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+--- Thread: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please (/Thread-Day-3-on-machine-looking-for-feedback-please)
Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - Hanksy - 11-15-2019
Hi,
New to all this but here goes,
Took a home sleep test after cardiologist suggested I may have sleep Apnea (went to him with with AFib). I thought no chance I am only a young 55yr old man who has a BMI of 37
Result of test showed Severe rating so didn't wait and bought Resmed 10 APAP machine with F30 mask (thanks to all on here who recommended machine and mask).Had it for 3 nights now and seen scores drop from from 25 Night 1, to 3.8 on night 3.
Only changes I have made were increasing start pressure to 6.6 (felt like not enough air at beginning) and turning breathing relief off (read help with reducing events?).
Biggest change I feel was moving from back sleeping to side sleeping although night 3 was a mix of side and back.
Anyway that's me so far I would love some feedback on the charts as do not fully understand what I am looking at still
Thanks in advance for the feedback
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - mesenteria - 11-15-2019
Looks pretty good, especially in view of what was happening prior to getting onto PAP. On the face of it, your max pressure could just as well be pegged at 13 or 14 and you'd be well served.
Your events group, or cluster, so there's some type of positional 'thing' going on. We can't tell if you're on your back or on your side when these happen, but the treatment is the same. You wear a soft foam cervical collar available at medical supplies stores, at some department stores, and on line. Also, back sleeping is, as a general rule, not so great for many of us, and certainly not recommended for those with apnea. Side sleeping is better.
Some leaking happens to all of us, some nights worse than others. In fact, you'll see that no two nights are identical; there's gonna be at least one minor difference somewhere in the printout. In your case, you machine recorded perhaps one iffy large-enough-to-squawk leak, but it was very short. You'll have to fiddle with the straps and how you sleep in order to minimize leaking. Note that some leaks, even though they're not 'large', might be enough to arouse you from an important stage of sleep such as REM. So, to the extent possible, get leaks well into the realm of control.
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - Melman - 11-15-2019
I agree with mesenteria that you should benefit from a soft cervical collar. See the link below for more information with respect to sizing, adjustment, and benefits. Why did you turn off EPR? You have significant flow limitations which can be reduced by use of EPR.
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - DeepBreathing - 11-16-2019
G'day Hanksy. Welcome to Apnea Board.
I agree with the advice already given, but would add a couple of additional points..
Please turn off the calendar on your daily chart - it covers up some important information.
You do have some flow limitations which might be helped by turning the EPR back on - however you also have a few central apneas which EPR can exacerbate. I think you'll have to experiment and see what gives you the best balance.
And I think Mesenteria is spot on about the leaks - they aren't severe enough for the machine to complain, but they are fairly large and persistent. If the air is blowing into your eyes, or the mask is doing face farts, that can definitely disturb your sleep.
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - Hanksy - 11-16-2019
(11-15-2019, 06:17 PM)mesenteria Wrote: Looks pretty good, especially in view of what was happening prior to getting onto PAP. On the face of it, your max pressure could just as well be pegged at 13 or 14 and you'd be well served.
Your events group, or cluster, so there's some type of positional 'thing' going on. We can't tell if you're on your back or on your side when these happen, but the treatment is the same. You wear a soft foam cervical collar available at medical supplies stores, at some department stores, and on line. Also, back sleeping is, as a general rule, not so great for many of us, and certainly not recommended for those with apnea. Side sleeping is better.
Some leaking happens to all of us, some nights worse than others. In fact, you'll see that no two nights are identical; there's gonna be at least one minor difference somewhere in the printout. In your case, you machine recorded perhaps one iffy large-enough-to-squawk leak, but it was very short. You'll have to fiddle with the straps and how you sleep in order to minimize leaking. Note that some leaks, even though they're not 'large', might be enough to arouse you from an important stage of sleep such as REM. So, to the extent possible, get leaks well into the realm of control.
Hi Mesenteria
Many heartfelt thanks for the reply I have ordered a collar for delivery tomorrow
I keep tweaking the straps but early days I guess will get it sorted eventually
Most of the events were on my back woke up with the dog went back to sleep on back instead of side hopefully collar will help
I have set max pressure to 14 to see how we go on
Thank you again for the advise really appreciate it
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - Hanksy - 11-16-2019
(11-15-2019, 11:25 PM)Melman Wrote: I agree with mesenteria that you should benefit from a soft cervical collar. See the link below for more information with respect to sizing, adjustment, and benefits. Why did you turn off EPR? You have significant flow limitations which can be reduced by use of EPR.
Hi melman,
Thanks for the feedback really appreciated
I turned EPR off as I had a lot of OA events and read that would help? I have turned it back on and set to 2 for now and will monitor what happens
Have a collar coming tomorrow so hopefully that will help further
Thank you again for taking the tine to help a newbie to the forum
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - Hanksy - 11-16-2019
(11-16-2019, 03:43 AM)DeepBreathing Wrote: G'day Hanksy. Welcome to Apnea Board.
I agree with the advice already given, but would add a couple of additional points..
Please turn off the calendar on your daily chart - it covers up some important information.
You do have some flow limitations which might be helped by turning the EPR back on - however you also have a few central apneas which EPR can exacerbate. I think you'll have to experiment and see what gives you the best balance.
And I think Mesenteria is spot on about the leaks - they aren't severe enough for the machine to complain, but they are fairly large and persistent. If the air is blowing into your eyes, or the mask is doing face farts, that can definitely disturb your sleep.
Hi Deep Breathing,
Many thanks for the feedback
I have turned EPR back on at 2 based on your feedback. Was turned off as read helps oa events?
Will sort calendar thought I did all the formatting stuff correct
Working on mask leaks and collar arrives tomorrow determined to get it sorted
Must say 4 nights in am feeling not feeling too bad using equipment first couple of nights felt really strange Now happy to be a member of the nose hose club
RE: Day 3 on machine looking for feedback please - Sleeprider - 11-16-2019
I think you're doing all the right things. With EPR on, your EPAP pressure will be lower, so please increase your starting presure to 8.0. Your median pressure was 11.0, and with EPR you will be starting at 8.0/6.0 which should be reasonably comfortable. We will probably move EPR to 3 eventually. The soft collar will probably eliminate most of the residual OA and I expect you will actually have a lower maximum or 95% pressure with the EPR and collar. Good luck!