RE: Can I post data?
You say your disturbed by the noise of the machine and your nose being sore.
Does this mean you are sleeping OTHER hours without the mask?
What is the reason your hours on the machine are short? (e.g., not enough time to sleep, or can't sleep and take it off, etc.)
If you can breath through you nose, and you can find a way to keep your mouth closed (some just do it, others use straps) then a Nasal Pillow mask is likely FAR MORE COMFORTABLE than any other type.
The minimalist Airfit P10 is what I use and almost everyone people who CAN use it, love it.
The types of masks (including the F & P Pilairo Q and the Nuance & Nuance Pro) have nothing OVER the nose, but only pillow that plug up the nostrils, and a bit of headstrap to hold it on.
Radically more comfortable than wearing a nasal mask, full face mask, oral mask, or anything requiring a lot of careful strap tightening.
OF course these require you to be able to get your nose clear enough to use them (I had to use saline lavage, Nasonex and other methods at first to clear the congestion.)
Sweet Dreams,
HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)
"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
RE: Can I post data?
(03-30-2014, 06:12 AM)herbm Wrote: You say your disturbed by the noise of the machine and your nose being sore.
Not sleeping other hrs.
Does this mean you are sleeping OTHER hours without the mask?
Going to bed around midnight.
Last night I after 3hrs 30min my respiration was 6 breaths per min the pressure went up to max setting of 8+ then I woke up thought pressure was to high took mask off and went to sleep.
What is the reason your hours on the machine are short? (e.g., not enough time to sleep, or can't sleep and take it off, etc.)
If you can breath through you nose, and you can find a way to keep your mouth closed (some just do it, others use straps) then a Nasal Pillow mask is likely FAR MORE COMFORTABLE than any other type.
The minimalist Airfit P10 is what I use and almost everyone people who CAN use it, love it.
The types of masks (including the F & P Pilairo Q and the Nuance & Nuance Pro) have nothing OVER the nose, but only pillow that plug up the nostrils, and a bit of headstrap to hold it on.
Radically more comfortable than wearing a nasal mask, full face mask, oral mask, or anything requiring a lot of careful strap tightening.
OF course these require you to be able to get your nose clear enough to use them (I had to use saline lavage, Nasonex and other methods at first to clear the congestion.)
RE: Can I post data?
Ok how do I get the graph I sniped to a message? I tried dragging that didn't work.
RE: Can I post data?
If it is not online somewhere, you can do it as an attachment:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...ttachments
If it is online somewhere, you can insert it as an image:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...13#pid3213
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: Can I post data?
When I first started my pressure began at 4.0. I thought I was going to suffocate. Now, I start at 7 and average in about 12-13. I'm curious as to why you lowered your pressure from 6/10 to 4.5/8.5. That might be fine for you I don't know, but I wouldn't be able to sleep at all well if that were me. I'm not necessarily advocating you jump your pressure up tremendously, or suddenly, but I do think you may want to increase it in little doses to see if you get more comfortable.
The second thing has to do with your mask: I really like the Quattro FFM, and I suspect at your pressures it performs well (no/not much leaking). But the fact that you have a sore nose already suggests to me you may be wearing it too tightly. Loosening it up, if the mask can handle the pressures, should help you to sleep better. Search for tips on mask liners to use with this mask. For me it's a requirement. Also there is a surgical procedure you can perform on the mask where you cut away (super carefully) a bit of the hard silicone ridge that is rubbing on your nose. It would be very easy to ruin your mask so if you decide to undertake this do so carefully. I'll dig up the instructions that were provided to me if you wish.
RE: Can I post data?
Last night I actually tightened it a bit and was more careful when I put the mask on and I had no issues with nose pain.
Tonight I will lower my max pressure to 7 as last night when it came up to 8 it woke me up.
(03-30-2014, 07:50 PM)retired_guy Wrote: When I first started my pressure began at 4.0. I thought I was going to suffocate. Now, I start at 7 and average in about 12-13. I'm curious as to why you lowered your pressure from 6/10 to 4.5/8.5. That might be fine for you I don't know, but I wouldn't be able to sleep at all well if that were me. I'm not necessarily advocating you jump your pressure up tremendously, or suddenly, but I do think you may want to increase it in little doses to see if you get more comfortable.
The second thing has to do with your mask: I really like the Quattro FFM, and I suspect at your pressures it performs well (no/not much leaking). But the fact that you have a sore nose already suggests to me you may be wearing it too tightly. Loosening it up, if the mask can handle the pressures, should help you to sleep better. Search for tips on mask liners to use with this mask. For me it's a requirement. Also there is a surgical procedure you can perform on the mask where you cut away (super carefully) a bit of the hard silicone ridge that is rubbing on your nose. It would be very easy to ruin your mask so if you decide to undertake this do so carefully. I'll dig up the instructions that were provided to me if you wish.
RE: Can I post data?
How did it wake you up?
Practically everyone who complains about pressure is REALLY complaining about LEAKS.
The only way to get WIND or easily noticeable pressure is to have an uncontrolled PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL.
We can't FEEL pressure much at these levels -- it's just a little easy to breath -- without that differential.
I literally cannot tell if my machine is on (minimal leaks) without spilling a little air out of my mouth to prove it.
How is the pressure manifesting to you such that it wakes you up?
(Note: My pressure is only 10-14, moderate, but I basically turned off EPR and keep it up there from the start, all night. One night I am just going to crank it to 20 so that I can report what it feels like with minimal leaks.)
The amount of pressure is about equivalent to the negative of breathing through a snorkel while 8" underwater or LESS.
Sweet Dreams,
HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)
"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
RE: Can I post data?
If you are just starting out, stop messing with your pressure.
Pick one and leave it. If you keep changing it, you and your body will not adjust. You won't know what is working or not working because you keep changing the variables. Tighter straps or lower pressure? Then add in all the other variables that go into a night's sleep and you'll never see a trend.
And you don't know if you woke up because it got to 8. Was that what the machine said when you looked at it? By then, it probably lowered itself. Or was it something else in the room?
That's what I mean by variables.
You have an Auto. If it is going up to 8 that's because that's where it needs to be in order to keep your airway open. Leave it alone.
Sit up with the mask and machine on during the day. Get used to the sensations, sounds, pressure, everything.
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: Can I post data?
(03-31-2014, 09:50 AM)PaulaO2 Wrote: If you are just starting out, stop messing with your pressure.
Amen! I too am beset with a propensity to tweak. After I learned to use the clinician's menu, I felt empowered and much wiser than I really am. I also wanted my pressure to be as high as possible because I thought it would be more impressive. PaulaO2, you have delivered a very apt and needed message! The only thing missing from your admonition is an exclamation point.
RE: Can I post data?
(03-31-2014, 03:12 PM)JimZZZ Wrote: I also wanted my pressure to be as high as possible because I thought it would be more impressive.
If you want to have an impressive pressure, leave your Auto range upper limit at 20 cmH2O. If you don't actually need that high a pressure, the machine won't go that high.
I actually recommend this for experienced PAPers. If you don't need it, it won't go that high. And if it does go that high, you did need it, so why stop the machine from providing it.
@tired57, don't you do this (yet). You are still getting used to using CPAP, so getting comfortable with it and using it 100% of the time are more important than getting that last bit of treatment. You need to own the fact that you MUST wear the mask ALL the time you are asleep. Taking it off in the middle of the night is a slippery slope to partial and eventual non-compliance (ie. not using the machine). If getting used to it means that you are using sub-optimal pressures for a couple of weeks, so be it. Losing those weeks is better than giving up altogether.
The ramp function is your friend. Don't be afraid to modify the ramp duration to the full 45 minutes if it can take you that long to get to sleep. Eventually, you will be able to just put on the mask and start out at your full starting pressure value. And shortly after that, you will find that using the ramp feels like you are not getting enough air. It may not feel that way now, but if you persevere, it will.
Sadly, chances are that it's going to get a little worse before it gets better. A lot of people experience back aches right between your shoulder blades as your diaphragm and lungs adjust to operating under pressure, sort of like muscle ache after a workout. This too shall pass.
Don't give up. And feel free to ask as many questions as you want. We've all been there.
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