Exhausted Discouraged : To Ramp or not to Ramp

snoresnout · Post by **snoresnout** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:08 pm

I thought I was making some progress but this morning I woke up with the old dull brain ache that's afflicted me for years. I don't remember a lot but I know I haven't had a restful night. I can't function without caffeine and I have no joy in anything, like night of the living dead all day. With advice from people on this site I've become proficient at taping my mouth and my nasal pillows seem to stay seated pretty well. I've gone from 8 (per sleep test) to 8.5 and tonight will try 9. After almost 2 months of sleeping worse that before I started CPAP I am so damned discouraged.

What are the pitfalls or side effects of ramping up?

Thanks again to all of you out there.

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:22 pm

I don't think there are any real problems with ramping. Some feel that if you ramp all the way down to 4 cm/h20 that you could feel like you can not get enough air. Usually recomend around 5 or 6 cm/h20 as a starting place. Ramping helps some folks get to sleep faster and easier.

I have always felt that it helped more on the high pressures above 12 or 14. But if it helps go for it, can't hurt.

Just for your information, we all have a bad night ever once in a while. as you get used to it they come less frequently. Hang in there it gets better.
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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Ramp

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:25 pm

How are you sealing your mouth?

You have a nasal mask.....and you're STILL tired after 2 months of therapy.
That combination throws up red flags to me. How about you?

You may still need more pressure, but if it's going out your mouth.....it's wasted.

Den

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:28 pm

P.S. Ramping is for wimps.

Den

TXKajun · Post by **TXKajun** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:48 pm

I think ya'll may be misunderstanding the original post. I think snoreshout's talking about increasing his pressure gradually by himself, without another study, not starting at a lower pressure and then going to his prescribed pressure.

As far as dangers, about the only one I remember being mentioned is getting up to where you're having central apneas.

Snoresnout, I see you do not have any software monitoring capability to see what your AHI and leak rates are. It may be time to talk to your Dr. and DME about getting an APAP for a few weeks with full data monitoring capabilities so you can see what your therapy is doing and how effective your pressure is.

Good luck!

Kajun

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): DME, AHI, APAP

tuna · Post by **tuna** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:50 pm

Anonymous wrote:P.S. Ramping is for wimps.

Den

Wimp is as wimp does!

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:59 pm

[quote="snoresnout"]I thought I was making some progress but this morning I woke up with the old dull brain ache that's afflicted me for years. I don't remember a lot but I know I haven't had a restful night. I can't function without caffeine and I have no joy in anything, like night of the living dead all day. With advice from people on this site I've become proficient at taping my mouth and my nasal pillows seem to stay seated pretty well. I've gone from 8 (per sleep test) to 8.5 and tonight will try 9. After almost 2 months of sleeping worse that before I started CPAP I am so damned discouraged.

What are the pitfalls or side effects of ramping up?

Thanks again to all of you out there.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:01 pm

Den's right, after two month, it's time to start potty training. He's also probably right about leaks. It's a shame they have to keep dumping machines that don't record data, but what to they care, it's all about the profit. The patient comes last as usual.

If I was still having a bad time and headaches, and didn't have a machine that could help me find out why, I'd get a FF Mask that fit and bypass one treatment problem. Jim

Jeanie821 · Post by **Jeanie821** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:07 pm

Anonymous wrote:P.S. Ramping is for wimps.

Den

Excuse me?

The first few nights on CPAP, I had to ramp, otherwise it felt like my head would float off of my body. It's a good feature when you're getting used to CPAP - just not every night.

And I dare you to call me a wimp to my face.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:13 pm

Jeanie821 wrote:
Anonymous wrote:P.S. Ramping is for wimps.

Den
Excuse me?

The first few nights on CPAP, I had to ramp, otherwise it felt like my head would float off of my body. It's a good feature when you're getting used to CPAP - just not every night.

And I dare you to call me a wimp to my face.

Well, I could understand it if you're at a pressure over 16 or more......

Den

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:34 pm

Jeanie821 wrote:
Anonymous wrote:P.S. Ramping is for wimps.

Den
Excuse me?

The first few nights on CPAP, I had to ramp, otherwise it felt like my head would float off of my body. It's a good feature when you're getting used to CPAP - just not every night.

And I dare you to call me a wimp to my face.

Whimp! Sorry, that's as close to your face as I can get on a forum.

I started at 14 cm, from day one, and 6 weeks before they had cut me open for a quad bypass. After the starting blast in 30 sec you are breathing normal again, in a few hours you are checking to see if the machine has shut off. And you don't have to worry about falling asleep untreated.

No! I won't give you my extra HYDROCODONE, great stuff. Jim

JPZeller · Post by **JPZeller** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:45 pm

That "wimp" remark is just plain offensive. (There are other adjectives as well.)

This therapy is troublesome enough without one's constitution being brought into question.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:52 pm

JPZeller wrote:That "wimp" remark is just plain offensive. (There are other adjectives as well.)

This therapy is troublesome enough without one's constitution being brought into question.

How about from Boston Legal, "Hamba Pandba" (SP)

I looked in the "Constitution and the Bill of Rights", I never saw any Wimp's in either one. Jim

My first bike had training wheels, but I still hit that tree head on.

JPZeller · Post by **JPZeller** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:53 pm

<<How about from Boston Legal, "Hamba Pandba" (SP)

I looked in the "Constitution and the Bill of Rights", I never saw any Wimp's in either one. Jim>>

I'm starting to remember some things from my time in "Central Indiana."

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:10 pm

It's frustrating to be doing all we know to do and still having trouble. I only scanned your old posts, so I preface this with 'if it applys to you'. I saw that you do have a doctor but didn't see if your equipment was thru insurance or self purchased online.

While your doctor may not be on the cutting edge of cpap technology, he is responsible to try to help you. That may mean you bringing him suggestions. But if there's any hope of getting either an upgraded machine or trying a different mask, you have to repeatedly tell someone the trouble you are having. May not help, but it's best to assume it will help until proven otherwise. We all have either lived or heard the horror stories, but not everyone has that experience. You may be one of the lucky ones.

I would hope at least your doctor would order a trial on an autopap to check your titration and/or order you a data capable machine. At the very least, an overnight oximetry study may substantiate your concerns. When I did trial an auto it showed my pressure of 10 was not sufficient to address all my events.

All I'm saying is although the squeaky wheel may not always get greased, the quiet one certainly won't.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Kathy

Exhausted Discouraged : To Ramp or not to Ramp

Exhausted Discouraged : To Ramp or not to Ramp

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