Newbe with Chipmunk Cheeks

[Sandyelle]

I'm a newbe.  I have a Airsense 10 Auto set with a an Airfit F20 full face mask. 
Not sure what I am talking about as this is all Greek to me.
I did an at home sleep test with results of 5.7.   I have a history of Afib.   
 
Setting 5 to 20. 
I turned Ramp off.  
Per complaince report from DME: 
EPR:  Fulltime
EPR level 2
Median pressue 11.4 Max  19.9 
Leaks Median 1. 
AI 10.2 HI.7 AHI 10.9 
Central 5.2  Obstructive 4.8.
My problem is that I have chipmunk cheeks several times a night.  I wake up in a wind tunnel with 
my mouth is wide.  I feel like I am goinng to explode.  
My AHI has increase each night with the machine.  

Today, I called my Dr's office.  Suggestion was to get a chin strap per the person that I spoke with.. He said that 
having my mouth open was making the pressure increase to the max of 20.   Is this correct when using a full face mask?  

When I picked up the chin strap,  I dicussed my issues with the RPT.  He said that pressure was going up to 18-20
as I needed that much pressure and had nothing to do with my open mouth, but thought the chin strap might make
me more comfortable.  He said the increase in pressure was not due to leaks.  

He wanted me to try to chin strap prior to reducing the pressure. 

I am reaching out to the more experienced experts.  I'm making myself crazy with "google"  

Suggestions.....

I have Sleepyhead but have not figured out how to post the pictures.

[HalfAsleep]

I'm a newbe.  I have a Airsense 10 Auto set with a an Airfit F20 full face mask. 
Not sure what I am talking about as this is all Greek to me.
I did an at home sleep test with results of 5.7.   I have a history of Afib.   
 
Setting 5 to 20. 
I turned Ramp off.  
Per complaince report from DME: 
EPR:  Fulltime
EPR level 2
Median pressue 11.4 Max  19.9 
Leaks Median 1. 
AI 10.2 HI.7 AHI 10.9 
Central 5.2  Obstructive 4.8.
My problem is that I have chipmunk cheeks several times a night.  I wake up in a wind tunnel with 
my mouth is wide.  I feel like I am goinng to explode.  
My AHI has increase each night with the machine.  

Today, I called my Dr's office.  Suggestion was to get a chin strap per the person that I spoke with.. He said that 
having my mouth open was making the pressure increase to the max of 20.   Is this correct when using a full face mask?  

When I picked up the chin strap,  I dicussed my issues with the RPT.  He said that pressure was going up to 18-20
as I needed that much pressure and had nothing to do with my open mouth, but thought the chin strap might make
me more comfortable.  He said the increase in pressure was not due to leaks.  

He wanted me to try to chin strap prior to reducing the pressure. 

I am reaching out to the more experienced experts.  I'm making myself crazy with "google"  

Suggestions.....

I have Sleepyhead but have not figured out how to post the pictures.

The chipmunk cheeks sound, oh, so familiar! Do you sometimes get them just on one side too?   On me, they're a prelude to a mouth leak, since where else is all that air going to go? But that my be more attractive than swallowing it all? Whoosh, and then I sound like a cyclone!

PS I'm a newbie too: can't help with the numbers, but I have boatloads of fellow feeling.

[OpalRose]

I have Sleepyhead but have not figured out how to post the pictures.

Hi Sandyelle,
It would be great if we could see the daily page from #SleepyHead.

Follow the tutorials in my signature line.  This will show you how to take a screenshot, organize the graphs, and then use imgur to post here.

Since you are new, post the link from imgur and leave a space in it.  Type http as h ttp

We can figure it out from there.

[Sandyelle]

https://imgur.com/5nv83yd
https://imgur.com/r4wLw1C
https://imgur.com/WJ45u9f

Hope this works

[Walla Walla]

You need to turn on your event flags at the bottom of the page. But without seeing the events I'm guessing your having clusters of event's where the pressure increases to the max. A lot of people here use soft cervical collars to keep their chins from dropping down and cutting off their airway. You might want to try picking one up at the local drug store.

[OpalRose]

Agree, turn on the Event Flags.  Bottom left of daily page.  Use drop down box and select so they show up in the event graph.

Before reposting, these are the graphs we would want to see:
Events, Flow Limitations, Pressure (not mask pressure), Leak rate and Snores.
Also, all the stats on the left side.

[Sandyelle]

h ttps://imgur.com/WJ45u9f
h ttps://imgur.com/r4wLw1C
h ttps://imgur.com/5nv83yd

[OpalRose]

The events flags are still off.

Bottom left of page, right under last graph. There is a drop down box. Click on the arrow and change the box from red/black to green/black. Do this for each event.

[Sandyelle]

Last Night.  

https://imgur.com/gVok8FS

---

Prior nights.  

https://imgur.com/L4HdK1d
https://imgur.com/QKnOoMM

I hope this is correct.  thanks again for the help.

[OpalRose]

Good job on the graphs.  I fixed your links since you transioned to member status.

Your pressure needs do seem high, and a minimum pressure of 5 is too low.  That needs to be closer to your median pressure.  My recommendation is to raise is to 10 and lower max pressure to 18.

If you are able to tolerate the pressure without EPR, I would turn it down to 1 and possibly to off.  This may help with the Clear Airway events.

I think the pressure is being driven by some flow limation.  It wouldn’t hurt to try a chin strap to help with mouth breathing, but more folk have better results with a “soft” cervical collar.  Measure your neck circumference and add 2 inches, and measure the height too.  You can find a variety of sizes on Amazon.  You want it to be loose enough so you can easily move and not be constricting.

Hang in there, others will be along to advise.