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Hi, Ruby! Finding the right mask that works for you is the most important part of the equation. For many people that have higher pressure needs, nasal pillows work better because of the much smaller surface area needing a good seal.

For example, I run 12-13 minimum pressure and find it very difficult to keep a good seal with a nasal mask at those pressures. But the Breeze nasal pillows work very well for me. I hope that you are soon able to find what works best for you. A cooperative DME can be helpful in this situation. Also, some places like our hosts, cpap.com, offer an option when buying masks to pay an extra fee to have the option to return masks that don't work for us.

And fdw: thanks for the thoughts on dinner. Sadly, due to other health issues, I'm livin' a pretty clean life. 'Cept for morning coffee (and I really don't want to discuss that ). Have you seen a sleep doctor in the last eight years? Or have you been able to work it all out on your own?

On my own, insurance does NOT pay for any sleep related doctor visits or CPAP equipment.

Sad, I know. Such a life threatening illness yet they (my employer, retired) says sleep apnea is a trend, and not a illness and will not pay for the rider on insurance carrier.

Thanks for the mask input! I've made a serious commitment to the nasal pillows, and every night I love them a little bit more. So cool the way they want to seal themselves; like iron filings to a magnet.

Here are last night's stats.

June 25

I agree that I would raise the lower pressure to 9. Also try a different size pillow with your P10 it usually comes with three sizes and sometimes a larger one helps.

JimP wrote:By any chance are you sleeping on your back? Most of us do better sleeping on our sides.

Even with sleeping on your side, I've found that your pillow should elevate your head just enough that your airway has a straight shot. Too high and you're creating a breathing reduction that once you airway relaxes closes up. By keeping it straight, it helps with airflow.

Hi JimP,

Thanks for the info on keeping the airway straight. Yet another thing that never would have occurred to me! I bet my pillow IS too high. Will investigate more.

I actually prefer to sleep on my side; guess that's a good thing. Unfortunately, the last seven months while wearing a FFM I've rarely been able to keep a seal when I roll onto my side. Hence a bunch of back sleeping. Have recently switched to an AirFit P10 (nasal pillow) and am having a MUCH easier time side-sleeping. Huge difference. Fingers crossed!

'Preciate your input, Jim!

Ruby

First night with machine set at 9 / 14. Can someone explain what's going on between 5:00 and 5:40 on the Flow Rate chart? [Thanks!]

RubySnooze wrote:First night with machine set at 9 / 14. Can someone explain what's going on between 5:00 and 5:40 on the Flow Rate chart?

It happened to me a couple of time (2-3 nights over 100s of nights on xPAP). I don't know if it was a software bug (Sleepyhead), a CPAP bug or simply a weird leak problem du to bad fit of my mask. It's so rare in my case that I just ignore those "glichs".

BUT, can you post a "zoom-in" graph of the same screenshot from about 2:40 to 3:10 AM? Because you have lots of hypopneas and the machine doesn't seem to do anything about it...

That's some sort of software/file bug. I have had it happen in SleepyHead and in Encore too. Some how the file structure for the flow rate gets messed up. We don't know why and don't know how to fix it either.
It has happened to lots of us though on occasion.

OSAHell wrote:BUT, can you post a "zoom-in" graph of the same screenshot from about 2:40 to 3:10 AM? Because you have lots of hypopneas and the machine doesn't seem to do anything about it...

OSAHell,

Does this give you what you need?

OSAHell wrote:

RubySnooze wrote:First night with machine set at 9 / 14. Can someone explain what's going on between 5:00 and 5:40 on the Flow Rate chart?

It happened to me a couple of time (2-3 nights over 100s of nights on xPAP). I don't know if it was a software bug (Sleepyhead), a CPAP bug or simply a weird leak problem du to bad fit of my mask. It's so rare in my case that I just ignore those "glichs".

BUT, can you post a "zoom-in" graph of the same screenshot from about 2:40 to 3:10 AM? Because you have lots of hypopneas and the machine doesn't seem to do anything about it...

I think there's too much leaking happening. it's not 'large leak' most of the time, but too much for it to want to do the auto thing.

Last night was the first night my husband has ever heard me stop breathing. I suspect it's because the sound of my breathing is so much more obvious with the nasal pillows. But...weird.

RubySnooze wrote:
OSAHell,

Does this give you what you need?

Yes exactly, thanks but nothing obvious so far... Can you close the range and zoom-in from 2:40 to 2:55 and post the shot.

RubySnooze wrote: Last night was the first night my husband has ever heard me stop breathing. I suspect it's because the sound of my breathing is so much more obvious with the nasal pillows. But...weird.

What was your AHI that night?

The night my husband heard me stop breathing was Friday, the 26th. AHI of 12.38.

Here is a zoom shot of that night at 2:40 a.m.:

A straight CPAP at about 10 cm to 12 cm seems safest at this point until OAs, CAs and Hypopneas are reduced.

RubySnooze wrote:The night my husband heard me stop breathing was Friday, the 26th. AHI of 12.38.

Here is a zoom shot of that night at 2:40 a.m.:

I'd raise the minimum pressure a little, and work on your leaks, they're quite high for the pressure you're at, and I believe that's causing the machine to not take action on the events you're having.