Long Time User With A Few Questions

[anonEmouse]

Hi,

I've been using a CPAP since June of 2011.

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A couple of years ago I had a heart attack that completely blocked an artery, and they were unable to open the blockage. Having previously thought such an event would be conclusive, I was (pleasantly) surprised to learn that is not the case. Since then, I have found I'm not sleeping as well, though I can't point to a direct cause. I also have some painful spinal issues that continue to progress that may be a contributing factor. Anyway, I thought I would drop in and ask if those here see anything that jumps out at them in my daily Oscar reports. Though my AHI is relatively low, it seems the number of apneas seems high as do the large leaks from my nose pillows. I use a chin strap to keep the continuous raspberries to a minimum.

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Overall I think it looks relatively good with the exceptions noted above. The number of apneas has me wondering if I should consider increasing the minimum pressure a bit. Anyway, glad to still be here to ask the question.

[Pugsy]

What makes you think you are having a high number of apnea events?

[anonEmouse]

What makes you think you are having a high number of apnea events?

Fair question. I should have provided more context. In comparison to say, last year, they seem to be up a bit. A general comparison to "someone else" or some "average" is an unrealistic goal.

For a little context, this first one is from a year ago. The second is from a month after starting to use a CPAP in July of 2011.

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It appears to me that there is a general upward trend in the number of apneas. This may be a normal trend due to aging and deteriorating health. Sometimes it's valuable to have a different set of eyes take a look. I'm wondering if increasing the pressure a bit may reduce the OA's and improve my sleep. I'm waking up more than usual and am looking for a cause, which may have nothing to do with apnea.

[Miss Emerita]

With age, the tissues lining the airway can sag a bit, which may account for the little uptick in OAs you’re seeing. I would say it isn’t anything to worry about, but if you’d like to try raising your minimum pressure a bit, that’s an easy experiment. Try going up by just .6 and see how it goes.

Sorry to hear about the pain, which may well be the culprit robbing you of restful sleep. If you see a physical therapist, you might ask about creative use of pillows or other tricks.

About the leaks: does your strap tend to pull your lower jaw back, do you think? I ask because that’s fairly common and can contribute to mouth leaks.

[anonEmouse]

With age, the tissues lining the airway can sag a bit, which may account for the little uptick in OAs you’re seeing. I would say it isn’t anything to worry about, but if you’d like to try raising your minimum pressure a bit, that’s an easy experiment. Try going up by just .6 and see how it goes.

Sorry to hear about the pain, which may well be the culprit robbing you of restful sleep. If you see a physical therapist, you might ask about creative use of pillows or other tricks.

About the leaks: does your strap tend to pull your lower jaw back, do you think? I ask because that’s fairly common and can contribute to mouth leaks.

I suspect that age may play a role as you note. That's why I mentioned it as a possibility. To whatever degree it does, an increase in pressure may help alieve it

Been through all the PT they can offer. It's chronic and degenerative. I've been dealing with it for over a decade. It's mainly about pain management now.

I use the Swift II nose pillows and have for several years. The chin strap applies mostly upward pressure and I've learned to use my tongue to create suction at the roof of my mouth to help. That said, I've been told I have a problem keeping my mouth shut so, this may be a carry-over from that.

Actually, my nose pillows do tend to leak from around my nostrils occasionally. Just today I looked at the "Bleep Mask" and while it looks interesting, nearly $30 a month for the pads is beyond what my fixed income will support. I like the idea, though.

[Miss Emerita]

Yes, I wish they could get the costs of the "Dreamports" down. If the cost of your supplies is covered by insurance, you might check whether the Bleep stuff is covered. For some people it is.

Does your mouth open because your jaw drops some, or is it more that your lips part? If the latter, would you consider using tape to keep them closed?

If you try the .6 increase in pressure, let us know how it goes.

[Dreaming1]

Amazon sells dreamports for around $12 a box. You can buy a years supply at makesleepeasy.com even cheaper, but it's in bulk, for like $10/box. Mine are covered by insurance like a nasal mask and pillow cushion. Get them covered that way through aeroflow. I have a place at the beach though and I bought a big supply to keep there so I don't have to cart crap back and forth and it provides for naps on the weekend.

[anonEmouse]

Yes, I wish they could get the costs of the "Dreamports" down. If the cost of your supplies is covered by insurance, you might check whether the Bleep stuff is covered. For some people it is.

Does your mouth open because your jaw drops some, or is it more that your lips part? If the latter, would you consider using tape to keep them closed?

If you try the .6 increase in pressure, let us know how it goes.

I'm bald so the strap sometimes slips from the back of my head. My mouth sometimes drops open as a result.

I did go to a higher pressure for a while but found it to be too much to keep my lips from flapping in the breeze. What little hair I can grow is on my face and I am not keen to rip it out with tape. The time may come when I have no choice but to give up on that too, but not without a fight!

I'm doubtful my insurance will cover them specifically. They typically have specific DME's they work with for supplies. Although I've been on therapy since 2011 my insurance/DME insisted I rent a machine for 6-months for around $50 a month at my own expense before they would pay the balance. I rejected that and purchased a new machine directly. I'm not a real fan of such practices so I limit my exposure to them.

I haven't decided yet, but I may bump it up a tiny bit. If I do, I'll let you know how it goes.

[anonEmouse]

Amazon sells dreamports for around $12 a box. You can buy a years supply at makesleepeasy.com even cheaper, but it's in bulk, for like $10/box. Mine are covered by insurance like a nasal mask and pillow cushion. Get them covered that way through aeroflow. I have a place at the beach though and I bought a big supply to keep there so I don't have to cart crap back and forth and it provides for naps on the weekend.

Being on a fixed income limits one's ability to justify even an additional $20 a month. $240 for a bulk purchase to get the price down to $10 a box is an even bigger stretch.

[ILoveFlowers]

Have you tried any other nasal pillow masks? I could never get the Swift to stop leaking. At the time I was using it, it was the best option, but after a bunch of other similar masks came out, I tried several of them and ended up sticking with the P10 because I get almost no leaks with it.

[Miss Emerita]

About strap slippage: you might take a look at the Knightbridge Dual Chin Strap. The straps are attached to a lightweight cap, and I'm going to guess the cap would not slip off your head.