[CPAP] fxsnowy - Therapy Help

[fxsnowy]

I have been using my Airsense 10 APAP machine for about a week to treat suspecting UARS. I still don't feel better. My OSCAR data shows that I am averaging about 5 hours of Clear Airway events a night. I had 48 CA events last night.

Any advice? My settings are 7 - 20 pressure, 5 humidity with a EPR of 3.

[Melman]

We can better advise you if we see more data. please post a daily OSCAR chart. See the links below for how to organize and post charts. EPR can cause CA. You may benefit from reducing EPR. If you do please post charts with EFR at 3 and reduced EPR.

[fxsnowy]

   

---

Ok Im going to try a reduced EPR. Thanks

[Melman]

Try EPR off. Also please include the flow limits graph you can make it fit by deccreasing the height of the other graphs by moving the line under each with your mouse.

[fxsnowy]

Ok so last night I slept with EPR off. I do feel much better and my CA is down to 1 hour, although I did rip off my mask for 1/3 of the night without knowing. Also it looks like I am getting more Hypopnea events with EPR off

Here is the chart with EPR set to 3:     

And here is the chart with EPR turned off:     

[Gideon]

EPR does a lot of therapy and is the best tool you have to treat hypopneas and flow limits. We do not want your centrals to get too high so try EPR=1, full time.

The EPR=3 vs off demonstrates that most likely your centrals are Treatment Emergent Central Apneas. These occur when, simple explanation, too much CO2 is removed/flushed from your system. The differential pressure between your inhale and exhale increases this flushing with an increased difference. CO2 is reduced to below your apneic threshold and you stop breathing until your CO2 is built back up. It is CO2 and the need to remove it from our system that provides our drive to breathe. Lack of oxygen tends to make us breathe faster but has nothing to do with the drive to breathe. These centrals do little to no harm by we like to keep them at a fairly low level. IMHO you want to have some so your body will better adjust to the pap use.

[fxsnowy]

EPR does a lot of therapy and is the best tool you have to treat hypopneas and flow limits.  We do not want your centrals to get too high so try EPR=1, full time.

The EPR=3 vs off demonstrates that most likely your centrals are Treatment Emergent Central Apneas.  These occur when, simple explanation, too much CO2 is removed/flushed from your system.  The differential pressure between your inhale and exhale increases this flushing with an increased difference.  CO2 is reduced to below your apneic threshold and you stop breathing until your CO2 is built back up.  It is CO2 and the need to  remove it from our system that provides our drive to breathe.  Lack of oxygen tends to make us breathe faster but has nothing to do with the drive to breathe.  These centrals do little to no harm by we like to keep them at a fairly low level.  IMHO you want to have some so your body will better adjust to the pap use.

Ok thanks for the advice. I'll try 1 full time. Do you think a cervical collar would help based on my results?

[fxsnowy]

Looks like my results are better with an EPR of 1. Im still getting 1.85 as my CA with 11 CA events. Is this still a concerning level of CA events? 

Hers is my Oscar Data EPR of 1:     

[Gideon]

That looks real good for now, but o e night does not make a trend.

Based on this chart I'd be looking at comfort, how you feel. The better you feel with using your pap the better you will be long term. So going forward, before you even think of looking at your numbers ( I don't want them to influence you) determine how you feel. Then feel free to look at your charts.

[fxsnowy]

Got it. Thanks for all the help, it's really appreciated. I've been feeling much better these past couple of days with these settings.