Help with Winter numbers?

[bap40]

I have not been on here for a long time and have just about started my 3rd yr on the hose and have a problem I do not know how to fix. The same thing happened last winter and I waited it out but need better sleep as I am going backwards. My numbers have gone from the 1.4 range to up and over 22. Nothing has changed that I can think of. I am using the Swift LT for her and have been for several years. I did switch out for a little while to my old Comfort Gel and numbers were just as high. My pressure is 10.5 and I have the A/flex machine. I do take an antihistamine in the mornings but all my other meds have stayed the same. I also have on occasion used the saline rinses before bed with no change.

This board was a wonderful help to be both before I started treatment and for a long time after. So I am hoping that once again I can have some help with this problem.

Thanks so much!

[OutaSync]

Can you switch over to auto with a range of, say 8-15 and see what happens?

[SleepyT]

That is such a HUGE difference...I would be tempted to get another sleep study to see what is going on! Yikes! I would be a total wreck with an AHI like that. I hope you can figure it out! At the very least can you set up a video recorder and tape yourself while you sleep?

[bap40]

Yes, to both replies. I have thought of setting it to auto with a start of 10.5 and going up to 20 but have been afraid for some reason to try it. I just want some good quality sleep. I have also thought of getting another study but last year the numbers did go back down and the weather approached spring. That is the thing I cannot understand. Last year I took my machine in to make sure all was well and at the cost of 10$ it was fine.
Thanks so much. I hope to hear from someone who has had a similar problem. I can't be the only one who has had this happen to? Can I?

[OutaSync]

Honestly, I've never heard of anyone complaining of having diiferent AHI in the winter. Especially such a difference. Don't be afraid to turn it to auto. For some reason you may be needing a higher pressure. Maybe your heat system is creating nasal congestion. Just a thought.

[HoseCrusher]

From way outside the box comes this idea...

The deeper you go into sleep, the more problems you can have. It could be that in the summer your sleep is lighter and in the winter you make like a bear and go into deep hibernation each night.

Still, I am not sure that would be enough of a change to account for the extreme change in your numbers.

You may want to invest in a recording pulse oximeter to see if adding more information would help sort this out.

[cflame1]

could also be something dealing with the humidity in your house... or lack thereof

[bap40]

I never thought about the humidity in the winter with the heating system running. It runs almost constantly since we are in no where land where temps are mostly single digit or below. I do know that I have been waking up a lot more to fix my mask which I usually don't do. I will play around with a few more things including the humidity. Yes, I have been a bit afraid to set it on auto for some reason. I just have never had to do it I guess.

Thanks for all your help and if anyone has anymore ideas please chime in.

[secret agent girl]

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[nomoore]

My first instinct says turn up the heated humidifier. Wintertime is definitely more dry. Antihistamines dry your nose out more too.

[bap40]

I will turn up the humidity tonight and go from there.

thanks

[SleepyT]

I will turn up the humidity tonight and go from there.

thanks

how did that work out for you?

[bap40]

I have noticed that since I turned up the humidity I am not nearly as congested so I will continue with that. No other changes noted. My mask has been having a higher leak rate to go a long with the higher AHI numbers which has made me be more careful in adjusting the straps. I have been using the Swift LT for her for almost 2 yrs and have not had a leakage problem even when the mask has gotten older.

Hanging in there!

[rested gal]

My mask has been having a higher leak rate to go a long with the higher AHI numbers which has made me be more careful in adjusting the straps. I have been using the Swift LT for her for almost 2 yrs and have not had a leakage problem even when the mask has gotten older.

"Old age" can happen overnight sometimes! Might be time to get a new mask, or new nasal pillows for it.

[Muse-Inc]

I've been struggling with higher leaks and started replacing mask parts (from my extras). Each change reduced the leak but not enough. The last change this week was to replace the old headgear with new and voila, leaks down to 0 or 0.x since.

I run 'passover' (humidifier off but water in tank) in warm weather and set the humidifier about 1/3 of the way to max in cold weather. I also keep an eye on the reported humidity; when it's high, I reduce the humidifier setting or I'll get rainout in my pillows after sleeping for several hours...I guess if I didn't exhale warm air I wouldn't get rainout