. We may adjust after we see it.
If this doesn't work I want you to have screenshot of CPAP mode (No EPR) and a screen shot of BiLevel Mode (EPR = 3) to show how both failed.

[SarcasticDave94]

Also make a daily log for symptoms and complaints against the current therapy. Examples: CA count was x, not well rested, high fatigue, uncomfortable, and similar. I'd also include setting changes, how they helped or didn't. This counts towards moving on to a different machine.

[SarcasticDave94]

PS I've not gotten used to using them effectively, but a pillows mask may be even better. I've got a ResMed N30i that I have swapped in P30i cushions, this gives 2 masks in one-ish. There's some good masks at Fisher and Paykel as well. They seem to have a bellows feature on some called RollFit.

[sporkisfaster]

Oh huh, to be clearer on my results I took a nap yesterday and I guess OSCAR mashed my results together with that and left the gap while I was awake. During my nap I used a nasal mask (N30 I believe)