AHI Sweet Spot and Asthma/Bronchitis

Ever since the night of the baseline study (sans cpap) I've been having what I'd previously thought to be a solved asthmatic/bronchitis type problem. The morning after the baseline, I started getting the 'crackly lungs' thing where just breathing sounds like rice krispies. I'd started recovering from that for the week between the baseline and the titration. But ever since I've put myself on the prescribed pressure of straight cpap 9cm, the crackly lungs have gotten worse. So much so that I'm coughing up a lot of phlegm that seems never ending. I've been on 1200mg Mucinex timed release for the last year or so, and even that doesn't seem to be helping. I'm concerned that the lower prescribed pressure is actually making my rice krispies lungs worse. It's only 9 cm vs. 10.4 cm previous.

The overall change in AHI from 9 to 10.4 is not significantly different - except that I have fewer hypopneas at 10.4. All apneas are still central, according to the S9.

I'm wondering if the lower pressure is aggravating the problem. I've promised the doc I'd leave my pressure at 9.0, but I really am not sure it's for the best. Is there anyone else who has had a similar situation?

The below graph is an example of what I'm wondering. Is the graph in purple denoting asthma/bronchitis a possibility?

Just a strange question... but are you using EPR with that pressure? If so at what level?

I know that I had problems on CPAP/APAP with CFLEX... felt like I was 'wheezing', and I'm already an asthmatic.

cflame1 wrote:Just a strange question... but are you using EPR with that pressure? If so at what level?

I know that I had problems on CPAP/APAP with CFLEX... felt like I was 'wheezing', and I'm already an asthmatic.

cflame1,
Thanks for your reply.

When I was using the M-Series, I couldn't tolerate Cflex at all, but that was for arousal reasons, I remember correctly. I turned off Cflex within months of getting the unit because it was causing my breathing rate to race all night. With the S9, I started with no EPR originally, but found later that it actually helps with aerophagia, so I've just left it on at setting '1'.

Because it does actually lower the pressure one cm temporarily on exhale, your question does make me wonder if EPR might pose an additional variable. It is a good question.