update on my cpap settings

[thesleepermustawake]

I posted about a week ago and got suggestions to change my min pressure, which I did, here's an update:

oscar.png

I seem to have a habit of removing my mask during the night, because I half wake up and it just bothers me and can only go back to sleep if I remove it.

what do people feel is an optimal number of hours to use the CPAP for?

I still feel tired during the day.

I am trying to sleep on my side but I think it cuts the flow of the mask, because the dreamware pushes air through the side of the headgear

[LSAT]

The number of hours you use your CPAP should be the same as the number of hours you sleep. Some people get along fine with 6-7 hours sleep..others require 8+ to feel good during the day. Best position is on your left side, but whatever works best for you.

[khauser]

The image did not attach.

I know this isn't going to sit well, but you need the CPAP on ALL the time you are asleep.

You need to find the reason the mask isn't working for you and address it. That might mean a different mask.

[zonker]

I posted about a week ago and got suggestions to change my min pressure, which I did, here's an update:

is it possible for you to put post that image in the other thread?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=179671&p=1358017#p1358017

also, as pointed out, it didn't attach. try scrolling to the bottom when you are composing text and hit the tab marked "attachment" then follow directions from there.

good luck!

[thesleepermustawake]

not sure why, I added it in attachment tab, here it is

[Pugsy]

not sure why, I added it in attachment tab, here it is

png image files are usually quite large. Perhaps the file size exceeded the attachment feature limits.
jpg files are typically smaller and make for easier attaching.

[thesleepermustawake]

looks like I took the mask off at 4:30 - but I slept till 7 Ithink

[zonker]

not sure why, I added it in attachment tab, here it is

no, you can't add a link via attachment. just the screenshot itself.

if i right click what shows on my screen as an icon image, it takes me to imgur, though, where i can see the image just fine.

[khauser]

It looks like you started having some leaks ... not terrible, but they are also related to increases in pressure.

If it were me I would bump the minimum pressure a little and see if that helps or hurts. I'm almost wondering if you are having mild arousal's because the pressure is too low and this might be what preps you to awaken enough to remove the mask.

[thesleepermustawake]

It looks like you started having some leaks ... not terrible, but they are also related to increases in pressure.

If it were me I would bump the minimum pressure a little and see if that helps or hurts. I'm almost wondering if you are having mild arousal's because the pressure is too low and this might be what preps you to awaken enough to remove the mask.

I changed it from 4 to 6 - do you mean I should try raising it even more?

I noticed I had a dry mouth this morning - unfortunately I forgot to put the SIM card back in the machine last night.
I'll ask my partner if I'm breathing through the mouth

the machine's sleep report had 2 green smily faces though, and it reported that I spent 8.30 hours with the mask on.

what are the opinions on the myAir website reports? are they trustworthy?

that was one of the reasons I upgraded my machine

[thesleepermustawake]

I'm kind of at the end of my tether, desperate to improve my excessive tiredness... it's hard to concentrate on work, and hobbies, I just feel like spending the day in bed.

[Julie]

MyAir is worthless next to Oscar. But you asked for help and a little bump in min. pressure was suggested... why not just try it - it's still a very low number as those go.

[Pugsy]

We have seen one report....and it showed usage for 1 hour and 50 minutes. Impossible to offer any ideas based on that limited amount of data. Other than one very brief period of large leak it was unremarkable.

Unless that is all you are using the machine because you take the mask off and sleep without the machine and mask....then if that is what you are doing it is no wonder you feel like crap.
If you aren't using the mask and machine at all times that you are asleep....then you have untreated apnea sleep.

Do you take any medications? If so, what?
Do you have any other physical or mental health issues that might impact your sleep and how you feel?
Do you wake often during the night?
Drink alcohol close to bedtime? Recreational drugs?

The MyAir website data...it's showing what the machine's LCD screen will show...so it's accurate in that regard but of course it's limited without any details. Great if you aren't having problems and don't need to dig deeper...not so great if you need more information than it offers.

[thesleepermustawake]

1h50 is definitely not the usual. looking at the available data, average is more 6 hours usage, and I probably spend between 8-9 hours in bed.
I drink alcohol at the weekend, usually Friday/Saturday in the evening.
No medication or drugs.

I'll try get out of the habit of removing the mask and going back to sleep. But I'm wondering what causes me to do that. I've got used to using it over the past 6 years of treatment. I'll have to try and think why I'm removing it when I do because usually it's in a half asleep state.
I'll report back in a few weeks when I have more data

[Pugsy]

I'll try get out of the habit of removing the mask and going back to sleep. But I'm wondering what causes me to do that.

Anytime you sleep without the mask your will have untreated sleep apnea sleep and guess what the body will remember more than the treated sleep apnea sleep...yep...the untreated sleep. If you used the mask for 6 hours and then take the mask off and sleep for 2 hours the body will remember the 2 hours a lot more than it remembers the 6 hours. It remembers the bad sleep almost like the good sleep never happened.

As to why you remove the mask...don't know but it is a habit that people get into and bad habits are really easy to make and extremely hard to break. It's fairly common (all bad habits seem to be common) though and you might have to tape the mask straps to your face to help you unlearn that bad habit. Try to figure out if there is something wrong in terms of comfort or something with the mask that is causing you to want to take the mask off.