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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
As a returning (AHI 115) user who failed last September I started again on Monday with a new full face mask and for a couple of days all went well with a AHI of less than 5. As the week has gone on things have got progressively worse to the extent that I wonder if my CPAP machine is working at all.
Here are two screenshots. One from Monday and one from Saturday.
I see positional Apnea in those clusters of Obstructive Apnea. Research in the wiki and then buy a soft cervical collar. This will help with some of your issue.
You have some CA/Central Apnea as well. These are consistently inconsistent meaning up and down frequently. One area to address these, kill the Ramp. You should consider lowering EPR until the CA subside, that's assuming these CA are treatment emergent.
Do take time to read about Positional Apnea and the collar. If you have your diagnosic sleep study data, you should post the detailed version redacted of personal info. I'm trying to determine what type your CA are, which helps us to know how you need to address them. Finally, you need some determination not to quit so easily. An AHI of 115 is extreme and in serious need of this treatment. And note that we can help, but you're doing the work. Your situation isn't too hard that you cannot overcome these issues. If you want to, that is.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
It LOOKS to me you have positional apnea. Have you changed pillows or STARTED sleeping on your back?
Positional apnea is when you cut off your own airway by the position that you sleep. Chin tucking is when your chin drops to your Sternum and you cut off your own airway.
Take a look at the link in my signature on collars.
(07-25-2021, 03:01 PM)g1ant Wrote: Cervical collar it is then.
Any opinions in sleep apnea pillows with the side cutouts?
Previously I was using a Cervical collar when sleeping supine, that helped. If you can sleep on your side constantly through the night, that type of pillow works...well at least for me. I've trained myself not to sleep supine any more, using a CPAP pillow, and all obstructive clusters have disappeared.
In the attached graph, the main body of the night was on my side, using P30i nasal pillows/mouth tape, and the CPAP pillow. The last section, from 7AM on, I wanted to lie supine, without a collar as it felt good, then used a flatter pillow, but you can see the clusters are evident...I then grabbed that CPAP pillow and turned on my side.
I've not used one, but there's that cutout type, My pillow is a good one of its own type, buckwheat hull fill and buckwheat with foam bits are yet some more. Do a look on Amazon and see what you find. And best wishes you'll resolve these things.
Forgot to mention the collar name, look up Corflex Ultra Cervical Collar.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
