Suddenly started snoring on machine

[Moochetta]

Hi everyone - I haven't posted in a long time because I've been doing great. Until now. My doc says I'm one of the most compliant patients she's ever had. I came back to life when I started using a CPAP a year and a half ago.

However, lately I have been feeling somewhat tired and have actually napped twice (something I haven't done EVER since being on a CPAP). Then this week I've woken myself up a couple of times snoring. Here's what I think the problem is: When I quit smoking I gained 20 extra lbs! The weird thing is that I gained this 20 lbs. a year ago and I've been fine & rested until recently.

I think I need to "up" my titration to compensate for the extra weight. I've always been at a 9 titration. I have directions on how to get into the clinicians menu of my Resmed Elite II... And I'm thinking I should try a tiny raise to a 10 titration.
But I'm wondering if it could be something else? I use a chin strap...so no mouth leakage. My Breeze nasal pillows aren't leaking... Any thoughts from anyone?

Thanks!

[Wulfman]

Chinstraps are no guarantee that mouth-leaking won't happen.

I presume that the evidence of "snoring" is coming from your bed partner since the ResMed machines don't report snoring.

I'd say "Go for it" on the pressure increase (assuming your mouth is not leaking) and your numbers look better. After all, it's YOUR therapy and you have the tools to determine how it's going.


Den

[gasp]

My husband's mother recently stayed with us and said she wondered if my husband being tired lately had to do with my snoring. I read my reports and said, "nope, no snoring here" but did remember him snoring from time to time. I didn't realize he snored loud enough for guests to here though! LOL. I felt so good knowing it wasn't me anymore. I haven't snored much at all since starting XPAP : ))

[Moochetta]

actually have no bed partner, dammit!. However, I have woken myself with my snoring. I know I am not mouth breathing because back when I was I woke myself up constantly with it. Nope. This is plain ol' snoring while on a CPAP. Too weird. I'll try upping the titration tomorrow!

M

[azhosehead]

I don't know about nasal masks. I DO know that snoring while wearing a full face mask means that your pressure is not right. I was told by a sleep clinic a person should NEVER snore while wearing a mask if they are properly being treated. This happened to me last year after a sleep study. So we did another sleep study and found that a different titration would work better.

This can be a little expensive, but your pressure needs to be right. I went from a pressure of 12 to 15 (actually to 16) but 15 had the same results. I use a flat CPAP pressure. The sleep docs didn't recommend bi-level (which I had for years before) or using the auto VPAP feature my machine was designed to do.

Good luck....

[rested gal]

Chinstraps are no guarantee that mouth-leaking won't happen.

Exactly.

I presume that the evidence of "snoring" is coming from your bed partner since the ResMed machines don't report snoring.

My thought, too... although before posting now, I see that you say there's no one there to "hear" you, Moochetta.

I'd say "Go for it" on the pressure increase (assuming your mouth is not leaking) and your numbers look better. After all, it's YOUR therapy and you have the tools to determine how it's going.

Right. Barring massive leak rates, I'd raise the pressure.

Your ResMed machine gives a wonderful display of info right in the machine window itself (AHI, AI, HI, Leak) and shows "overnight" data...much more useful than the way Respironics machines give only AHI, Leak, and weekly/monthly averages with no data for just the previous night unless you jump through a bunch of "reset data" hoops involving going into the clinical setup menu before each night's session.

If you have "EPR" turned on, that's all the more reason to set the cpap pressure to a cm, or two, or three, above your prescribed pressure anyway, imho.

[ufo13]

The advice given by Den (wulfman) and Laura (rested gal) IMO makes perfect sense! Yes, I would try increasing the pressure in increments of 1 at a time and see if improvement is noted! Laura makes a great point with reference to the EPR setting: small increases in pressure are needed to compensate for its use! I do not use EPR, but when I did, I noted you had to do as Laura said, no question about it!



All the best!
Steve,
ufo13

[Moochetta]

Thanks everyone! What is EPR? And how do I know if I have it on or not?

I've upped my titration by 1 to a 10. We'll see how tonight goes.

Michele

[Wulfman]

Thanks everyone! What is EPR? And how do I know if I have it on or not?

I've upped my titration by 1 to a 10. We'll see how tonight goes.

Michele

Michele,

The equipment in your profile is confusing......

Machine: S8 Elite CPAP Machine
Mask: Breeze SleepGear CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: REMstar Heated Humidifier

Your humidifier doesn't match your machine. Do you have a ResMed machine or a Respironics (REMstar) machine?
If you have a ResMed Elite machine, you would have EPR available.....ResMed's exhale relief technology).
If you have a Respironics machine, it would probably have C-Flex......Respironics' exhale relief technology.

Whichever one you have, you can go to this site and get the instructions for setting up your machine or finding out how it is set up.

http://www.apneaboard.com/CPAP%20Adjustment.htm


Den

[rested gal]

Your humidifier doesn't match your machine. Do you have a ResMed machine or a Respironics (REMstar) machine?

Good eye, Den. I just glanced at name of machine and didn't look any farther.

[gasp]

I'm no pro, but do remember when I changed my machine pressure that it was recommended to me that I needed to leave it at the new setting for awhile versus change it the next day. Den, Rested Gal, thoughts on this?

[rested gal]

I'm no pro, but do remember when I changed my machine pressure that it was recommended to me that I needed to leave it at the new setting for awhile versus change it the next day. Den, Rested Gal, thoughts on this?

I'm not a pro either, but I think you brought up a good point, gasp. Thanks for mentioning that!

It probably is best to give each pressure change at least a few days before making another. We can have normal variations from night to night. Seeing several nights of data at the new pressure will give a person a better idea of how that pressure is working.

[sagesteve]

I'm finding that with my weight loss I've been lowering my settings. I would think the opposite true with weight gain. At my heaviest, 260 (I'm 6') my tit was at 14 on my M. Now I'm at 240 on the Intell and my tit is 9 ( progression downward from the 14). I'll get down to 200 and probably be able to pull off a 7? Maybe even a 6. My AHI is running 0.5 to 1. I find that I need to work with these changes at least one week on each change...doesn't happen overnight.