First Night Problems with the Autoset S9.

[sunil]

Hello Every one. I have been advised to use APAP to assist in my pulmonary hypertension.The sleep study has indicated a desired pressure of 4 (which is the minimum I am told). My ongoing lung disease (Five years of NSIP) is now entering the end stage.

My new S9 Autoset with humidifier arrived last evening. I used the Nose+Mouth mask. However, I kept waking up every 90 minutes or so with a parched dry throat. Is the humidifier not working? What could I be doing wrong?

Any help from the experienced members here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[LSAT]

Do you know what your humidifier is set at? Usually 1 to 5 scale.

[Julie]

You also said you're using what I think we call a 'full face' mask (that covers your mouth), but which one, and how tight or loose do you have it? Are you tracking your nightly progress with any software on your computer? That would tell you about leaks, etc., and you may have a 'leaky' mask, either badly fitted, or worn too tight (which can create more tiny leaks), or too lose, whether or not you're mouth breathing.

[Pugsy]

Mouth breathing..even when using a full face mask so that therapy is not lost and at max humidity delivery...will dry the mouth out for some people more than others.
For some people the mouth just dries out easier than others.
The humidifier even set to max may not be able to add enough moisture back to the mouth to prevent the drying effect.

So try a higher humidifier setting if you can.
If you don't have the Climateline heated hose...get one as it allows for a more consistent delivery of the humidity added..so greater chance to limit any dryness.

[LinkC]

John Thomas MacDonald has offered a Climateline hose in another topic. He may still have it... PM him.

[sunil]

Thanks everybody. It has now been three nights of fitful sleeping. I increased the humidifier setting to 6. I still wakeup every 90-120 minutes with a parched throat.

I have set the pressure range from 5-15. My wife tells me that the pressure ncreases to 6-7 when I am sleeping. Should I change the pressure range to 6-10 or even 7-10. Would that result in longer sleep durations?

I am on endstage lung disease with O2 24 x 7. I therefore combine my APAP with 5 lpm of O2.

[Pugsy]

I don't know if increasing the minimum pressure would help you sleep longer or not. It all depends on what might be waking you up.
If it happens to be apnea events or pressure changes...then it might help.
It would be best to look at the reports the machine gathers using the software available to see if something stands out.
Might even be a big leak waking you up.
That said...it probably wouldn't hurt anything but with your history I would be careful with the DIYing...though the doctor RX'd up to 15 so we would assume he is okay with that much pressure...
90 minutes or so is normally when the first REM stage happens and it is fairly common for OSA to be "worse" and/or need greater pressures during REM...so might be that the minimum pressure is allowing more events to happen..or it may be that the pressure changes themselves are waking you up.

Do you know how to post images of your reports and use the software?
SleepyHead is free and easy to use. I have links for it and information on how to use it in my signature line.
How to post images of reports discussed here with some examples.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81072&p=737779#p737779
If you could post one of the daily detailed nightly reports with graphs and all then we would have perhaps a better idea what is going on and see if something screams out "fix me"...before you go changing things with no goal or basis to go on.

Also..doesn't O2 also act like a drying agent? Wonder how much of an impact it is causing or adding to the situation. I don't know much about adding oxygen or if moisture can be added to it.

I don't know if the Climateline hose with the greater humidity control would offer much help. You have maxed out the regular hose at a setting of 6..
The Climateline allows for a more consistent 80% delivery...it may not overcome any mouth breathing drying though.
Worth a try though. Can you check with your medical supplier to see if they can get you one?