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Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
#11
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
I really don't understand this "blowing your socks off" for pressures at 15 or less (maybe higher.)

It just isn't that much air, either physically or subjectively to me.

Intellectually, I know that some people say this but even at 12-13 or so, I would really like to up the pressure a bit, and was going to do so except that this seemed to be INCREASING my CA events.

Maybe it is a "type of mask thing" where a FFM or some such is actually blowing air TOWARDS the surface of you face, rather than directly into your nose for breathing as my nasal pillows do.

Maybe it is just perceptions, but I still don't get it.

(I do feel like it is quite a bit of air, when I purposely open my mouth and let it OUT so likely it is related to "hitting you in the face."

Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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#12
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
I think it's just the way different people react. Some find higher pressures bothersome, which is the main advantage of APAP because it allows them to spend more time at lower pressures.

The other issue with high pressure is aerophagia. Once the pressure gets above 11 I start swallowing air. That's why I have a BiPAP. The exhale pressure is set lower. If I I needed a higher pressure I'd likely have to switch to a auto-BiPAP.
Sleepster

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#13
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
Aerphagia makes far more sense -- I suspect that is related to letting the air into the mouth, then swallowing it back into your throat.

This likely activates the whole neuro-muscular sequence for swalling, or the swallowing reflex. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallowing

The Wikipedia page on swallowing is fascinating and having just read it I highly recommend this to anyone attempting to understand how air, solids, and liquids pass into the body.

(Really Great-info there)
Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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#14
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
(02-24-2014, 07:48 PM)mjbearit Wrote:
(02-23-2014, 09:34 PM)retired_guy Wrote: So... That being the case, how come everytime I turn my machine on my socks blow off?

So, Retired_guy, I had the unfortunate experience of "breaking" my machine (not to worry, I fixed it the next day!) and it was horrendous! I relate to your socks being blown off!
Mike

(02-24-2014, 10:20 PM)herbm Wrote: I really don't understand this "blowing your socks off" for pressures at 15 or less (maybe higher.)

Awww, you guys....... My socks don't REALLY get blown off. Actually I lay them neatly beside the bed at night and the cats make off with them.

My machine has been running at max 15 since I started cpap. When your asleep, and your mask is working properly, you have no real sense of anything going on. It's only when you open your mouth, or a leak happens or whatever. Then you think you just got sucked up in some vortex or something. That's what has been going on with my nifty new full face mask I'm trying to master. Actually, it reminds me of when you first bring a nice healthy tuna on board. It looks sound, it seems sound, but it sure flops around a lot.

Tonight I'm going to drop the pressure to 12 and see if the mask behaves better. I'm hoping it does, because currently my body is enjoying a bit of a cold, and my nose isn't really working. So the ffm would be a good thing.

If the mask will hold at 12, then I'll keep an eye on the AHA! score for a few days and see if anything untoward happens.


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#15
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
(02-24-2014, 11:45 PM)retired_guy Wrote: ...My machine has been running at max 15 since I started cpap. When your asleep, and your mask is working properly, you have no real sense of anything going on. It's only when you open your mouth, or a leak happens or whatever. Then you think you just got sucked up in some vortex or something. That's what has been going on with my nifty new full face mask I'm trying to master. Actually, it reminds me of when you first bring a nice healthy tuna on board. It looks sound, it seems sound, but it sure flops around a lot.

Tonight I'm going to drop the pressure to 12 and see if the mask behaves better. I'm hoping it does, because currently my body is enjoying a bit of a cold, and my nose isn't really working. So the ffm would be a good thing.

Now that makes more sense -- sure, if you open your mouth on a "nasal only" mask then the air will howl in through your nose and out your mouth.

Leaks can work the same way, especially if aimed at your EYES which are very sensitive to wind and the dirt or dust it usually carries.

So the obvious solution is, "Fix the Leaks" and "Don't open your Mouth"

I am NOT being completely facetious here but my guess is you have tried those solutions.

You might however focus on those PROBLEMS rather than the pressure.

There are probably people who have dealt with your specific kind of mask and/or leaks.

There are solutions for keeping your mouth close or other types of masks.

Some people have explained ways to train yourself to open your mouth while shutting off access to your nose to lung air passage.

I can do this one by raising my tongue a bit in the back and dropping it back towards my throat.

Some can do the opposite -- close off the nose while breathing through the mouth.

Makes sense as we ALL (probably) can suck a REALLY THICK milkshake through a straw withing snorting through our nose.

Most people have used suction to fill a pipette or to start a syphone (gasoline/petrol or water).

Blowing up a balloon is similar -- almost no one pinches their nostrils to do that.

These are all conscious activities so they might be more trouble to ensure while sleeping.

(02-24-2014, 11:45 PM)retired_guy Wrote: If the mask will hold at 12, then I'll keep an eye on the AHA! score for a few days and see if anything untoward happens.


If the mask will hold at 12, then likely you are only fighting LEAKS of the MASK.

I can't tell the difference between 8 and 14 (except that 14 feels a little more comfortable) but then I have no appreciable leaks.


Leaks are usually not that big a deal for THERAPY per se, but if they annoy you or otherwise ruin your sleep and therapy they MUST BE FIXED.

The mouth leak has to be fixed too, even if it means a different type of mask than the one your prefer now.

I have high opens for the "Hybrid Mask" (and it might arrive today) as a back up for when congestion prevents me from using a nasal only mask (pillows.)

So far, despite my severe, chronic congestion, my CPAP has worked every day (just 24 so far, so I am still a newbie) with the nasal pillow mask.

(But besides being a newbie I am a speed reader and my job involves assimilating high volumes of both technical information and subject [reviews] accounts.)

Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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#16
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
My ffm did nice last night at 12 gallons/minute (or whatever) pressure. It leaked, but not annoyingly so, and I slept well with it for 8 hours. My head cold is better today so I'll probably go back to my nasal mask tonight. But it's nice knowing the ffm is there just waiting it's turn at bat for me.

As far as the mouth leak is concerned, my wife has been trying to get me to shut my mouth for years now and has not been able to do so.
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#17
RE: Pressure Numbers, what do they mean? (Newbie Alert)
Smile Probably Liters per minute -- 12 gallons would be 45.4 L/min Smile

Is that your 95% rate? I like to look at median, 95% and anywhere leak is HIGH for more than a few minutes. (Max doesn't matter much if it is for the short time you took the mask loose to re-adjust.
Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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