Newbie with Questions! LOTS OF QUESTIONS!

[sleepyandsad]

Hi there - I'm new to CPAP and this forum. I'm on my 3rd night with the AirSense 10 CPAP and I've just downloaded the sleepyhead software. I have no idea how to use it bc the provider that supplied my CPAP machine only showed me the data card and said I was to mail to them 1x a month? I had no idea that I could actually monitor myself. Is that normal? Furthermore it says my machine can transmit wirelessly and has cellular bars. Any idea how I can set that up? So the past 3 nights I've had "Events per hour" around 3. Since my original sleep study showed just 9 events per hour, I'm assuming I'm not doing so well. My pressure goes up to anywhere between 10-14 per my sleep info on the machine in the am and I've adjusted my starting pressure up from 4 to 6.2. I am a slim 45 year old mom of 2 with hypertension that is becoming harder and harder to control through medication. My dystolic number in particular so my dr. recommended that I treat the Apnea - on medication, my blood pressure ranges from 120-140 on top but typically in the 120's (not bad) and bottom 80-100 but typically in the low 90's (this is the number I want to get down) - Although my sleep study showed just 9 apneas per hour, I'm sure they are Very hard on me cardiac wise because I wake up over and over GASPING for air. Anyone with a similar story and success???

[sleepyandsad]

I guess the thing I'm mostly looking for answers to is why is my AHI still so high? When My machine is auto regulating all the way up to 10-14 (and its set to go to 20 if needle) What else can I do to get my events per hour down?

[truetopath]

Definitely sit back and relax a bit. Your diastolic number of 80-100 isn't horrible. Mine was 100-110 before getting treated, with systolic numbers in the 150-180 range. Are you finding your having a lot of mask leaks? Also, an AHI of 3 isn't horrible, but can always be better. It takes time to adjust to cpap and everyone's body reacts differently. Best of luck on your journey, and just try to not add stress over apnea treatment because that can cause your BP to elevate as well.

[PaytonA]

I guess the thing I'm mostly looking for answers to is why is my AHI still so high? When My machine is auto regulating all the way up to 10-14 (and its set to go to 20 if needle) What else can I do to get my events per hour down?

An AHI of 5 or less is considered successfully treated. Your machine will go up to 20 if needed but with the max pressure set to 15, it will not. You would have to set the max pressure to 20.

Few people actually get the best result right away. Without data, trying to help you is like taking a shot in the dark. I would suggest that you go with what you have for a little while longer and during that time download a copy of Rescan and set it up on your computer so that you can look at the data. In the meantime, it would help to know what the machine reports is the make-up of your AHI - CAI, OAI, HI and also your RERA index. Your leak rate from the machine would also be informative.

Your machine automatically regulates the pressure but sometimes it gets a little behind what is going on with your body. Much of this can be adjusted out but it takes finding the norm for where you are and then adjusting one thing at a time in small steps until you find what we call "the sweet spot". Relax, it is an interesting journey.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[justMongo]

sleepyandsad: I think you are overly concerned about your sleep apnea and BP.
I'm not saying you should ignore it; just know that it can be managed by your doctor(s).
Target goals for BP control were 140/90. I think they have lowered that in recent years.
Yeah, being over 90 diastolic calls for treatment.
There are over 5 classes of BP meds: Alpha Blockers, Beta Blocker, Calcium Channel Blockers, Ace Inhibitors, Diuretics, et cetera.
People respond differently to the classes of meds. For some, CCBs are the heavy hitter. Some people require a combination to achieve control.
May I recommend, at 45 years old, that you have a cardiac workup by a cardiologist.
Purpose:
1) Look for conditions that might point to a cause for HTN. (most HTN is idiopathic [they don't know the cause].)
2) Assess cardiac changes from HTN.
3) Establish a baseline to compare to as you get older.

[OpalRose]

sleepyandsad,
Agree with PaytonA.
It will be hard to advise you without looking at data. Download SleepyHead and determine where your pressure is at 90% of the time.
Just by what you are saying here in your posts, if you are seeing pressure going almost to your max setting, then maby your starting pressure is too low. If it were me, I would raise it to 7.5 or 8.

I know your are concerned about high blood pressure, but that takes time to settle down. Once you get your pressure set where it should be, you will have less apnea events, and BP should come down. If not, then let your Doctor know.

[sleepyandsad]

Hi - I actually do know quite a bit about blood pressure and medications. I've been dealing with this for 7 years now (since the birth of my youngest) - I do have a cardiologist and my workup is perfectly fine - I've done every test under the moon to be sure. I've also been on every different class of blood pressure medication out there,basically - Beta Blockers, Calcium Channel blockers, Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, etc. I even took Oral Minoxidil for a time -

The problem now is that my pressures are much harder to control than they used to be (diastolic) and my cardiologist suggested I look into hormone issues (working with endocrinologist on that) and my GP wanted me to finally treat the Apnea (I've known I've had Apnea for about 10 years now) - Because my bottom number is the most stubborn, my GP thought treating the apnea may help - My GP thinks I'm a stroke waiting to happen So i want to get this apnea thing taken care of - see what my BP looks like then and if it doesnt improve, move on to the next possibility - I'm very thin, exercise daily and don't eat much in the way of salt - so thyroid and apnea are avenues I'm pursuing now. Thanks for your input!

[justMongo]

Hi - I actually do know quite a bit about blood pressure and medications. I've been dealing with this for 7 years now (since the birth of my youngest) - I do have a cardiologist and my workup is perfectly fine - I've done every test under the moon to be sure. I've also been on every different class of blood pressure medication out there,basically - Beta Blockers, Calcium Channel blockers, Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, etc. I even took Oral Minoxidil for a time -

The problem now is that my pressures are much harder to control than they used to be (diastolic) and my cardiologist suggested I look into hormone issues (working with endocrinologist on that) and my GP wanted me to finally treat the Apnea (I've known I've had Apnea for about 10 years now) - Because my bottom number is the most stubborn, my GP thought treating the apnea may help - My GP thinks I'm a stroke waiting to happen So i want to get this apnea thing taken care of - see what my BP looks like then and if it doesnt improve, move on to the next possibility - I'm very thin, exercise daily and don't eat much in the way of salt - so thyroid and apnea are avenues I'm pursuing now. Thanks for your input!

You are doing all the right things.

[sleepyandsad]

Thank you ALL!

[worn_out_in_lebanon]

hypertension that is becoming harder and harder to control through medication.

Although my sleep study showed just 9 apneas per hour, I'm sure they are Very hard on me cardiac wise because I wake up over and over GASPING for air. Anyone with a similar story and success???

My blood pressure has been creeping up for a while. I also had a red face a lot even though I felt fine. Heart rate has kept creeping up too, and a constant feeling of my heart pounding.

Supplementing with magnesium has helped me manage the blood pressure without medication. Also have been using Cardia Salt instead of regular salt (has potassium). From what little research I've done, it sounds like sodium, magnesium, and potassium need to be in the right balance. I believe that's why reducing sodium intake helps. (because magnesium levels in food has been declining over the last few decades)

Getting the apneas in check has helped with the heart pounding, and I'm finding that my sleeping and awake heart rate is trending back down now.