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Turned to this forum when I first got diagnosed about 18mo ago. I don't have my stats handy anymore but I was really high on the scale before treatment. I now use a resmed 11 w/ nasal pillows and I mouth tape. I had been sleeping pretty well - ultimately with no complaints and happy to use the cpap nightly - until I got back to high elevation after a summer down at sea level (I'm in high mountain NM, about 8200ft).
I noticed I was opening my mouth at night again, no problem - I'd just start mouth taping again until I regained that muscle memory. But it didn't seem to be happening, and the last few weeks I've started drooling a lot - resulting in the tape failing and ultimately kind of 1/2 way mouth breathing again... The drooling part is totally new and frustrating.
Sometimes, I wake up thinking I've been rained out - but I'm not. I just can't quite seem to get enough air for a few minutes, then things go back to normal... almost like the cpap is offering significantly less pressure than usual... I can't decide if this is in my head or not.
My O2 this morning was 87%, but my AHI only 1.6. I've attached some Oscar screenshots at the end here.
My first instinct would be to go get another sleep study, but the last one was an absolute joke so I don't see that happening - and it's also at half the elevation of my location (see every complaint everyone's ever made about these facilities and stack them together...)
11-18-2024, 02:47 PM (This post was last modified: 11-18-2024, 02:49 PM by Deborah K..)
RE: 18mo of success, now trouble (elevation?)
It looks like you are still using ramp as you start at 4 pressure. You don't need it, so I suggest you turn it off.
Your pressure range is off. 5 is too low for most adults. Change your range to 7 to 13 because you are also bumping up against your top limit and need more headroom for sure.
As to your tape, you need to use good quality tape and enough of it. Lots here like Cover Roll Stretch tape or Hypafix tape, both of which are good tapes. I prefer kinesiology tape as it stretches nicely and conforms to facial contours better. I need to use 2-inch wide tape cut to 5-1/2 inches long or I still leak.
P.S. I like your username. Are you originally from Maine? In college, I knew kids from there who called themselves Maineiacs, and I got a
kick out of it.
(11-18-2024, 02:47 PM)Deborah K. Wrote: It looks like you are still using ramp as you start at 4 pressure. You don't need it, so I suggest you turn it off.
Your pressure range is off. 5 is too low for most adults. Change your range to 7 to 13 because you are also bumping up against your top limit and need more headroom for sure.
As to your tape, you need to use good quality tape and enough of it. Lots here like Cover Roll Stretch tape or Hypafix tape, both of which are good tapes. I prefer kinesiology tape as it stretches nicely and conforms to facial contours better. I need to use 2-inch wide tape cut to 5-1/2 inches long or I still leak.
P.S. I like your username. Are you originally from Maine? In college, I knew kids from there who called themselves Maineiacs, and I got a
kick out of it.
Thanks for the reply.
I remember them making these settings and figuring they seemed low on the scale considering my apnea was marked severe (wish I could recall the numbers... working on that).
I'll give your suggestions a try immediately. The mouth tape is mostly failing because of the beard tbh...
How will I know of success based on Oscar info there?
Proud Maineiac here, yes! Living in New Mexico, though - I look at the ocean and see nothing, much prefer the mountains!
PS I discovered the Bleeps from your signature in another post and just ordered them, super curious. I find the nasal pillows good enough, but game for something even better.
How's the PAP going now?
I notice you have majority of CA events in the later half of the night while sleeping at elevation. If you're still seeing those in Oscar, post a zoom in of that flow rate for those CAs so that we can see what's going on?
I have a similar experience. I spend half year at sea level and half at 8700ft. At high elevation I have the same number of hypopnoea/apneas as sea level + a new onset of central apneas. The central apneas are really abundant the first month at altitude, then diminish, but never go to 0.
If you're the same, you'll likely need an ASV machine to resolve it. You could buy one used online to save yourself the trouble of that problematic sleep study you mentioned... especially because you'd want a sleep study at altitude for the Dr to see your problem.
Machine: airsense 11(kaiser-apria)airsense10 personal travel Mask Type: Full face mask Mask Make & Model: AirTouchF20?onlyAirFitF20(1st-yr);hybridF30 trial? Humidifier: side sleep;standard for now; 8-20yr slimline;climate(onAS10) auto-auto CPAP Pressure: Home 8-20(1styr),ONSS MD 6-11 CPAP Software: OSCAR
myAir
Other Comments: AHI 35+ now <3 butIssue 3-4 hours of OK sleep,arousals,every 15-45m The rest of night x yr 1 year ++
your sleep study was it in-house of take-home. Just curious in what way was it "a joke".
personally, my in-house titration they said to change my RM11 from 8-20 (using x 1 year) down to 6-11 , which I've done, but my Oscar data shows the "pressure" zooming up to 11 (no ramp); then zig-zagging up and down to 8 back up to 11, but not flatlining at top 11 much. Think I read here that the pressure is not supposed to look like mountain ranges?
btw, about what age are you ? you are on home O2 for just the apnea?
Yesterday, 12:29 PM (This post was last modified: 11 hours ago by Canuck 2. Edited 1 time in total.
Edit Reason: more infromation
)
RE: 18mo of success, now trouble (elevation?)
I have the P10 mask and every night before I use the mask I take a good quality Alcohol swap and clean the exhaust ports and the nasal pillow for the last 10 years and it has not bothered me mostly (1 minute task). Winter months I keep my humidifier around 4 with with climate hose temperature at 78 degrees F. Try to keep the APAP machine at lowest sitting spot (below sleeping position )to keep less chance of rain out.
If your feeling a choking or hard breathing sensation it could be water & mucus collection in the exhaust mesh ports of the P10 mask possibly. P10 mask is not perfect but pretty close to it for my Cpap needs, after trying different masks when searching for a great one when first started using APAP 16 + years ago.(click on photo to enlarge)
These are very good for cleaning my P10 mask for over 10 years + use for cuts or nicks while shaving. $.03-.04 per use.
