Double Question: Mask and Pulse Ox

[SyCoREAPER]

Hey everyone, two questions:

Prior to APAP I never woke up gasping for air or anything of the sort. Recently I tried a nose mask instead of a full mask, fell asleep ok but in the middle of the night woke up gasping for air not being able to breath, not even from my mouth. Is there some sort of pressure imbalance caused by just a nasal mask? I ripped it off and was ok but for the rest of the night slept with my regular mask and was fine.

Question 2: I don't currently have a sleep doctor but have my numbers pretty much dialed in. 18-20 is my typical pressure setting. Since I can't adjust it any further, is there any point in buying an overnight pulse oximeter?

[khauser]

I doubt any specific answer can be given without reports (IE, OSCAR). Maybe you'll get some answers about gasping for air ... I have not experience with that problem (for which I am happy).

18-20 i my typical pressure setting

You're saying you can't adjust it higher, correct? But if 18-20 is not sufficient, that would indicate you need a different kind of machine. A bi-level system, for instance, can go higher.

But no one can answer for sure without some additional data.

I have no comments on use of an oximeter other than it can't hurt. It might show something useful...

[SyCoREAPER]

I doubt any specific answer can be given without reports (IE, OSCAR). Maybe you'll get some answers about gasping for air ... I have not experience with that problem (for which I am happy).

18-20 i my typical pressure setting

You're saying you can't adjust it higher, correct? But if 18-20 is not sufficient, that would indicate you need a different kind of machine. A bi-level system, for instance, can go higher.

But no one can answer for sure without some additional data.

I have no comments on use of an oximeter other than it can't hurt. It might show something useful...

A bipap may be needed down the line but at this time my AHI is 1 or lower every night so until things calm down in the world and financially, ill hold off on looking into it.

I thought of pulling the data with OSCAR and I still may but when I checked in the morning it definitely didnt capture the events.

I just wasn't sure if in general pressure on the nose can cause an imbalance in breathing or the inability to breath. It was meant as a general question, I'm not overly concerned because I don't plan on using ithat mask again but thought I'd ask.

Thanks for the response

[khauser]

A bipap may be needed down the line but at this time my AHI is 1 or lower so until things calm down in the world and financially, ill hold off on looking into it.

I thought of pulling the data with OSCAR and I still may but when I checked in the morning it definitely didnt capture the events.

I just wasn't sure if in general pressure on the nose can cause an imbalance in breathing or the inability to breath. It was meant as a general question, I'm not overly concerned because I don't plan on using ithat mask again but thought I'd ask.

Thanks for the response

OK, that was information I was missing ...

Certainly other people have had issues with pressure on the nose. I don't know of any that reported specifically that they couldn't also breathe through the mouth in that situation. Doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Do you use EPR? At those pressure many people find it necessary to exhale. I suppose I should also ask whether you had trouble inhaling or exhaling?

[SyCoREAPER]

From what I remember (I take a ton of medication to sleep in the first place, so my mind gets foggy) I couldn't inhale or exhale, it felt like something was preventing me from exhaling from my mouth and I simply didn't know how(?) in the moment to breath from my mouth is the best way to describe it maybe.

I do have Resmeds EPR enabled and set to 2. If I have it on 1 it feels labored and if I have it on 3 the machine drops the pressure too much and I feel like I'm not getting enough air

[Julie]

Mind my asking what meds you take? You'd be surprised how much they can make a difference to things. Have you looked into all side FX from them? Considered what time of day to take them? Whether you possibly could stop any or some (with MD's guidance... can be dangerous otherwise)? Etc.

[chunkyfrog]

. . . a ton of medication . . .

Either that or sleep paralysis.

[Grumpy48]

Regarding a Pulse Oximeter, back in December 2019 I bought a night time wearable ring that monitors and records O2 levels and pulse rate. I bought this to confirm what I thought were apnea related sleep issues. I brought some of the readings to my doctor and he set me up with a sleep study which did indicate severe apnea/hypopnea. I was setup with a CPAP machine in mid-March of 2020. The O2 levels from when I first started using the O2 monitor ring and then to when I started on the CPAP therapy are quite different and do show that the CPAP therapy greatly improved the O2 levels during the night. I still wear the O2 ring at night and compare its readings to the nightly AHI readings from the Phillips DreamMapper app from my Dreamstation (recent 14 day average AHI is 1.7). Usually the O2 readings track with the AHI numbers and is a good check of how well I slept. I also have a Fitbit that records sleep patterns and heart rate. Having a few extra tools to monitor sleep are helpful as affirmation the CPAP therapy is doing what it's supposed to do.

https://www.amazon.com/Tracker-Vibratio ... 988&sr=8-4

The attached images are screenshots of the O2 ring reports, one in Dec 2019 prior to CPAP and then a recent one in July 2020.

Sleep 1.jpg (174.99 KiB) Viewed 1823 times

Sleep 2.jpg (165.38 KiB) Viewed 1823 times