I Think Im Doing This All Wrong

[DudleyDoRight]

           
AirCurve 10 VAuto
Resmed Airfit F30


This is my second night.  1st night a disaster. Last night not bad, though my mouth still feels like I'm a Labrador that rode with his head out the window for 8 hours.

Ive attached my Oscar screen shot.   A few questions.

1) When we post Oscar data  What data points / charts should we included?

2) What does this setting mean Auto-BIPAP set 25/6 PS 4 cm H2O (from my study and Rx). I actually think my settings are way wrong
     7/10/3
(My Dr / Company supplier is not helpful because I did not purchase from them. My regular Dr. cant get me in until the 8th. So I'm winging
    this.)

3) My mouth is very dry in the Am and feels almost numb.  I have the Humidifier on set to 4 and filled to max water its almost out of water in the am (16/th to 8/th left in reservoir ). My breath...could kill a water buffalo!

4) I feel the mask is often leaking a bit during the night. The night started fine.  but it feels like there's always a little blow buy using the Airfit F30.  I like the way the nose part works when it does not leak. Dont think I can not use FFM as I often breath through mouth.

Thank in advance for the help and suggestion. This is a wonder forum and greatly appreciate everyone here that is so helpfull.

Zack

[OpalRose]

The first thing that needs fixed is the leaks!  They are way too high.  The gray shaded area on your graph represents leaks, which looks like most of the night!  

Read the Mask Primer and take note of this article:  https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph..._Jeffy1958

You also have some "Positional Apnea" that needs correcting.  Note the clumps of Obstructives on your graph... this is usually from sleeping in a way that allows your head to tilt forward into your chest and thus cuts off your air, kind of like a kink in a hose.

https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...onal_Apnea

I'm going to give you some pressure settings to try, but understand that it may not help until you get your leaks and "positional apnea" under control.

Set EPAP to 9 (This will help keep your airway open and control Obstructives.)
Set PS to 4
Set IPAP to 18.

Let us know what your Trigger setting is, we may need to move it to High, but hold off on that for now.

[joeblough]

apparently it's OK to use a non-FFM and also tape your mouth (or use a chin strap). i've got conflicting advice on that - doctors have told me it's not safe to tape, but sleep techs have told me to go ahead and do it when using a nasal mask or nasal pillows. just from reading reddit and other forums (including this one) it does seem that taping is widespread and works for people, and there are a lot of products out there designed for this purpose.

of course, if you ever vomit or otherwise cough something up that you then aspirate because of the tape, you're in serious trouble. i think this is why doctors prefer people to use chin straps, because in the limit you could die with your mouth taped up.

i think if you take care of the leaks as opalrose has said, your mouth will not feel so dry anymore. i use a hybrid mask as well and definitely breathe thru my mouth, but with the humidifier turned on i wake up feeling ok dryness-wise.

[Deborah K.]

Yes, a person can use a mask other than full-face and have great results.  I started with a full face mask and did okay, but after reading a lot, I decided to try a nasal mask, then later Bleep, both with mouth tape.  I have great results.  I'm no doctor but I don't think taping is dangerous.  I can cough with my mouth closed, and did it through two bouts of Covid.  I think that if one had to vomit, their body would wake them up, and then they could remove the tape.  I have no worries about my taping.

[DudleyDoRight]

   
Had quite a few masks issues in the night.  Still going to try this mask to see if I can get to work better before moving on to something different.

read the mask primer and Found Oscar Chart Layout order somewhere on this form.

Still not exactly sure what this means would like to know better Auto-BIPAP set 25/6 PS 4 cm H2O.

adding last nights sleep charts getting better

[Dormeo]

Here's what 25/6 PS 4 cm H2O means.

IPAP is the pressure when you inhale; EPAP is the pressure when you exhale. PS is pressure support; it's the pressure that gets added to your EPAP with each inhalation. The lowest pressure your machine can generate is 4; the highest is 25.

So 25/6 PS 4 cm H2O says you maximum IPAP is 25, your minimum EPAP is 6, and your PS is 4. So at the lowest pressures for these settings, you'd have a pressure of 6 when you exhale and a pressure of 10 when you inhale. At the highest settings, you'd have a pressure of 21 when you exhale and and a pressure 25 when you inhale.

Do you breathe through your mouth during the day?

Those leaks are very high. The gray areas are for "large leaks;" those are leaks that are so great they impair the machine's ability to deliver the desired pressures. When you're in LL territory, it also becomes difficult for the machine to tell what kind of breathing events you're having. That's why a fair number of your events are "UA" -- meaning unknown apnea.

Try watching a video or two about fitting the mask you have. You may have the straps too tight or too loose. Also work on adjusting the straps while you're lying down in your favorite sleep positions -- not while you're sitting up.

Those efforts might solve your leak problem. If they don't, you might try one or more of the products made for you mask by vendor #31 (see supplier list link above). And if *that* doesn't help, you may need a different mask that will work better with your facial contours and your sleep habits.

[OpalRose]

Which full face mask are you using?   This mask apparently doesn't fit your face as your leaks are way too much!  

Did you read through the links I gave you?

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer

https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph..._Jeffy1958

[DudleyDoRight]

Dormeo - Thanks for that clarification. I breath a mixed bag between nose and mouth. Some days the allergies are bad and the nose is plugged. At night I do breath through the mouth a lot but I think its because my mouth falls open. Ordered a chin strap and doing these exercises of pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth that is said to help with training the mouth to stay closed. MY concern with chin strap is using that with a face mask will the head gear slip?

OpalRose- I have reviewed those they were very help full thank you.
for masks as was using a resmed F30 for the first few days. I like the way that fits but does leak around the nose. I did do their Sizing guide.
Last night I switched and used a resmed Airfit F20. My leaks were less but still significant. I really dislike the way this feels. Feels like I have alien face hugger on my face.
I noticed my head on my pillow tilts forward a bit ( its a thin pillow) but when I forced my head to tilt back it sealed better. So looking at pillow options.
I have on order a Phillips Respironics Dream Wear full face mask with sizing kit. which comes in today.

I think I may go to using a chin strap and some form of nasal mask.

[DudleyDoRight]

   
So here's my chart from last night.  I can still see where there were lots of air leaks. 60% of my sleep cycle.  I would wake up and adjust my head position or the straps to help it seal.

On the positive-  The AHI was down to 2.24 with only 4 min of apnea. so getting better.

Oh you asked about my trigger Setting its set to medium.

Thanks again for the help and information its a new slog for me.  Learning all I can so I can help others later on.

Zack

[Dormeo]

A chin strap may do the trick. If it doesn't, you might consider supporting your jaw from below by wearing a soft cervical collar. Before you bought one, you'd want to read this article from the wiki:

https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...cal_Collar