New BiPAP user! (UARS). Need serious help please! Data included, much appreciated

[CentralApneaUser909]

I think I will keep PS of 4.8, but change EPAP to 9 and IPAP to 14.

[CentralApneaUser909]

Ok, so I decided to sleep with EPAP 9.6 and IPAP 14 last night, giving me a pressure support of 4.4. Had it in S mode. I had some centrals, but significantly less. My AHI was only 2 yesterday.

Fell asleep around 5.45am and woke up around 10.15am, then took off the mask because it felt a bit moist around the nose area (which made my nose hurt) and fell asleep for another 6 hours without the mask. I've had the pillows for a few days now and I regret not daily cleaning.

Anyway, going by how I felt anecdotally, I felt quite alert when I woke up and actually good. Didn't have any vivid dreams (unlike the first day on BiPAP last week). I still woke up a few times within that 4.5 hour period to toss and turn. 

I've attached the summary below, with two screencaps of what appears to be some weird waveforms. Not sure whether that's because my nostril was blocked (blocked nose kept changing nostrils), whether I was changing positions or genuine flow limitations:

[CentralApneaUser909]

Additionally, here are two instances where my breathing looked quite promising/good (attached below):

Anyway, I'm not sure what to do from here. Ideally, I want it to be the case that I'm not tossing and turning/waking up during the night, which for me means I need to get rid of FLs and RERAs. I'm not sure what settings would help achieve this.  One year ago, I was only waking up once or twice a night. How do I get back to that point again?

I think my very first night with BiPAP at EPAP 6 and IPAP 9 had less awakenings and more vivid dreams, but that's only one data point. Last night also felt sort of good in spite of the awakenings. I'm not sure where vivid dreams are relevant or not.

[Sleeprider]

At this point further refinement is based on trial and error with minor changes and how you feel. Hopefully you keep a journal you can refer to to help you make these decisions.

[CentralApneaUser909]

At this point further refinement is based on trial and error with minor changes and how you feel. Hopefully you keep a journal you can refer to to help you make these decisions.

I think I'll keep the current settings for now... gives me low centrals

I am getting a little bit hopeless though, given its only been a week. Are there many BiPAP success stories with UARS here?

[slowriter]

At this point further refinement is based on trial and error with minor changes and how you feel. Hopefully you keep a journal you can refer to to help you make these decisions.

I agree with sleeprider's point here, and also his suggestion you may have gotten the wrong machine here. Possible to keep a lookout for a used vauto?

But I'd add that it took me months to really adapt to PAP therapy, in the sense of now almost always sleeping through the night. You might just have to be patient.

And given how many variables can impacts health in general, and sleep in particular, if you journal as SR suggests above, consider issues beyond the machine settings: mask comfort and leaks, diet, exercise, the impact a once-in-a-century pandemic on mental and physical health, etc.

[CentralApneaUser909]

So I've been on a week of ipap 9 and epap 6, besides yesterday which was ipap 10 and epap 6.

Same thing really. Constant wake ups and tired eyes. Sleeping about 10.5 hours. But ONE of the nights with ipap 9 and epap 6, I woke up without the tired eyes. I woke up throughout the night. But I forced myself to go back to sleep.

I don't understand what was different about that night. I didn't do anything particularly different that night. I still had arousal. Yet I woke up feeling less tired eyed.

Its given me hope, but also confusion.

Should I try going back to back sleeping? I used to br a back sleeper but became a side one. Seems like I'm always tossing and turning throughout the night. I can't really stay on one side for that long.

[Sleeprider]

You never heard from me to stay off your back. Make yourself comfortable.

[CentralApneaUser909]

You never heard from me to stay off your back. Make yourself comfortable.

Nah I didn't hear it from you. I just read on other places that side sleeping lowers AHI. Thing is, I can never stay on my side for that long before changing