advice for settings

[keithcpap]

Full Disclosure: I've switched masks from a Dreamwear Full to a ResMed Airtouch F20. The Airtouch F20 leaks like a siv up against my beard, but feels less claustrophobic to me. It's much more tolerable and I've actually been getting decent (not great!) sleep with it. I can't really pull the straps any tighter before it plain starts to hurt/leave marks.

I've been periodically bumping my min/max settings a notch or two here or there, and I'm seeing some decrease in the AHI.

Ok here are some daily charts.

Let's start with last night

most_recent.png (217.17 KiB) Viewed 1504 times

And then the night before

mostrecent-1.png (216.64 KiB) Viewed 1504 times

and the one before that

mostrecent-2.png (218.87 KiB) Viewed 1504 times

[bjhunt01]

Full Disclosure: I've switched masks from a Dreamwear Full to a ResMed Airtouch F20. The Airtouch F20 leaks like a siv up against my beard, but feels less claustrophobic to me. It's much more tolerable and I've actually been getting decent (not great!) sleep with it. I can't really pull the straps any tighter before it plain starts to hurt/leave marks.

I've been periodically bumping my min/max settings a notch or two here or there, and I'm seeing some decrease in the AHI.

Ok here are some daily charts.

Let's start with last night

most_recent.png

And then the night before

mostrecent-1.png

and the one before that

mostrecent-2.png

Hi Keith: Can you get rid of your pie chart? It will show more info below that. Go to Preferences, Appearance, then uncheck "Show event breakdown pie chart." Also see Pugsy's pointers: viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

[keithcpap]

screenshot-20190702-221853.png (153.4 KiB) Viewed 1491 times

screenshot-20190702-221905.png (156.53 KiB) Viewed 1491 times

screenshot-20190702-221914.png (162.48 KiB) Viewed 1491 times

[zonker]

Full Disclosure: I've switched masks from a Dreamwear Full to a ResMed Airtouch F20. The Airtouch F20 leaks like a siv up against my beard, but feels less claustrophobic to me. It's much more tolerable and I've actually been getting decent (not great!) sleep with it. I can't really pull the straps any tighter before it plain starts to hurt/leave marks.

I've been periodically bumping my min/max settings a notch or two here or there, and I'm seeing some decrease in the AHI.

Ok here are some daily charts.

Let's start with last night

most_recent.png

And then the night before

mostrecent-1.png

and the one before that

mostrecent-2.png

you are most likely going to want to raise your min pressure. see how it's moving up to start battling your events? if aerophagia isn't a concern, you might want to start at 9 and i'm sure others will suggest even higher.

similarly, you may want to raise your max. it's bumping it's poor head on 11 or 12. if you set your upper limit to 20, then it has the room it needs to fight the events.

also, for what it's worth, i'm a full bearded fellow and i find the p10 nasal pillow mask to be the best for me. no leaks.

in any event, you will want to bring those leaks down. i would suggest you look on you tube for mask fitting videos for your mask.

good luck!

[keithcpap]

you are most likely going to want to raise your min pressure. see how it's moving up to start battling your events? if aerophagia isn't a concern, you might want to start at 9 and i'm sure others will suggest even higher.

similarly, you may want to raise your max. it's bumping it's poor head on 11 or 12. if you set your upper limit to 20, then it has the room it needs to fight the events.

also, for what it's worth, i'm a full bearded fellow and i find the p10 nasal pillow mask to be the best for me. no leaks.

in any event, you will want to bring those leaks down. i would suggest you look on you tube for mask fitting videos for your mask.

good luck!

Thanks much for the info.

I don't know if aerophagia is (probably not, no real negative I'm experiencing now except general discomfort/don't like this darn machine) or will be a concern, but I guess I'll keep an eye out for it.

I think I'm a mouth-breather at night......at least want the ability to do so right now. Used a nasal pillow during titration and definition felt like I was being suffocated trying to exhale against the pressure through my nose. I wonder about the AutoSet and EPR making a difference there.

I'm sure I'm probably doing something wrong re:leaks and this mask......unless it's fundamentally incompatible with a beard.

[zonker]

Thanks much for the info.

I don't know if aerophagia is (probably not, no real negative I'm experiencing now except general discomfort/don't like this darn machine) or will be a concern, but I guess I'll keep an eye out for it.

I think I'm a mouth-breather at night......at least want the ability to do so right now. Used a nasal pillow during titration and definition felt like I was being suffocated trying to exhale against the pressure through my nose. I wonder about the AutoSet and EPR making a difference there.

I'm sure I'm probably doing something wrong re:leaks and this mask......unless it's fundamentally incompatible with a beard.
[/quote]

in plain everyday talk, it's gas. but we have to be dignified and call it a ten dollar word so folks don't get offended.

it's different for different people. i suffered horribly from it my first few years on the machine. but some don't. if you don't, then you won't need the epr. but remember it if you suddenly become afflicted.

and yes, epr can help to exhale against the pressure. that's it's main purpose.

someone like palerider or pugsy can give you the why's and wherefore's of epr. i just know it works, for me.

some bearded guys can use a full face or nasal. i just couldn't hack it and out of desperation, i tried the p10. works great for me, but not necessarily for thee. finding a mask that is right is one of the major difficulties in this whole therapy thing.

[bjhunt01]

you are most likely going to want to raise your min pressure. see how it's moving up to start battling your events? if aerophagia isn't a concern, you might want to start at 9 and i'm sure others will suggest even higher.

similarly, you may want to raise your max. it's bumping it's poor head on 11 or 12. if you set your upper limit to 20, then it has the room it needs to fight the events.

also, for what it's worth, i'm a full bearded fellow and i find the p10 nasal pillow mask to be the best for me. no leaks.

in any event, you will want to bring those leaks down. i would suggest you look on you tube for mask fitting videos for your mask.

good luck!

Thanks much for the info.

I don't know if aerophagia is (probably not, no real negative I'm experiencing now except general discomfort/don't like this darn machine) or will be a concern, but I guess I'll keep an eye out for it.

I think I'm a mouth-breather at night......at least want the ability to do so right now. Used a nasal pillow during titration and definition felt like I was being suffocated trying to exhale against the pressure through my nose. I wonder about the AutoSet and EPR making a difference there.

I'm sure I'm probably doing something wrong re:leaks and this mask......unless it's fundamentally incompatible with a beard.

Keith: From what I am learning and the hell I'm experiencing with mouth breathing, you DO NOT want to be a mouth breather when you use a nasal mask. You want to keep your mouth shut. Breathing through your mouth can cause leaks, mouth snoring and gagging when your tongue falls back into your throat, interesting piggy and motorboat sounds. Get the app SnoreLab to check the sounds. People use chin straps, cervical neck collars, tape their mouths shut, Scuncis, mouth guards and so on - to do anything to keep their mouths shut and avoid losing/leaking air and pressure through their mouth. I am open to being corrected by the experts! Mouth leaks bad. Closed mouth good!

[Julie]

You can mouth breathe with a full face mask but not lose the air to the room... that's the point of using one.

[Pugsy]

Might as well try a nasal interface mask.....even if someone is doing a little mouth breathing ....it's not like the full face mask isn't leaking.

The leaks now are pretty bad....it's tough with the facial hair for some people to keep a seal.
So you are leaking therapy pressure out into room air as it is now.

[keithcpap]

Played around a bit with the F20 last night, got a better seal. Don't have the oscar numbers on it, but, like everything, it looks like it's going to be an adjustment to get everything right. Seal was better last night than the night before which was better than the night before that.

Got my AHI events down to 5.4.

Strangely enough, not sure if it's a DME supplier based on orders from the Dr. or what, but my numbers changed last night to minimum 4, maximum 15. It sure seems like someone(?)pushed a configuration update. Since some of you were suggesting a higher maximum anyways, I just left it alone. Does someone(DME? ResMed?) periodically audit the configuration and make changes?

Thanks

[Pugsy]

The DME can access your machine remotely via cell service and make changes that way.
They can see your results and see if you have changed things and they can make changes and over ride any changes you have made.
To stop that you can put your machine in airplane mode.

[keithcpap]

Alright peeps.

I trimmed my beard down, making it a little tighter and lighter. Figured this would help the seal. I also further tightened the mask. Pretty sure I solved the leak issues.

DME must have set AutoSet APAP 4 min/15 max a couple days ago.

AHI down to 3.56 last night. I think we're making progress.

How do I look?

jul3.png (144.83 KiB) Viewed 1424 times

Happy 4th.

Keith

[palerider]

Looks like you'd do better with pressures of min 10, max 20.

[zonker]

Alright peeps.

I trimmed my beard down...
How do I look?

yeah, that trimmed beard makes you look more handsome..oh, wait!

[keithcpap]

Thanks palerider and zonker for the encouragement.

screenshot-20190706-220658.png (156.1 KiB) Viewed 1382 times

Looks like good progress to me.

It wasn't my most restful night, but I'm encouraged by seeing those AHI numbers drop. 2.1 is my best one yet.

Keith