New user - Steep learning curve

[AussieBob]

Hi to all - Quick thanks to all for their info and input on this forum. I have been a long time lurker and cannot overstate how much help it has been for me on the lead up and beginning of my CPAP adventure.

I was diagnosed with obstructive apnea many years ago but being a typical bloke, didn't do anything about it until things got really bad. Went in for another sleep study at the start of this year after a few months of bad sleeping patterns, insomnia and a visit from the black dog. 38 obstructive events per hour the Doc tells me, so purchased a Philips Respironics DreamStation Auto CPAP a couple of weeks ago and with a heart full of fear and trepidation, gave it a go.

Only had it on 2 hours the first night yet could not believe the difference. Woke alert and ready for the day.

Next night was 4 hours, then 6 1/2 and so on. Literally feel like I have my life back. Have a couple of bad nights but they pale into obscurity with how I feel in general.

I have noticed that I am still snoring throughout the night (Good example from last week):

28th April.PNG (416.7 KiB) Viewed 3316 times

Will ordered a chin strap to see if that helps otherwise it will be full facemask time.

So to anyone reading this that was like me, lurking the forums and not sure if they should the plunge into getting a CPAP - do it.
My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

[Julie]

Glad to hear you're doing so well so soon.

Do you know if you're mostly sleeping on your back? If so, that could explain the snoring (as other things might tho'), and if you think it's mostly responsible, what are the chances you could manage to side sleep more and keep from slipping in your sleep by e.g. wearing some kind of backpk or having a foam wedge in behind, etc? If not, it's not terrible, and a slightly higher min. pressure could help as well.

Any reason your max setting's at 12 vs e.g. 20 (the default high) where so many leave it so as not to interfere with the min. when it wants to go higher on occasion.

[AussieBob]

Must admit I am sleeping on my back more than usual from what the mistress of finance tells me, but I always was a heavy snorer. Will try to sleep on my side for the next few nights and see how it goes. As to the pressure setting, the Doc told me to have the high pressure setting at 15 and the first night I woke with a sensation of being over inflated (now I know how a CPR dummy feels... ) so I dialed it down a little. Now that I am getting used to it I should bump it back up to 15 and will try a higher minimum as you suggested. Thanks for the feedback Julie.

[Okie bipap]

For snoring, the usual recommendation is to raise your minimum pressure slightly. I see you have set your upper limit at 12 cm and are bumping up against that limit much of the night. Your machine is trying to go higher. We normally recommend you set your upper limit to 20 cm and allow the machine to go where it thinks it needs to. However, if you have aerphagia problems at higher pressures, then leave the upper limit where it is for now.

[Julie]

No, when I suggested a higher min. I meant by 1-2 cms for a couple of nights - if you go to 15 all at once (or at all without a legit reason after interpretation thru Oscar) you risk aerophagia and who knows what else! But I'm not sure I understand why Okie thinks bumping the max to 20 (where most people leave theirs) would cause those problems... unless you know you can't do 20 for some reason, try it... just bump the min. up a bit - it is the one that does the work.

[DreamDiver]

Welcome!

If this were my graph and I were not experiencing aerophagia ('air-eating' - causes burps, gas) I would raise the Max to 20 and incrementally raise the minimum every few nights until my snoring stopped and my AHI started dropping.

If you do experience aerophagia, well, then just start incrementally raising your minimum until you stop snoring and your AHI starts dropping.

Chris

[zonker]

the mistress of finance tells me

[AussieBob]

Appreciate the advice from everyone. I upped the Max to 18 and the Min to 10 last night -

6th May.PNG (370.59 KiB) Viewed 3253 times

Lowest snoring and API yet. Not feeling any aerophagia symptoms this morning.

[DreamDiver]

Appreciate the advice from everyone. I upped the Max to 18 and the Min to 10 last night -
6th May.PNG

Lowest snoring and API yet. Not feeling any aerophagia symptoms this morning.

w00t! Congratulations!

It's below 2.0 AHI, so technically, well-managed. Why not keep it there for a few days? Get an average?

Chris

[Deborah K.]

Okay, what on earth is "a visit from the black dog"? This is Aussie slang I have never heard.

[DreamDiver]

Okay, what on earth is "a visit from the black dog"? This is Aussie slang I have never heard.

Bad mood.
https://www.thebookseller.com/blogs/visits-black-dog

[AussieBob]

w00t! Congratulations!

Thanks Chris. I am so lucky that I am winning with this.

Okay, what on earth is "a visit from the black dog"? This is Aussie slang I have never heard.

Visit from the Black dog is a slang term for depression. Hello darkness, my ol' mate.

[Miss Emerita]

AussieBob, no one is quite sure what VS2 measures, if anything, so pay attention just to VS. The experts often advise people just to turn VS2 off and avoid visual clutter.

[AussieBob]

Why not keep it there for a few days? Get an average?

Average over the past week with the suggested settings was an API of 2.077 with 4 of the 7 nights closer to 1.5.
Lowest usage on one night was 3.7 hours and all other nights were over 6 hours. Snoring has gone down to below 2 for all but one night.

Again, thanks for the advice ladies and gents. Cannot believe the clarity of mind and new found patience I have at home and work.

The darling bride tells me that there was is a noise that has been waking her occasionally and we have worked out it's me opening my mouth through-out the night, so that will be the next minor hurdle to attack.

[DreamDiver]

Why not keep it there for a few days? Get an average?

Average over the past week with the suggested settings was an API of 2.077 with 4 of the 7 nights closer to 1.5.
Lowest usage on one night was 3.7 hours and all other nights were over 6 hours. Snoring has gone down to below 2 for all but one night.

Again, thanks for the advice ladies and gents. Cannot believe the clarity of mind and new found patience I have at home and work.

The darling bride tells me that there was is a noise that has been waking her occasionally and we have worked out it's me opening my mouth through-out the night, so that will be the next minor hurdle to attack.

If you've been comfortable, not getting any aerophagia, minimal CA's, why not try moving your minimum pressure up plus 1cm? Then show us a couple nights' graphs?

Chris