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+--- Thread: [CPAP] CPAP works, but at the same time doesn't (/Thread-CPAP-CPAP-works-but-at-the-same-time-doesn-t)
RE: CPAP works, but at the same time doesn't - G. Szabo - 05-31-2024
(05-31-2024, 07:56 PM)AUniqueUsername Wrote: I seem to be opening my mouth when sleeping now, something I've never had a problem with before.
Your last flowchart with minimum P=8 and EPR=2 became more rugged than the one you posted with minimum P=7 and EPR=3. In addition, at P=8, you have an open mouth. So, you might want to revisit the minimum P=7 and decide whether EPR=2 or 3 is better for you.
If you have an open mouth problem, try mouth taping. It was much more efficient for me than the chin strap.
The collar is always a good addition. Try to sleep on your side, too.
RE: CPAP works, but at the same time doesn't - AUniqueUsername - 05-31-2024
Alright, thanks for the thorough reply. I guess I'll try a combination of things over the course of next week to see what works best. I'll start by lowering the pressure to 7 and keeping EPR at 2 and side sleeping. Hopefully some combination of your suggestions will work out.
RE: CPAP works, but at the same time doesn't - AUniqueUsername - 06-22-2024
I've ultimately decided to revert to pressure 7 and EPR to 3 for now. Something I've noticed is that I'm getting a lot of leaks with the nasal pillows mask and I'm not sure why. I use mouth tape now, so I don't think my mouth opening is the culprit here. I've also tried tightening the straps but that seemed to actually make things worse (I'll have to try it again later though). I suspect these leaks might be waking me up as I feel more drowsy as of recently. Any other things I should try before I just nuke the problem and go back to full face mask?
RE: CPAP works, but at the same time doesn't - G. Szabo - 06-22-2024
(06-22-2024, 10:57 AM)AUniqueUsername Wrote: I suspect these leaks might be waking me up as I feel more drowsy as of recently. Any other things I should try before I just nuke the problem and go back to full face mask?
You have excellent results, so you might want to use the nasal mask for a while. Indeed, you have leaks, but they are not so high to compromise your treatment. An FF mask pushes your jaw backward, contributing to obstructions; hence, it increases the treatment pressures, which could lead to more leaks. Therefore, a nasal mask is always better if you can live together with it. I have tried different nasal masks and sizes until I found the right one. Before that, I had been using FF for years, and I needed high treatment pressures.
But if you cannot fix the leaks and they undermine your sleep quality, you have no other option than to switch back to FF.