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Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
#1
Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
Any suggestions for a newbie with a new S9 Autoset who is waking up with air coming out from his mouth? I wear a chin strap and keep waking up with fluttering lips from exhaling, presumably from exhaling while the machine is pressuring the nasal pillows. I have not yet tried the EPR although I will tonight.
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#2
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
welcome aboard
EPR is a comfort feature reduce pressure at exhale but its a personal thing some swear by it and others prefer not to use, you need to experiment with the setting and see what works best for you as everyone is different. As you,re using a chinstrap also try place your tongue against the top front teeth to keep mouth closed and stopping therapy air escaping through the mouth as it would compromise the therapy. The alternative is full face mask as you can breathe through your nose and mouth but again if mask leak and the S9 compensate by increasing the pressure which cause more leaks and in turn affect the treatment and accuracy of machine data. I suppose your setting 4-20 is for titration purposes and with next doc follow up appointment they will adjust the setting to more realistic setting closer to the machine reading.
In the meantime whats the data display on the LCD screen (AHI, pressure, leak)?
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#3
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
AHI shows as 0.1 on the screen and mask fit shows as good. I am trying to sort this apnea thing on my own as doc works multiple locations with long delays for appointments, heavy staff turnover etc. I was getting no where after the sleep study and the first equipment set up. In my area it would be 3-4 weeks to get an appointment to see some one to set up an appointment to see another doc. Given the long drawn out process I thought I would be better off working with others like those on this forum. I am working on getting the ResCan software to work on my computer and am reading the forum. I couldn't adjust to a full face mask and got a nasal pillows version that works well.
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#4
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
Hi, xroad, glad you joined the forum, and welcome.

I urge you to at least make an appt, however long it will be in the future before it occurs. Then, in the meantime, you can prepare the data which will help your doc when you get there.

If you will initially be doing this largely on your own, you will absolutely need software. ResScan is good, as is SleepyHead, a free but beta program used by many here. You can obtain either from here

After you get the software, and at least a few nights of information from it, you can begin to narrow the pressure setting range from its present 4-20. That is far too wide for continued use, since, among other reasons, it takes the machine a while to ramp up from a low pressure to a higher one necessary to avoid an apnea/hypopnea.

I have always been a mouth breather, so I never used pillows. I am sure someone familiar with their use and the symptom you described will chime it and give more competent advice. However, you may need to go to a full face mask, and if you do, I really suggest at least starting with the ResMed Quattro. Works great for me.
Breathing keeps you alive. And PAP helps keep you breathing!
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#5
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
Thanks for the advice and support. I got a card reader this morning (learned from the forum) and realize from looking at the four nights of data (educated by the forum) through ResCan (learned from the forum) that I have to narrow the range down to about 7-15 and try another night. The data also suggests that my sleep issues are only partly due to apnea. The apnea rate is only 0.1 I would not have known any of this without the help of the forum. Given the delays in getting into my area sleep center I am about a 2-3 months farther along in the week that I have been aware of the forum. I am most grateful.
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#6
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
Just remember, one night is not a trend. You will need to view the data for about 2 weeks before true trends show up.

But the range of 7-15 is much better.

That's a freakin' fantastic AHI! I hope it lasts!
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#7
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
(05-13-2012, 10:17 AM)xroad Wrote: The data also suggests that my sleep issues are only partly due to apnea. The apnea rate is only 0.1
How do you feel is the most important to ascertain whether the therapy is working or not. AHI at 0.1 is fantastic, as Paula mentioned one night is not a trend and there is no issues with apnea here as the aim not to have zero AHI which is impossible night after night but rather getting a decent sleep. what are the issues, pressure and leak?

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#8
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
After seeing some data for the first time, even though it only covered the four days on record, I learned a lot. The pressure peaked at 15 after having dropped to 4.5 or so a number of times and that is probably where air backed out through my mouth. I narrowed the range for tonight to 7 -15 given that my average for the four nights is around 6. I have also learned that my apnea is mild, given the data so I will have to think about other causes for my lack of good sleep. I have had heavy stress in my life since I started CPAP. My wife was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer that had spread to much of her liver on the first day I started CPAP. I am taking Zonk's advice to heart as to how I feel and will take Paula's advice to wait for trends to develop.
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#9
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
There's no way to tell how mild or severe your sleep apnea is based on the numbers. Some people have it fairly severe yet need a low pressure. Some have mild SA and need higher pressure. It really is individual.

And I'm sorry to hear of your wife. Using the CPAP will keep you healthy so you can be there for her.

Grouphug3
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#10
RE: Waking Up Breathing Against The Machine
xroad, please accept my sympathy for your wife's condition. I will pray for her full recovery. If your pressure dropped to 4.5 a number of times, why are you setting the minimum to 7? The lowest amount of pressure you can use to achieve a good result is the best approach. Maybe I missed something, but it seems that a minimum of 4 might work well for you. And your pressure would not likely drop based on mouth issues, unless your leaks were correspondingly high at the same time. What are your leaks as shown in ResScan?
Breathing keeps you alive. And PAP helps keep you breathing!
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