Newbie to group

[melikou1]

Hello,

Another newbie. Began having having a few symptoms of sleep apnea, but my lovely wife of 37 years swears she never heard me stop breathing, nor would I wake up gasping for air. So I really never thought I could have sleep apnea. I attributed my getting up more frequently in the night to go to the bathroom to knowing that I have a constricted bladder neck. But 6 weeks ago I had rotator cuff surgery and bicep tenodesis, and received a nice extra piece of paper in my discharge packet telling me I have presumptive sleep apnea.

So, did the home study and my AHI was 38. I'm now wondering if my wife was looking forward to the life insurance...lol.

I just got my Dreamstation AutoCPAP with heated humidifier two days ago. Because I'm a horrible mouth-breather (deviated septum, seasonal allergies), had to go full face mask, and got the ResMed AirTouch F20. 

Auto setting 4 to 20 with 30 minute ramp. Have now used 4 days, with two nights of AHI of around 17 and two nights around 25. Big culprit in figures are Clear Airway Apneas, which I think may be due to very high leakage. Oh, forgot to mention, I have a short goatee. So going to try some of my beard balm to see if that helps seal. Still waking up too much through night, but the recovery from rotator cuff surgery is also figuring into that piece.

Looking forward to progressing and learning much more about how to make this work as well as possible.

[Walla Walla]

Welcome to Apnea Board. Feel free to download Sleepyhead on the link below. Also you can pick up a clinic manual in the members private files section.

Good luck with the new machine.

[melikou1]

Thanks very much...already picked up SleepyHead, and just sent the request for the machine manual.

Great resource!

[mesenteria]

Welcome to the Board.  It will take some time to get yourself 'dialed-in' to satisfactory therapy, so don't feel overly concerned just yet...or overwhelmed.  The good folks here will take a look at your run of data when you can provide it...in the form they would like to see it...and then you'll begin a process of refining the therapy.  It'll work, but perhaps not in the form you are using currently.  You may need a different machine, but it's much too early to say just now.

Good luck.  Keep an open mind....it'll really help.

[OpalRose]

Hi melikou1,
Welcome to Apnea Board!

Since you already have #SleepyHead installed, follow the directions below in my signature line to organize a daily chart from SleepyHead and post results here.

Your profile states you are using a pressure range of 4-20.  A minimum pressure of 4 may be too low.  Most folk feel somewhat air starved at that setting.  

Since you stated that most of your events are Clear Airways, we would need to see some data before advising.  But for now, just for comfort, raise your minimum pressure to 6cm.

[SarcasticDave94]

Welcome to Apnea Board. All the right beginner steps have been mentioned. I've volunteered to see how it goes while on a well earned coffee break.

Best wishes in a very near future success. The mask choice is excellent so obviously a focus on fiddling the straps to get the right fit is a key factor. If that falls flat, maybe a different sized cushion could be the solution. Also, the AirFit silicone F20 cushions pop right into the same frame giving yet another option to nail down the mask.

[gwc2795]

post a sleepyhead chart for more help

[snorybob]

Hi melikou 1 !

Post charts, practice the good advices , be really positive (some night ain't that easy) be patient and you'll succeed.

It worked for a lot of us and it's really worth it . Good luck in your therapy !


                  snorybob.