Nasal pillows vs. mask... Different pressures?

atn925 · Post by **atn925** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:33 am

This morning, my wife informed me that I had stopped breathing while wearing nasal pillows. Is there a difference in the pressure settings between the nasal pillows and a regular mask? To me it seems that there is less pressure in the airstream. I have had the nasal pillows for a couple of years and this is the first time I have been told of an issue. I have an old mask I can try, but it is very uncomfortable.

I am using a remstar machine. Is there a way to change the settings?

TIA

Steven

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:47 am

All machines can have the settings changed. More importantly however is that not all machines provide useful data.

Does your machine provide useful data?

Don't know? ... tell us what machine model you have ... fill out your profile.

Welcome to the forum, visit here often and you will learn to take charge of your treatment and make it the best best that it can be.

jdavis123 · Post by **jdavis123** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:48 am

It is common to stop breathing at Sleep Onset. Perhaps your Wife noticed this when you were falling asleep or falling back asleep after waking up. In those cases, that is normal, and not a reason to worry. There is no difference in the pressure, but it might just feel that way since it's a different type of mask (nasal pillows vs your old mask).

wlo2008 · Post by **wlo2008** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:55 am

How many times did she notice this. Sometimes Cpap can cause complex Central. Not with everyone. I had centrals pre Cpap. But when I was on just a Cpap machine it made my centrals worse as well as my periodic breathing. But then I wonder why they gave me this when they new it was that bad in the first place.

What type of machine do you have? What type of Remstar? But I would run this across your doctor before you change your pressure. You stated it has been a couple of years with this mask. Maybe you need a new sleep study to determine if there is another issue or that a pressure change is indeed needed. Having a good relationship with your doc is very important. And if they don't like it then you can find another one that will work with you on changing your pressures and so on.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:18 am

CPAP can not cause complex sleep apnea. If you have complex sleep apnea it, it will be seen when your cpap pressure is high enough to get rid of your obstructive events.
At that point, for people who have complex sleep apnea, central events appear.

Nothing in your breathing problem was caused by CPAP. Fixed pressure was simply not the right treatment for the breathing problem you have.
O.

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:28 am

This comment will sound like a broken record to some of you, but we have so many new people coming on, I will make it anyway.

Your wife says you stopped breathing. OK. Did you start up again without being woke up?

If you quit breathing a lot, PM me. If you quit breathing once in awhile, I am told that is somewhat normal.

Either way, good luck with it. If you are real curious, look up CCHS on Google.
It is VERY rare, but VERY serious. Mainly be aware of what your body is doing and don't ignore it.

wlo2008 · Post by **wlo2008** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:43 am

[quote="ozij"]CPAP can not cause complex sleep apnea. If you have complex sleep apnea it, it will be seen when your cpap pressure is high enough to get rid of your obstructive events.
At that point, for people who have complex sleep apnea, central events appear.

Nothing in your breathing problem was caused by CPAP. Fixed pressure was simply not the right treatment for the breathing problem you have.
O.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:03 am

ozij wrote: Fixed pressure was simply not the right treatment for the breathing problem you have.

wlo2008 wrote:It made my centrals 10 times worse at 7cm.

Respironics wrote:Complex sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when a patient is identified as having OSA, but with the application of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to eliminate the OSA, the patient develops Central Sleep Apnea.

ozij wrote: If you have complex sleep apnea it, it will be seen when your cpap pressure is high enough to get rid of your obstructive events.
At that point, for people who have complex sleep apnea, central events appear

.

You responded to the application of fixed CPAP with many central apneas because you have a condition called "Complex Sleep Apnea".

O.

atn925 · Post by **atn925** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:21 am

Thanks for all the replies. I cannot find a model number for my Remstar CPAP, but I did find a part #1018547. I looked at the Respironics site and there was no match. It is definitely a "pre-M" series and it is NOT a C-Flex.
My wife only noticed my non breathing once. I will ask her if it was early or late in the sleep cycle as well as if I restarted on my own. I am due to talk to my doctor next month and I will certainly mention this event, even if it was only one time.

atn925 · Post by **atn925** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:36 am

atn925 wrote:Thanks for all the replies. I cannot find a model number for my Remstar CPAP, but I did find a part #1018547. I looked at the Respironics site and there was no match. It is definitely a "pre-M" series and it is NOT a C-Flex.
My wife only noticed my non breathing once. I will ask her if it was early or late in the sleep cycle as well as if I restarted on my own. I am due to talk to my doctor next month and I will certainly mention this event, even if it was only one time.

_________________

I did restart on my own and it was just once. fairly early in the sleep cycle.

How are the settings changed on this machine?

jnk · Post by **jnk** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:26 am

viewtopic/t32637/Remstar-Setup-Instructions.html

Please be careful.