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05-01-2022, 11:01 PM (This post was last modified: 05-01-2022, 11:15 PM by accetableplaintain.)
Optimizing cpap
Hey everyone, here is my data from a typical night. I've been feeling tired pretty much everyday for a while. Have to drink 1 large coffee and nap some days. I use a chin strap plus mouth tape with nasal mask. Fixed pressure at 8 since that's what people advised me on the forum/ worked for me since I would wake up alot whe using apap (not sure why).
Should I decrease pressure and also decrease epr? Although that may cause more flow limitations.
Not sure what to do. Would love some help. Ty
You probably could use more pressure support during exhalation. If I read it correctly, your lower set limit is only 4 cm of H2O. That's pretty much universally too low by a whole cm, and in your case I would suggest upping it manually to 5.5-6. While you're at it, try raising your upper pressure to 9 to see if it changes anything for you. Your machine will dutifully report that it pegs you at 9 cm each time you read your data, but what matters now is whether you have faith in your tmt and if it makes you feel better. It's all in the head, IOW.
With fixed pressure at 8.0 and EPR 3, there is no evidence of obstructive events and flow limitation is very low. The events all consist of CA, mostly in the very early morning hours, which suggests arousal and restlessness at this time. The events are completely absent before 04:45, so I don't think you need to reduce EPR. There is a chronic leak through the night which may be disruptive to sleep, and worth trying to minimize. Nothing here points to a need for change to settings, but I would work on mask fit and comfort.
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