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+--- Thread: 6 months on cpap (/Thread-6-months-on-cpap)
6 months on cpap - Bwchase - 04-22-2019
It has been a good experience. Especially the first two months. Had forgotten what is was like to sleep through the night.
Unfortunately, my skin reacts to the pressure of the mask. The F20 foam worked well but then started to flair the rosacea.
Had to switch to F30, then Dreamware full face with the F20 in-between to keep the skin under control.
Yes, the dermatology prescribed salve helped, but then tried to go with the dreamware nasal.
Much less skin irritation, but do have some leaks.
Resmed was set with advice from this forum, and only changed a few times to titer.
Lately been not sleeping well, although the charts were good, with some leaks. Almost always under 1 AHI
Thought I would try a spare air curve vauto.
Tried to get the settings close to each other.
Airsense 10
9.8 max 15.8
EPR2 full time
Aircurve
6.0 max 15.6
PS 3
Sleep with the air curve is greatly improved. Do not toss and turn, the mask just disappears, breathing is effortless, do not even know the mask is there.
In contrast the airsense I can feel the pressure in the mask, and it takes a few minutes to get used to the pressure.
Could someone please explain the difference?
Is there enough difference between machines to achieve this or just the small difference in the settings?
Thanks
RE: 6 months on cpap - ajack - 04-23-2019
Seeing you have a bpap, you might want to increase the PS to give a higher tidal volume, I would also go to a FFM or fix your nasal leaks first. mouth taping etc.
RE: 6 months on cpap - Sleeprider - 04-23-2019
My observation has been that pressure is delivered nearly identically between the Airsense 10 and Aircurve 10 at PS 3 or EPR 3 as you have set these up. At least that is the appearance looking at the Sleepyhead charts of mask pressure. The Aircurve is a more sophisticated machine and has settings for trigger and cycle sensitivity, and Ti min and Ti max. The "feel" could easily be different. I have not experimented with an actual comparison between my wife's Airsense and my Aircurve. In the examples provided, your Airsense 10 delivered higher IPAP/EPAP median and 95% pressures of 10-13/8-11, while the Vauto was only 9/6 and only varied by .5 cm. You may be sensitive to the slightly higher pressure and less pressure support (2) in the Airsense 10.
I don't see any reason not to try higher PS as suggested by ajack. I don't think you will see much difference unless you make pretty large changes in PS, but experimenting with incrementally higher PS may be worthwhile to evaluate comfort. I'm only talking .4 to 1 cm of increase. This may have a minor effect on tidal volume.