Newbie. Not sure if I'll be using a CPAP long term

[OpalRose]

When you fall asleep the breathing rate, breathe depth, and waveform change and it uses some combination of these to start the ramp.

Hmmm, learn something new everyday. Thanks! I just read through the
ResMed manual, wasn't aware of the two ramp choices. It's hard to understand how it detects sleep.

[quiescence at last]

Hi mogulman.

Nice job!

AHI, leaks, and snores all look like they are within a reasonable range, so there is nothing that would suggest you need any adjustment. You could simply ride these settings out in hopes this trend toward higher usage rates (hrs/night) continues. Keep up the good work!

As for adjustment theory, as I see it unfolding in posts from many CPAP vets, the following is offered.

In a recent post on another thread (http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid126608 [see post 16]), I noted, as others have:

What we usually find out is our own sweet spot ends up being above the original median pressure and no more than 2 cm below our original 95% pressure.

If I routinely had nights like your recent one (https://h8kaig.dm2302.livefilestore.com/...jpg?psid=1) I would seek to (over time) move my minimum pressure above 10.58 using Median value, and above 10.38 using the 95% value. For my machine, that would put me at 11.0 cmH2O so my range would be 11.0-16.0.

Most of our posters also indicate that the ramp feature should be gradually phased out once you are acclimated to the machine. I believe you would benefit if you eventually reduced or eliminated the ramp. I leave my ramp on, but have it start just 1 to 2 cmH2O below my start pressure.

If I had your current chart to base it on, I would set my ramp start at 8 cm. When I change my minimum treatment pressure to 10 (next week) I will also change my ramp to 9. Since I am trying to adjust my start pressure eventually to 11, I'll shift my ramp start as well to 10. If I stop feeling uncomfortable with the ramp start pressure, or I just get tired of changing it, I might just turn it off.

Anyway, none of the above is something you need to do now, as your readings seem fine. Just relax and get those huge chunks of sleep on a more consistent basis.

QAL

[mogulman]

So for the last 7-10 days I'm actually getting more used to the machine. I seem to be getting 7-8 hours most of the nights. I had a few nights where I was drinking on the weekend where I only got around 4 hours.

I guess the question is.... I still feel more tired after using the CPAP then before I used it. I never had symptoms prior to using the CPAP. Felt rested, never sleepy during the day. Now with the CPAP, I feel more tired during the day. Last summer I would exercise a lot. This summer, I've been more tired. Haven't felt like exercising. This has caused me to gain some weight.

[PoolQ]

There could be several things going on.
I have been on CPAP for going on 2 months now and I seem to be finally getting comfortable with it, but this has not lasted long enough for me to trust that it will last yet

You just might need more time.

I have found that the comfort settings are very important to me and in the process of getting those right, I found that I had to go back and readjust a couple of them. For me some of them interacted with each other. You may also have made a small change in the right direction and now need to see if taking it farther will be better. I have a dry tank and temperature set at 63.

How are you doing exhaling into pressure? There is an EPR setting in the clinicians menu to change this. It will reduce pressure by up to 3 CM when you exhale. I think the default is 2. This was and still is a big issue for me. Talking to the Doc about a BiPAP this Tuesday.

I think your numbers are doing great and you have stopped the damage train. Dropping from 70 is HUGE!

It's now time for some more finish work to get your whole system tuned up.

[mogulman]

So I was pretty frustrated and almost ready to give up completely and return the CPAP. I was sleeping pretty well without it for a week. Went to see my regular Dr. (Not Pulmonologist who prescribed the CPAP). I mentioned that I didn't trust my original sleep study. I wanted to get another one at home sleeping normally for me. He said that would be pretty expensive because insurance probably wouldn't cover it. He suggested trying my CPAP machine at lower pressures to see if I could just get readings from the CPAP with little to no pressure.

I tried one night at 4-7 range. Had an AHI of 2.

Then I tried at 4 on CPAP mode. Also had an AHI of around 2, but woke once or twice because I felt like my breathing was restricted.

Strange stuff...

So I'm kind of on the fence. Maybe I'll try fixed CPAP mode of 6, 7 or 8 or something. See how that works. Getting closer to returning this though. Still not sure if its really doing anything useful for me, or if that original sleepstudy was a sham.