New Cpap user 1 week. Need any help I can get.

[Sleep2Snore]

Hi Lawrosa,  welcome to the forum.

OS (Obstructive Sleep Apnea)
Ca (Central Apnea) appear to be there quite a lot, so I think you are suffering from Sleep Apnea, without a doubt, however, I am sure the guys will get you to a better place with it here.  Your Sleep Doctor should have set the machine up a bit better than that.  4 to 20 is just handing the machine over as it came out the factory!  Total disgrace!  So once you get some more charts up the guys here will give you some advice.  I wold have it at 8 low and restrict it at 15 for now, give the machine a bit of freedom, it will not normally go above what you require anyway, as long as you don't knock the mask off or have a big leak.
Things to look out for as a new user are:
Taking off the mask during the night:  Put it straight back on again.  No one is born with a mask on their face so it is normal for some to take it off at first.
Dry mouth:  Air is escaping out of your mouth, this can happen if you pen your mouth or air tries to take the route of least resistance (instead of forcing your throat open, it leaks through your mouth, it starts iff with just a tiny bubble of air, then get to be a larger leak as your mouth dries out.  After your mouth dries it is almost impossible to stop it leaking, so keep a small bottle of water beside your bed.  If this happens get yourself a chin strap and keep it tight.  You can also get a collar to keep your mouth from dropping as well.
Sleeping position:  Sleeping on your back is not good, however, you can't do anything about it after you fall asleep and others can't sleep on their side.
Good luck with your treatment, I think you have the right frame of mind to make it work for you.
Some give up without trying.  Whatever you do, do not give up.  There is always a way or a machine that will work for you.
You are off to a good start with the machine you have.

[Sleep2Snore]

Forget what I said about the pressures, you have posted more since.

[Lawrosa]

From your charts, after you changed to variable pressure, you generally had a median pressure just over 6-cm and a maximum pressure of 10.0.  So that is the range I think you should shoot for.  With fixed pressure at 11 and EPR (exhale pressure relief) at 2, you had mostly clear airway or central events.  That suggests that the higher pressure or the EPR may have been a bit too much.  The sleep study titration (page 5 of 5) showed a few events at 8.0 cm (AHI 4.4), but really, you were pretty well treated at all pressures, and all events were gone at 9-11 cm.  You appear to be well treated with the lower pressure, and using an auto CPAP range of 6-10 looks pretty good to me.

So I set the machine to 6-11. But last night the machine started at 4. I just noticed in the settings the start pressure can be changed and this is part of the ramp.. Should I just not use ramp?

Will the pressure just start at 6?

Or should I do 5 as the start and let it ramp to 6? 4 seems low to start as seems like im suffocating...lol

Also should I leave the epr on 2? full time or ramp only?

[Sleep2Snore]

I don't use ramp, it is a preference thing, only use EPR if you need it and find it difficult to breath out against the air pressure of the machine, again this is just a comfort thing.  If you don't need them, turn them off, however if you need EPR use it if you have to, the Airsense10 builds up quite slowly anyway, so I don't think there is any need to use the ramp unless you have trouble getting to sleep, however, when it is at low some people find they feel air starved.

[Sleeprider]

Turn off ramp.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Lawrosa,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I know CPAP therapy can take some getting used to but, just stick with it, over time, it does get better.
Hang in there and good luck on your journey.

[Lawrosa]

Well I ran last night with the new pressures. Seems to work out well. Feel a bit better today...

I want to thank everyone that assisted me. I have a better understanding of how the machine works and what I am striving for..

Seems when I have less "H" events on my chart I feel better... Like I said not sure of the corrolation...

Boy set at a 6 min and when that EPR goes off what a difference. The EPR makes it so much easier to breath while falling asleep. I set it last night to ramp only.  But the unit ramped up before I fell asleep.  Previously I had it set on full time..

I guess I dont go higher then 11 is a good thing...

I assume people can get obsessed with trying to get thier AHI as low as they could..

[ajack]

I still think you would do better with a higher minimum pressure and looking at the leaks/mouth breathing. I wouldn't have less than 7 at this stage. I think having low pressure isn't the goal, it is to have enough pressure, that the AHI is managed the best. Then with auto, to have a max setting that will cover a bad night.

[Gideon]

Your numbers are VERY good.  They do not NEED adjustments, and being under 5 AHI you are considered treated.
Remember these settings because they look like a very safe place to go back to.
Any changes you make need to be small and given about a week to evaluate.  That said I would slowly raise the minimum (.4-.6, you can't do .5)  This is to see if we can further reduce the obstructive events you are having.  A VERY important question to ask is "How do you feel?"

Fred

[Walla Walla]

I agree with Bonjour. If your sleeping well and feel rested at these pressures then leave them where they are. 2.33 AHI is a good number! You do have some mouth leaks but not that bad.