Cervical Collar - amazing!

[zzzZorro]

Sleeprider [from a previous post]: "Assuming your events are predominately obstructive, there are a couple different ways to deal with that high pressure. One is to get a machine that provides up to 25 cm pressure such as the Resmed Aircurve 10 VAuto or S9 VPAP Auto. It's possible you could use a soft cervical collar to keep your head and neck aligned and avoid the physical obstruction common with tucking your chin to your chest and other positions that greatly increase obstruction. Soft cervical collars only cost 10-$20 and you are looking for a loose fit, 2-inches greater than your neck circumference and an inch or two shorter than chin to bottom of neck. You would be amazed at how many people this works for."

I came up with a soft collar that did not hurt my neck/C-spine and proceeded to experiment with SR's recommendation.  It really flabbergasted me as the very high mixed apneas had been persisting no matter what I did using the APAP/CPAP I am currently dealing with. 

There are three segments shown on SpeepyHead done on the same night. [CHARTS]

The first and second were with a cervical collar and in two parts due to a P-break.  The third, the collar was removed and the mixed apneas shot skyward.  Now, IF only I could figure how to keep from overheating with the cumberbun around my neck.

[Sleeprider]

Pretty dramatic improvement, but I would hope for more. But a 5X reduction is right up there with amazing.

[zzzZorro]

Last night, again with the collar, I repeated using the same settings (AHI 12.95 for 8 hours+) and at approximately 3am and 5am I noted a low pressure in the full face mask.  Don't know if I woke because of that or just happened to wake up. Thought the power may have been off but actually there was still a pressure there.  Each time I sat up and the pressure increased markedly.  The min/max pressures are 12/19 and it appeared to be lower than 12 when it was noted each time, and also each time when it increased it seemed to go to about 19.  I'm guessing it is the Auto-mode that is regulating the pressure reduction, but why does it bounce back when sitting up?

What amazed me this night was NOT A SINGLE 'P' break (in the 8+ hours).  That would be the first time in well over two years!

BTW: Scheduled to get the ResMed BiPAP monday.

[Sleeprider]

I think that is your first sign of kicking this apnea in the pants. Good job...Pretty clear that you have a significant positional apnea component, and I'm glad that it is responding to the combination of the collar and pressure.

[zzzZorro]

I think that is your first sign of kicking this apnea in the pants.  Good job...Pretty clear that you have a significant positional apnea component, and I'm glad that it is responding to the combination of the collar and pressure.

Does what I stated about the machine pressure behavior make sense 

Thanks

[Sleeprider]

I can't explain the pressure issues without seeing something graphic. It could be you are just adapting to the pressure, and there are times you don't need as much. A chart in the time where you think this is happening may help.

[Walla Walla]

Could be when your sitting up your holding your breath to get up or your head is dropping forward when your sitting. The machine thinks there's an obstruction so something your doing while sitting up is cutting off airflow.

[ajack]

nothing is counted seriously while you are a wake and I would think the act of sitting up and the breathing patterns involved, would be enough to get the machine to think there is something going on it needs to fix.

the waking up feeling low pressure....
As you get use to cpap, you will wake up thinking the machine isn't on, because you can't feel anything. Even more funny is thinking you have taken off your mask, as you can't feel it..only to find it stuck to your face.

as sleeprider said, get some charts up to see what is going on.

[zzzZorro]

I can't explain the pressure issues without seeing something graphic.  It could be you are just adapting to the pressure, and there are times you don't need as much.  A chart in the time where you think this is happening may help.

" The Charts Sir, Just the charts"     (Not sure of the two times; 3 and 5 -ish)
https://imgur.com/a/g0mZW

Could be when your sitting up your holding your breath to get up or your head is dropping forward when your sitting. The machine thinks there's an obstruction so something your doing while sitting up is cutting off airflow.

Could be.. Don't recall grunting or straining either time, buy maybe did..

nothing is counted seriously while you are a wake and I would think the act of sitting up and the breathing patterns involved, would be enough to get the machine to think there is something going on it needs to fix.

the waking up feeling low pressure....
As you get use to cpap, you will wake up thinking the machine isn't on, because you can't feel anything. Even more funny is thinking you have taken off your mask, as you can't feel it..only to find it stuck to your face.

as sleeprider said, get some charts up to see what is going on.

"That" Is exactly the sensation I first had.  Didn't feel the mask nor any air movement.  Thinking to myself, "When did you take it off?  Then, "Did the power go out?"
SO, I sat up to figure it out and 'boom' -pressure is back..

Thanks guys

[Sleeprider]

Pretty good between the two clusters, which I assume are still positional. Many of us get comfortable and feel like the pressure is not there, until we pull the mask away and a rush of air comes out. Considering where you came from, this is surprisingly good, but we need to knock out those clusters. The fact you responded so well to the collar tells us this is positional, and treatable. I have rarely seen such an impressive turn-around, but I'm a bit stumped on how to make the clusters completely go away.