Jonathan's ongoing list of questions, comments, concerns...

[Pugsy]

That cluster of OAs looks like SWJ sleep/wake/junk to me and you weren't asleep and thus those flagged events don't count in the evaluation process.

I wouldn't be surprised if the 2:20 hyponea cluster was the same especially since it occurs right before a big increase in the snores.
I suspect a wake up for some reason and change in position to your back.

So probably some of that increase in AHI isn't from airway collapses happening but instead just a symptom of poor sleep quality.
Not real events because you weren't sound asleep.
More pressure isn't going to do a thing for SWJ events.

The only real reason I was suggesting more pressure was the snores and RERAs.
VS2 snores are kind of a quirky thing and don't always respond to more pressure and that might be what is going on in your situation.
See this..scroll up to the top to see what RobySue wrote.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=155478&p=1182872#p1182872
I am unsure just how critical those snores are in terms of therapy effectiveness but since you have times with essentially no snores...I can't help but wonder if related to sleeping position.

[JonathanZK]

I can't help but wonder if related to sleeping position.

I think it had a definite effect. I had the lowest VS2 score since I started. (Well, there was one other night that had a lower score, but that was a terrible night with less than two hours sleep and a 11.3 AHI, so I'm not counting it). And the second-lowest AHI. Certainly, it's the "cleanest" looking from an events standpoint, by far.



I did sleep on my side most of the night -- bought a full size body pillow to stop me from rolling over. Ironically enough instead of waking up on my back, I woke up on my stomach.

One unexpected change: big, swollen, puffy eyes. I haven't looked like that in 25 years since that fight I got into in high school.

Jonathan

PS: I also lowered EPAP back to 13.

[Pugsy]

What size comfort gel are you using?
I am trying to find a decent FFM to let you try but it's slim pickings. I don't have much in the donation box.
I just remembered my own personal Amara View.....I won't ever be using it again (used only for trial anyway so minimal use at best) but I don't think I have anything but a small cushion.
Not sure if it would work for you.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -cpap-mask
There is a sizing guide upper right of the above page. Can you print it off and check for approx size? It actually relates more to nose size than mouth size.

The frame is universal in size though...so if you think it might work but need a different size all you need to by is a different cushion.
Let me go dig through my stuff and see what I have for sure.

The puffy eye thing...not surprising if you spent much time face down. The puffiness is fluid and between being face down and the masks and straps the fluid doesn't get dispersed well. I get it often when I spend much time on one side..and the side that is down is really puffy. Fluid will tend to pool in the lowest area and if anything is pressing in that area like straps or a mask the fluid gets prevented from dispersing normally.

How did you sleep last night? How do you feel?
At this point I would think should put those VS2 snores on the back burner until we can get you a different mask to try.

[Pugsy]

I have a complete Amara View mask including small and medium cushions.
Will at least give you something else to try.
Give you an idea if you even like this sort of mask. If you do then I would suggest taking a look at the DreamWear Full Face mask...in my opinion it is the Amara View but improved upon.

It's free...if you can reimburse postage that would be great but not critical. It's one that I bought to try and use when I just couldn't use a nasal pillow mask. I never needed it and now that the DreamWear is out there I would probably just do the DreamWear if I couldn't use my nasal pillows.

Send me a PM with personal name, address, etc and I will mail it to you.

[Pugsy]

The reason I want to put the VS2 snores on the back burner for now is there is an off chance that it's something in your mask causing vibrations that the machine is thinking is snores. I have my doubts if we could eliminate those VS2 snores even if you used 20 cm...

[JonathanZK]

What size comfort gel are you using?

I have no idea. I'm using what they gave me at the sleep center. The mask came only in unmarked sealed plastic.

I am trying to find a decent c to let you try but it's slim pickings. I don't have much in the donation box.
I just remembered my own personal Amara View.....I won't ever be using it again (used only for trial anyway so minimal use at best) but I don't think I have anything but a small cushion.
Not sure if it would work for you.

My face is rather large on the balance. I can take measurements if that would be helpful.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -cpap-mask
There is a sizing guide upper right of the above page. Can you print it off and check for approx size? It actually relates more to nose size than mouth size.

Will do!

The frame is universal in size though...so if you think it might work but need a different size all you need to by is a different cushion.
Let me go dig through my stuff and see what I have for sure.

I'm open to trying anything. I have only 19 days of experience here, so everything is new.

The puffy eye thing...not surprising if you spent much time face down. The puffiness is fluid and between being face down and the masks and straps the fluid doesn't get dispersed well. I get it often when I spend much time on one side..and the side that is down is really puffy. Fluid will tend to pool in the lowest area and if anything is pressing in that area like straps or a mask the fluid gets prevented from dispersing normally.

Hmm. Maybe those strap covers I dismissed a few weeks back would be a good idea to reconsider.

How did you sleep last night? How do you feel?
At this point I would think should put those VS2 snores on the back burner until we can get you a different mask to try.

That's a hard question because I never felt the effects of sleep apnea in the traditional way. I didn't get sleepy when driving, I didn't have trouble getting through my day, I wasn't yawning all day long, etc... Well, at least not if I got a full 8 hours of "sleep."

In fact, if not for some labs my PCP drew, I wouldn't have thought my snoring was anything unusual. But when she saw the labs, she said immediately that I have OSA and send me to the sleep center. Low and behold, severe OSA was the diagnosis. But I never felt tired before all this, and don't feel tired now. The only consistent physical difference is that I feel hungry more often.

I have a complete Amara View mask including small and medium cushions.
Will at least give you something else to try.
Give you an idea if you even like this sort of mask. If you do then I would suggest taking a look at the DreamWear Full Face mask...in my opinion it is the Amara View but improved upon.

Thank you. Very very much.

It's free...if you can reimburse postage that would be great but not critical. It's one that I bought to try and use when I just couldn't use a nasal pillow mask. I never needed it and now that the DreamWear is out there I would probably just do the DreamWear if I couldn't use my nasal pillows.

I would absolutely reimburse at least that much. You're saving me a small fortune in experimentation, and I appreciate it very much.

Send me a PM with personal name, address, etc and I will mail it to you.

On it's way now.

The reason I want to put the VS2 snores on the back burner for now is there is an off chance that it's something in your mask causing vibrations that the machine is thinking is snores. I have my doubts if we could eliminate those VS2 snores even if you used 20 cm...

It wouldn't surprise me if it was something with the mask... I can hear it leaking (except when I press it, hard, against my face by hand), and feel the pressure drops, but can't feel the air escaping anywhere no matter how much I try. Wouldn't surprise me at all if there were vibrations from that air seepage.

[JonathanZK]

I'm a big fan of plotting trends over time, so I thought I'd share the latest. The blue highlight shows approximately when I began experimenting with different pressures (thanks to you all on this forum). As you can see, since then, AHI, OSA, CA, RERA, PP, and VS2 are all markedly improved. There's still a lot of work to do, but the trends are clear. Thank you.

[JonathanZK]

Another record breaking night. VS2 is down to 9.03, which is my all-time low. Of course I've been doing this for less than three weeks, but still I'm pretty happy.

[JonathanZK]

And the charts continue to improve. Three nights in a row with <1 AHI. Last night had a VS2 score of 1.65. Just wow.

Thank you to everybody who's been helping get me on the right track. You're all amazing.

[Pugsy]

Crossing my fingers that you have found your happy spot.
Good job.

And sometimes there is a lot of truth to the "give it time" thing...for some reason or other.

[zonker]

And the charts continue to improve. Three nights in a row with <1 AHI. Last night had a VS2 score of 1.65. Just wow.

Thank you to everybody who's been helping get me on the right track. You're all amazing.

outstanding! and to think you only joined eleven days ago.

[palerider]

And the charts continue to improve. Three nights in a row with <1 AHI. Last night had a VS2 score of 1.65. Just wow.

Thank you to everybody who's been helping get me on the right track. You're all amazing.

outstanding! and to think you only joined eleven days ago.

We try to work fast

[zonker]

And the charts continue to improve. Three nights in a row with <1 AHI. Last night had a VS2 score of 1.65. Just wow.

Thank you to everybody who's been helping get me on the right track. You're all amazing.

outstanding! and to think you only joined eleven days ago.

We try to work fast

cpaptalk.com, it's the mcdonald's of sleep apnea help forums!

[JonathanZK]

Hi All,

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have another question for your great minds.

Pugsy was so kind in sending me some masks to try -- among them the Resmed Mirage Quattro -- which just feels amazing. But the mask won't connect to the tube that came with my Dreamstation BiPAP. The size of the connector is identical in size to the hose opening -- ergo, no connection.

It was my understanding that any mask works with any machine. Apparently that's not the case. Is there an adapter or something that I need to buy in order to properly mate these devices?

Thanks,

Jonathan

[Pugsy]

Look in the end of your long hose that attaches to the mask.
You've got something stuck in it that came off the old mask. Common error.