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New to CPAP and need help, please. - RBsam - 01-24-2022
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Hello all and thank you so much for this great forum!
I have spent hours reading through the information provided here along with other sources of information in hopes of finding the magic solution to my new to me CPAP adventure, much to no avail.
I am 53 years old, according to my doctor I am 30 pounds over weight and according to my wife have been snoring worse with each extra pound I put on. When we first met I was 30 pounds lighter and didn’t snore at all. My wife and my sister (who is a RN and deals with patient CPAP on a regular basis) both suggested I have a sleep test done. I finally caved and performed the at home test. I provided these results as attachments at the top of this post.
The test was completed on October 4, 2021 with these results arriving on October 22, 2021.
After receiving these results I went ahead and ordered the ResMed AirSense 10 autoset along with the Dreamwear Full Face mask. I have since switched over to the AirFit N20 Nasa (with the heated tube which is turned off)l which seems to be a better fit for me as I was mainly sleeping on my stomach all my life and the Dreamwear would loose half its air supply while I slept with my head cradled in my arm while laying on my stomach. Wearing a mask doesn’t bother me as I have been a fire fighter wearing a face piece for the last 37 years but sleeping on my stomach has been the challenge. I have almost converted my sleeping habits to sleeping on my side but will still wind up on my stomach through the night at times.
Since receiving my AirSense 10 I have been tinkering with the settings myself and with the help of my cousin who has the same machine with the same severe apnea. I am not utilizing any outside assistance and have airplane mode turned on.
I have the settings as follows:
Mode - autoset
Max pressure - 15.8
Min Pressure - 4.0
Mask - Nasal
COMFORT Settings
Response - soft
Ramp Time - off
EPR - on
EPR Type - full time
EPR Level - 3
Climate Control - manual
Tube Temp - 65f
Humidity Level - off
OPTIONS:
Essentials - Plus
SmartStart - on
My Sleep Report for the last month is as follows:
Days Used - 21/30
Days 4 hours plus - 1/30
Average Usage - 1.9 hours
Hours Used - 40.5
Pressure - 8.2
Leak - 4L/min
AHI - 1.5
Total AI - 1.1
Central AI - 0.1
Last evening I was only able to keep it on for 1 hour and had 3.1 events per that hour. But I seem to average about 2.5 hours a night with the mask on. Before I turned the humidity off I was waking up to a wet face/nose. But now I just seem to be taking the mask off inadvertently while sleeping.
I really, truly want this to work not only for my health and well being but for my marriage also and I am hoping just a easy change in settings somewhere will make this all more tolerable. Can anyone help with any tips or tricks to make this new adventure work for me, please??
Thank you!!
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - Crimson Nape - 01-24-2022
Hi RBsam! -
The first thing I would suggest is for you to download OSCAR. The download link is in the name, or you can use the OSCAR listing at the top of each page. You will need an SD card that is 32GB or smaller for your AS10. In fact, it may have come with one. Please review the links in my signature to help you start using OSCAR, then post a screenshot of your Daily screen here. Please try and keep all posts related to your therapy in this thread. Keeping your posts in one thread will help readers review your therapy history easier and allow for better recommendations.
Looking forward to seeing your screenshot.
- Red
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - staceyburke - 01-24-2022
Welcome to the board. There are many very knowledgeable people here that will be happy to help. But to do that we need data and we use OSCAR to get that data. It is totally free download at the top of the site.
Please check out my link on charts in my signature. It also gives information on OSCAR.
You need a SD card any size from 2 gb to 32 gb
Get the cheapest one you can find. It has to be in the machine while you sleep to get data.
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - RBsam - 01-24-2022
Thank you for the quick reply!
I did recently have my wife download the OSCAR program onto her computer. I am strictly a ipad guy and will need her to do the rest. I see there is a newer version than what we had originally downloaded two months ago, should we start with the new version?
Also, how many days reporting would you like to see for reference?
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - GuyScharf - 01-24-2022
Yes, there is a newer version -- 1.3.1 -- as of last night. I do recommend using this most recent version.
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - Crimson Nape - 01-24-2022
Since you are just starting out, I would update your version. "Just to be safe." A screenshot that typifies the norm and maybe one of a bad night. We can always ask for more. Please use the F12 key for taking the screenshots. It will hide the calendar and provide as much critical information as possible.
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - RBsam - 01-24-2022
We will update to the latest version.
I did just realize that I had installed the Air 11 SD card in already and may have data on it now. I will check that and upload my findings, if any.
Thanks again all for the info!!
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - RBsam - 01-24-2022
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Here are two screenshots from two different days. Please let me know if you need any additional information.
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - Crimson Nape - 01-24-2022
Not bad! How do you feel? If you don't know (even if you do), the lowest that the pressure can go on an AS10 is 4 cm. Usually, a starting pressure that low causes an adult to feel air starved. Based on the fact that you are using an EPR of 3, you could set your pressure range to 7 cm minimum, and the maximum to 12 cm. This would provide for a 3 cm EPR for the complete pressure range, and limit the pressure swing in case you have a bad night to no more than a 5 cm change.
RE: New to CPAP and need help, please. - RBsam - 01-24-2022
Really?? I’m glad to hear that..kind of. I was hoping you would see some glaring numbers that I could change that would allow me to keep the mask on all night long. Maybe by changing these parameters I will be comfortable all night? I will certainly make the changes now and hope for longer nights on the mask.
I do feel like, when I have a good night with the mask, that I am not as tired during the day. But I am so looking forward to wearing it all night long for an extended period of time and maybe feeling much better all the time from there on out.
Should I erase the data on my SD card at some point or does it write overtop of the oldest data? How does that work and what should I do to be able to provide data to this group in the future?