How long til numbers change?

[Sablerose]

Okay. I got my provider manual for my machine and can now at will check my AHI average, etc. I checked it and the number is still sufficiently high but I have only been using my machine for 5 nights. Goodness knows how much of that has been mucked about by me taking my mask off, stopping, starting, holding my breath just because I have a huge honkin mask on my face and am not adequately sure quite how to deal with that yet when i'm getting it started for the night, etc. etc. etc.

Provided I am sleeping through the night, not awakening that I am aware, feeling refreshed, not sleepy at all during the day, not having basically ANY of my prior apnea symptoms (which is how I feel today) regularly, how long should I let my averages go before I start really looking for this magical number of 5.0 or less that I've seen referenced more than once on the forum?

At a pressure of 15 and a full face mask, I've got to hope right now it's just a matter of time. I have no discomfort so far from the pressure but don't really anticipate it being reduced right away.

EDITED TO SAY: I am also getting over some kind of bronchial problem that of course was starting just before my sleep study and now is in the residual, clinging, "I will make you cough forever" phases. So, I've not awakened myself coughing at all on the CPAP but thanks to the humidity I do get up in the morning and eventually have some productive coughs, so that may also be affecting the way I'm breathing right now.

[BlackSpinner]

Okay. I got my provider manual for my machine and can now at will check my AHI average, etc. I checked it and the number is still sufficiently high but I have only been using my machine for 5 nights. Goodness knows how much of that has been mucked about by me taking my mask off, stopping, starting, holding my breath just because I have a huge honkin mask on my face and am not adequately sure quite how to deal with that yet when i'm getting it started for the night, etc. etc. etc.

EDITED TO SAY: I am also getting over some kind of bronchial problem that of course was starting just before my sleep study and now is in the residual, clinging, "I will make you cough forever" phases. So, I've not awakened myself coughing at all on the CPAP but thanks to the humidity I do get up in the morning and eventually have some productive coughs, so that may also be affecting the way I'm breathing right now.

Once you get those issues out of the way it should drop dramatically. That is the whole idea of the machine. The only adjustment you have to do is actually sleep with it on with minimal leaks.

[kteague]

You sound like me in that the first few minutes I'm coughing, clearing my throat, adjusting, shifting to get comfortable... this is the reason I use the ramp for just a few minutes, so that this activity won't affect my data. Not sure about that being an option for you. If not, once you have access to your data, check to see if those still high numbers are clustered around as you're going to sleep.

[elena88]

gosh you kinda started in a storm there, so things should calm down here when you are not coughing so much..

That, I know can throw a fly in the ointment..

the good news is that you are not having too much trouble with that pressure, this may end being a very important ingredient to your success!

hang in there!

[jdm2857]

If you go back to the equipment tab of your profile, you'll find your machine listed as "PR System One REMstar Auto CPAP Machine". PR is Philips Respironics (Philips bought Respironics). System One is the current series of machines (PR only puts this name on the humidifier for some reason known only to them). REMstar is a older trademark name that PR sticks on every machine just because. Whew.

[Sablerose]

Thank you everybody, my number went down overnight after sleeping on my side for most of the night so at least I'm trending in the right direction. A pretty significant decline, too -- 20% of my AHI number poofed overnight. My "periodic breathing" number also went down. So it looks like I might be getting in the zone and just waiting for my machine to aggregate enough of an average after 6 nights

*runs off to update her equipment listing*