(09-15-2014, 02:17 PM)guessagain Wrote: I always dread bedtime and have a terrible time going to sleep (well I did until my dr put me on ambien)
I am actually looking forward to sleeping tonight to see if the EPR is actually the reason for the difference or if it was my imagination.
Could using EPR make the mask leaking problem better or does that make sense?
I've never actually used sleeping aids so I don't really advise whether they are a good idea or not. My inclination is "less is more" which means the least amount of drugs we take the better off we are, provided we are getting the right amount and type of sleep without them.
But I do know what it's like to dread going to bed. I did that for years. I knew I would not be comfortable and I knew I would not easily fall asleep or stay asleep. Once I started with the Apap therapy all that changed. Not just because of the machine itself but because I really worked to make sure I had a comfortable place to sleep, and I changed my mindset about going to bed. Now I look forward to going to bed. It remains one of the highlights of my day. I'm lovin' the livin.
Now then, about the EPR: It can cause your leak rates to go up in certain circumstances, but usually not at the pressures you are using so that should not be a problem. Nor is it likely that it will cause your leak rates to go down. The thing is, anytime you're altering pressure on each inhale/exhale, your changing slightly how the mask inflates. So it could have more problems with leaks.
But the clear advantage of EPR when it works for you is that you work less hard at night. Therefor you get better sleep. And if you were going to take a vote on whether it were more important that you get better sleep or is it more important that your mask doesn't have to work so hard, I'd vote for the better sleep thing.
So good job working the program. Keep it up.