Losing weight & its effect on sleep apnea

Just look at the event flags at the top of your sleepyhead report to see if it coincides with an event. Usually people include the event flag part in their screenshots anyway. An AHI of .38 looks good to me!

Could we act like adults and stay on topic? I'm so tired of seeing all the digs at one another. I come on here to read posts about CPAP therapy. Some of the people posting all the junk seem to be knowledgeable. When you put others down who are trying to learn? It is a poor reflection on you, not them.

When I went to register it said the username "ButtermilkBuoy" and "pumbany" were already in use. The story of my life, all the "really cool" names are taken. It is what it is, I guess. Off I go to pumbany a buttermilkmovie.

I've lost 60 pounds over 2 years, the same amount of time I've been on CPAP... and my AHI is now consistently <3, usually between 1 and 2. I'm guessing weight loss has something to do with it.

My 2 cents worth about increasing that minimum pressure....in terms of therapy effectiveness using your AHI as a data point...there's no urgent need to increase that minimum from 4 to whatever.
Now while some people have problems feeling like 4 cm doesn't move enough air ...you don't seem to be one of those people.

Now if your AHI was higher than we like to see then having the machine with a higher starting point would likely be beneficial but with an AHI of consistently less than 1.0...there's no urgent need to start higher.

The fact that the machine roams around between 4 (or 5 or 6) and 11 or 12 or whatever just means the machine is doing its job and quite effectively it appears. Probably because of the flow limitations which I didn't see the FL graph but from the statistics it looks like the FL max was at .88 (can't quite read it) which usually means a fairly active FL graph.
Flow limitations are one of the sleep apnea warning signs that the auto adjusting algorithm will want to increase the pressures in an effort to prevent what the machine thinks is an impending airway collapse.

Now increasing that minimum from 4 cm to 5 or 6 cm will likely help reduce the FLs....but we don't know how critical it is that those FLs get reduced.
Also...if you have some nasal congestion going on the FL graphs will look a bit ugly but more pressure won't fix FLs that are from nasal congestion (in the nose).

Now you had another report from Jul 17 where it appears the FL max went to .26...which is really low and that FL graph probably didn't look nearly as exciting....so the need to reduce FLs probably wasn't much of a need at all.

So...do you urgently need to increase that 4 cm minimum starting point? Probably not at least in terms of effective therapy assuming you are sleeping well and feeling decently during the day.
At this point without seeing several FL graphs to get an idea as to what they are doing we don't know if more pressure is needed for FL control but again if you are sleeping good and feeling good...probably isn't needed.

In terms of maximum pressure setting...doesn't really matter because the machine is only going to go to where it wants or thinks it needs to go and it wouldn't matter if you could set it to 100...if it only wants to go to 10 or 12 it doesn't matter where it "could" go...it only matters where it actually goes.

The only thing I see on these images that might...and I stress the might part...could stand some improvement would be the FL statistic/graph and that's a maybe.
If you are comfortable using 4 cm starting point there is no urgent need to increase it...at least from the data shown so far and you haven't mentioned any problems relating to sleep in general or how you feel during the day.
It's not like your pressure is going to 15 every night and you are spending a lot of time up around 12 or anything like that. Where you spend the bulk of the night the machine can get to that point easily/quickly enough from that 4 cm starting point.

You've been using that 4 cm starting point for years and years...if you go changing things it is going to take some time for the body to adjust and it might affect sleep quality (amount of time to fall asleep particularly) and to be honest....I don't see the need to go fixing something if it isn't broken.

Up to you but I wouldn't go changing that minimum unless there was a critical need to change it and from what is shown so far...I don't see the need unless you are feeling that you aren't sleeping well or feeling so great and if that is the case then maybe a different discussion to go along with ideas on changing that minimum.

Just because "most people feel like they are suffocating at 4 cm" isn't a good enough reason to change the minimum and your AHI is already so low that we can't say you "need" better therapy because it's really hard to get better than less than 1.0 AHI.
What are you trying to fix?

Now it won't hurt anything to use a higher minimum...won't hurt a thing but I don't know that you will gain anything or need to gain anything...except maybe the FL situation and that's a maybe need.

+1000, Pugsy!
I am inclined to believe the manufacturers would not have included the lower pressures
if they were not of value--at least to some users.

Pugsy wrote:My 2 cents worth about increasing that minimum pressure.....

Thanks Pugsy, amazing post and advice. Very well written and thought out.

I decided to leave the min at 4 but I will increase the max. Right now I tried 12 for one night but the machine came just short of reaching the new max. If I see that the machine hits the 12 max I will increase it to 13 etc... until its set at a max that the machine never reaches.

Last night was the first night in a long time that I didn't sleep with the machine. I have a cold, a fever and aches and some of the aches were in the left side of my face a throbing pain. I could not get the mask on my face with the aches it hurt too much. Finally I decided to sleep without the cpap machine. This morning I woke up and the aches are not so bad and no pain in the left side of my face. I plan to sleep with the cpap machine again tonight.

I don't post on here very often these days, but I do lurk from time to time. So take what I am about to say with as much salt as you ffeel you need. The following analogy works for me, because I trained as a pharmacist and learned that the best way to keep pain under control is to use a low dose of a painkiller (aka minimum pressure on my cpap). When an event occurs, I need extra relief (more pressure), which then goes back to the minimum pressure until the next event. Over time, when the bursts of extra pressure are no longer keeping the pain (apnea) under control, I need to increase that lower pressure to see if it can stop the events. I increased my pressure by 0.5 cm the other day, and it has already reduced my hourly events from just over 1 to just over 0.5. Not a huge difference, and your results may vary. But the principal is the same - reduce the sensitivity of your body to whatever is triggering your pain/apnea. Good luck with finding better sleep!

Guest wrote: with a low starting pressure like that it will not suppress any events and takes longer to get up to a pressure that will suppress anything. i am surprised you can breath as 4cm most people are short of breath at 4
not only will it take less time to get to a working pressure for you but you should see an improvement in your ahi. isnt that what you are looking for
you dont want the mask overly tight either that also leads to leaks
in case no one has told you put your mask on have your cpap set to go right to your highest pressure
in this case 11 or even 12
then lay down in your sleeping position
adjust straps while in your sleeping position at your max pressure
else when you fall asleep and the pressure rises it will increase the force on the straps and they stretch causing leaks.
you want your mask snug but not overly tight
g nite

This is very helpful. I am new to using the CPAP; so, I am learning to adjust to sleeping with it. Every night I wonder why I feel that I cannot breathe at a pressure of 4. I see from what you and Julie wrote, I am not alone. I think I will bring it up to 6. I have not learned how to do that but I have been able to adjust other settings; so, it may be simple. (My high pressure is 13.)

As for the leaks, it was a problem but after tightening the straps, it does not seem to leak anymore. However, many friends have told me not to make it so tight. You are the only one to explain why. Thanks

TeddyBfan wrote:

Guest wrote: with a low starting pressure like that it will not suppress any events and takes longer to get up to a pressure that will suppress anything. i am surprised you can breath as 4cm most people are short of breath at 4
not only will it take less time to get to a working pressure for you but you should see an improvement in your ahi. isnt that what you are looking for
you dont want the mask overly tight either that also leads to leaks
in case no one has told you put your mask on have your cpap set to go right to your highest pressure
in this case 11 or even 12
then lay down in your sleeping position
adjust straps while in your sleeping position at your max pressure
else when you fall asleep and the pressure rises it will increase the force on the straps and they stretch causing leaks.
you want your mask snug but not overly tight
g nite

This is very helpful. I am new to using the CPAP; so, I am learning to adjust to sleeping with it. Every night I wonder why I feel that I cannot breathe at a pressure of 4. I see from what you and Julie wrote, I am not alone. I think I will bring it up to 6. I have not learned how to do that but I have been able to adjust other settings; so, it may be simple. (My high pressure is 13.)

As for the leaks, it was a problem but after tightening the straps, it does not seem to leak anymore. However, many friends have told me not to make it so tight. You are the only one to explain why. Thanks

Which machine do you have? If you have a prescription the machine might be locked into a pressure range but with some (all?) you can change it by going into the physician mode. On Dreamstation you hold the ramp button and center dial for 5 seconds at the same time.

I am really fed up with the terms "clinician's", "provider's", or "physician's" menu.
It implies that the patient has no power over the settings, or that to self-adjust is not permitted.
Diabetics are trusted to self-titrate--even CHILDREN!
And, there is no doctor's lock on a prescription bottle; the patient is expected to count his own pills, even NARCOTICS.
I suggest we agree to call this menu something else, like "adjustment", or "treatment parameters".
Any ideas?

chunkyfrog wrote:I am really fed up with the terms "clinician's", "provider's", or "physician's" menu.
It implies that the patient has no power over the settings, or that to self-adjust is not permitted.
Diabetics are trusted to self-titrate--even CHILDREN!
And, there is no doctor's lock on a prescription bottle; the patient is expected to count his own pills, even NARCOTICS.
I suggest we agree to call this menu something else, like "adjustment", or "treatment parameters".
Any ideas?

The Liberty Menu!

Take back your health and your life ... Do it! Do it Now!!

GuestStar wrote: Which machine do you have? If you have a prescription the machine might be locked into a pressure range but with some (all?) you can change it by going into the physician mode. On Dreamstation you hold the ramp button and center dial for 5 seconds at the same time.

Thanks for the feedback. I have the ResMed Air Sense 10. You're right -- I could not change the pressure setting. So I changed the ramp time from 45 min to 30 min. It reached a pressure of 6 within a few minutes.

On Resmed. Airsense 10. Hold down the round button and the HOME button at the same time for about 5 seconds. The full menu will unlock so u have access to change your settings.

Cardsfan wrote:On Resmed. Airsense 10. Hold down the round button and the HOME button at the same time for about 5 seconds. The full menu will unlock so u have access to change your settings.

Thank you. I was able to change the settings. So, it will start at 6. I left the ramp time at 30.

I had wondered what EPR stood for. Now.I see why at times it feels.like I am getting no pressure unless I inhale... All of this is new to me. Despite having asked many questions to the doctor and technicians, I see there is so much I still do not know. I am very pleased that I stumbled upon this site.

Once I understand more about CPAP therapy, I will download SleepyHead. The daily reports I receive from the ResMed myAir site does not provide the detailed information that I want. It says I am sleeping well but I am still feeling very tired in the morning. I want to figure out why. I have been using the CPAP for only 3 weeks; so I am giving it time to produce the changes that I expect (less tiredness, more energy). The one positive change I have found from Day 1 is that I wake up breathing without pain. Before using the CPAP, I would wake up with shortness of breath and I felt pain when I took deep breaths.

Does anyone know if I can access SleepyHead using my mobile phone? I am always on the go. I usually check my sleep report while I am commuting to work. I would like it if I could access SleepyHead on my phone.

Thank you.

TeddyBfan wrote:

Cardsfan wrote:On Resmed. Airsense 10. Hold down the round button and the HOME button at the same time for about 5 seconds. The full menu will unlock so u have access to change your settings.

Thank you. I was able to change the settings. So, it will start at 6. I left the ramp time at 30.

I had wondered what EPR stood for. Now.I see why at times it feels.like I am getting no pressure unless I inhale... All of this is new to me. Despite having asked many questions to the doctor and technicians, I see there is so much I still do not know. I am very pleased that I stumbled upon this site.

I strongly suggest you pop over to apneaboard, look at the top of their page, and follow the instructions to download a copy of the secret manual for the machine.... I don't tell people how to get into the menu, I tell them how to get the manual, so they can learn what all the stuff means.

TeddyBfan wrote:Does anyone know if I can access SleepyHead using my mobile phone?.

no, you can't.