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New CPAP user
#11
RE: New CPAP user
Sixth night on CPAP.  I slept for 5.5 hours.  I am still tired but able to sleep longer each night with the CPAP.  One side of my nostril is sore and I have been using lanolin on it.  My right lung is sore when I take a deep breath.  

The CAs occurred during REM sleep according to my Fitbit.  That is when I had CAs during my sleep study.
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#12
RE: New CPAP user
Your numbers look good. I wouldn't worry about the CA events because there is so few of them. In the future if you could set up your chart like the instructions in the link below it would help a bunch! Thanks.
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Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.

Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.



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#13
RE: New CPAP user
(04-14-2018, 10:10 AM)mountainbird Wrote: Sixth night on CPAP.  I slept for 5.5 hours.  I am still tired but able to sleep longer each night with the CPAP.  One side of my nostril is sore and I have been using lanolin on it.  My right lung is sore when I take a deep breath.  

The CAs occurred during REM sleep according to my Fitbit.  That is when I had CAs during my sleep study.

The results are fine, and there is nothing you can do about the central apneas. They are what they are. If you want to put some tolerance and longer term stability into the setup, I would switch to the Auto mode and set the minimum at 5 cm, and max at 8 cm. It may sit at 5 cm night after night, but if you put the auto mode into control, it at least will adjust when you need it. Remember that just because you set the maximum pressure at 8 cm, it will not necessarily go there. It will only go there if it needs to.
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#14
RE: New CPAP user
(04-14-2018, 10:10 AM)mountainbird Wrote: My right lung is sore when I take a deep breath.  

I recall you mentioned that before. With your current setup in fixed pressure CPAP mode the pressure runs at 4 cm all night. You have your Expiry Pressure Relief set at 2 cm. It normally helps to ease breathing out, but the machine will not allow the pressure to drop below 4 cm, so it is doing nothing for you. It can't. If you want the machine to help you with breathing effort, it would be better to set the minimum pressure at 7 cm and the EPR at 3 cm. That way the inhale pressure will be boosted to 7 cm and will help you when you take a deep breath. But, as soon as you start to exhale the EPR will reduce the pressure to the same 4 cm that it is at now. 

If you stay in manual fixed pressure mode that will mean inhale pressure will be 7 cm all night, and exhale pressure will be 4 cm all night. Alternately you could go to auto mode and put a maximum pressure of 8 cm in. Most likely the machine based on your posted results will never go to 8 cm, but it could if it was necessary. Either way would work, and would be equally comfortable -- and likely more comfortable than where you are now with a straight fixed 4 cm.
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#15
RE: New CPAP user
Welcome to the forum.  It is really wonderful.

This is specifically about your mask(s).  Your machine has a mask test.  Use it!  For me the mask straps are just barely snug, but you should use the test.  The idea is no leaks while on your back or sides.  You start with the straps loose and then tighten them only enough to eliminate the leaks.  In general I find the top straps (where there are four) are relatively loose and the bottom ones are tighter.  The test is set at 24 liters per minute and the neat thing about the test is that it automatically uses the highest pressure you have the machine set to.

I am not a doctor and these are my opinions only!
--

Larry
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#16
RE: New CPAP user
(04-14-2018, 02:46 PM)LarryRapp Wrote: I am not a doctor and these are my opinions only!

I'm disappointed. I though you were a Famous rap singer. Doctor Rapp!   Laugh-a-lot
Download SleepyHead
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Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.

Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.



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#17
RE: New CPAP user
Sorry, Walla Walla, not me!
--

Larry
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#18
RE: New CPAP user
(04-14-2018, 03:02 PM)Walla Walla Wrote:
(04-14-2018, 02:46 PM)LarryRapp Wrote: I am not a doctor and these are my opinions only!

I'm disappointed. I though you were a Famous rap singer. Doctor Rapp!   Laugh-a-lot

Wrapper may be the guy at McDonald's that packages the burgers.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#19
RE: New CPAP user
My sleep pulmonologist wants me to continue using CPAP at 4cm cpap mode until I can easily sleep with the machine.  Its day 10 and I am still having difficulty going to sleep, waking up and having a hard time getting back to sleep.  Tonight I am going to change the settings to 4-7 apap with 3 epr.   

My diagnosis is OSA but I think hypoventilation is the real problem.  I have not had any OAs, very few Hs and CAs and my AHI has always been way under 1/hour. The one CA I had last night was when I was waking up.   I don't snore and my snore score has been zero.  I am a very quiet sleeper and when I share rooms with friends at meetings, they say they can't even hear me breathing when I am asleep.  

I've attached two sleepyhead screen shots.  The leaks around 2 am occurred when I was in REM sleep (Fitbit).  I fell asleep around 10:30.  I was awake trying to go back to sleep in the last segment on sleepyhead.  

My pulse oximeter readings had me below 88% for 4.5 min which is much better than the previous night's 44 minutes.  

My tidal volume and minute ventilation look low when I am asleep.  

I am overweight but not obese.  I have asthma and take Singulair and Advair.  I don't drink alcohol or use antihistamines at night or take sleeping pills or any other respiratory depressants. 

I am beginning to think I have hypoventilation syndrome and not OSA.  I don't think the cpap will effectively treat this.  

Any advice?  

Thanks.


Attached Files
.pdf   April 17 cpap 4.pdf (Size: 349.86 KB / Downloads: 53)
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#20
RE: New CPAP user
Well your making the right changes if you feel your not getting enough air. You should know after the first night if it helps. If it turns out to be the problem you'll probably be moving up to a BPAP machine.
Download SleepyHead
Organize your Sleepyhead Charts
Posting Charts
Beginner's Guide to SleepyHead
Mask Primer
5
Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.

Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.



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