Second Night: Total AHI: .3

[SleepIsHell]

Total Time: 2:13am to 5:05am

Pressure: 10
OA: 0.0
H: .3
Total AHI: .3

Leakage: 39.0

I'm happy to report that the first night's high AHI problem did not recur the second night. Though I only slept for 3 hours, Total AHI was only .3!!
This basically means that Sleep Apnea is now cured for me. As long as I can continue the CPAP therapy everynight, Sleep Apnea no longer poses a problem!

What was different from the first night:

Instead of using APAP, I set the machine to CPAP mode at a pressure of 10cm. This was exactly the same setting as my Sleep Center Titration. I think that APAP may be useful to Titrate once in a while, but CPAP is far superior to APAP mode to cure Sleep Apnea.

From now on, I will use the CPAP mode set at 10cm.

Thank you everyone for helping me solve this!
_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Titration, CPAP, AHI, APAP

[yardbird]

to clarify.... you are not "cured" of apnea.

You are "successfully treated"

You've still got apnea. heheheh

[alnhwrd]

Wow, that is a great set of numbers! Hopefully you have found your sweet spot. Keep up the good work!

[CentralScrutinizer]

My understanding is that Auto PAP is largely intended for comfort... The idea being that it has lower pressures for times when you don't need high pressure and then it will raise the pressure if/when you do need it.

I myself really wanted a Auto PAP badly the first week or so I had CPAP because it was really hard for me to get used to the 9CM that my machine was set at from the DME. When first trying to fall asleep this felt really hard to get used to... I had my C-flex set at 3, but that didn't seem to help. I had ramp which lowered it for 30 minutes and then went up to 9... Still sometimes I would not be to sleep by the time it reached 9, and would hit the button several times.... Bottom line is 9CM was very uncomfortable to me...

I was awakening every hour or so, and the 9cm made it hard to get back to sleep... I was getting VERY frustrated with the whole thing... and flelt APAP was likely a better system, but had virtually no way to get one....

Well time went on... I did lower my pressure myself and that helped me get more comfortable with cpap... even at lower pressures my Apneas were controlled to under 5... Eventually I raised it up to 8cm... more days went by and I have absolutely no trouble falling asleep at 8cm. Never use RAMP any more, I've turned C-Flex down to 1... and well, I no longer crave APAP....

Now, hearing stories like yours... makes me wonder just how useful APAP really is... While I can still see value in comfort (assuming it actually works well enough to control apneas)... It's disturbing to hear your story where APAP just doesn't seem to be doing what it should...

[SleepIsHell]

to clarify.... you are not "cured" of apnea.

You are "successfully treated"

You've still got apnea. heheheh

Yes, you're right. I'm not really cured of Apnea, but effectively, as long as I continue to use the CPAP therapy, I no longer have sleep problems.

Wow, that is a great set of numbers! Hopefully you have found your sweet spot. Keep up the good work!

Thanks almhwrd! I hope the numbers continue to show low AHI. Despite sleeping only 3 hours, I really do feel pretty normal, like my old self. Later, when I take a nap, I'll use the CPAP again, and see if I can reproduce the same low AHI numbers.

Now, hearing stories like yours... makes me wonder just how useful APAP really is... While I can still see value in comfort (assuming it actually works well enough to control apneas)... It's disturbing to hear your story where APAP just doesn't seem to be doing what it should...

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that getting a DATA capable machine is far more important than AutoPap vs CPAP. CPAP itself is good enough, but what is really important is being able to see the Data, and also set the Pressure yourself. This is more important than APAP, which can create as many problems as it hopes to solve.

[Bookbear]

Excellent start, SleepIsHell! Congrats!

Since many factors affect our sleep, you may find that environment, emotions, stress at work, etc. will alter your pressure needs as time goes on. Continue to monitor your response to therapy on a regular basis. A general rule of thumb is to make one change, monitor it for a week at least, then assess the results before making another change. Your initial numbers look really good (I'm envious!)

Nearly all would say that 3-4 hours of sleep is not enough, even though you feel much better now that your are actually sleeping those 3-4 hours you are in bed. Personally, I think the next step should be working on increasing the amount of time you sleep. A longer period of good sleep is better for your body than a shorter period supplemented with naps.

Good luck!

[kteague]

SleepIsHell,

Congrats on the progress you've made, I sure know how miserable it is when sleep is hell. Glad you've identified that the cpap mode is working best for you.

I too am using straight cpap at this time at the insistence of my sleep doctor, who was concerned the fluctuating pressures may have been contributing to my frequent wakeups. Turns out I didn't stay asleep any better or any worse on one or the other.

My first setup was cpap without exhalation relief, and the settings were not effective as I still woke up feeling as I was suffocating and with symptoms of still having events, so I quit. It was getting an autopap and help with the settings on here that I began getting some sleep, but not enough of it and it was very broken. Turns out it was mostly time, better treatment of leg movements, and improved sleep hygiene I needed.

When switching to cpap at a pressure found effective on apap and titrated in a lab, I still followed my data and I agree on its value. I can say that I never experienced aerophagia or significant leaks on the apap, and I can't say that now.

As in mask selection, machine or mode selection is very much an individual preference. I'm glad there are options out there that will hopefully promote greater compliance for those who need this treatment.

Best wishes for continued good results for you, and that your your sleep will become sweet and you progress very soon to a full night's sleep regularly. You know you've really been sleeping badly when just 3 hours feels good!

Kathy

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP, APAP, aerophagia

[travismcgee]

[quote="SleepIsHell"]Total Time: 2:13am to 5:05am

Pressure: 10
OA: 0.0
H: .3
Total AHI: .3

Leakage: 39.0

I'm happy to report that the first night's high AHI problem did not recur the second night. Though I only slept for 3 hours, Total AHI was only .3!!
This basically means that Sleep Apnea is now cured for me. As long as I can continue the CPAP therapy everynight, Sleep Apnea no longer poses a problem!

What was different from the first night:

Instead of using APAP, I set the machine to CPAP mode at a pressure of 10cm. This was exactly the same setting as my Sleep Center Titration. I think that APAP may be useful to Titrate once in a while, but CPAP is far superior to APAP mode to cure Sleep Apnea.

From now on, I will use the CPAP mode set at 10cm.

Thank you everyone for helping me solve this!