Low pressure nasal pillows just feels so much higher pressure than high pressure full face.

[elavi001]

[It was probably about 6 yrs into my therapy that the swelling happened. The new mask I was trying had a hard plastic section at the front ( I don't recall which one it was).

When I slept on my side as usual, the hard edge pressed into my cheek. Then began discomfort and pain in the cheek next to my nose and swelling that looked like a tennis ball was tucked in my jowl After getting a new mask and some cheek pads, it was probably 6 months before all the swelling and pain were gone. Thankfully no leftover damage.


Wow. What a depressing post I do hope it helps

I see. Yeah, I feel like I might be in a similar place, although my swelling is more apparent on my eyes and upper cheeks. I do sleep on my side and that same edge presses into my cheek. This came up for me after 6-8 months of use. Last night was my first night using the ResMed AirTouch F20 cushion. I think it's too early to say if it's working but there is definitely less swelling today. Oh another question, did you feel lightheadedness/headache/head pain where the straps are during the day in addition to the swelling?

Anyway, thank you for your compassion

[NoOnesPerfect]

Look on the front of the machine, near the humidifier, it should show which model you have, like Autoset or Elite.

[zonker]

It's the latest The ResMed AirSense 10 CPAP. Are there more specific models than that? I don't use Oscar, I just use MyAir app and yeah my AHI is around 2 and my leaks are under control. Should I be using Oscar software?

the short answer is yes. the long answer is aw hell yes!

oscar will allow you to track your sleep more carefully. it will allow you to post charts here, with the event breakdown of your ahi. once the experts here see that, they can offer helpful advice in order to lower your ahi and hopefully lead you to even better sleep.

good luck!

[Goofproof]

Resmed air sense 10

Which model machine?

Are you using Oscar software to monitor your therapy? Do you look at your AHI and leak statistic on a daily basis?

It's the latest The ResMed AirSense 10 CPAP. Are there more specific models than that? I don't use Oscar, I just use MyAir app and yeah my AHI is around 2 and my leaks are under control. Should I be using Oscar software?

Only if you want useful data. Jim

[palerider]

..., it kind of makes sense. It is high air pressure, which expands the lungs like a balloon even if the air isn't flowing. But I don't get that sensation on ffm, regardless of the pressure.

Euh... It's really very *low* pressure, stick a straw 8 inches into a tall glass of water... blow bubbles, you've just blown out against more than 20cm/h2o water pressure, a fraction of one PSI.

It takes several times the max pressure of a cpap to blow up a balloon.

It is true, that when the cpap starts up, it does cause a *tiny* amount of air to go into your lungs, but then the slight extra pressure in the lungs equalizes, and no more air goes in or out until your diaphragm sucks in more air.

All I can say is that people get ... sensations of things, that aren't really happening. The reason I try to explain the facts is that sometimes better understanding helps to make sense of feelings.

[elavi001]

The machine you have chosen in your equipment profile is NOT an AirSense 10 machine

Just fixed that, thank you

[elavi001]

..., it kind of makes sense. It is high air pressure, which expands the lungs like a balloon even if the air isn't flowing. But I don't get that sensation on ffm, regardless of the pressure.

Euh... It's really very *low* pressure, stick a straw 8 inches into a tall glass of water... blow bubbles, you've just blown out against more than 20cm/h2o water pressure, a fraction of one PSI.

It takes several times the max pressure of a cpap to blow up a balloon.

It is true, that when the cpap starts up, it does cause a *tiny* amount of air to go into your lungs, but then the slight extra pressure in the lungs equalizes, and no more air goes in or out until your diaphragm sucks in more air.

All I can say is that people get ... sensations of things, that aren't really happening. The reason I try to explain the facts is that sometimes better understanding helps to make sense of feelings.

Huh that's very interesting. Do people often report the sensation of not being able to fully exhale? I feel like with pillows, I can exhale most of my lung capacity except for the final 5%.

[ChicagoGranny]

I feel like with pillows, I can exhale most of my lung capacity except for the final 5%.

----------------->

Residual volume (RV) is the volume of air that remains in the lungs after maximum forceful expiration. In other words, it is the volume of air that cannot be expelled from the lungs. This volume remains unchanged regardless of the lung volume at which expiration was started. Reference values for residual volume are considered to be 1 to 1.2 L, but these values are dependent on many factors including age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity levels.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493170/

[elavi001]

I feel like with pillows, I can exhale most of my lung capacity except for the final 5%.

----------------->

Residual volume (RV) is the volume of air that remains in the lungs after maximum forceful expiration. In other words, it is the volume of air that cannot be expelled from the lungs. This volume remains unchanged regardless of the lung volume at which expiration was started. Reference values for residual volume are considered to be 1 to 1.2 L, but these values are dependent on many factors including age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity levels.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493170/

I understand. The question is, is my RV actually increasing with pillows, or does it just feel that way?

[ChicagoGranny]

The question is, is my RV actually increasing with pillows, or does it just feel that way?

CPAP is for sleep-breathing. If you have optimized machine settings and no (or low) mask or mouth leaks, your autonomic nervous system takes control of your breathing when you fall asleep. It knows how to properly inhale and exhale.

What you are doing to your breathing while awake is anybody's guess. A bit of anxiety over awake-breathing while using CPAP is normal. This anxiety often causes abnormal (forced) breathing.

[dwood003]

Just a comment with respect to sensation you feel when your lungs inflate. I have many problems with my lungs due to asbestos, when I first started with the nasal pillows it felt so good, it felt like the machine was controlling my breathing. I have plural thickening and scarring, I believe it was inflating them to a point it was stretching them, in time the sensation was gone, I missed it.

[ChicagoGranny]

I believe it was inflating them to a point it was stretching them, in time the sensation was gone, I missed it.

Is that evidence that, due to the newness, it was "all in your mind" and your mind eventually became accustomed to CPAP?

[palerider]

it felt like the machine was controlling my breathing.

But it wasn't actually doing that, no matter how it felt.

I have plural thickening and scarring, I believe it was inflating them to a point it was stretching them,

That's quite possible, though the pressure CPAP exerts is very very small, far less than what is needed to inflate a balloon.

[Janknitz]

Oh another question, did you feel lightheadedness/headache/head pain where the straps are during the day in addition to the swelling?

How tight were your straps???

RE: dwood feeling like the machine was controlling your breathing--I notice you are using a PR machine. I felt like that the entire time I used a PR machine (6 years). It sets the breathing pace and if you don't keep up it gets uncomfortable--I can't quite explain it, but it feels like it forces you to breathe in its rhythm. I got used to it, but never really liked it. The algorithm on my ResMed 10 Auto is so very different. I never feel like I have to keep up with it to breathe, I barely perceive the pressure at all.

[palerider]

Oh another question, did you feel lightheadedness/headache/head pain where the straps are during the day in addition to the swelling?

How tight were your straps???

RE: dwood feeling like the machine was controlling your breathing--I notice you are using a PR machine. I felt like that the entire time I used a PR machine (6 years). It sets the breathing pace and if you don't keep up it gets uncomfortable--I can't quite explain it, but it feels like it forces you to breathe in its rhythm. I got used to it, but never really liked it. The algorithm on my ResMed 10 Auto is so very different. I never feel like I have to keep up with it to breathe, I barely perceive the pressure at all.

Actually... the PR machines don't set any pace, *BUT* the *flex acts in a way that does make people think it IS trying to push them... *flex drops pressure below the expiration pressure at the beginning of exhale, then raises it up a little towards the end of the exhale pressure... that's still lower than the inhale pressure, but that pressure increase towards the end of exhalation makes MANY people feel like the machine is rushing them to take another breath... It's really not, but it's a very common feeling people get with those machines.