10 to 13 cm in two years

I was diagnosed with OSA about two years ago, and was given a basic M-series Respironics machine to use, and as many of you can relate, it changed my life. The sleep clinic set my CPAP to 10 cm for me, and life was all roses! But gradually I noticed the 'ole fatigue setting back in, and took matters into my own hands by learning how to adjust the machine myself. Two years later I am now at 13 cm for a good night's sleep. I am still using that basic machine so I cannot get all of that analysis ya'll are always talking about, my I have a new PR-1 Auto coming to me, so next week some time I should be able to get data. Anyway, my question is: how normal is it to require a 30% increase in pressure over 24 months? At this rate I will need to sleep with an air compressor hooked up soon! I have not had any weight gain, or any other known condition change in this time. I had a physical done a few months ago, and I am good. Any ideas?

John M. Browning wrote:Any ideas?

I don't think that any one of us can be put into
a "normal" catagory, cpap wise or other.
This therapy is so subjective to each individual.

Once I got a data capable machine and learned what I
was doing, I went from sleep study titration of 8cm
to present day 12.2cm in the course of a couple of months.
Following the data, didn't take long to find
the sweet spot. I have been living at 12.2cm for
2.5yrs now. Unless data indicates it, I don't anticipate
it changing.

Follow the data.

Thanks, I guess I will be climbing a new learning curve soon, learning how to analyze the data. I don't suppose Barnes and Noble has a copy of CPAP for Dummies, eh?

John M. Browning wrote:Thanks, I guess I will be climbing a new learning curve soon, learning how to analyze the data.

I think you've already reached the top of the first learning curve that really matters, John. You've analyzed how you felt and adjusted the pressure to help you sleep better (presumably) and feel better. Good job!

These people did it too, without any machine data:

Link to a study that concluded, "yes."
"Can Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Titrate Their Own Continuous Positive Airway Pressure?"
http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/CanP ... wnCPAP.pdf

Of course, self-titration works best when a person has plain OSA that is well treated by "CPAP."
Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome, or another sleep disorder in the mix (like Periodic Limb Movements), or people who have arousals from non-respiratory issues, or sleep hygiene problems -- it can be more difficult for them to self-titrate based on "how they feel."

More data (especially Leak data) can help in any CPAP self-titration process, so it's good you have a "full data" machine a'comin' .

rested gal wrote:

John M. Browning wrote:Thanks, I guess I will be climbing a new learning curve soon, learning how to analyze the data.

I think you've already reached the top of the first learning curve that really matters, John. You've analyzed how you felt and adjusted the pressure to help you sleep better (presumably) and feel better. Good job!

These people did it too, without any machine data:

Link to a study that concluded, "yes."
"Can Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Titrate Their Own Continuous Positive Airway Pressure?"
http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/CanP ... wnCPAP.pdf

Of course, self-titration works best when a person has plain OSA that is well treated by "CPAP."
Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome, or another sleep disorder in the mix (like Periodic Limb Movements), or people who have arousals from non-respiratory issues, or sleep hygiene problems -- it can be more difficult for them to self-titrate based on "how they feel."

More data (especially Leak data) can help in any CPAP self-titration process, so it's good you have a "full data" machine a'comin' .

My sleep issues have, until recently, been plain vanilla OSA, but recently I have been afflicted with sleep arousals from Barking Puppy Syndrome.

I have seen mention of "leak data" - I assume this means from the mask, right?

John M. Browning wrote:I have seen mention of "leak data" - I assume this means from the mask, right?

Yes, mask leaks most of the time.

On occasion leaks via mouth if using a mask that does not cover the mouth like the over the nose only mask or the nasal pillow mask type and the person opens the mouth for some reason and lets pressure out the mouth.

A sleep study is one night out of your life spent in strange and uncomfortable surroundings. Then comes the rest of your life with different rooms, beds, work environments, seasons, flues and colds, allergies, new soaps, new jobs, sun spots, ozone thinning, alien abduction........

BlackSpinner wrote:A sleep study is one night out of your life spent in strange and uncomfortable surroundings. Then comes the rest of your life with different rooms, beds, work environments, seasons, flues and colds, allergies, new soaps, new jobs, sun spots, ozone thinning, alien abduction........

lol. All true, but am still waiting for that first alien abduction episode.
Frankly though, I am not really sure what you meant there...

John M. Browning wrote:Frankly though, I am not really sure what you meant there...

The night you spend being titrated in the sleep lab is very different from the nights you sleep at home. The patient usually comes with some level of anxiety about the strange environment and the people watching and listening to him while to tries to sleep. Then he tries to sleep with equipment attached and it is his first night of sleeping with a pressurized CPAP mask. This makes it difficult for the lab to know whether their titration is optimal.

Later, in the comfort of his own bedroom and with some experience sleeping with CPAP, the patient may be able to tweak the pressure to optimal if he has a little knowledge and the right tools (data). At the very least he may get peace of mind by confirming that the lab titration was indeed optimal.