Newbie - How Long Before I Start Feeling Better?

[Kazak]

I do not know how to get into the medical menu.

[Cardsfan]

Hold down the round button and the Home button (lower bar on machine) at the same time for about 5 seconds, until the clinical settings appear.
Click on SETTINGS
Scroll down to MODE
Click on that. You can change it to AUTOSet
Set the minimum to 10
Set the max pressure to 11

ScroLL down to COMFORT
This is where you can change your ramp setting.
I would raise the START PRESSURE to 6 or 7.

You can make both of these changes at the same time.
There is an online clinical manual, hopefully someone can post a link to it for you.

[OkyDoky]

I can link you to the manual but I want to caution you to monitor your CA's if you increase pressure. In a few people pressure may induce centrals and make your sleep worse. The narrow change Cardsfan is suggesting probably won't be a problem but it is something to watch if your AHI starts heading into double digits.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf
Changing the ramp pressure if you have a difficult time falling asleep is a good idea.

[Cardsfan]

Thanks Oky for the link.
My idea was to raise the max to 11. After a few days of trial, If that helped with the obstructives, then lower the start pressure to 9.4 to see if that reduced the centrals without raising the obstructive apneas.

[GettingBetter]

Greetings.

After being diagnosed with a moderate sleep apnea in November, I have been trying to get accustomed to my CPAP for the past five weeks (AirSense 10, nasal mask, autoramp of 4, final pressure of 10). I am finally used to wearing the nasal mask and feel as though I am able to fall asleep now somewhat like the pre-mask days. However, I am not experiencing any benefits yet in terms of feeling less fatigued and tired during the day. How long can this process take before I do start feeling like I've actually slept a good night's sleep?

I have also installed SleepyHead and am looking at my data. I can provide screen shots if that would be helpful. In general, my AHI is trending under 5 now, but I see in reading the forum that I should be striving for 1.

Thanks in advance for any advice here on how long it can take before I start to see some benefit.

Hi Kazak,

You are really making some great progress. Just falling a sleep somewhat comfortably with the mask is a big step in your treatment. (BTW I use the same mask and really like it.) Your tenacity in keeping it going will pay off and of course like all of us you want to know when that will be.

Treatment is different for every one, mostly because the factors are different that contribute to the apnea. For me, the difference with CPAP has been dramatic since my symptoms pre-cpap were dramatic. I was falling asleep in the car with the motor running after dropping the kids off at school (thankfully I was parked). I don't do that anymore . Predictably, I think this is a dramatic and wonderful improvement. I laugh more and my mind feels more on track after 2 1/2 months. My O2 levels are better and I heal more quickly. (O2 was dropping to 66% at night.) I got here not by fiddling with the pressures so much. I've just let the machine do it's auto thing and made sure I didn't mess it up. Others find success in fiddling with the pressures - what ever works.

I googled every medication I took for allergies, depression/anxiety, heart, acid reflux and blood thinning as it related to sleep apnea. I googled the generic as well as the original brand because funny thing, you will find split info. I reviewed that information with my doctor and my favorite pharmacist to come up with a plan for when I could take my medications to optimize my sleep AHI. I made some sensible changes like I take my Singulair at night before bed because it helps with the obstructive component of the AHI (when I take it in the AM, my nighttime AHI is higher). Taking beta blockers at night is dramatically better for my central apnea. I check everything I do with Sleepyhead and try to make only one change at a time. Your plan will be different.

The other thing you can do that will ensure success is to avoid getting discouraged. A lot of advice and stuff might get thrown at you all at once from many directions. Take it a step at a time and don't expect only one thing to fix it all. This isn't a foot race to some magic sleep number, it is about you feeling better. Be honest with yourself about your improvements. Sometimes we forget how bad it was when we start to fell better.

Anyway, I hope you find hope an support and know you aren't in this alone.

Take care,
GB