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I am still plagued with leakage problems-the large leaks showing on the charts align with unclassified apnea events in the flow rate so I will not post anymore charts till I get that looking better. My DEI is hoping to get a F30i mask in today or tomorrow so that is my next step. I have been searching online for mask types and am going to order a FitLife full face mask on my own dime as soon as I receive my Script from the Neurologist the cpap dealer does not handle them apparently. I am back to being tired today but my outlook is good as I can see that this condition can be improved. My sweetie sez I spend more time on my back when I sleep than I think ... Gene
I am still using the F20 mask and just got the foam insert from ebay- I am still researching the F30i- my therapist said I only got two mask changes within my plan [would have been nice to know upfront but...] so I will give this one a good trial.
I slept great last night never thought about the mask- totally normal for the first time. Woke up feeling good- wide awake, but my muscles were tired- fatigued. My SDcard did not give me any info [happens a couple times a week] but the Resmed app sez 7:45 he, 16.5 AHI and score of 96/100. Kinda depressing...
It says that full face (“oronasal”) masks require more pressure (vs nasal and pillows) and provide less effective therapy and have less compliance. In other words pillows provide more effective therapy and greater compliance than FFM.
This is why I went to using pillows and taping my mouth. Large leaks and dry mouth gone. I find pillows much more comfortable than FFM although I realize this is not true for everybody.
I contacted my Sleep dr [head of neurology] and he raised my pressure levels from 7-15 to 10-17 and saw my therapist, I asked to buy a Resmed F30i and she got one from their warehouse for me. After talking to her and fitting the F30i she asked me to try a F&P Evora full face mask, which fits to your nose and nostrils very similarly to the F30i mask. At the end of day she asked me to try the EVora and when I tried to pay her she gave me the Evora, saying it was a sample given to her by one of her suppliers. I also have the sizing info for the F30i if I decide to purchase that online [2/3rds the price].
I tried the Evora the last two nights and it cured my leakage problems and is more comfortable as well. So far so good.
My issue now is that my pressures are not much different from the last setting, and I am still fatigued [ I am not overly sleepy during the day] so very little change. If you recall I am 76 and work every day maintaining, designing and building mostly what I like. I have always been a work-a-holic and low level alcoholic [2 draft beers every late afternoon, I am sure that is not helping anything but it has kept me sane since I was 14 and started working.
I would appreciate any thoughts from any of the fine peeps here, I have been trying to learn what each of the graphs I see in Oscar indicate but it is coming slowly, Thanks Gene
09-04-2022, 05:11 PM (This post was last modified: 09-04-2022, 05:12 PM by clownbell.)
RE: First timer
@Genue -
I see your large leaks have plummeted -- that is great! Have you addressed the positional apnea mentioned above in this thread? That should help with OAs and Hs but not with Centrals. Although I am not an expert, I am wondering whether you need an ASV machine considering that your high number of centrals persists. Experts here can address this issue. If I were you, I would print out a couple OSCAR reports and show them to your sleep doc either in person or via email.
He has full access to all info on the machine. My eqip therapist showed me the info from my machine- it was even laid out like Oscar [which she was interested in]. I am sure the Doc has the same software.
I will post last nights chart- but first a few thoughts. I am really struggling with the physical issues. In the past I have noticed that I feel better if I don't sleep as long and I am kind of figuring out that it is the same with the CPAP therapy. I have adapted well to the F&P Evora [ I think] and have almost no leakage to speak of. The last hour on last nights chart I was awake and thinking about what to do next- on my back and not concerned about leakage- I could hear it. My AHI has hovered around 25-30 for the last couple [stable] weeks and I have tried different combos of pillows each night. Last night was with a Contour pillow- with all three layers, about 5 inches and I have tried taking layers out- no difference. This was a purchase at the store who supplies my CPAP- it has the cutouts for your mask and of course is pretty much useless.
Anyway... I feel great today, slightly sleepy but I don't have the usual muscle fatigue. It seems I get about 1 day out of 3 that I can function like a human being. I have been watching the Lanky Lefty on Youtube and am considering a consultation with him. I would gladly pay for some real help. Thanks Gene
09-08-2022, 11:44 PM (This post was last modified: 09-08-2022, 11:53 PM by clownbell.)
RE: First timer
Gene, you are a good guy AND from Minnesota (maybe a Golden Gopher?), which is two things in your favor - in my book anyway.
You seem to have a good relationship with your sleep doc and staff. Grill them on the fact that you have a TON of centrals. Why have they not got you on an ASV machine? ASVs are purpose built to handle centrals. Maybe your plan has some sort of reason why you can't change, but I sure wouldn't take no for an answer without a damn good reason. Maybe you need a second opinion. Look at the central index -- 23.6 -- that's the number of times EVERY HOUR that you are not breathing for 10 seconds or more. 23.6 x 6.5 hours the machine was on = 153 centrals that night. Get on 'em. Don't be Minnesota Nice -- not this time.
For what it's worth, retail price on ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV is about $2900, as assuming you are on Medicare your 20% payment would be some $580. Not including taxes. So not cheap but ASV machine is the way to deal with centrals.
Thank you sir. I am a Minnesota lifer but not a sports fan I am afraid... I contacted my Dr today via his web portal [a wonderful thing] and tried calling his scheduler but she is out till Monday and if the Dr has any sense he is off too- summer is leaving with a whoosh and we will be back to cold again. I had a pretty good day today, hoping for a productive weekend.
Hope springs eternal! Gene
I believe I am 5-6 weeks into my journey and I think I am adapting to the mask at night quite well and have the leaks under control. I started with a Dreamwear F20 and got a foam face insert for that with moderate luck- went into my sleep tech asking for a Resmed F30i and tried it and liked it but the tech had a sample from F&P- Evora full face mask which was very similar and she gave it to me and I like it a lot- much better for reading and the leaks were minimal.
The sleep Doc started me on 10-15 and when I asked for a reassessment he changed to 10-17- I noticed almost no change and my AHIs seemed to increase a bit but are coming back down. I have a message in to him to re-evaluate again but he seems to be very busy [maybe head neurologists actually have work to do] and I have not heard back.
I have been pretty positive as far as my mood goes but my muscle fatigue on some days will be crushing- cannot do anything- and the next day may be like my old self [or not] there is no way to predict, which is a crappy way to live.
I also bought a O2 ring and have been wearing that most nights but have not gotten it to import into Oscar [ my intelligence has not rebounded very well]. I will attach last night's Oscar chart and one from the O2 rings software. I had a difficult night last night could not go to sleep, normally go right to sleep and sleep very well- perhaps up once to relieve myself. Thanks for any thoughts. Gene
... Gene
