I feel like I'm going backwards..

[GagReflex]

My AHI is now averaging around 8-11 every night, Thats way better then it was before CPAP, but my AHI has increased from 4-5 over the last 2-3 weeks.
When I first went on CPAP in early February, I felt amazingly well, gone were the splitting headaches EVERY morning. But as my AHI has slowly increased, the fog is starting to return.

I had initially thought my leak rates weren't great, but realised I was reading the maximum leak not the median rate. My median rate over the last week (on a new mask) has been zero. Being a little paranoid, I even tried taping my mouth last night but still ended up with a AHI of 11.1

My machine is set in CPAP mode (Not Autoset) pressure set to 10.0 cmH2O with fulltime EPR of 1.0 cmH20

Is a slip backwards normal initialy?
Would Autoset mode be more sensible rather than using CPAP mode?. I'm using CPAP mode simply because I liked the EPR available in CPAP mode, my AHI is far more important to me than EPR though.

ANY suggestions would be welcome.. I feel like maybe I'm just being too impatient

[bap40]

I started out on straight CPAP at a pressure of 10. After I fired my DME and went to another place I got the M series A/flex. It runs in auto mode and have found that my 90% pressures have been above 10 each and every night!!! So although I was feeling better initially with straight CPAP, my auto settings of higher pressures have had an even better result in how I feel. I am sure others will have more information than I can provide as I just started therepy in Feb. also, but this has been my experience.

[kteague]

Hi GagReflex. About your AHI, are most of the events AI or HI? Since you have an auto machine, why not use it in auto mode for a while to see if you actually need a pressure a bit higher? After determining that, you can always go back to cpap mode so you can use the EPR feature. Since auto mode allows you to be at a lower pressure when more is not needed, you may not miss the EPR. Hope you figure things out soon and get results that both look good and feel good.
Kathy

[ozij]

I agree with both of the above.

Additonally: are you perhaps suffering from allergies and congested? How about trying some kind of sinus rinse (aka nasal irrigation)? It can be done with a squeeze bottle (very convenient) or a Netti Pot, and I find it very helfpul.

O.

[Snoredog]

Increase pressure to 12 cm, increase EPR=2, observe AHI, if it goes up you went the wrong way, then lower pressure to 9 cm, and leave EPR=1.

[Wulfman]

You didn't say anything about your leakage numbers. With a nasal mask, you could be leaking air out your mouth. I would suggest looking at your leak figures over that period of time your AHI has been rising, before messing with your pressure. It's still possible that you need more pressure, but if you don't solve the leak problem first, that extra air is just going to take the same route......out your mouth.

Den