Assistance with CPAP Settings - OSCAR

Hello,

I have recently begun to give my CPAP a try again as my apnea has been getting worst and worst lately. I have an AirSense 10 Autoset and use a full face mask because I am a mouth breather. When i first got my machine and tried to use it i would wake up with the feeling of suffocating and would just rip the mask off as soon as i fell asleep. I ended up finding this board and learned how to adjust the settings so i increased the minimum pressure and that seemed to remove the suffocating feeling. I went from only being able to have it on for a few minutes to now a few hours. Last night, I did 2 hours (i have no memory of removing the mask but am very tired today) which is not far behind my record of 4 hours last week. I have attached two screenshots of the OSCAR output for my machine. I would really like to be able to wear it the entire night and not be tired all the time!

I really appreciate anyone that can give me some advice on how to tweak/improve things!

Thank you for your time,
TecoAndJix

Welcome! It's great that you're restarting PAP treatment -- and using Oscar and posting here.

Your flow limitation graph is fairly active, and the FLs are driving up your pressure. Flow limitations are usually due to the relaxation of tissues lining the airway. They don't amount to full or partial obstructions, like OAs and hypopneas, but they do cause you to work harder as you inhale.

Some people aren't really bothered by FLs; for others, FLs can be a source of sleep fragmentation, making it harder to settle into deep or REM sleep. It's worth seeing whether you can reduce them.

Often FLs can be addressed by increasing EPR. EPR drops your pressure as you exhale. By the same token, it means your pressure increases as you inhale, which gives you a little boost that can help to overcome FLs.

So try increasing your EPR to 2. Given that a few nights, and if all is well, try increasing it to 3. If you see an increase in OAs or Hs with the increase to 2, raise your minimum to 9 as you increase EPR to 3. That will help make sure you have adequate pressure as you exhale.

The other nice thing about EPR is that it just feels more comfortable to a lot of people. I hope that's what you find too.

When you post your next chart, you can include these graphs only:

Events
Flow rate
Pressure
Leaks
Snores
Flow limitations.