Need Some Advice Please

This is a brand new machine with new card so AHI is okay but I will double check setting.

AHI is not really my concern at the moment but 5 or under is okay.

Getting some solid sleep is my hope.

AHI is probably irrelevant given that I am not getting any sleep.

Thanks for posting.

Are you keeping a log of other things that could be affecting your sleep - like exercise, caffeine, diet, meds, stressors, etc.? A machine can't fix these things. Obsessing over sleep tends produce poor sleep, IMO.

I have been on BiPAP for the last 3 weeks after several months on CPAP.

The last few weeks on CPAP were excellent sleep wise and number wise as well. AHI below 5 and several below 1

The CPAP data I loaded into Sleepyhead every day and P----- was following my charts and advised that I needed to move to an Auto BiPAP machine for optimal results.

At the very same time my Sleep Doctor advised the same thing based on the titration sleepover.

P----- and the Dr. Had differing opinions on settings and once I got my own machine I revised settings to those recommended by P-----.

Unfortunately two things have coincided for a bit of a problem, the new DreamStation is not yet compatible with Sleepyhead and this will surely complicate analysis by the experienced Advisors on this forum.

In addition, P---- looks to be taking a well deserved Holiday break so I have not received any updated advice for last week or so.

I experienced the difficult startup with CPAP followed by considerable success sleep wise and was hopeful the new BiPAP would improve my situation even further but I have taken a step backwards as far as getting a solid night's sleep.

It certainly seems from reading other's posts that small tweaks can make big differences and I am hopeful that will happen to me in the New Year.

Best night in weeks, went to bed at 10:20, awoke at 1:40 and again at 5:30

Was very tired when I went to bed and thought I had a perfect night although surprised at Mask Fit of 84% as I never needed to adjust it.

8.7 hours
AHI 1.3%
Mask Fit 84%
Periodic Breathing 2%
IPAP 90% 18.5
EPAP 90% 15.0

Best night in weeks.

I am back from my holiday...working holiday of sorts as my daughter moved to her new house last week and I had no internet except my phone and I can't type on the damn phone and I didn't have my cpaptalk password to log in anyway.

I think I covered the PMs I received...let me know if I missed something.

I need to figure out what Return Time is...that's a new one to me unless it is what is called Flex on my BiPap.
I need to get the provider manual and read up on it. Will try to do that later today.

My main concern now is the insomnia monster rearing his ugly head right now. The machine is doing what it is supposed to do now at the current settings but I think other issues are feeding the insomnia monster.
With the other issues (stressors) I think a short term use of some sort of sleep aid might be of benefit in this situation. Sometimes there is a time and a place for sleep aids of some sort and I think this is one of them (based on what I learned privately about other potential stressors). Something to discuss with the doctor for sure.

My error on RT.

It is Ramp Time not Response Time.

AcedDublB wrote:My error on RT.

It is Ramp Time not Response Time.

Ahh...that makes more sense now.
Use the ramp (and lengthen it from the 3 minutes) if you feel the pressures are making falling asleep more difficult. Use whatever feels most comfortable for you in terms of relaxing and falling asleep.
Right now..falling asleep is of primary importance.
If you find that lower pressures make for easier breathing...by all means utilize the ramp feature and 3 minutes is nothing....I would try maybe 10 to 15 minutes or more if I felt the pressures were a bit uncomfortable.
But be careful..sometimes the lower pressures can cause it to feel like you aren't getting enough air and in that case maybe use ramp but start a little higher.

Hotel night with 2 grandchildren in the same room but still had an okay night.

9.7 hours
3.3 AHI
100% Mask Fit
0% Periodic Breathing
19.0 90% IPAP
15.5 90% EPAP

Using Ramp but Pugsy recommends extending time.

Now I never even recognize the machine pressure or breathing sound.

She has also recommended alternative software to Sleepyhead for retrieving other needed analytical data.

Son's wedding and New Years Eve.

Went to bed at 12:50 and awake at 8:00 and thought I slept reasonably well.

7.1 hours
2.1 AHI
100% Mask Fit
0% Periodic Breathing
22.0 90% IPAP
18.0 90% EPAP

Noticed pressures seemed high on mask during the morning and numbers reflect that.

Comments welcomed.

AcedDublB wrote:Went to bed at 12:50 and awake at 8:00 and thought I slept reasonably well.

Do you have a recollection of any awakenings?

Happy New Year and congrats on the son's wedding.

Last night's data...I would be doing a happy dance especially since you didn't start it off with "I couldn't fall asleep or I woke often"

Here's the deal about the pressures...sometimes you need a lot higher and sometimes you don't...that's why you have the auto and don't forget the definition for the 90% pressure numbers you see on the machine's LCD screen....at OR below that number for 90% of the night.
10% of the time you went higher...how much higher we don't know until we look at the software reports.
The fact that you went higher for 10% of the night doesn't surprise me because when you were using apap you sometimes would peg out the 20 cm max.

I don't know if you partook of any alcoholic beverages last night with the New Year celebration and the wedding celebration but if you did...that could possibly account for part of the higher than usual numbers. The effects of alcohol can cause the need for higher pressures sometimes. Or it could just have been one of those nights where you needed more pressure for whatever reason...maybe on your back more or maybe more REM sleep or maybe a little of both....or maybe all of the above.

That's the beauty of your current machine and the settings range...it can adjust now with a decent starting point to deal with whatever comes its way and do a bang up job doing it.

Thank you Pugsy for your very positive response.

I agree that these numbers are indeed good news, especially considering everything that was going on.

I do thing the new Auto BiPAP machine is going to be very beneficial to my therapy.

Once I get home I will be working on your other suggestions regarding analytical software, insomnia issue identification as well as using Benadryl to see whether I can get some needed sleep over the short term.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Son's wedding and New Years is over.

After the big party I was very tired and went to bed at 10:00, heard my wife at 7:00 and I took my mask off and figured I would lie in bed for another hour. 3 hours later I get up at 10:00.

I think I went to sleep quickly which is a change.

Is this a risk laying in bed thinking you are just relaxing but the possibility exists that you may fall asleep.

Noticed the pressure last night and developed a few leaks and I needed to snug up mask to eliminate them, a little soreness under nose as a result but goes away quickly.

Been thinking about Benadryl and have been doing some research. I may need to go this route to get a week or two of better sleep.

I tied 3M surgical tape last night but only lasted 10 minutes as I found it hard to judge where mask was without lips open, sounds crazy I know.

Still use cervical collar and it is quite comfortable.

Probably sleep 80% of time on my back.

Heading home tomorrow which will be good.

Last nights results.

9.8 hours
2.7 AHI
94% Mask Fit
0% Periodic Breathing
20.5 90% IPAP
17.0 90% EPAP

Looking back on my AHI numbers for last 10 days is very encouraging.

I was diagnosed as 'Severe' which is greater than 30 but I recall my AHI was much higher.

Looking good?

Looking good...yes.

AcedDublB wrote:Is this a risk laying in bed thinking you are just relaxing but the possibility exists that you may fall asleep.

Yes it is a risk especially if the risk ends up being 3 hours of sleep without the mask.
I know it is tempting to lay there "for just a little bit without the mask and I won't go to sleep but just rest" and the next thing we know we have been asleep for a couple of hours. It is tempting but don't make a habit of it.
Bad habits are easy to make and hard to break...it's just the nature of bad habits.

Instead the habit to make is "I won't risk falling asleep without my mask so I will wear my mask at all times when in bed and laying down where I might fall asleep"

I did the same thing last night. Got up at 1am, out of it, got back in bed and forgot/failed to put mask back on. Woke up at 6am. Hate to lose most of a night's therapy, but sh*t happens.