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So I have a resmed airsense 11 with dreamwear nasal pillows and am not getting good results. I turned the device up to a 6-20 from 4-20 and am having anywhere from 1.5 to 5.5 events per hour. The problem I am having is waking up feeling suffocated like I'm breathing into a bag. My O2 fluctuations were pretty bad before waking and feeling like my lungs were heavy and my pulse was getting up close to 90 from a resting rate of 67.
When I'm breathing it feels like the machine is backing off every time I exhale. That feels nice and all but it's just letting me push more air back and forth instead of out the weep hole.
My other concern is if I even need the CPAP. I got a return authorization but am worried I may be making a mistake. I have not had a good sleep study for a long time and the one I had was just a finger sensor I wore for two nights.
I will post my chart from last night. I took it off and tried to get back to sleep without it but my adrenaline was up after struggling to get fresh air so I had a rough night.
Is there someone with real clinical experience here who can give me some feedback?
Machine: Lowenstein Luisa Mask Type: Full face mask Mask Make & Model: Resmed Quattro FX Humidifier: separate F&P humidifier CPAP Pressure: Epap 4-20 PS 4-20; "auto" rate CPAP Software: Not using software
Other Comments: Using 45 degree angle upper body wedge (36"x36") and 4.5"soft cervical collar; 500 assured tidal vol
Thank you for those charts. Feeling like "breathing into a bag" may be that your pressure is too low. Usually, at least 7 or so is needed for an adult. You can try moving your min epap up to 7 (or try even higher as well) to see how that feels. Leave max at 20 if the pressure increase doesn't bother you.
Your charts are enviable to a lot of people. Good charts. 0.00 95th percentile flow limitation with EPR 2 full time enabled as well. You can try turning down EPR to 1 full time (since your flow limitations are so low). Then later, you can even turn EPR off if you want and try that for a night or 2.
Upload more OSCARs to get more suggestions from AB members here.
Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.
Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
(10-31-2024, 08:42 PM)Jay51 Wrote: Thank you for those charts. Feeling like "breathing into a bag" may be that your pressure is too low. Usually, at least 7 or so is needed for an adult. You can try moving your min epap up to 7 (or try even higher as well) to see how that feels. Leave max at 20 if the pressure increase doesn't bother you.
Your charts are enviable to a lot of people. Good charts. 0.00 95th percentile flow limitation with EPR 2 full time enabled as well. You can try turning down EPR to 1 full time (since your flow limitations are so low). Then later, you can even turn EPR off if you want and try that for a night or 2.
Upload more OSCARs to get more suggestions from AB members here.
Looking at my charts, does it look like I even need to be using a CPAP?
(11-01-2024, 07:53 AM)PeaceLoveAndPizza Wrote: You are using the default pressure which is far too low for most people.
BTW, the chart you posted is from 10/21/2024. You were given good advise in your previous thread, but it does not look like you tried it out.
If you want to continue, give the following a go.
Mode APAP
Min pressure 8
Max pressure 12
EPR 2 full-time
No ramp
If you want help we are here to do so, but it sounds like you want to give up. Either way it is your choice.
I am wondering if my charts are showing that I even need to be using a CPAP. I only bumped it up by 2 because I was trying to make gradual adjustments at that time. I have some anxiety about suffocating and wonder if I'm creating more risk than preventing it. My sleep test from a few years ago was just a finger device with no other monitors so I'm not sure I should be using a CPAP. I've got mixed feelings. I was sleeping very poorly and got a new CPAP because I was feeling desperate.
I can give it another go with it set at 8. If I leave the max at 20 or change it to 12 what will that do?
Machine: Lowenstein Luisa Mask Type: Full face mask Mask Make & Model: Resmed Quattro FX Humidifier: separate F&P humidifier CPAP Pressure: Epap 4-20 PS 4-20; "auto" rate CPAP Software: Not using software
Other Comments: Using 45 degree angle upper body wedge (36"x36") and 4.5"soft cervical collar; 500 assured tidal vol
Like PeaceLoveAndPizza said, it is your choice whether you continue with cpap or not. Most people have either a home sleep study and/or a polysomnography for sleep apnea.
You may want to consider doing another home sleep study (the technology has improved since you took your last one), or even a polysomnography. You definitely don't have to take another one though if you don't want to. There are some relatively inexpensive home sleep studies out there. WatchPat seems to be the leader in home sleep tests from my research.
Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.
Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
I wonder how accurate a finger monitor can be for a sleep study. I thought it was key to have EEG leads on your melon, O2, heart leads and a low chest strap to show breathing.
I would request a 'real' sleep study.
Anxiety can be debilitating, even if it's not a rational thing.
I can't get into an MRI tube.
Yet I have gone cave spelunking for 8 hours where I had to fit through holes barely bigger than me. I always wore full face helmets while motor cycling and worked underground on nuclear missiles. And I'm good with the CPAP mask, chin strap and mouth taping.
But the MRI tube is a bridge too far for me.
It was according to the Dr. anxiety over being unwell enough to need an MRI that has caused a continuing very narrow case of situational MRI claustrophobia. How weird is that.
