Sleepy Head chart

[Flyfisherman69]

Trying to post a sleepy head chart. Hope this works. If it does this is my results from last night. Any input? I did take my mask off part of the night. One thing I think it tells me is that I need to work on leaks.

Mark

[LSAT]

Your minimum pressure is set too low. Increasing it to about 8 should reduce your AHI considerably. Also watch the leaks. Problem between 1:30 and 2:30...otherwise OK.

[ChicagoGranny]

Any input?

Use imgur. Photobucket is very bad.

[Flyfisherman69]

Your minimum pressure is set too low. Increasing it to about 8 should reduce your AHI considerably. Also watch the leaks. Problem between 1:30 and 2:30...otherwise OK.

Should I jump right to 8 from 5 or should I slowly increase it over time?

[Okie bipap]

I would try 8 and if it is too high, back it off to 7 or 6. Most of the adjustments they have made to my wife's pressure have been in 2 cm increments, until the last one, where they tried to go from 14 to 20. Needless to say, she could not handle that much of a jump at one time. We backed it off to 15 and brought it up gradually. She is now at the required pressure.

[LSAT]

Your minimum pressure is set too low. Increasing it to about 8 should reduce your AHI considerably. Also watch the leaks. Problem between 1:30 and 2:30...otherwise OK.

Should I jump right to 8 from 5 or should I slowly increase it over time?

I don't think that would be a problem...8 is still relatively low.

[ChicagoGranny]

Should I jump right to 8 from 5 or should I slowly increase it over time?

Your choice, but 8.0 is still a low pressure. I would go to 8.0 immediately. In the unlikely case that it would cause a problem, you can back off the next night.

[ajack]

with the dreamstation being so slow to react, I'd go straight to 10, 2cm under your 95%
It's your call, I think you will get use to the pressure in a few days, or slowly go up and it can take a couple of weeks to get to the same place. I think the important bit is to sort any leaks out, they will wake you up

I have the view to get the pressure that treats the apnea, then get use to that pressure. It's like ripping off a bandaid, quicker the better

[Flyfisherman69]

Thanks for the tips. I will try 8.0 tonight. I think I've figured out part or my leak problem. I sleep on my back and usually have two or three pillows behind me. I think i am propped to high in bed. My chin drops when I sleep and my mask leaks. I'm going to try less pillows and lay flatter in bed and also try sleeping more on my side.

Mark

[Okie bipap]

Thanks for the tips. I will try 8.0 tonight. I think I've figured out part or my leak problem. I sleep on my back and usually have two or three pillows behind me. I think i am propped to high in bed. My chin drops when I sleep and my mask leaks. I'm going to try less pillows and lay flatter in bed and also try sleeping more on my side.

Mark

If your chin is dropping, you can try a chin strap, or a foam cervical collar. My wife and I use cervical collars. I have tried chin straps in the past, but found them to be uncomfortable.

[ChicagoGranny]

I'm going to try less pillows and lay flatter in bed

Yes! Pillows that cause a bend at the neck tend to cramp the airway and make the airway more subject to collapse. This position is also not good for the spine. Sleep flat or use a thin, soft pillow.

also try sleeping more on my side

You likely will find your pressure requirements are lower on your sides. On the back, gravity is directly pulling the tongue and soft palate toward the airway. On the sides, the effect is reduced somewhat.

Of course, you want to get your CPAP pressure settings to the point that you are taken care of on side or back positions. You want the max pressure high enough that it will take care of backsleeping. The min pressure should be low enough that you can take advantage of the comfort of lower pressures when sleeping on your sides.

My chin drops when I sleep

A good many of us wear foam cervical collars to help prevent the jaw from dropping. The collars also keep the neck in the optimal position for airway patency. I've worn one for years and it lowered my pressure needs to a tolerable level. If you continue to have problems with the chin dropping, I can recommend the brand of collar I use.

Good to see you in a can-do, problem-solving mode. (Many who come here are not like that. )

[palerider]

Your minimum pressure is set too low. Increasing it to about 8 should reduce your AHI considerably. Also watch the leaks. Problem between 1:30 and 2:30...otherwise OK.

Should I jump right to 8 from 5 or should I slowly increase it over time?

how long do you want to have poor sleep? you're already having higher pressures, you're just suffering because your machine is slow to get up to where you need it.

[palerider]

with the dreamstation being so slow to react, I'd go straight to 10, 2cm under your 95%

only the ignorant use the 95% pressure as a guide for setting min pressure.

don't be one of them.

[TedVPAP]

with the dreamstation being so slow to react, I'd go straight to 10, 2cm under your 95%

only the ignorant use the 95% pressure as a guide for setting min pressure.

don't be one of them.

Do you know of a guide on setting min pressure?

[palerider]

with the dreamstation being so slow to react, I'd go straight to 10, 2cm under your 95%

only the ignorant use the 95% pressure as a guide for setting min pressure.

don't be one of them.

Do you know of a guide on setting min pressure?

what I do is look at the pressure curves for the night, it's easier on a resmed because the pressure curves are more active, look for where the pressure spikes up after dropping down, set the min pressure a little above that.

with practice, you may develop a 'feel' for it, but it's much more involved than just looking at a normalized 'max' number (which is what the 95% is) and saying "hur, set it there".

respironics, because their response is slower, takes a bit more effort... looking at the periods when the pressure is stable, when it's doing it's probes, what kinds of events are happening when, etc.