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This has been an overwhelming an ordeal. My ResMed machine says I've been averaging 5.5 hours a night for a YEAR. I need more. I can finally wear the chin guard without pulling off the headgear all the time -- because last night it was 5-10 and increased it to 5 to 10.8 and I may have slept better.

My sleepyhead data in at the link below. (Please let me know if Imur is cooperating and showing all three charts).

http://imgur.com/a/nKzzR

Thanks!

Your AHI doesn't kook bad, but keep gradually increasing your MIN pressure up to about 7 and MAX pressure to 11 or 12 . The machine will only go to the higher pressure if it is trying to stop an event...otherwise it will stay in the 9-10 area. Better to Do than to DIE.

LSAT wrote:Your AHI doesn't kook bad, but keep gradually increasing your MIN pressure up to about 7 and MAX pressure to 11 or 12 . The machine will only go to the higher pressure if it is trying to stop an event...otherwise it will stay in the 9-10 area. Better to Do than to DIE.

Thanks! I told the tech my throat clogged when I exhaled at the original settings 5-10. Will your suggested settings prevent that "clogging"? It may be why I can't sleep longer than 5.5 a night. (At least I hope so.)

I just tried the settings you recommended via simulating sleeping by loosening my throat muscles as much as possible. The flow seems easier and I didn't get the clogging. I think I'll sleep better. Again, thanks!

You're right. Doing is better than dying. Smart.

Since you are having clear airway events, I won't tell you to raise the max at this time.

It looks like your exhale relief is set at about 2 (hard to tell from the graph), but with your start pressure of 5, your machine can't give you that much exhale relief because the machine's minimum possible pressure is 4. Not sure if this is a factor or not in feeling "clogged." In any case, the machine is moving you up to higher pressure fairly quickly, so moving your starting/minimum pressure higher is probably a good idea.

It looks like you're putting your mask on around midnight for just a few minutes, then again around 4 a.m. for a few hours. Insomnia problems?

D.H. wrote:Since you are having clear airway events, I won't tell you to raise the max at this time.

Her clear airway events are not a problem

Hopeful50 wrote:It looks like your exhale relief is set at about 2 (hard to tell from the graph), but with your start pressure of 5, your machine can't give you that much exhale relief because the machine's minimum possible pressure is 4. Not sure if this is a factor or not in feeling "clogged." In any case, the machine is moving you up to higher pressure fairly quickly, so moving your starting/minimum pressure higher is probably a good idea.

It looks like you're putting your mask on around midnight for just a few minutes, then again around 4 a.m. for a few hours. Insomnia problems?

The minimum was set at 5 and the max had just been increased to 10.8 last night.

I might have been testing the new settings a bit. Insomnia? Not really. I've been going to bed very late, and *maybe* because I dread going to sleep and using the dreaded CPAP contraption and ensuing struggle with breathing in my sleep, but also because it's so quiet and peaceful at those hours.

tooter wrote:

D.H. wrote:Since you are having clear airway events, I won't tell you to raise the max at this time.

Her clear airway events are not a problem

Tooter, how are your chops? I think a factor in why my pressure required changes is because I'm a woodwind player and haven't played in a couple of years, which is a lot for me. I DO think practicing wind instruments help with sleep apnea, especially the didgeridoo. There's some research on it if you Google it. Not sure the neighbors would like that instrument!

Dee - raise your lower pressure to 7 or 8 and the high setting to 15. Just do it, and leave for a couple of nights at least. You're trying to get answers that will magically not need a slightly higher (but still otherwise quite low) pressure to be effective but it won't work. And he's right - a few clear airways at the beginning of sleep or near awakening are not important or harmful... quite common. And congrats on learning to post SH!

DeeCPAP wrote:

tooter wrote:

D.H. wrote:Since you are having clear airway events, I won't tell you to raise the max at this time.

Her clear airway events are not a problem

Tooter, how are your chops? I think a factor in why my pressure required changes is because I'm a woodwind player and haven't played in a couple of years, which is a lot for me. I DO think practicing wind instruments help with sleep apnea, especially the didgeridoo. There's some research on it if you Google it. Not sure the neighbors would like that instrument!

I played in College and then gave it up for many years. I took it up again several years ago and joined an old folks band. We are not very good, but are having fun.

tooter wrote:

DeeCPAP wrote:

tooter wrote:

D.H. wrote:Since you are having clear airway events, I won't tell you to raise the max at this time.

Her clear airway events are not a problem

Tooter, how are your chops? I think a factor in why my pressure required changes is because I'm a woodwind player and haven't played in a couple of years, which is a lot for me. I DO think practicing wind instruments help with sleep apnea, especially the didgeridoo. There's some research on it if you Google it. Not sure the neighbors would like that instrument!

I played in College and then gave it up for many years. I took it up again several years ago and joined an old folks band. We are not very good, but are having fun.

Did you notice getting back to playing had an influence on your CPAP treatment, like the settings used for your CPAP machine?

Julie wrote:Dee - raise your lower pressure to 7 or 8 and the high setting to 15. Just do it, and leave for a couple of nights at least. You're trying to get answers that will magically not need a slightly higher (but still otherwise quite low) pressure to be effective but it won't work. And he's right - a few clear airways at the beginning of sleep or near awakening are not important or harmful... quite common. And congrats on learning to post SH!

I tried the settings you wrote for a short time while lying on my back (simulated sleep mode - ultra relaxed tongue). It felt fine. Is there any reason why CPAP machines *shouldn't* be set at higher settings than needed, at least for a while. It's probably better to get too much air than not enough...

DeeCPAP wrote: Is there any reason why CPAP machines *shouldn't* be set at higher settings than needed, at least for a while. It's probably better to get too much air than not enough...

Comfort. It's all about balance, getting enough pressure to deal with events, but a little too much can disturb your sleep because of discomfort, leaks, aerophagia etc. It's great to have a really low AHI but if it's at the expense of disturbed or not enough sleep then a slightly higher AHI is an acceptable compromise, 5 or under is considered treated.

Lying on your back? That provokes many more apneas than lying on a side would... wonder why you did that. But in any case, why are so you reluctant to raise your pressures by just a couple of cms? You're at very low ones now so the threat of centrals is fairly remote and you're not being fully treated. If there were reasons to not do it I wouldn't recommend it. But keep going, don't get stuck there and question the relatively small move for ages... just do it, evaluate how you feel and go on.