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RE: Recently Diagnosed, Just started treatment, looking for advice.
OK, pretty quick response there.
Then with that bit of info, the CA showing on OSCAR will be of the treatment emergent Central Apnea variety. You may need to play that CA avoid game I mentioned, or something similar where you are able to get your body used to CPAP therapy. Try to get the hours you need not only for therapy but also compliance.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: Recently Diagnosed, Just started treatment, looking for advice.
Bit of an update for the past week:
I was traveling quite a bit, which made it harder to keep to a consistent schedule, but I did bring the machine with me and used it as much as possible.
I turned the EPR and ramp off to combat the open airway events, and turned the min pressure down to 7 as I felt 8 was too high, and that seamed to be more comfortable, as soon as I did this, I was able to keep the cpap on for a full night, two nights in a row, which I had never done before.
The two nights after that were not as successful.
Issues I've noticed:
1. I find myself waking up feeling like I'm just not getting enough oxygen, even after breathing through the mouth for a while, at this point I usually take the mask off for the night. I suspect that this might just be psychological, but it's an issue regardless.
2. I felt that often when I woke up, the mask air felt very cold. I do have the heated hose, but I also sleep in a fairly cold basement. I ordered a cover for the hose, which I used last night, but was unable to fall asleep, I think the air may have been too humid (see below).
3. While I have a full face mask, I'm trying to mostly breath through my nose, since breathing through my mouth leaves it feeling very dry. Unfortunately, I often find it hard to breath through my nose. I think it's a combination of congestion, and just having a small nose. But it just never seems like I can get enough air, and my right nostril usually feels mostly blocked, particularly at night, possible due to laying down. I turned the humidity up to help clear up my sinuses, but it hasn't made that big of a difference, and I think it makes the feeling of not getting enough air worse.
Here are a few graphs if they help, I included one night where I used the mask the whole night (Thursday), One where I woke up and felt like I had to take it off (Saturday), and one where I couldn't fell asleep until after I took it off (Sunday - last night).
RE: Recently Diagnosed, Just started treatment, looking for advice.
I have to say I'm thinking you're setting yourself up for trouble with mask removal and quitting for the night early at times. You're going to start a reward mode for stopping early, making it easier to quit for small resistance. I'm not saying things aren't difficult to adjust to it, or CA aren't problematic.
I've not looked over the thread for a bit, but have you tried pillows masks? They deliver air direct to your nostrils, maybe helping with breathing.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.