+- 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: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread (/Thread-Newbie-SystemF-therapy-thread)
Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - SystemF - 03-19-2023
[attachment=49050][attachment=49051][attachment=49052]
Hello friends, I would like some help with my data. Ive been on cpap for about 2 months now and have noticed that im waking up with the same symptoms if not worse some days. I have provided a few screenshots. Let me know if i can answer any other questions. A big thank you in advance for those that can help a fellow sleep deprived papper. Thank you
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - SystemF - 03-19-2023
Forgot to add that my AHI without cpap is 15
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - SystemF - 03-21-2023
Bump
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - OpalRose - 03-21-2023
SystemF,
The Flow Limitations are too high. You should be using the highest EPR setting available, which is 3. This may help lower the Flow Limitations, Hypopnea and Reras.
Are you open to using the Auto mode instead of a fixed pressure?
If yes, try this:
Set the minimum pressure at 13cm with a maximum pressure set at 20cm.
Set EPR at 3. Keep the response on Soft.
Also, there is a hint of some Positional Apnea. Look at the Obstructives and Hypopnea that are clumped together. How do you normally sleep, on your side or back? Do you use more than one pillow? One thinner, but not too firm pillow is better than two fluffy pillows, which can cause your head to tilt forward and cut off your air, like a kink in a hose.
If you sleep on your side, try to be aware of your head and neck position. Although side sleeping is best, it is very easy to sleep in a fetal position with you head tucked to your chest. Try not to sleep in that way.
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - SystemF - 03-21-2023
Thanks for the suggestions Opal, i can try them tonight. I usually fall asleep on my side but always seem to flip over to my back while im asleep. Getting the pillow right may be difficult for me because a pillow for a side sleeper and a pillow for a back sleeper are on opposite sides of the spectrum. I use a buckwheat pillow and i scrunch up the hulls all to one side to be able to fall asleep on my side. Im gunna try to remove some of the buckwheat hulls so that when i flip over on my back the weight of my head can spread the hulls out to make the pillow more flat, i hope! If Positional Apnea is most of my issue, can using the machine at much higher pressures allow me to sleep in any position without it blocking my airway?
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - OpalRose - 03-22-2023
A lot of folk have great success with buckwheat pillows. I've never used one.
Since you've been using a static pressure of 13, it's hard to determine what your pressure needs are until we can see another chart with the higher settings and full EPR use.
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - SystemF - 03-22-2023
[attachment=49122][attachment=49121][attachment=49120]
Ok heres some data from last night. I tried sleeping with my back against the wall to try to keep my body propped up on my side but it didnt work, my body stubbornly wants to be on its back. When i zoom in on my flow, alot of it looks pretty terrible. Its all over the place or shows shallow breathing. Ive attached a few screenshots, thanks.
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - OpalRose - 03-22-2023
Your pressure stayed pretty steady around 13cm, which is the same as the fixed pressure you used. The FL came down a little. I think the only time the pressure rose was due to FL.
If you're unable to stay off your back, then you have to be sure your pillow is not too fluffy or tall. Your buckwheat pillow should be fine and work well for however you sleep, but you are obviously finding a way to "chin tuck". And higher pressures is unlikely to blast through clumps of apnea. Well, at least I've never seen that happen.
You may want to consider a "soft" cervical collar. Many here use a collar to keep their head and neck from dropping into their chest and cutting off their air.
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Soft_Cervical_Collar
Question? Were you comfortable with using the Auto mode compared to fixed pressure?
If you choose to stay with the Auto mode, you may want to experiment and try the standard mode instead of soft. It may or may not help and you can always change it back.
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - SystemF - 03-22-2023
Hmm ok. I just ordered a collar, should be here tomorrow so ill try that. With the auto mode, the pressure was bumped way up to 18cm sometimes and it woke me up a few times with leaks due to the high pressure, so im not sure if its good to keep it at 20cm max. Maybe when i try the cervical collar the pressure wont need to be that high.
RE: Newbie - SystemF therapy thread - OpalRose - 03-22-2023
Your pressure doesn't need to be that high. This was a test to see if the higher pressure would tackle the apnea. It doesn't surprise me, because higher pressure usually doesn't have an affect on positional apnea. The pressure rose due to flow limitations.
You can keep a narrow pressure range by setting the maximum at 15cm or go back to Cpap mode at 13cm.
If the collar works out, you may find that you can use even lower pressures.