Why can't I sleep?
I wake up several times a night and I feel I am in a battle with my therapy.
I think my CA's are a result of me breathing harder than I need to and hence hyperventilating. I get in this yo-yo effect until I can get completely awake, get up, walk around, and reset myself. After that I can relax and start over. I think I can show what I mean in this graph.
[attachment=2554]
CPAP is a journey like “The Wizard of Oz”. It’s a long slow journey. You will face many problems and pick up many friends along the way. Just because you reach the poppies, it doesn’t mean you are in Kansas.
RE: Why can't I sleep?
My first guess is that it is the dramatic pressure increase that is waking you up. It is doubling the pressure in three minutes. And it is harder to exhale against that pressure. When you turn the machine off and on it goes back to 5 again. A higher starting point might help. Have you tried an EPR higher than 1?
RE: Why can't I sleep?
Thanks Chill,
I have tried an EPR of 2 for a short time but it didn't prove to change much. I may not have given it enough time. The change in pressure is my thought too. I am a bit cautious about changing the prescription pressure as I do not want to upset my Dr. On the other hand the best we could is the home study so he had no choice but prescribe an auto set CPAP and a wide open pressure range. (4 to 16) I was starved at 4 so I upped it to 5 but I think I need to up it some more. I seem to be comfortable at 7 or 8. The pressure never gets above 10 so I do not see limiting the high pressure at this time.
CPAP is a journey like “The Wizard of Oz”. It’s a long slow journey. You will face many problems and pick up many friends along the way. Just because you reach the poppies, it doesn’t mean you are in Kansas.
RE: Why can't I sleep?
For me, I'd bump it up to 7 or 8, just to get enough air. You probably want to do that gradually over a few days or a week, depending on how you get used to the higher starting pressure.
RE: Why can't I sleep?
Thanks Chill,
Just took a 1 hour nap with starting pressure of 6 and EPR 2. Very comfortable. Not sure how much "effective sleep" I got but I rested very comfortable. Pressure did rise to 7+ at some time with 0 events of any kind and leaks very low. I will try this setting tonight to see what over night will do.
CPAP is a journey like “The Wizard of Oz”. It’s a long slow journey. You will face many problems and pick up many friends along the way. Just because you reach the poppies, it doesn’t mean you are in Kansas.