is 14cm too high?

For those following my progress, it really does look like 14cm is keeping the events to a minimum. I've had no night over 2.8 since I started on Saturday night, and more than one was below 1.0. Graphs are below for those who'd like to see them.

My question is this, is 14cm safe for long-term use without bi-pap? I know that folks on bi-pap or auto have higher (sometimes much higher) pressures but I do best on regular CPAP. Are there potential negatives to just keeping the pressure at 14? I was titrated to 12cm, but couldn't keep the AHI under 5.5 at that pressure. Slowly (over 3 weeks) worked up to 14, and here's where I am.

Also, does anyone know what the WHITE markers are on the events chart for the ResScan software? I can expand the screen to see what Red (OSA) Yellow (Unknown) and Blue (Central) are, but can never read the tag for the WHITE ones.

What do folks think?

Thanks in advance.

Here's the charts for the last 5 days:
4/24


4/25


4/26


4/27


4/28

I'm so glad you asked that question and can't wait for the responses. I still ask myself that same question about 13cms and above for over 2 years now and even though I've been reassured many times by the experts here that there's no harm with uncomplicated OSA and I monitor the data, I still wonder?? I know many people here who use higher cpap pressure with no ill effects.

I have never heard of anyone reporting any serious complications or side effects from 14 cm. I'm still a newcomer compared to many here, but I've been at first 17 cm and then 15 cm for close to two years now. At 14 cm, you have a little more likelihood of leaks than at 12 cm, which is unpleasant, and a little more chance of swallowing air. But it is a safe level of pressure that many people are prescribed every day. Like many other CPAP users, I wake up in the morning breathing peacefully, without any sensation that I am breathing against pressure until I turn the machine off.

Watch for a trend over a week or two. There's no ill side effects to a pressure of 14 if it is appropriate for you.

I started in the 15's and moved up from there. When I was unable to exhale in the 18's, I moved to bipap at 21/16 after an in lab titration.........love the machine even more than my original apap.

The important thing is what is right for YOU. Some people are on bipap's with very low pressures, some with much higher than my own. It all depends on YOU.

I've read that the pressure can be a problem for some people over 20 cm, and that's why most home units have 20 cm as the upper limit. I was also told by an RT with over 20 years experience that it's close to impossible to hurt yourself with one of these things unless you have one of the contraindications for CPAP, and with nearly all of those, you'd be in the hospital already. When I asked him about all the dangers I'd been warned about, his response was, "Hogwash."

Thanks everyone! I'm keeping a very close eye on the graphs, and though I'm noticing one or two centrals I didn't see before, there's a good possibility they were being masked in the clusters of OSA events I was having at 13cm and 12cm.

I just wasn't sure if 14cm would leave me more open to centrals, or at higher risk for lung issues like bronchitis. I believed the answer was no, but a sanity check now and then is a good thing =)

PST wrote: At 14 cm, you have a little more likelihood of leaks than at 12 cm, which is unpleasant, and a little more chance of swallowing air. ff.

Yes, I was sure I got the leak issues out of the way at 12cm before I started moving up .4cm at a time. So far at 14cm, no leaks with the Quattro FFM!

Also keeping a close eye out for excess air swallowing. This (fingers crossed) hasn't been a problem over the last 5 nights.

Hi TalonNY,
your leak line is amazing , hope you are feeling rested with that pressure;
what is your trick for preventing aerophagia? neck position?
Dreamrobot

Sheer luck, LOL

Seriously, I have not done anything special to prevent it, but I suspect a few factors may have influenced it.

First, I've used a buckwheat pillow for about 15 years now - WAY before I started therapy. These pillows do tend to offer superior head support in multiple sleep positions.

Second, I don't mouth-breathe, but I DO sleep with my mouth wide open. I have no idea why. I suspect that years of that behavior have trained my body to not swallow air that much.

Other than those things, your guess is as good as mine.

Hey Mike
your charts look fantastic to me!!
I have no idea about the pressure but I wish all of mine looked that good!

Thanks, that's why I wanted to get input on the pressure itself. 14cm definitely seems to have a great efficacy, but I wanted to be sure I wasn't bordering on anything that had a bad trade-off =)

My son-in-law's mom is on an M series Plus machine with a pressure of 16 for the last 2 years and haven't heard of any negatives (and believe me I would have heard if there was).

I am glad you asked this question since I am also at 14 cm. I have also not had any problems with aerophagia.