My Dreamstation is out of control.....help please.

[bucko]

Weren't the Olympics recently held in China? Their air quality isn't as good as USA.

Air quality where I am is fine. Better than most cities in the US. I am not near any of those Chinese cities you read about.

[bucko]

Sleeping on your front is fine (been doing it forever, pre and post-cpap) but on your back is bad as it provokes many more apneas.

I can go back to the front ok. I am used to it from before. I'll also try it as well.

[ShiftWorker]

Hello Bucko,

I am a stomach sleeper myself, i have found that this even helps with mask leaks! I have also noticed that at times for reasons unknown to me that I will "tuck" my chin more than my normal sleep position, I think this ads to nights that my sleep is not good and I wake feeling not rested. I assume that when "Tucking my chin" gives me more obstructive events.

I would try the straight pressure described above to see if that helps with the CA's.
Any way just a thought I had while my "Kids" are sleeping so well.

P.S. I live near Denver and at an altitude over 5280. and need to use an ASV unit to control my CA events.

[bucko]

After several days here is what has happened........

I set min and max to 10.5. AHI was still very bad 16-17

Than I set 10.5/15. AHI went down to 7.29

I then set 10.5/16 and AHI jumped to 13.78

Now set it 10.5/14 And AHI went to 4.87 next night it was 5.58 (last night)

I will leave it here and test a few more nights to see where it goes.

Any thoughts?

[JohnO]

After several days here is what has happened........

I set min and max to 10.5. AHI was still very bad 16-17

Than I set 10.5/15. AHI went down to 7.29

I then set 10.5/16 and AHI jumped to 13.78

Now set it 10.5/14 And AHI went to 4.87 next night it was 5.58 (last night)

I will leave it here and test a few more nights to see where it goes.

Any thoughts?

Those results are difficult to interpret -- they vary in ways I would not expect.

How does your mattress and pillow differ between China and your time in the US? Is your diet significantly different? Significantly more or less caffeine? Alcohol?

John

[bucko]

There really is not any change in my eating, sleeping pattern. Only altitude has changed.

Is there something in the Dreamstattion setting concerning altitude that I don't find?

[Suenyo]

It would be helpful to post a couple of charts at the new pressure. also, check your filter for dirt.

How do you feel upon awakening? Any congestion?

[bucko]

It would be helpful to post a couple of charts at the new pressure. also, check your filter for dirt.

How do you feel upon awakening? Any congestion?

My filter is clean. Here are the last 2 days with the best pressure setting thus far.

https://app.box.com/s/95vcwk7wcngq5ltu8awu2wwwss0ar25a

https://app.box.com/s/4fmiyb7zn36e5v7xht8boksepywql1y3

[Pugsy]

I wonder if your body is now getting used to the difference in altitude and that is the variable here and not the pressure.
I don't understand how it might be affecting the obstructive stuff (and that's assuming the machine is flagging them correctly).
Maybe the machine is getting them wrong...it can happen. Maybe they were really central in nature despite the OA flagging and that we know would be common when going from lower altitudes to a much higher altitudes.

[Suenyo]

Well, you have exceeded my knowledge level; your AHI is lower than mine, and these days I'm not making more than 3 hours at a time.

So, I hope it keeps going down. There is however, always the possibility of fine particulate matter blowing in from India...or, whatever is killing those antelopes in Kazakstan?

good luck

[Wulfman...]

There really is not any change in my eating, sleeping pattern. Only altitude has changed.

Is there something in the Dreamstattion setting concerning altitude that I don't find?

I have no clue as to what is affecting your AHI, but..........

All data-capable machines ( P/R or ResMed ) automatically adjust for altitude to the following:

P/R:
Altitude Compensation
This device automatically compensates for altitude up to 7,500 feet. No manual adjustment is necessary.

ResMed:
Operating altitude Sea level to 8,500’ (2,591 m)


Den

.

[bucko]

Well ok, thanks all for the suggestions. I will just have to call it normal for me and just wait until I get back to CA to enjoy decent AHI numbers.

[D.H.]

You're right that the electric voltage is not an isssue. The DreamStation (and almost all CPAPs made recently) will adjust for that automatically.

Also, the altitude is within the range that the DreamStation should automatically adjust for. I don't think that it's possible that altitude adjustment can be turned off (either deliberately or by accident). Remember, however, that altitude adjustment only means that the same pressure is delivered at sea level as at your home location. It is possible that your needs might be different at different altitudes (no way the machine can guess that).

Since you ruled out dirty air there might be micro environmental issues such as your bed, bedding, or bed-wear, the ambient temperature or humidity in the room, mold or dust, etc. Also, does anybody smoke near the CPAP? IF you smoke at hime but stayed in a hotel that did not allow smoking, that could explain it!

[ajack]

I'd raise the min to 12 and open the max to 16, that should take care of most stuff, the cluster at 3:30 may still happen if it is positional time will tell and stuff can be done. dreamstations are slow to respond and like the min closer to the 95% pressure.

[nicholasjh1]

I live a mile high as well. I have had a lot of issues with air escaping my mouth because of it, and it also makes my apnea worse since the regular pressure is lower... so things to try would be limit mouth air escape by useing a full mask or a nasal interface and taping (usually with a couple pin holes), or a wide cloth headband over the mouth combined with a chin strap. Another option would be higher pressure, but I'll let Pugsy deal with that because the machine stats are much better for determining if that well help, and so is Pugsy.