[split] msavarese (Therapy Thread)

[msavarese]

I really appreciate this website, thread, all of the information, apologize for the long post and hoping someone can help.

First Sleep Study in August 2021, at home, AHI: 56.2.  I received a Resmed Airsense 10 on November 10 (pressures (p) 5/20, full face mask), felt like I wasn't getting enough air, called doctor and lower pressure increased to 8.  December 1, noticed my stomach distended, belching and severe passing gas.  Tried chin strap, started wearing a back brace to provide some exterior resistance for my stomach and sleeping on a wedge. Saw doctor December 10 and decreased pressures (p 5/12).  Still had side affects, started messaging doctor and adjusting pressures mid December.  On January 3, was awakened with severe pain in my abdomen (p 8/10) at 3 AM.  I found this website, started reading your blogs, adjusting/experimenting with pressures on my own and found pressures 6/8 with EPR 3 reduced the discomfort/Aerophagia symptoms diminished/not as painful.  Changed doctors, 2nd in-lab sleep study, prescribed BPAP (will not provide details of sleep study).  Received Luna G3 BPAP 25A last week, settings 4 EPAP/8 IPAP, using nose pillow, and still experiencing aerophagia with side effects slightly less uncomfortable then CPAP with settings of 6/8 with EPR 3.  Still wearing a back brace to provide some exterior resistance for my stomach and sleeping on a wedge.  Sleep quality was GREAT during the last 2 weeks of November and AHI 1.8 average!  Since then, sleep quality is going from good to bad and back again without any pattern that I can figure out.  AHI has been as high as 10+ and as low as 3+.  One thing I like about the new doctor is that she's not obsessed with an AHI under 5.  She and I agree that anything under 10 is better than 56.2.

Does anyone have any suggestions to eliminate my stomach/abdominal discomfort?

Thank you, Mike
PS: Loved "Oscar" with the Resmed Airsense 10 and looking for similar software for the Luna G3 BPAP 25A.  They have an app that doesn't impress me....

[msavarese]

Hello,
I find myself wondering if my message was posted since no one has replied in the last week or no one has any thoughts or am I too impatient?
Also, how do I change the machine information in my profile since I'm using a different machine?
Thank you, Mike

[Sleeprider]

msaverese, you would likely get more attention to your question with an Oscar detail chart. The feeling of not getting enough air, can easily be that pressure is too low. Your original pressure was 5-20 pressure in Autoset mode and did not seem to cause aerophagia. It appears your doctor changed pressure to 8.0, probably fixed pressure and this resulted in discomfort. The next change was 5-12 pressure, and you still had discomfort, however we don't know what pressures were actually experienced with those settings. Pressure of 8-10 also caused discomfort. You appear to have discovered EPR and set the pressure from 6.0 to 8.0 with EPR 3 which worked. You are now experiencing degradation of that success. This is where an Oscar chart comes in. Let's take a look at why there might be a problem. My suspicion is that you may be experiencing some chin-tucking due to sleeping on a wedge. This can cause the airway to be obstructed in a clustered pattern. Let's take a look.

[OpalRose]

There is no current OSCAR support for the Luna G3 BPAP 25A.  

If you still have your AirSense10, post a screenshot of one or two nights and maybe SleepRider can suggest settings for your Luna BPAP based on your A10 use.  

Here is a link to update the information in your profile:

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/usercp....on=profile

[msavarese]

Thank you both for your replies! I have updated my profile with my current machine and associated parts.

The only "software" I have been able to find and am using is the 3B App, which only shows individual night data for Compliance Time (7:45 (+/-0:20)), P95 (4.0), Mean Pressure (4.0), AHI, CAI, and Leak Time. Over the last week, my AHI has been between 2.6 - 6.0, CAI has been between 0.6 - 2.0, and Leak Time has been between 00:02 - 00:36.

My current issue is having to gear-up for bed with the Back Brace, the wedge and the distinct discomfort in my belly that is no where near what it used to be, but still very present and noticeable in the morning.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Mike