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+--- Thread: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 (/Thread-Struggling-to-Lower-AHI-Below-5)
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-06-2024
I made the suggested changes (well not quite, I somehow failed to hit the 18 max pressure
) and I'm posting the results. When I woke today, I felt that the changes made sense as I felt a "pillow" of air inside my throat, but the stats show the same AHI
[attachment=69289]
Can anyone tell me what we can extract from the mask pressure, the flow limit and the resp.rate stats?
I'm a nose breather but I have a slightly deviated septum. Before starting my CPAP therapy I got my turbinates cauterizated in order to shrink them because I had permanently one of my nostrils blocked each day.
I'm thinking of trying the f30 mask or the f20i in order to reduce the skin rush/ pressure on my face.
Never tried a "special" pillow because I fall asleep on my sides and then I turn on my back.
But I will try one of these pillows.
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-06-2024
I use the p10 https://www.resmed.com/en-us/sleep-apnea/cpap-parts-support/sleep-apnea-full-products-list/cpap-masks/airfit-p10/ havent tried other nasal masks, but I can sleep on my side with it, I like that its minimalist. If you buy it, you get 3 sizes of pillows, the one above the size you think you should use is more comfy as they need to but up to your nostrils, not actually insert inside.
If I try another, I will go for the N30.
Cant use those masks that cover, drives me nuts if i get an itch on my nose...
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-06-2024
also, if that was my chart, i would raise min pressure to 10, and also use one of these when sleeping https://www.amazon.com/travel-pillow-neck-foam-memory/dp/B00KDNSNVM?th=1 but turn it 90 degrees so your head cant fall forwards when you sleep.
you can test if it will help by tucking your chin into your chest and if that makes it harder to breathe, then by preventing chin tuck you will breathe a lot better
see this thread
https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-How-Are-You-Affected-by-Chin-Tucking
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-06-2024
This is my chart from before someone here told me to use the pillow, you can see I had huge amounts of flow limits
https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/attachment.php?aid=66642
Now I have very few and AHI usually less than 2.
You have a few flow limit spikes around your apneas.
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-06-2024
Wait a minute...
Are you saying that in supine position you may avoid some apnea events just by having a cervical/travel pillow?
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-06-2024
I know I snore less with the travel pillow, I haven't measured O2 yet, I will try it.
But anecdotally when traveling, if I fall asleep on a plane seat, I usually snore terribly, however when using these travel pillows at a 90 degree angle, it completely stops me from snoring.
Maybe you're different, but if i allow my head to fall onto my chest, I find its really difficult to breathe at all and I think that happens when I sleep if using a normal pillow, as it pushes my head forwards towards my chest, but using a travel pillow, it creates a bridge under my neck which causes my head fall back, which I guess opens my airway.
During my sleep study, they found I had events whether on my side or back, side sleeping doesn't really help me, I still snore terribly and have events. So I think my problem isn't related to tongue, I think a lot of it (not all) comes from my airway closing due to chin tuck.
The other problem I think I have is that my nostrils collapse when I sleep and when Ive used nasal dilators I have seen my o2 levels increase a lot and also reduce snoring.
I should probably try nasal dilators + travel pillow and see how my sleeping o2 levels look - but I really kinda like the feeling of security I get from the CPAP now (and its only been 2 months)
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-06-2024
So in summary, if your flow limits are caused by chin-tuck, doing something to prevent chin-tuck should reduce your apneas..
Worth trying if I was you.
) - terumi - 09-06-2024
I've got nothing to lose, so I'll give it a spin
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - SarcasticDave94 - 09-06-2024
I think you still have a few areas of scattered Positional Apnea. They may affect your results some, but maybe not as much as if they were more frequent.
I would also change pressures, both Min and Max. Keep EPR 3 full time. I would go to 10 Min, 20 Max. With EPR 3, this is what you'll have, exhale of 7-17 and inhale of 10-20. If that's not suitable for any reason, such as comfort or therapy not doing well enough, you'll need to get the ResMed AirCurve VAuto bilevel.
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-06-2024
Being asleep, if I cannot properly exhale, I'll probably wake up right?
Are there any risks?