Im a new here and perhaps have found my way here in a very similar way to others on the forum.
That being - Im struggling
I live in the UK and have had a long journey to get a diagnosis.
I have mild sleep apnea AHI 14 but have been suffering for many years with unrefreshed sleep, brain fog, a difficulty recovering from exercise. My mood has really plumited since trying to start CPAP again and Im not sure what to do right now.
I ended up buying my own resmed 10 - unfortunately the NHS trust that supports me dont use this machine so they dont give much advice re settings.
I am hoping I might be able to get some pointers here.
My journey is - I was diagnosed beginning of last year - I had some difficulty complying with CPAP due to a tooth issue I was experiencing (basically had a baby tooth that needed to be pulled) - now this is gone thats not an issue. So Im trying CPAP again.
The problem is - it is wrecking my sleep and Im really struggling day to day.
It seems to treat me when its on - my numbers are good - but I cant wear it all night - I often wake up feeling a bit wired and cant get back off - or I rip it off in the middle of the night.
I have noticed I feel breathing is a bit more laboured with the humidifier than without. So I considered stopping using that.
I’ll share my current settings below, along with a few OSCAR images, in case they’re helpful.
I’m hoping to get some guidance or advice on the following:
- Settings: Are these settings ok for me? should I tweek anything? - This is really my main question.
- Oxygen Monitoring: Should I consider monitoring my O2 levels?
- Mild Apnea Concerns: With an AHI of 14, is CPAP the best option for me, or should I focus more on lifestyle changes?
My current settings are
Mode: APAP
Pressure Min: 5.00 cmH2O
Pressure Max: 17.00 cmH2O
Climate Control: Manual
EPR: Full Time
EPR Level: 3 cmH2O
Humidifier Status: On
Humidity Level: 4
Mask: Pillows
Ramp: Off
Response: Standard
Smart Start: Off
Temperature: 27 ºC
Temperature Enable: O