SECOND NIGHT WRESTLING WITH MY CPAP

[FINALLYGAVEIN]

Here is my account of the second day - I started off the night excited to once again us the sleepweaver mask as I had done the latter part of the night before and the machine just kept ramping up and up for no reason as i was awake and breathing on my own. What is with these machines forcing you to breath high ramp air when you are already breathing. I have the RemStar Auto A-Flex that is suppose to give me air based on my needs -so what's up with that not being the case.

After several hours I ripped off the mask, shut off the machine because I was so tired I wanted to sleep already.

After I awake to use the bathroom around 4:00am I decided to play around with the machine and was only able to change the A-Flex setting to 3 (as it had to set on 2 by the rental company). I also made a tighter fit on the sleepweaver mask around my mouth area and relaxed, I checked the machine several hours later and it was at 9 and when I awoke 4 hours later it was at 11. That was a lot better then 16 18 etc......

I STILL AM LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION OF A CPAP MACHINE THAT PROVIDES YOU THE PRESSURE BASED ON YOUR NEEDS, WHEN YOU ARE NOT BREATHING AND REDUCES GREATLY WHEN YOU ARE BREATHING ON YOU OWN AND NO LONGER NEED THAT LEVEL OF PRESSURE.......ANY SUGGESTIONSSSSS PLEASEEEEEE

I will make the effort again tonight and I know it will be more difficult because I have to go to work on Monday and it will frustrate me if I have to russel with thing during the night....

God Bless.

[Slinky]

You have to first master your Leak rate. Your APAP is chasing the high leaks w/higher and higher pressure.

What are the pressure range settings on your APAP?

[gasp]

I believe the APAP meets whatever apnea need I have. It allows for easy breathing in and out, stops events, and my numbers are low, usually below 2-3. My profile lists my machine.

[dtsm]

[quote="FINALLYGAVEIN"]Here is my account of the second day/quote]

Welcome, you're at the right place.
First, slow down and establish some realistic expectations. It's a marathon. Some folks adjust quickly, others takes weeks or months. But keep at it.

Second, Slinky is right. Your machine is chasing after your leaks. What was the original prescribed pressure setting? You say machine started at 9 but now at 11. What is your apap range and how did you choose it?

I'm not familiar with your machine but you need to check the data daily, including events, and leaks. It would 'appear' from the very limited info, that leaks might be the culprit. It's quite unusual [at least in my very limited experience] to start with the sleepweaver mask. And like every other mask, it must be properly fitted. Tightening is not always the solution.

[Janknitz]

The Fisher and Paykel Icon series has "Sensawake" which is supposed to respond by lowering the pressure when you are awake and clearly breathing on your own. Personally, I can't imagine that would be comfortable, because I like a good amount of pressure when I'm awake or I feel as if I'm suffocating.

But you are having trouble with your machine for two reasons: 1) You are probably leaking a lot and 2) the pressure range is so wide that --as others have pointed out--your machine has to chase the pressures.

Were you titrated in the lab? If so, and you know your titration pressure, you'd be more comfortable if your pressures were set closer to that titration pressure.

I'm also wondering if your ramp is set to be fairly quick, so that the ramp setting is what is causing the pressure to rise so much while you are still awake and breathing?

[Guest]

I went thru a two sleep studies last year but they were non-conclusive because they could not gauge a range (352 episodes 17 min sleep in 8 hours). So now that my health has worsen due to my sleep apena I am being forced to take care of it now. So the doctor wants me to get use to the machine and then set me up for a sleep study to get the pressure amount.

But the auto machine given to me is set to go from 4 to 20 and when I am breathing on my own it stays at the high pressure which is waking me up feeling like I am suffocating.

I also have the Swift for Her nasal mask which I have switched back in forth with the sleepweaver mask but they both do the same thing. I do feel more air escaping with the sleepweaver then with the nose mask.

I am stuck and don't know where to turn.