Three Nights In....A few questions

[wintersummer]

Hello, I'm 3 nights into my therapy and have several questions. I'm using a ResMed AirSense 10 Elite with Humidair unit, mask Airtouch F20, pressure 9, ramp 20 minutes. Hope that's enough to know where to start.

Here are my questions:
At the start of therapy each night (or nap), I feel a comfortable constant stream of airflow. Not bad at all. Even when it has ramped all way up to 9, I'm still quite comfortable. I wake at times with the airflow coming at intervals, pretty strongly. The intervals are not consistent with my breathing pattern. I just lie there in bed breathing as normal, not changing my rate of respiration. I'm just curious about the airflow at intervals. I thought CPAP was for "continuous", meaning that there was not a variation in pressure. Why does it seem like the pressure "amps" up and does so in a non-consistent way? I never notice when it stops because I just tell myself "this is normal" and gradually go back to sleep. But, something is happening to wake me up.

I'm having some sleep or adjustment challenges. My mask is comfortable. Actual therapy is comfortable. I am not sleeping good because I keep running through questions in my mind: Is my mask leaking? What is that non-continuous sound (described above)? My nose itches. I think I have to go to restroom. All these things, plus more, are keeping me from the sound sleep I want. I then am tired the following day. I'm making up for it by taking a nap, during which I use CPAP and fall into a deep, comfortable, satisfying sleep. Am I messing up my sleep cycle by napping? Or, should I push through that feeling of tiredness and hope for a better sleep during the night?

I am feeling a slight sense of nausea during the day. It's not bad, it's just I'm not hungry. I've read this is a side effect, because of air in your stomach. Does this go away with time?

Thank you all. (I added my equipment to my profile, I hope it shows up with this post)

[Julie]

Hi, just curious why you're on plain Cpap rather than auto... seeing as auto machines can DO just Cpap if necessary (tho' not the other way around) but give you better options for therapy and don't cost your insce. co. any more (whatever the DME tells you!). I also wonder if the nausea (rather than gassy pains) is related at all.

[palerider]

Hello, I'm 3 nights into my therapy and have several questions. I'm using a ResMed AirSense 10 Elite with Humidair unit, mask Airtouch F20, pressure 9, ramp 20 minutes. Hope that's enough to know where to start.

Here are my questions:
At the start of therapy each night (or nap), I feel a comfortable constant stream of airflow. Not bad at all. Even when it has ramped all way up to 9, I'm still quite comfortable. I wake at times with the airflow coming at intervals, pretty strongly. The intervals are not consistent with my breathing pattern. I just lie there in bed breathing as normal, not changing my rate of respiration. I'm just curious about the airflow at intervals. I thought CPAP was for "continuous", meaning that there was not a variation in pressure. Why does it seem like the pressure "amps" up and does so in a non-consistent way? I never notice when it stops because I just tell myself "this is normal" and gradually go back to sleep. But, something is happening to wake me up.

Your machine is a fixed pressure manual adjusting one. Ie, the pressure after ramp (9) is all it ever does. It doesn't change during the night. Any pressure variations are either your imagination, or a faulty machine.

Pull the data from it and view it in sleepyhead.

[Pugsy]

Are you using EPR exhale pressure relief? If so, at what setting?
If not, consider adding it to and see if it helps with the nausea issues or not. It's usually the first thing we suggest doing for aerophagia issues.
See the clinical manual if you need to turn on EPR or change it. Instructions are in the manual along with some other good stuff that isn't in the user manual.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

I have no idea about your odd air flow issues in the middle of the night. Obviously the Elite can't vary the pressure but maybe you are feeling the FOT or something else is going on.
Next time it happens turn the machine off and back on again. This way you will have a definite marker with the break in therapy so you can look at when it happened in terms of pressure or air flow and will know exactly where to zoom in.

Use available software
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

If you want to share the detailed report here for member input see this thread for examples in format and how to do it.
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

[zonker]

Hello, I'm 3 nights into my therapy and have several questions. I'm using a ResMed AirSense 10 Elite with Humidair unit, mask Airtouch F20, pressure 9, ramp 20 minutes. Hope that's enough to know where to start.

Here are my questions:
At the start of therapy each night (or nap), I feel a comfortable constant stream of airflow. Not bad at all. Even when it has ramped all way up to 9, I'm still quite comfortable. I wake at times with the airflow coming at intervals, pretty strongly. The intervals are not consistent with my breathing pattern. I just lie there in bed breathing as normal, not changing my rate of respiration. I'm just curious about the airflow at intervals. I thought CPAP was for "continuous", meaning that there was not a variation in pressure. Why does it seem like the pressure "amps" up and does so in a non-consistent way? I never notice when it stops because I just tell myself "this is normal" and gradually go back to sleep. But, something is happening to wake me up.

I'm having some sleep or adjustment challenges. My mask is comfortable. Actual therapy is comfortable. I am not sleeping good because I keep running through questions in my mind: Is my mask leaking? What is that non-continuous sound (described above)? My nose itches. I think I have to go to restroom. All these things, plus more, are keeping me from the sound sleep I want. I then am tired the following day. I'm making up for it by taking a nap, during which I use CPAP and fall into a deep, comfortable, satisfying sleep. Am I messing up my sleep cycle by napping? Or, should I push through that feeling of tiredness and hope for a better sleep during the night?

I am feeling a slight sense of nausea during the day. It's not bad, it's just I'm not hungry. I've read this is a side effect, because of air in your stomach. Does this go away with time?

Thank you all. (I added my equipment to my profile, I hope it shows up with this post)

your equipment DOES show up, as you'll see above. and thanks for doing that. will help forum regulars going forward.

are you on straight cpap? or are you on auto cpap, most commonly referred to as apap? if the latter, then the machine is changing pressure to adapt to you apnea events and squelching them. if you are on straight cpap, then i will have to leave this to the more knowledgeable people here.

two things that i think are the hardest regarding this therapy-finding the right mask and then, getting used to a mask on your face all night long. it's not unusual to have all those thoughts racing through your mind with the alien sitting on you! i think this is perfectly natural. at least, i felt similarly when i started. it takes some adjustment. i wish i could say EXACTLY how long. but we are each different and it takes a different amount of time for each of us.

as to the nausea, i'll let someone else respond. my situation is not the same as yours and wouldn't help you any if i brought it up.

all in all, you are doing great. this will get better.

two things you could do. get sleepyhead software and start tracking your sleep. another is to please keep your posting to this thread for a bit so the good folks here can keep better track of you and your progress.

good luck!

[wintersummer]

Hello, I'm 3 nights into my therapy and have several questions. I'm using a ResMed AirSense 10 Elite with Humidair unit, mask Airtouch F20, pressure 9, ramp 20 minutes. Hope that's enough to know where to start.

I'm having some sleep or adjustment challenges. My mask is comfortable. Actual therapy is comfortable. I am not sleeping good because I keep running through questions in my mind: Is my mask leaking? What is that non-continuous sound (described above)? My nose itches. I think I have to go to restroom. All these things, plus more, are keeping me from the sound sleep I want. I then am tired the following day. I'm making up for it by taking a nap, during which I use CPAP and fall into a deep, comfortable, satisfying sleep. Am I messing up my sleep cycle by napping? Or, should I push through that feeling of tiredness and hope for a better sleep during the night?

I am feeling a slight sense of nausea during the day. It's not bad, it's just I'm not hungry. I've read this is a side effect, because of air in your stomach. Does this go away with time?

Original poster back...with updates. I've been using my device for 2.5 weeks now. My questions were posted at day 3 of treatment. I'm happy (thrilled, actually) to say that the issues described in the above quotes have been completely resolved, gone away. It was just the adjustment. I appreciate all the kind and supportive and helpful guidance here on the forum.

[wintersummer]

Hello, I'm 3 nights into my therapy and have several questions. I'm using a ResMed AirSense 10 Elite with Humidair unit, mask Airtouch F20, pressure 9, ramp 20 minutes. Hope that's enough to know where to start.

Here are my questions:
At the start of therapy each night (or nap), I feel a comfortable constant stream of airflow. Not bad at all. Even when it has ramped all way up to 9, I'm still quite comfortable. I wake at times with the airflow coming at intervals, pretty strongly. The intervals are not consistent with my breathing pattern. I just lie there in bed breathing as normal, not changing my rate of respiration. I'm just curious about the airflow at intervals. I thought CPAP was for "continuous", meaning that there was not a variation in pressure. Why does it seem like the pressure "amps" up and does so in a non-consistent way? I never notice when it stops because I just tell myself "this is normal" and gradually go back to sleep. But, something is happening to wake me up.

Original poster here, updating my questions posted when I was only 3 days into treatment. I added updates to two questions in a post just a minute ago, areas with good resolution. The issue above, waking in middle of night and feeling stronger, regular "pushes" of airflow continue. I thought I was on CPAP; I confirmed this with my respiratory therapist.

It happened again last evening. I was awake enough to actually sit on edge of bed. I put my ear up to this very quiet machine and could hear the unit making somewhat increased sounds corresponding to the increased airflow coming in my mask. I just don't know what is happening.

Maybe my machine is set on automatic, and maybe that's what I'm feeling. Maybe the therapist set it wrong? Maybe she was wrong when she told me it was set to CPAP? Is there a way for me to tell how it's set?

[Fetou]

Hello, I'm 3 nights into my therapy and have several questions. I'm using a ResMed AirSense 10 Elite with Humidair unit, mask Airtouch F20, pressure 9, ramp 20 minutes. Hope that's enough to know where to start.

Here are my questions:
At the start of therapy each night (or nap), I feel a comfortable constant stream of airflow. Not bad at all. Even when it has ramped all way up to 9, I'm still quite comfortable. I wake at times with the airflow coming at intervals, pretty strongly. The intervals are not consistent with my breathing pattern. I just lie there in bed breathing as normal, not changing my rate of respiration. I'm just curious about the airflow at intervals. I thought CPAP was for "continuous", meaning that there was not a variation in pressure. Why does it seem like the pressure "amps" up and does so in a non-consistent way? I never notice when it stops because I just tell myself "this is normal" and gradually go back to sleep. But, something is happening to wake me up.

Original poster here, updating my questions posted when I was only 3 days into treatment. I added updates to two questions in a post just a minute ago, areas with good resolution. The issue above, waking in middle of night and feeling stronger, regular "pushes" of airflow continue. I thought I was on CPAP; I confirmed this with my respiratory therapist.

It happened again last evening. I was awake enough to actually sit on edge of bed. I put my ear up to this very quiet machine and could hear the unit making somewhat increased sounds corresponding to the increased airflow coming in my mask. I just don't know what is happening.

Maybe my machine is set on automatic, and maybe that's what I'm feeling. Maybe the therapist set it wrong? Maybe she was wrong when she told me it was set to CPAP? Is there a way for me to tell how it's set?

Not possible, unfortunately. You can only choose one setting for pressure with your model.

[palerider]

It happened again last evening. I was awake enough to actually sit on edge of bed. I put my ear up to this very quiet machine and could hear the unit making somewhat increased sounds corresponding to the increased airflow coming in my mask. I just don't know what is happening.

Maybe my machine is set on automatic, and maybe that's what I'm feeling. Maybe the therapist set it wrong? Maybe she was wrong when she told me it was set to CPAP? Is there a way for me to tell how it's set?

What does your machine say on the front? You picked a non-automatic machine when you filled out the equipment listing in your profile.

You can hear the machine change pitch as you breathe, that's normal.