Advice on changing pressure

[divachels]

Hi!

I've never posted before, but I'm going crazy and need some advice. About a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. They set my pressure at a 10, sent me home with my machine, and I was off to the races. I started feeling better, but I was still getting headaches and was tired, so my doctor prescribed sleep aids for night times and stimulants to keep me awake. I really didn't want to get into a situation where I was dependent on chemicals to maintain a "normal" schedule, so I kept pushing, and went to see him a couple more times. In January I got him to do another study, and they lowered my pressure to an 8. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I felt much better, and I finally started losing weight. (The apnea caused some complication of discussion between my thyroid and pituitary and I couldn't before that.) Between January and May I lost 40 pounds. At that point I revisited the doctor because my weight loss had stopped. I believe that the pressure needs to be adjusted, but I can't get them to send me back in for another study. I have been having morning headaches again, and since May they have gotten increasingly worse. I am back to nodding off in random places, and I might as well not be using my machine every night, though I still am. What's worse is that I lost my job, so I no longer have health insurance, when I could have gone in and had a study before I was unable to. Obviously even if I could get one now I wouldn't be able to afford it.

So to make a long story short (too late!), I tried to adjust my own pressure. I found a website with information on how to do it, but I have tried every pressure between 7 and 10 and not felt better. I don't know how to get the information from my machine to see if it can tell me anything, and I wouldn't know what it meant if I saw it. I have seen a lot of postings, but everyone seems to have this knowledge of all things sleep apnea and cpap machine related that I lack, and I was hoping someone could help me figure this whole thing out. I am about ready to give up. I can't lose any more weight, I've gained some back despite my best efforts, and I attach a hose to my face every night for no reason other than someone else's amusement.

Since everyone else lists their info, I'll give you what I know. I use the Fisher & Paykel SleepStyle 200 with my pressure set to 8 and the humidity set to 2.5 since that's what it was when I brought it home. There are a bunch of other numbers when I scroll through if those will help, and I know how to take the memory card out, but the place that handled my supplies went out of business about March and I can't seem to get ahold of anyone at the new provider my sleep center chose after, so no one is even monitoring my stuff anymore. The other place really cared.

[LSAT]

Unfortunately, the F&P Sleepstyle 200 will not give you anything but compliance information. I have this machine and I love it, but, I have had my doctor prescribe a take home titration with an autopap rental from a DME. After using this machine for 2 weeks, he was able to determine what my pressure should be adjusted to. When you do it the way you are, it's important to change the pressure only by .5 at a time and then try it for a week before you make another adjustment.

[Julie]

Hi - What mask are you using? If it isn't a 'full face' one, is it possible you're losing the Cpap air through your mouth once you're asleep? If you could track your leak rate that would tell you, or if you wake up with a dry mouth.

[Janknitz]

Blindly changing your pressure is a shot in the dark. You need some data to know what's going on. And weight loss can change your pressure needs (sometimes they even go UP when you lose weight).

Is it possible that your doctor can order a rental of an autoPAP for a few weeks so you can see what's happening? That should not cost too much (a nice DME may even simply lend you one, but nice DME's are few and far between).

I'm guessing that money is very tight right now, but your health is important. You might want to keep an eye on Craiglist and see if you can pick up an autopap for a good price. Or apply to a program for people who need machines for one. Maybe family would pitch in as a Christmas gift (whoopee!).

With an autopap, you can collect data to see what's going on and do some home titration to see what your current pressure needs are. An APAP can be run in CPAP mode afterward. If you get a good APAP, you can sell your CPAP to recoup some of the money.

[Zeke351]

I use the Fisher & Paykel SleepStyle 200

Which Sleepstyle 200 do you use? The 200 is the series and can cover the 230, 242,244,254 I probably missed a couple. Look on the botom of your machine and it should tell which it is. Or when you first plug it in it will display a number (mine shows 244, for the Sleepstyle 244) .


Zeke351

[divachels]

To answer in order (and I appreciate everyone who has replied immensely!):

I use a nasal pillow mask, but I don't have dry mouth in the morning. I'm not sure how to check for leaks or if my machine has the capability to record them.

I could try asking my sleep doctor for a rental, but the lady who worked at the supply company was always more helpful than he was, and often suggested things to discuss with him. At one point a while back she had suggested a couple of weeks with an APAP machine, but when I mentioned her suggestion to him in an appointment, he raised my pressure from a 10 to a 12 without a new study. That was before January when they did my second study to try and find a better pressure. I had suggested it again right before they did the January study and got the study as a result, so my feeling on that is that he is unlikely to agree this time either. I may be better off going the Craig's list route. I just know I have to do SOMETHING! I just got up about 10 minutes ago, and the lovely pounding across the back of my skull is keeping time with the music in the television commercial my boyfriend is watching. I've tried asking him if I am snoring again, but he sleeps like the dead and doesn't seem to have any clue. He always says I don't snore.

My Sleep Style machine is a 242 according to the bottom.

[Zeke351]

Unfortunately the 242 is not fully data capable. It tracks compliance data only. Here is a quick breakdown of the features:



Others will have to guide you on finding your ideal pressure without the data at hand

Zeke351

[pain32]

What is the minimum pressure for full face masks? It seems like the pressure needs to be higher
than for nose masks

[charliemack]

Before messing with the pressure check your mask.

I had been using a ResMed Quattro mask and everything was fine. Then I got my latest replacement and it caused (you guessed it) headaches. Found that the exhaust holes had been decreased. Changed to my old mask and all the problems went away.

Additionally, my sleep doctor changed my machine from a cpap to a bipap. What a mistake. My AHI went up and I have not been able to get them down. Don't know if the machine computer is messed up or what.

[Tired Linda]

Welcome, diva! We could still use a little more information from you. Now that your're registered, please go to the top left of the screen and click User Control Panel, and enter your equipment. (in words, not pictures) It would be most helpful right now to know exactly what mask you are using.

Linda