AHI at ~6-7 after 2 months treatment. Any feedback?

[byowenader]

I have been taking it for about 4-5 months I think (with careful monitoring from psychiatrist). Prior to the zopiclone I had real problems with sleep onset (and awakenings, but the zopiclone hasn't helped those).

I am 32.

[byowenader]

I am very comfortable adjusting the pressure on my machine, what would you suggest increasing it to?

Do you have any thoughts on using the ramp feature - if I don't need it shall I avoid using it?

I will have a think about whether to continue using the Zopiclone - particularly as we're now coming out of lockdown in the UK, so hopefully I will get more daylight exposure, be more active, and thus be able to fall asleep more easily. I am worried about developing a dependency anyway, the daytime sleepiness is v. difficult to deal with, and I've read too many bad things about the long term health effects.

[Pugsy]

Have you ever had the Flex option for exhale relief turned on...and if you have at what setting?

If the sleep aid isn't helping your problem with sleep...time to talk to the doctor about continuation of that medication or altering dosage or whatever your options might be.
I sometimes take a similar sleep aid but while it does cause me some drowsiness hangover effect the next day....it does help me sleep a bit more soundly. Sounds like your meds don't. I have poor sleep quality issues due to arthritis pain issues...I am an old fart. So I do have quite extensive arthritis issues messing with my sleep.

As far as settings to try....if we assume those flagged events are the real deal and you are having airway collapse issues....then this is what I would do if I were in your shoes or you were a family member.
Sometimes having bilevel (by adding exhale relief we are essentially creating a bilevel situation on a limited scale with your machine) will help reduce hyponeas and flow limitations.

Setting of minimum 10 cm but turn on AFlex and set it to either 2 or 3 whichever is more comfortable to you. Keep the max at 20 as it only goes up if needed and most of the time it isn't needed anywhere close to 20 cm.
I personally prefer AFlex myself and it is the newer of the Flex options. Designed to feel more natural. You may or may not feel the same way but it's something to try.
It's an experiment though...based more on my own experience with a Respironics machine and tons of reports from myself and others...and a gut feeling for where to change or try something different.

Assuming those events are real asleep events (and we don't have a for sure way to know if awake or asleep) then you need more pressure to better prevent the airway from collapsing.
Adding Flex because sometimes bilevel situation helps when there is a difference between inhale and exhale....something different worth trying.

Ramp....only if needed for comfort ....and use regular ramp instead of smart ramp....and shorten the time frame from 45 minutes to maybe 20 minutes. If you change the minimum to 10....you might need a little ramp...or you might not if you also have Flex set to 2 or 3.