Looks like I did everything wrong. I need help

[sonicboom]

You're welcome Indeed. I made that same mistake two nights ago.

[DariaVader]

Glad you found a professional that can help - your case is not the norm... let us know how it goes, for sure!

[okrobie]

Thanks Daria, I'll keep the board informed. Best regards to all, Jim

[okrobie]

Hi All, Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. I have made considerable improvement to my leakage. I found that if I shave before I put the mask on and wipe the cushion with an alcohol wipe, I get better results. I'm meeting with the respiratory therapist this week.

Here are my latest charts:

[OpalRose]

Good job on getting the leak under control. Let us know what the RT says about the Obstructives.
Wishing you well.

[okrobie]

Thanks OpalRose. I forgot to mention that I cut my max pressure down to 12. I think the higher pressures were partly responsible for the leakage. I don't know if that is therapeutically correct, but at least the leakage is down to an acceptable level.

[Sleeprider]

Okrobie, the leak data looks greatly improved. It will be interesting to hear what the opinion is regarding the OA clusters. Most of the night you do quite well, but you have nearly predictable clusters of OA, twice per night. Figuring out whether those are associated with your sleep position, sleep stage or the therapy is going to be the key. Ordinarily, OA should respond to increased pressure, but when you were at max pressure of 18, it still looked about the same. This pattern really puzzles me, and I hope you'll continue to update your progress.

[vsheline]

Hi okrobie,

Although you have a few short Central Apneas, this is fairly normal. Nothing I would worry about.

I think you do not have Complex Sleep Apnea, and I think your AutoSet machine will likely be adequate to treat your OSA, if you can get those OAs in control.

You have primarily Obstructve Apneas and need to lower those, for sure.

I suggest raising both your Min Pressure and your Max Pressure settings, but - most importantly - OSA is usually highly positional, and sleeping flat on the back is usually the very worst position, causing higher AHI.

I suspect you are rolling onto your back while asleep and that is when the OAs are happening really frequently.

Do whatever it takes to stay off your back while asleep.

Some wear a light backpack with something light but bulky in it to keep from rolling onto the back while asleep. Others wear a tee shirt with tennis balls in a couple pockets sewn along the spine right between the shoulder blades. Others use body pillows. Others sleep in a hospital bed with raised head or in a La-Z-Boy style lounge chair. Whatever it takes...

Take care
--- Vaughn

[okrobie]

Hi Vaughn, thanks for your input. Interesting information you provide. Lately, I have been so focused on the leakage problem, I have been starting out on my back and trying to stay there. When I lay on my side, it pushes the mask on the pillow and causes a leak. I'll try your suggestion for pressure settings, but it seems that when I have higher pressures, I have higher leakage. A friend of a friend is a Respiratory Therapist and he is going to come over this week and bring a sack full of masks for me to try on. Hopefully with his expertise and the right mask, I will be able to lay on my side. Thanks again for your experience. I hope I have some good news to report soon. Regards, Jim

[Shastzi]

Hi Okirobie,

You can sleep on your side if you let your face/mask hang over the cliff, so to speak. (no side loads = no leaks. Win!)
Then look at wearing a back pack with 3 tubes of tennis balls in it, so you don't roll onto your back.
Sleeping on your side / training yourself to sleep on your side might just tip the scales in your favor and
get you closer to the magic < 5.0 AHI number.

Sounds like a pain but you're almost there.

Give yourself some credit for being persistant. That's the secret.
God will lend you the strength to get through it all.

Cheers and Good luck!

=^.^=