Newbie, hoping for help with therapy (OSCAR data)

Hello,

I'm now about 3 weeks in to CPAP therapy, and still am not really sleeping through the night (probably sleeping worse than prior to therapy0. I feel I'm able to get to sleep just fine with the mask, but am still waking up frequently. I'll usually wake up feeling congested and get tired of trying to futz with the mask, which leads to me taking it off. Immediately it feels easier to breathe as soon as I take the mask off and sleep the rest of the night without out. I'm also doing mouth taping (just in the center), which helps some. Though I'll still wake with leaks coming from my mouth.

Initially I was using the N30i, but this week switched to the P30i. The first chart is the last night with the N30i, and the next two are with the P30i. I kept all the machine settings the same (aside from moving to auto-humidity, as I had a rainout on the night of 2/1). It looks like the AHI improved, but the OA actually went up unfortunately.

Previously my rx'd pressure was 7-12, but it seemed to be too high as I was getting a lot of aerophagia (this has mostly stopped since dropping the pressure).

I'm trying to working on my congestion: I saw an ENT who told me that my turbinates are swollen, which can lead to one side of my nose feeling sealed off, usually the side closest to the pillow (I'm a side sleeper). I'm currently doing saline rinses, and have recently resumed Flonase after a failed trial. I've also been using Azalastine for the past month (but feel it hasn't done anything). Also eating as anti-inflammatory as I can (seems dairy makes me worse, which I've strictly cut out).

Sorry for the long ramble, but was just wondering if anyone might be able to glean anything from my data. I really want to make this work, so I want to exhaust all avenues prior to abandoning.

Do you take any medications of any kind besides what you mentioned?

I don't see anything of huge excitement on your reports that might lend us to believe that a simple setting change would be the cure for the poor sleep. Sorry. I wish there was but I just don't see it at this time.

Thanks for taking a look, certainly appreciate it!

Nope, not on any other meds - just doing the Azalastine before bed and Flonase during the day. Had previously tried the Flonase at night, but was waking with panic attack-like symptoms (so stopped using it after a few nights). Have been on the Flonase now for 5 days, and do feel it's slightly helping me breathe easier (Azalastine hasn't seemed to do a whole lot, has been about a month now on that).

I'm not sure if I need to try yet another mask (or if CPAP just isn't for me), but I just keep waking up really uncomfortable and seem to have a hard time getting air. I'm not sure if it's just the mask shifting as I sleep (fairly active side sleeper). Last night I had to take it off around midnight, was immediately able to breathe easier as soon as the mask came off.

theclipper wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 05, 2026 7:30 pm

Hello,

I'm now about 3 weeks in to CPAP therapy, and still am not really sleeping through the night (probably sleeping worse than prior to therapy0. I feel I'm able to get to sleep just fine with the mask, but am still waking up frequently. I'll usually wake up feeling congested and get tired of trying to futz with the mask, which leads to me taking it off. Immediately it feels easier to breathe as soon as I take the mask off and sleep the rest of the night without out. I'm also doing mouth taping (just in the center), which helps some. Though I'll still wake with leaks coming from my mouth.

For real mouth leakers, it useless to tape only the center. As you experience, and as you can see in OSCAR, you're still mouth leaking - and it wakes you.
You don't mention what you do with the tape when you wake it up. Does simply taking the mask off solve your congestion?

Previously my rx'd pressure was 7-12, but it seemed to be too high as I was getting a lot of aerophagia (this has mostly stopped since dropping the pressure).

Not only are mouth leaks causes for arousal, pressure swings are so bothersome for some of us. Your machine is really showing a systematic "uh oh" pattern. It lets the pressure go down too low, and then goes "uh oh, better push that up again quickly". I believe you'll do better by gradually raising your minimum pressure, so you don't get those repeated swings. See if you can tolerate starting at what is now your median - you're spending half the night at or above that pressure anyway.

I'm trying to working on my congestion

Good.
Keep in mind that for some of, too much humidity or too much heat can cause congestion as well.

If fully taping your lips it not an option you should consider using a full face mask.

Sorry for the long ramble, but was just wondering if anyone might be able to glean anything from my data.

That's OK - it not a ramble since it has much information that helps us understand - or partially understand - what's going.
Let us know how thing go.

You’re doing a lot right, mask switch, mouth taping, humidity tweaks. Congestion can definitely cause OA spikes, so keep working with your ENT. Sometimes small nasal improvements make a big difference in CPAP effectiveness.

trony90 wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:40 am

Congestion can definitely cause OA spikes...

Not really. Congestion would contribute to mouth breathing, fixed FLs, leaks and CPAP intolerance.

And even if you could find a "congestion OA" I would bet it would simply be a part of some SWJ.

I would avoid writing OAs off as being caused by "nasal congestion".