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Trying to isolate issue with CPAP after 3yrs of use
Hi all. Glad to have found y'all.
I'm a newbie here, but been using CPAP for ~3yrs at factory default, before realising it wasn't helping me with my crippling brain fog/depression/dysfunction.
I'm trying to learn how to advocate for myself now, but it's difficult as I still struggle with basic life tasks. Doctors haven't been of help, they just look at the mild AHI and say there's no issue.
Hope the attached pictures provide more context. I suspect positional issues?
10-01-2022, 09:31 AM (This post was last modified: 10-01-2022, 09:32 AM by staceyburke.)
RE: Trying to isolate issue with CPAP after 3yrs of use
Welcome to the board. Take a look at the rows marked OA and H. You can see groups of events together - those groups show us you have some positional apnea.
Positional apnea can NOT be controlled by pressure changes. You have to find out what position you are getting into and cutting off your own airway. Have you changed your sleep position? Sleeping on your back? Using more (or new) pillows? These things can cause positional apnea by chin dropping to your sternum and cutting your airway. Think of it of a kinked hose – nothing can get through – you have to unkink the hose…
IF you can’t make a simple change like changing to a flatter pillow helps then you will need a collar. I have a link to collars in my signature at the bottom of the page. It shows people who are not wearing a collar and the SAME person wearing a collar. There is a huge difference between the two.
RE: Trying to isolate issue with CPAP after 3yrs of use
Mossify,
I would increase the minimum pressure to 8.5cm On the Fri. 23 Sep the scan shows an RERA before 3 of the clusters. Wondering if that is disturbing you.
RE: Trying to isolate issue with CPAP after 3yrs of use
Thanks for the replies, all. Much appreciated.
@StaceyBurke & @clownbell: Seems like I need to try sleeping with a flatter pillow first? Or a towel? I'm struggling with maintaining the equipment I do have (like basic hygiene with my CPAP), so I don't know how I'll manage with a cervical collar.
Will do more research.
I've received advice before to do away with pillows entirely, but that also seems to potentially lead to other issues... would like to hear about your experiences.
@Keepsmiling: Yep, have adjusted my min. pressure up to 9cmh20 recently, am waiting to see if it makes a difference. I have noticed slightly lower AHI within this month. It definitely does bother me. I notice that I do seem to get RERAs even meditating seating up, and it feels like a jolt of anxiety? Trying to make sense of it, would really like to hear about your experiences on how RERAs feel.
RE: Trying to isolate issue with CPAP after 3yrs of use
Hi Mossify,
I am not an expert but I noticed that you are using a Dream station, is it the DS1 or Dreamstation 2? ( The DS1 is recalled due to the foam issue. )
I use the Dreamstation 2 and use the flex setting 2, and found using the flex 3 difficult to breath to.
I agree that it seems positional and it would be wise to check in with your sleep doctor to check your settings to see if you can get them to a more optimum setting.
RE: Trying to isolate issue with CPAP after 3yrs of use
@KeepSmiling: I think there's a miscomm somewhere, bc I don't understand how to interpret your response. Sorry. ><
@Ptae4: I'm not USAian, so the immediate recall didn't apply. I was informed by the distributor that the issue was resolved, but now I'm doubting them also... can't seem to find trustworthy doctors/sleep industry ppl here, so I'm really lost. Trying to find a replacement for the Dreamstation currently.
