+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 (/Thread-Struggling-to-Lower-AHI-Below-5)
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - SarcasticDave94 - 09-06-2024
You would wake up before there's an issue. You were able to record sleeping CPAP data for 7 hours on the current settings. Changing the pressure range by 3 shouldn't be a negative on exhaling. You're still exhaling by an EPR 3 reduction.
If you can't increase both pressure by 3, change them both 1 cmH20 giving you 8-18.6. Your minimum will be 8/5, max 18.6/15.6
If you think this will be an issue, get the VAuto bilevel. There you might be more comfortable as from what I can see in mine EPAP and IPAP vary with higher than 3 PS between them. I wouldn't go higher than PS 4 most cases though.
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-08-2024
Ok, I changed the pressure to 8-18 and I saw an improvement, but not a "solution" yet.
I still have an index that needs a cpap machine
I used a nasal spray and nothing else.
I provisioned a cervical collar to test the head tilt and I will use it tomorrow (I want to test the 8/18 settings one more day).
How do you see my stats?
[attachment=69375]
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-09-2024
Now collar update?
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-09-2024
I will today!
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-10-2024
I borrowed a cervical collar from a friend of mine.
[attachment=69465]
The AHI was improved!
I will test it a few days more and report back.
Thank you for the tip!
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-11-2024
[attachment=69492]
Second day with a cervical collar and pressures from 8-18.
It seems that the reduced AHI was a random event? Let's see...
The interesting thing is that max pressure goes up to 15 now.
Another, scary (as I've suffered a heart attack two years ago), thing is the CS respiration events.
I hope that this is a random or misinterpreted thing!
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-11-2024
(09-10-2024, 12:53 AM)terumi Wrote: I borrowed a cervical collar from a friend of mine.
The AHI was improved!
I will test it a few days more and report back.
Thank you for the tip!
your flow limits here are massively improved, look at previous
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - terumi - 09-11-2024
Yes and that will make the collar a keeper!
I have to test it though a few days more!
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-11-2024
(09-11-2024, 12:35 AM)terumi Wrote: Second day with a cervical collar and pressures from 8-18.
It seems that the reduced AHI was a random event? Let's see...
The interesting thing is that max pressure goes up to 15 now.
Another, scary (as I've suffered a heart attack two years ago), thing is the CS respiration events.
I hope that this is a random or misinterpreted thing!
Again flow limits are dramatically improved here. The collar is helping, im pretty sure of that. Getting flow limits down is important, I would stick with the collar for a while, however personally I use one of these https://www.sleepsia.in/products/travel-pillow - I didnt like the cervical collar, was too hot and found it too much combined with an actual pillow. So I just use the travel pillow, turned 90 degrees and no actual pillow.
I think the question I would have now about your graph is why the obstructive apneas are persisting. Did your sleep study offer any info on whether its better for you side sleeping or on back, or no difference?
RE: Struggling to Lower AHI Below 5 - Dodies - 09-11-2024
The other variable that might be worth exploring is whether a full face mask is best for you. Im a comfortable "nose breather" and when I switched to a nasal pillow i saw dramatic improvements. The face mask was somehow causing me to mouth breath and just having the air go up my nose really improved my AHI. Though I then saw more CA's but have now got then down by dropping my EPR one notch to 2. But I wouldnt do that for you now, you have no CA's
So suggestion from me, would be to think about your mask next.