'Mental' issues restricting machine use

[riteoh123]

Approx 10 years ago I did my first sleep study. Seems the study was sponsored by a machine salesmen who instantly said 'you need to use this machine' without properly reading my chart.

Then around 6 years ago, did my 2nd study.  This time with a qualified Sleep Doctor. He determined both from this study, and the previous - that I don't have apnea unless I lie on my back. And in both studies I made sure to do a combination of back and side sleeping,

My wife (and closest bed partner) however thoroughly disagrees. She says she can't count the number of times I've been lying on my side in bed, and she hears me stop breathing.. waits... then I start up.

So who is right? Can 2 sleep studies both be wrong?

So here we are 10 years later.  I put my mask on at night, and can usually get to sleep straight away.  But almost always, within an hour, I've woken up and the only way I can get back to sleep is to take my mask off, lie on my front and I'm asleep.

I'd love to be able to use my machine the whole night through. I just can't. Unfortunately my brain seems to be convinced that this is the only way to sleep, and won't let me sleep any other way.

Apart from getting up in the middle of the night when this happens, doing something boring until I'm tired again.. are there any other solutions?

[SarcasticDave94]

We'll need to see some data. Best answer is to get the free program OSCAR within the link at the top of the page. You'll need an SD card to capture and store data by being inserted into the card slot overnight. View OSCAR charts, specifically daily detail, use F12 to get a screenshot, post the file on a reply. We can help guide your therapy with this info.

[Sleeptechmaster]

Could be the machine forcing central events but like he said cant really be that sure without that data posted. If the sleep docyor said you have apnea while only on your back and your wife is saying she hears you stop breathing while on your side that could be leading to central apnea. Side sleep is usually much less obstructive than back sleep. Central apnea may be harder to dignose without an in lab study. The real way for her to know if it is central or obstructive apnea that you are having on your side would be to visually or feel if your chest and stomach are rising and falling when you are stopped breathing. If there is no movement at all then it would point towards central.

[riteoh123]

Thanks for the response. 2 graphs are attached. One from a 'bad' night, where I only had the mask on for an hour, the other for a 'good' night, where it was on a lot longer.
I believe the reason that last night was a 'good' night was down to medication.
After my first sleep study, I was told that I also had restless leg syndrome, and was prescribed Gabapentin to try, in the event that this was also disrupting my sleep.  The only prescribed dosage was to take between 300 and 900mg nightly.
I started with 900, and gradually decreased the dosage to 300mg, which I have been on for some time.  I have found that if I increase the dosage to 600mg, for a few nights I sleep longer (but am drowsier in the mornings). However the sleep effect of the increased dosage only lasts a few days. Last night was the first night in about 10 days, that I increased the dosage back up to 600mg.
Anyway.. any help or thoughts would be appreciated.

[riteoh123]

Any thoughts? Anyone?

[SarcasticDave94]

Given what I know about Philips Respironics machines, meaning they're slower than ResMed to act, and being reactionary not proactive, I'd probably set pressure up just a bit. Increase both Min and Max by 1, giving 5-9. There should also be a flex setting, trying 1 or 2 might help some. Others have reported/indicated flex 3 as not as effective.

[OpalRose]

Who advised you on your pressure settings?  Minimum of 4 is way too low.  

Nevertheless, being that you're using a Respironics machine, and known to be slower to react to apneas than a ResMed, your pressure settings are not doing you any favors.

Your overall AHI isn't bad, but you are experiencing high flow limitation.  This alone can disrupt sleep.

Please try these settings for a few days to see if you feel a difference in comfort and sleep quality:

CPAP MODE:  

Pressure set at 8cm.  
CFLEX set at 2.  (This will hopefully help lower Flow limitation and Hypopnea.

Turn ramp off.

[Narcil]

obligatory was your machine remediated?

your pressures are pretty low, you never feel starved for air? since you mention "mental issues" anxiety about therapy is usually associated with not getting enough air. do you use cflex or aflex? i woudl raise the apap pressure range to 6-10 or something like that to start with. it seems you are using some kind of pressure relief but the pressures are so low it's barely doing anything and only reducing epap by 0.2-0.4cm on average over the night. raising the min pressure will let you take advantage of pressure relief properly.

only other idea is to use cpap during the day, while watching tv or reading a book, to train your brain it's a "normal" thing.