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Pugsy wrote:What position were you laying during that first part of the night without the chin strap?
On your back or on your side?

Your leak data doesn't support mouth breathing happening significantly so I am scratching my head as to why the big pressures being needed without chin strap.

Have you thought about wearing a cervical collar?

I think I was mostly on my back all night, I may have switched to my side for a little while, but I'm not certain. What would a cervical collar do? Is it for keeping the mouth closed, or positioning?
Curiously enough, now that you asked about sleeping position... I slept on my side 100% of the time up until a year ago, when I noticed I started wheezing laying on my side, and felt pressure on my throat, reducing my air supply. So now I mostly sleep on my back. Could the side sleeping be producing some sort of obstructive apnea? Except for the fact that I'm awake and completely aware of this feeling. Doctors couldn't figure it out.

The cervical collar might help keep the chin up and prevent the drop that the chin strap is also trying to prevent.
Some people prefer a cervical collar to a chin strap. The collar will also help keep the airway more in an "open" position vs maybe crimped or bent.
I mention as something you might want to consider at some time in the future is you feel the need to use the chin strap.

I don't see the mouth breathing leak on the report...it's just not there. The leak never really changed all that much so I am really wondering why the significant pressure variations with and without a chin strap but if a chin strap works and keeps the pressure needs down and you can get by with what you did after you put the chin strap on then hey...wear the chin strap.

It's actually sleeping on your back that can usually make the OSA worse or cause significant pressure needs variations. I suppose it wouldn't be impossible for there to be something involved with side sleeping that might make the OSA worse but it isn't very common.

It looked like you were on your back and then ended up on your side....at least from the pressure line. That's why I asked what position you were maybe in during that first part of the night vs later in the night.

So for tonight....use the chin strap all night and sleep in whatever position you want that lets you sleep. We want sleep first and worry about position and pressure needs second. Keep the 10 cm minimum for now. I would also open up the max from the 15 to 20 just in case the chin strap comes off and the pressure wants to go higher.....let it go there and see what happens.

Pugsy wrote:The cervical collar might help keep the chin up and prevent the drop that the chin strap is also trying to prevent.
Some people prefer a cervical collar to a chin strap. The collar will also help keep the airway more in an "open" position vs maybe crimped or bent.
I mention as something you might want to consider at some time in the future is you feel the need to use the chin strap.

I don't see the mouth breathing leak on the report...it's just not there. The leak never really changed all that much so I am really wondering why the significant pressure variations with and without a chin strap but if a chin strap works and keeps the pressure needs down and you can get by with what you did after you put the chin strap on then hey...wear the chin strap.

It's actually sleeping on your back that can usually make the OSA worse or cause significant pressure needs variations. I suppose it wouldn't be impossible for there to be something involved with side sleeping that might make the OSA worse but it isn't very common.

It looked like you were on your back and then ended up on your side....at least from the pressure line. That's why I asked what position you were maybe in during that first part of the night vs later in the night.

So for tonight....use the chin strap all night and sleep in whatever position you want that lets you sleep. We want sleep first and worry about position and pressure needs second. Keep the 10 cm minimum for now. I would also open up the max from the 15 to 20 just in case the chin strap comes off and the pressure wants to go higher.....let it go there and see what happens.

I'll keep the cervical collar in mind, thank you!
Yes, there is definitely something about the first part of the night that was causing apneas and high pressure. But it wasn't leaks apparently. Maybe the chin strap is somehow positioning my mouth/throat in a different way that opens the airways better. No idea!
Thanks for the suggestions, hopefully one day I'll get everything figured out and get a good nights sleep

MoodyMolly wrote:Maybe the chin strap is somehow positioning my mouth/throat in a different way that opens the airways better. No idea!

This would be my thought as well but I can't imagine how it does it. Usually it pulls the jaw back and makes things worse instead of better but if it enables you to use less pressure and you are okay with it....hey, go for it. Certainly isn't hurting anything apparently.