Help

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
snufy
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:56 pm

Help

Post by snufy » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:15 pm

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster here.

I've recently dropped about 15-20 lBS (of fat) but I'm starting to have issues with pressure. 270-250LB's lots of muscle. (guy, no problem with brisk walking 60 minutes, bench 350, squat 500, very athletic etc..)

Resmed s8, no humid.
EPR full - 3 (love this)
no ramp
Mirage Quattro full face. (love it!!, big time mouth breather sometimes)

I check data every morning and am very in touch with where I need to be usually. Most of the time I can get my AHI below 2 consistently, no AI at all, under .3 for leak until lately... I also purchased new, much firmer/higher pillows two weeks ago as well.

Last night. set at 11.2 pressure

95% pressure - 10.2
.8 HI
0 AI
Leak rate was .28
Negligable AHI..

So by all measures I was suppose to have a great sleep.... nope, dead tired. I've had the pressure at 11.2 and 11.4 for about a couple weeks. 12.4 was perfect until I started losing weight, then I noticed it was way too high and my HI were going way up 8+ and AI was 2+.

I've had good measurable's for the last few weeks with 11.2 but I'm dead tired.

as fat tends to like to come off the face/neck first, I'm wondering if I'm just coming down that fast... or if I should go back to 12.4 the last known great setting.

or if I'm getting leaks shifting around at night because I don't like the pressure. I have noticed my mouth is open like it was when I was starting to feel like too much pressure at 12.4

Last time I dropped down to 235 LBS I wasn't on CPAP but I slept very hard. I would have guessed that sleep apnea was minimal. At my goal of 220-215 I'm betting I will no longer need cpap.

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Wulfman...
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Re: Help

Post by Wulfman... » Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:04 pm

The Subject (title) of your thread is "Help", but I don't see a question in it anywhere.

It's been discovered by quite a few people that as they lose weight, their pressure needs INCREASE and not decrease.

And, losing weight is "good", but many people who think they can be "cured" of sleep apnea by losing weight have been in for some serious disappointments when it doesn't happen.
For many, the Sleep Apnea CAUSED the weight gain and losing is doesn't get rid of the sleep apnea.

But, welcome to the forum.


Den

.
(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
"Passover" Humidification - ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - Encore Pro w/Card Reader & MyEncore software - Chiroflow pillow
User since 05/14/05

snufy
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:56 pm

Re: Help

Post by snufy » Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:19 pm

Thank you, I've also read that. 100% it causes weight gain, the cortisol is always high because you're body thinks it's dieing and just turns a lot of the glucose into fat. It's an absolutely debilitating circle.

I suppose the question is, should I raise or lower it? Go back to 12.4 (I was swallowing tons of air and HI was 8-9 at this about a month ago) or should I drop down to 10.6 or so and see how that is considering the 95 percentile was 10.2 with pretty much no apneas >1.

I think I am getting more leaks as of late because I'm tossing and turning from the pressure at night, but the apneas are not there because the pressure isn't high enough to cause centrals. which is what was happening at 12.4 HI would spike, but AI would remain relatively low.

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Elle
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Location: Canada

Re: Help

Post by Elle » Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:37 pm

My pressure has been as high as 16 but recently i decided to see how i would do on lower pressures. I am down to a pressure of 11 and my AHI is now always under 1. I sleep better and have fewer leaks.

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Wulfman...
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Re: Help

Post by Wulfman... » Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:38 pm

snufy wrote:Thank you, I've also read that. 100% it causes weight gain, the cortisol is always high because you're body thinks it's dieing and just turns a lot of the glucose into fat. It's an absolutely debilitating circle.

I suppose the question is, should I raise or lower it? Go back to 12.4 (I was swallowing tons of air and HI was 8-9 at this about a month ago) or should I drop down to 10.6 or so and see how that is considering the 95 percentile was 10.2 with pretty much no apneas >1.

I think I am getting more leaks as of late because I'm tossing and turning from the pressure at night, but the apneas are not there because the pressure isn't high enough to cause centrals. which is what was happening at 12.4 HI would spike, but AI would remain relatively low.
I think only YOU can figure that out by trying different settings.
If you're dealing with "aerophagia" (also referred to as gastric insufflation and swallowing air), then you're going to have to tweak your pressure (maybe try raising the head of your bed).


Den

.
(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
"Passover" Humidification - ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - Encore Pro w/Card Reader & MyEncore software - Chiroflow pillow
User since 05/14/05

snufy
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:56 pm

Re: Help

Post by snufy » Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:39 pm

Thanks for all the replies, I figured that, it's just frustrating potentially wasting a nights sleep, or waking up at 1am to check stats.

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LSAT
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Location: SE Wisconsin

Re: Help

Post by LSAT » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:19 pm

You said you are using an S8...You don't say whether it is an Elite (Fixed Pressure) or an Autoset (Variable Pressure). . IF it happens to be an Autoset and you have it set to CPAP mode, you should change it to Auto with a pressure of 10 minimum and 14 maximum.

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: Fisher & Paykel Vitera Full Face Mask with Headgear (S, M, or L Cushion)
Additional Comments: Back up is S9 Autoset...... Buckwheat hull pillow

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Elle
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Re: Help

Post by Elle » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:30 pm

When my pressure was set in a range of 8 or 9 to 16 i would spend most of the night at 16. Lowering the top number by one i would always hover at the to number. I am now 9-11 with low AHI.

enriquezx5
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 3:15 am

Re: Help

Post by enriquezx5 » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:41 pm

Snuffy,

It sounds like you and I are in a very similar boat. I too have lost about 10% of my body weight since the first of the year. Like Den says, I thought if I could lose weight, my apnea would back off.

I've had no such luck, in fact, my apnea has gotten worse. My Rx pressure is 6.0 and over the past couple of weeks i've increased to 8.5. The odd thing is that as I've increased my pressure, my "stats" continue to get worse. AHI is up in the 6's, normal previously was 1-2, I'm having more hyponea, etc.

I soon may end up trying get in with sleep Dr. and see if they have any ideas. I'll let you know if I find anything out.

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Julie
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Re: Help

Post by Julie » Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:07 pm

Enriquez - If you have the EPR high, your AHI will often be higher too... it's kind of a trade-off, and you have to find the right balance.

snufy
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:56 pm

Re: Help

Post by snufy » Tue Jan 27, 2015 10:11 am

Update - brought it down to 10.4 last night 1.1 ahi, 1.1 HI, 0AI. .08 leak rate. Very good numbers, on top of that I also had dreams which is great. I feel a bit better but not 100%

Average pressure was 9.4 last night. Might drop to 9.6 and see what happens tonight considering the improvement I got last night. I still think the pressure was keeping me tossing and turning a bit. I think the firmer/higher pillows are playing a huge part.