CPAP to Bilevel help/advice/titration

[justaguy26]

I tried the original settings again hoping to get some more data but I just wasn't able to fall asleep. Most likely a mental thing knowing how bad I had slept on those settings initially.

So here are the last 3 nights nights at 6-12 PS 4 (upped PS by 1). I feel very similar to how I did when i was using the airsense 10, which isnt very good. 

I dont believe im getting much deep sleep due to it still being pretty fragmented but its really hard to tell.

***One thing to note is that I am now having some aerophagia. 

   
   
   

[Sleeprider]

After starting at PS 3, PS 4 has helped to bring down the flow limits, but I think we need to increase EPAP min to 7.0 for the OA events. I don't know why I missed your posts for a couple days here, I'll try to pay better attention.

[justaguy26]

No worries! I will give that a shot, thanks.

[ejbpesca]

I appreciate your Thread.  I would like to move to the Vauto machine and your thread helps me understand it.

[justaguy26]

So I struggled the first 2 nights at EPAP of 7 so here is last night at EPAP 6.6. I will continue to keep slowly raising EPAP but before I go up to EPAP of 6.8 tonight, I have a question.

I do believe I have UARS as well as OSA and that my FL's are/have been the basis of why I am not getting restful sleep. 

If I wanted to tackle the rest of my FL's, should I start increasing PS first OR continue to raise EPAP until OA's are gone and then start slowly increasing PS? 

Thanks

   

[Sleeprider]

Rule #1 of our therapy is comfort and good sleep, or at least as good as we can make it. Don't feel pressured to advance pressures if you pass the point where resolving a few random events means you don't tolerate the therapy as relaxing. That breaks rule #1. Sometimes it helps to go a week or so without looking at data. Keep notes on qualitative sleep quality. You might be surprised things get better. I look at data no more than every 3-months.

[justaguy26]

Sleeprider,

Thats great advice that I definitely needed to hear. Im completely fine with where my AHI is. Its the FL's and all of this UARS stuff that keeps me coming back to the data because I really do not feel like im getting quality restful sleep (even with these very low AHI's).

I guess I just want to make sure im even in the ballpark from a data/settings standpoint before I go a week or longer with the same settings and without looking at data.

Given all of that, you think I should just go with these settings for a bit?

[justaguy26]

Oh man,

There has to be more going on here than just "I have a low AHI and should feel better". Which brings me back to the UARS assumption and thinking I have to completely clean up these FL's (I just dont know how or I would).

I just cant help to notice, even completely zoomed out, how much of a mess my flow rate is. 

Is there any explanation to having wildly sporadic and inconsistent breathing all night long? For the most part, it should be pretty uniform correct (im not saying perfect, but a relatively uniform pattern)? 

I feel absolutely awful. In the simplest terms, I am not functioning. I cant imagine my breathing miraculously gets better and I all of a sudden feel better at these settings.

Im beyond desperation

   
   
   

[justaguy26]

Here is the flow rate for an entire night. Am I losing it or does this not look good (when taking into account that I feel like crap)?

   

[jdougc]

My PS is higher at 4.4 seems to help.  7.0 to 11.4  
My sleep is not perfect, but it is not getting worse. Some weird breathing patterns and 2-3 arousals.
Must be this crazy weather?