Sleeping on incline doubled my AHI?

[vHungry]

Hello,

I recently tried adding an incline to my bed using a 5-inch bed riser at the head of my bed and using my CPAP at the same time. The bed risers resulted in about a 7 degree incline in my bed. I slept on my back with a thin pillow. I usually get an AHI of around 1.5 or lower, but last night, I had an AHI of 3.0. To be fair I did use different pressures

My thoughts are that maybe I was chin-tucking despite using a thinner pillow. I don't really want to have to wear a soft cervical collar as they aren't that comfortable for me. I want to try sleeping on my side with the incline and see if that is any better. 

Attached is one night before I used the bed risers, and then the night I used the bed riser.

Any thoughts?

[staceyburke]

You are not showing positional apnea in those 2 nights. I would try to raise the EPR to 3 and try to stop the large swings in pressure. Make one change at a time so we can see the effect that change made on your sleep,.

[Phaleronic]

Hi vHungry, I'd go back to constant pressure as you had a lower ahi and fewer events, likely less arousals as well-so you used the bed riser on the constant pressure night? I'd keep it at that 11cm/min/max and leave EPR on 1.

[SeePak]

Hi Hungry.

I agree with Phaleronic.

11 cm constant, EPR1

Lets see how your chart looks for a few nights.....
One change here or there , for me, usually dont account for large changes in chart readings.
Also, you can confirm this for me, if you make no changes at all, how do your charts look from night to night?
There are so many variables really that can affect these charts.

You really need to focus on your sleep and how you feel during that day.

Also have some questions going forward,

Your stats say 6 to 9 cm pressure.

What did your sleep study say? for prescription pressure.

Need to confirm cause you are using more pressure than that in the attached Oscar charts?

How is your sleep historically and now?

Do you have dry mouth in the morning?

How do you tolearate the pressure you get with the mask on ?

These answers will help determine how to go forward, in my opinion.

Also, usually we are instructed to NOT sleep on our BACKS.

Can you side sleep?

[SeePak]

Also, usually we are instructed to NOT sleep on our BACKS.

Can you side sleep?

Ok, i see your comment in first post, sorry!

You are trying to side sleep.

Also, looking forward to your comments about sleep study and pressure changes.

[SeePak]

Vhungry, i have just checked out your previous threads and posts.

I can see you may be a bit confused with the advice you are getting.

Understandable.

This will be true for all of us.

We each and every one of us make the final decision which way to go after processing all the information we get.

I would like to give you questions that , hopefully, allow you to reflect and come to a determination on how to go forward.

Starting with your original sleep study !?

They titrated you, raising pressures until your obstructive events disappear.

Lets say they found that above 6 cm you had no obstructive events.

Your pressure prescription must now stay above that point, always !

Now lets say you put on EPR of any level.

that 6 cm will be LESS during your exhale, and that is when OA events can and will appear under certain physiological processes.

This is all explained on this website under OPTIMIZING Therapy in the WIKI area.

It clearly states that you must stay above the pressure point of therapy that eliminates obstructive events!

This should be a point of agreement with all of us here!?

So what i am saying is lets find out from you what the sleep study said and go from there.

Considering you have been on therapy for i think 2 years?
It should be fairly easy and quick to get you in the ballpark for a good nights sleep, with a minimal number of arousals.
That should be the goal.
IMHO, Forget about the breath curve shapes and flow limits!!

How do you feel?

And i am genuinely sorry about your experience thus far, i know we can make this right!