Quick Pressure Question

[Dog Slobber]

Now, if I go back *years*, then yes, I've had bad nights. but rarely over 5.


See that blue mound on the left? that's back in 2014, and it's what made me decide to get an auto machine, because the fixed pressure CPAP wasn't adjusting to my changing needs.

If I were to post my historical AHI graph (and edited out the dates), I doubt you would be able tell which was mine and which was yours. At least not with out close scrutinization. Mine also has 3 significant mounds on the left, it even has 2 gaps.

Those mounds of high AHI was where I was monitored by the professionals. They simply were not concerned about my AHI because it was mostly, but not always under 5.

Then when I started selfmanaging, it dropped to where it is now, well under 1.


I'm guessing there are also a fair amount of members here with similar historic graphs.

[palerider]

I'm guessing there are also a fair amount of members here with similar historic graphs.

I wouldn't be at all surprised.

I mean, there's a REASON we tell people that an AHI of 5 is rubbish.

[ozij]

I'm guessing there are also a fair amount of members here with similar historic graphs.

I wouldn't be at all surprised.

I mean, there's a REASON we tell people that an AHI of 5 is rubbish.

I agree and my response the PR negated so firmly wasn't meant to be in support of staying at 5.

In defence of the professsional: When those criteria were created, there were not machine's that could let us do self-monitoring. The good cases were those where people had a full night's study in a strange room, and managed to fall asleep, and they slept more or less as they did at home, andand the and the first mask chosed happened to be a good one, and the sleep tech doing the titration know how to do it in a way that was that wouldn't disrupt the sleeper.
There was no way of knowing if that titration was representative of anything. There was no such thing as long-term titration. Nor self-monitoring.

Then when I started selfmanaging, it dropped to where it is now, well under 1.

Dog Slobber's is an excellent example of long-term patient self-monitoring and self-titration - I hope he will paste his statistics page again here.

There may be a quick intellectual reply to your "quick pressure question".
For the majority of us (and that's why we came here in the first place) there is no such thing as "quick self titration". And, self management of your CPAP therapy is a long term commitment.

[palerider]

I'm guessing there are also a fair amount of members here with similar historic graphs.

I wouldn't be at all surprised.

I mean, there's a REASON we tell people that an AHI of 5 is rubbish.

I agree and my response the PR negated so firmly wasn't meant to be in support of staying at 5.

Sorry about that, but the "oh, 5 is FINNNEEEEE" is one of the things I REALLY hate, (you probably couldn't tell, could you?)

[decker12]

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
• Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
• If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.

Thanks for the advice. In the past several days I've been doing great with my pressure set at 11 Minimum / 20 Max. I've been waking up feeling decent, I had no trouble adjusting to the new pressure, that "bloated" gassy feeling is gone, and I'm not experiencing the back pain I've had in the past. AHI has been under 2 - one night I even had a 0.6 !

I'm going to give it a few more days at these settings and then upload the results to SleepHQ and share the graph.

Your tips above, I have been following with the exception of alcohol on a Friday or Saturday night, but even then I put a good 45 minutes to an hour between my last drink and putting on the mask.

My body pretty much always wakes me up before 8AM regardless of what time I go to bed, even if I black out the room and wear earplugs. I am still having trouble taking naps with my mask. If I go out on Friday or Saturday night and end up not getting to bed until 2AM, I body knows I should go for a 3PM nap.. which only rarely works out. Most of the time I just lay there for 30 minutes trying to fall asleep, and if I do manage to fall asleep, my AHI is always super high, like 5 to 7. I don't sweat it because to me, a 60 minute nap at a 6AHI is better than a 0 minute nap.

Thanks again for your input!

[palerider]

Thanks for the advice. In the past several days I've been doing great with my pressure set at 11 Minimum / 20 Max. I've been waking up feeling decent, I had no trouble adjusting to the new pressure, that "bloated" gassy feeling is gone, and I'm not experiencing the back pain I've had in the past. AHI has been under 2 - one night I even had a 0.6 !

Great! this is progress!

I am still having trouble taking naps with my mask.

If you're getting better sleep at night, you may find that your actual need for a nap is diminished, even though that's been your habit for some time

[Miss Emerita]

So good to hear about your progress!