Aussie Paul needs some help...

[DariaVader]

Physical pain is exhausting. Unless you are able to do something which makes that go away, it's hard to appreciate just how much Getting good quality sleep can reduce pain, and enhance your ability to heal, so I hope PAP is able to help with that.

[Mutineer]

Paul, a fellow Ballarat hose head here, I'm guessing your sleep doctor is Dr. Spring who from my personal experience is not really a hands on type after the initial diagnosis and I'd recommend you get onto the girls at the MCS Sleep and Snoring centre at 1B Ascot Street, immediately adjacent to Red Rooster Car park on Sturt Street. I see Mel (sleep apnoea therapist & fellow hose head) there and with her "hands on" help I now regularly run at an AHI rate of between 0.4 & 0.8, also machines, supplies, parts etc are available there...highly recommended.

Thanks Mutineer, ok re Ascot st. I got my machine from Ballarat Health Services free due to my disability pension status. I opted to use UFS in the Mall. They seem to be frightened of Spring and were concerned that he would see that I had found out how to up the pressure!!! They wanted me to make sure he did not think they were giving that sort of advice.. I started on his prescription of 8 and worked my way up to 11. He put me back to 9 after viewing my printout. I slowly played around up to 12 but was getting less comfortable sleep so am now on 10. I hope to see the UFS girls this week. It appears Spring is not a supporter auto machines!!!

Aussie Paul.

I have the same machine you have AP and being an UFS member I too initially dealt with the therapist at UFS Bridge Mall but didn't seem to be making any headway with my results so on Dr. Spring's recommendation I changed over to Mel at MCS and with her help and advice my improvement in both compliance and results has been nothing short of amazing (0.2 AHI, 8.3hrs sleep last night) ), think the fact Mel is a fellow hose head and thus understands and sympathises with our situation is a real bonus. Your right about Dr. Spring on the auto vs standard CPAP too, the way he put it to me was CPAP machines be it auto or standard are really just sophisticated "air pumps".

Early on I went ahead and purchased a Resmed S9 Autoset because of my disappointing results also thinking because it was an auto machine I'd get better results than with the Respironics standard machine but that was definitely not the case.

Like you I had problems adjusting initially to a set pressure of 10 with Ramp and Dr. Spring put me back to 8 as well but with Mel's assistance now back to 10 and coping extremely well as my results show, also did away with the "ramp" and now start at "full blast" which has helped too.

I now much prefer the set pressure Respironics machine and the Auto machine has been consigned to the wardrobe/back up only role if ever required.

[Aussie Paul]

Physical pain is exhausting. Unless you are able to do something which makes that go away, it's hard to appreciate just how much Getting good quality sleep can reduce pain, and enhance your ability to heal, so I hope PAP is able to help with that.

Yes it is DariaVader, my body is healed from the trauma of the accident so, how I am at the moment is what we have to work with. Sleep Doctor reckons I should see an improvement of 50 to 80%. If I can get 20% it would make an enormous difference to my lifestyle.:grin:

Aussie Paul.

[Aussie Paul]

I have the same machine you have AP and being an UFS member I too initially dealt with the therapist at UFS Bridge Mall but didn't seem to be making any headway with my results so on Dr. Spring's recommendation I changed over to Mel at MCS and with her help and advice my improvement in both compliance and results has been nothing short of amazing (0.2 AHI, 8.3hrs sleep last night) ), think the fact Mel is a fellow hose head and thus understands and sympathises with our situation is a real bonus. Your right about Dr. Spring on the auto vs standard CPAP too, the way he put it to me was CPAP machines be it auto or standard are really just sophisticated "air pumps".

Early on I went ahead and purchased a Resmed S9 Autoset because of my disappointing results also thinking because it was an auto machine I'd get better results than with the Respironics standard machine but that was definitely not the case.

Like you I had problems adjusting initially to a set pressure of 10 with Ramp and Dr. Spring put me back to 8 as well but with Mel's assistance now back to 10 and coping extremely well as my results show, also did away with the "ramp" and now start at "full blast" which has helped too.

I now much prefer the set pressure Respironics machine and the Auto machine has been consigned to the wardrobe/back up only role if ever required.
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Hi Mutineer, I find it difficult on forums to not using a persons name!!! I don't use the ramp feature either. I think I have paid for help from UFS. How does the payment system work at Ascot st?
I did not get to sleep until after 3 am and got up at 9 to make my wife Eril coffee before she went to a card making class and then shopping, taking her 92 y/o mother to doctor etc. So, I am extremely buggered at the moment. I will try and make it thru without a nap to try and get back to a normal sleeping pattern. AHI was 6.00.

We live two doors on the Ballarat side of the IGA supermarket in Miners Rest.

Regards, Paul Aussie Paul.

[me50]

Hi Aussie Paul

If your shrink counsels (sp?) you, that is great. In the US, shrinks just medicate and nothing more as a general rule.

I can see why you would be depressed, especially going through a traumatic event where someone did not survive. You may want to ask your shrink about PTSD and read about it as you would be surprised what having PTSD can do you a person. PTSD is not just for those that have been in the military like a lot of people may think.

Much success to you and if you have any questions about PTSD, feel free to PM me.

[Aussie Paul]

Hi Aussie Paul

If your shrink counsels (sp?) you, that is great. In the US, shrinks just medicate and nothing more as a general rule.

I can see why you would be depressed, especially going through a traumatic event where someone did not survive. You may want to ask your shrink about PTSD and read about it as you would be surprised what having PTSD can do you a person. PTSD is not just for those that have been in the military like a lot of people may think.

Much success to you and if you have any questions about PTSD, feel free to PM me.

Yes me50, my Shrink counsels me for sure. I have mentioned PTSD to him, but I will raise the subject again next week when I see him. Was on mostly weekly visits for several years. Mid last year we went to fortnightly visits, and over the Festive season monthly. While ( was still in hospital my business partners voted me out of the company I had started and left me with no job and $120k in debt. Of course I thought I would work again!!!

After my accident the first 3 years were heavily into body and mind rehabilitation.- 2nd was to fight with the authority, Workcover, responsible for my compensation, 3rd was to downsize property. 4th, buying a suitable property, 5th, sell the property we had raised our 4 kids on/in. 6th, was to clean the 2 acre property with its large sheds/workshop etc. as well as the house.
Lastly was to try and make my business partners fulfil a financial agreement we had, without any money to fight with. My Workcover payment was not huge at all. Anyway last year I took them to the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal. Did not cost me, won a little, BUT got it of my chest to move on emotionally.

Aussie Paul.

[Aussie Paul]

Not travelling well re sleep apnea. It seems roughly 1/3rd of my events are Clear/Central apneas.

Aussie Paul.

[DeepBreathing]

Hi Paul,

Can you post a graph showing events, flow rate, pressure and leaks all on the same page? In the mean time, you might want to adjust your flex setting. Some people have found that lowering the flex value reduces the incidence of central apneas, though it may be a bit harder to exhale. Try taking it down from 3 to 2 and see if that helps things.

[Aussie Paul]

Thanks Paul. I will try that Flex reduction tonight.

Aussie Paul.
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[Sleeprider]

Your leaks are a mess and are probably disruptive to your sleep. How old is your mask or pillows?

It would help if your charts included Events, Flow, Pressure and Leaks with the Details on the left. Use the F12 key to take the screenshot. It is stored in My Documents/Sleepyhead/Screenshots. Here is a tutorial http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...pnea_Board

You are still showing a high rate of H, OA, CA clustered at various times of the night. I would try a 1.0 cm higher pressure and see if that reduces it. I'd guess these events occur when you change position (back sleeping?) or at certain sleep stages (REM).