Newbie looking for a clue

[Big Guy]

I actually saw a previous poster(different forum I believe) which had the same issue as me and she basically got mocked and made fun of to the point where she stopped responding?? That's partially why I was reluctant to even bring this up.

Mike, at this forum, you won't see people mocking anyone for anything.  It's important that you feel comfortable asking your questions here, and I hope you'll continue to do so.

Well said and very true! This forum and it's members are all about being helpful and supportive. We're all chasing the same solution to a common problem.

[mike291068]

my latest. I felt like I slept reasonably well aside from waking from a dream kicking my legs like I was swimming and scaring the crap out of my dog. The CA's seem to be much higher than I've had in the past and my AHI was not good at all. Any insights as to what might be going on? I see sleep doc tomorrow which I am looking forward to

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forgot to add

[WillSleep]

my latest. I felt like I slept reasonably well aside from waking from a dream kicking my legs like I was swimming and scaring the crap out of my dog.

Until you have kicked a Rottweiler all the way off the bed while your still more than half asleep you haven't even gotten warmed up.  Set your goals high!  

There is no way I am going to say who this was, because it would be stupid to mess with a woman who kicks Rottweilers all the way off the bed while she is sleeping!  She has gotta be tough.

The guy here who I see as the go-to person when our legs are enjoying unscheduled nightime dance parties is Mper.  Might search his posts for 2-3 big threads on legs moving at night.  http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/User-mper6794

The CA's seem to be much higher than I've had in the past and my AHI was not good at all. Any insights as to what might be going on? I see sleep doc tomorrow which I am looking forward to.

You have been getting great coaching so don't let this conflict any with early inputs or good learnings.  My quick input on the CAs is  ...  for folks using Autoset who see a number of CAs almost always the immediate coaching response is to lower EPR down to 2 or 1 and see if you are happy with the changes.  

WillSleep

[mike291068]

Hi all - haven't posted in a while. I am progressing nicely and sleeping better and better. I've attached my last 3 nights. Last night I stayed asleep(or at least don't remember waking up) for almost 4-5 hours(between 1AM - 6AM) which is unheard of for me! and I'm excited about that. So safe to say many of the CA's are not false positives? My current plan is to slowly increase the pressure, I am currently at 7.2 and plan on going up but I have had aerophagia issues so am treading lightly. Just curious if anyone has input/suggestions as to what's going on? Thanks! 

[Sleeprider]

I think instead of increasing pressure, try reducing EPR from 3 to 2. That may reduce the CA and still provide enough relief for your aerophagia. Results are looking pretty good, and if you are not having as much discomfort, that is a good thing.

[mike291068]

Excellent Sleeprider! I hadn't considered that. 

[Dormeo]

Mike, just a note to say I'm delighted to read how far you've come!

[mike291068]

I'm pretty psyched! I lowered the EPR from 3 to 2(at the suggestion of sleeprider) and also raised min pressure from 7.2 to 7.4. CA's do not appear to be effected but only 1 OSA!! First time ever. The aerophagia is minor and tolerable. I'm wondering if I should get greedy and try lowering EPR to 1 or just stay put. I have been wearing my mask very tight which I think is helping the numbers but suboptimal for comfort. I feel good but still feel like there's room for improvement. Thanks again.

[Osiris357]

Mike291068 I was googling aerophagia to see if I was starting to get it and came across this which you might be interested in. I copy and pasted it from the article........Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the mainstay treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), involves administration of air under pressure to the upper airway via a nose or facemask. CPAP provides a pneumatic splint for the upper airway preventing narrowing or collapse of the airway lumen during sleep. 1

A well-recognized but poorly understood side effect of CPAP is ingestion of air into the esophagus and stomach, known as aerophagia. The consequences of aerophagia include diminished efficiency of the respiratory muscles, reduced cardiac output, uncomfortable distension of the stomach from gastric insufflation, and the potential for regurgitation and aspiration of stomach contents. 2, 3, 4 Symptoms resulting from aerophagia include bloating, belching, decreased appetite, diarrhea, flatulence, and stomach noise.

During sleep, relaxation of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) increases susceptibility to passage of pressurized air through it and into the esophagus.5 Once in the esophagus, air can enter the stomach via two main mechanisms. Firstly, esophageal distension causes reflex relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the main barrier between the stomach and the esophagus.6,7 Secondly, esophageal distension activates the esophago-upper esophageal sphincter contractile reflex (EUCR/2P).8,9 This reflex results in increased UES pressure, presumably to protect the airways from refluxed material within the esophagus. However this increased UES pressure also acts to prevent air escaping into the pharynx, in which circumstance secondary peristalsis will propel the air down the esophagus, through the relaxed sphincter and into the stomach.

[Dormeo]

Because centrals are so variable, I'd say stick with your current settings for around 4 to 7 days, unless something weird seems to be happening. But others with more expertise may want to give you different advice.

Could you double-check the name of your mask and update your profile information? I just realized I'm not sure what kind of mask you have. Generally people tend to err on the side of over-tightening, especially with masks that attain their best seal when they inflate. It might be worth looking at mask-fitting videos for your kind of mask. It'd be great if you could have it fit more comfortably.