CPAPtalk.com

Posted: **Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:57 am**

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:49 am
Time to accept the fact that your facial structure just doesn't play nice with this full face mask.

Move on to another mask of some sort.

Don't you have a nasal mask to try?

The new mask has not arrived yet. I would gladly try it if I had it. I definitely plan on it. I do think there's a good chance it will help since it's the DreamWear Full Face Mask and doesn't wrap around the nose bridge. That's where my most of my problems are happening: the mask leaks into my eyes around my nose. My nose is sore and red. I can't breathe properly through my nose. I definitely need a second option here.

I apologize for my frustration. It's just really pushing the limits of my patience.

I will try the higher EPAP tonight and report back. Hopefully that will help.

Posted: **Sat Jan 29, 2022 11:06 am**

You're close to being really good. Remember that the majority of folks give up on CPAP within a few days or weeks. You're obviously working it and the persistence will pay off.

My prescribed pressure was 21-25. You definitely have to have your crap together when that hits your mask. People here hate the ramp, but I found that it gave me time to make sure everything was tucked in as the the pressure built up.

I ditched my full face mask for the Dreamwear products early on and never looked back. The Simplus just wasn't cutting it. Now I'm a Bleep user. Sometimes I have to use a chinstrap for a few weeks, other times I don't. Things change.

Glad you're ditching that mask. Keep looking until you find something that works on your face. I teach Scuba too. Sometimes it takes a dozen dive masks to find one that won't leak for a particular student.

Posted: **Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:00 pm**

I actually have a 5 minute ramp on. It does help to adjust, but honestly I'm long asleep by the time the machine builds to high pressures. What's throwing me off is that when you run the mask test, it builds quickly to the highest pressure, and it almost always leaks on me. I bought an anti-leak strap from PadTheCheek yesterday, because I'm convinced if there was more forward pressured on the front of the mask, it wouldn't even leak on me, and I wouldn't have to strap it to my cranium so tightly.

I've said earlier in this post that I just can't imagine using a chin strap. I'm definitely a mouth breather. For example, I took my dog out walking yesterday, and I tried as hard as I could to breathe only through my nose many times, but I can only do it for a few moments. I just do not feel that I'm collecting enough air. If I lay down in bed, I can more easily do it, so perhaps in time I'll be able to; but I don't feel ready to cross that bridge, yet. Luckily, I think the Dreamwear full face mask will help. But we'll see.

My parents love scuba diving. I could never bring myself to try it because even snorkeling causes mask leaks for me, and it terrifies me to be 30 feet underwater relying on a tank of oxygen and a well sealed mask to stay alive.

Posted: **Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:42 pm**

The ramp is next to useless at the current 5 cm EPAP and 10 IPAP.
What it does is go from 4 cm EPAP/9 cm IPAP to the
5/10 in about 5 minutes. That's really a minute change.
Now if your EPAP was up around the 8 or 9...might be more useful to you.
You might find it a bit more useful with the 6 EPAP but not all that much.

And yes...you are asleep when the OSA events start happening and cause the machine to want to increase the pressure.

Posted: **Sun Jan 30, 2022 10:31 am**

New day, new results. I ran it on 6.0 EPAP. I still see clusters, but maybe you see something I don't.

Posted: **Sun Jan 30, 2022 10:52 am**

Yeah...I see that you need more minimum EPAP still. I already told you that you likely are going to need upwards of 8 or 9 minimum EPAP. Maybe even a little more...no way to know until you get there.

Minor improvement in AHI with the slight increase...could just be normal nightly variance...need more nights to see if this establishes a trend or pattern or not.

If it were me I would try minimum of 7 EPAP tonight...your choice how quickly you want to change things or how much adjusting you need to higher pressures.

Posted: **Sun Jan 30, 2022 10:59 am**

I will try 7.0 tonight, or maybe scale up tomorrow.

I wonder why there is so much snore data?

Posted: **Sun Jan 30, 2022 11:04 am**

The snores and FLs simply point to the airway still trying to collapse...they may not grow up to be full grown OAs or hyponeas but they are trying to grow up.
Snores and FLs are generally considered the early warning signs of the airway trying to collapse...they actually are a major factor in driving the pressure up.

The minimum baseline pressure (EPAP) is your most critical setting...it does the bulk of the work trying to PREVENT the airway from collapsing in the first place.

As for maybe the increase in snores...maybe you spent more time on your back.. Doesn't really matter and really doesn't surprise me given your FL graph as well.
All assuming you aren't having nasal congestion issues and if you are we have a different discussion.

Posted: **Sun Jan 30, 2022 4:25 pm**

FatBruno wrote: ↑
Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:17 am
This is my first post, and I'm new to BiPAP therapy. This is my fifth night using my new equipment.

This morning I woke up and hardly recognized myself in the mirror. One side of my face (around my left eye) is swollen. I did struggle all night with air leaks and trying to adjust the mask to keep the leaks out. I sleep on my side, and I often switch sides throughout the night. When I switch sides, the leaks tend to get worse. There were at least two occasions when I woke up frustrated with the leaks keeping me awake (and wanting to scratch my nose) that I sat up in bed and took the mask off for a few minutes before putting it back on. When I put the mask back on, the leaks seem to subside for a while but they always returned.

I want to mention that I've also been struggling with some acne where the headband runs over the back of my neck and across the bridge of my nose. Each day, I have used CPAP wipes to clean the bands and the mask, and finally, I use a Sleep8 bag to clean the mask and tubing. I have not missed a day doing this. I also take the humidifier chamber out and clean it with hot soap and water.

The equipment I'm using is a ResMed AirTouch F20 Full Face Mask, and a ResMed AirCurve 10.

Is the face swelling normal? This is the first night I've had it.

Hi, Bruno. When I first started CPAP therapy about four years ago I recall noticing face swelling as well. Eventually, it just went away. I think maybe it just takes time for your body to get used to the therapy. For some people, CPAP therapy is an overnight miracle, but others, like myself, sometimes struggle with it. It probably took me close to a year to get the the point where I was accustomed to it, but even now after fours years, while my symptoms have improved greatly from pre-CPAP, I still never have that "fully refreshed" feeling some people describe when I wake up in the morning. I still deal with a minimum amount of fatigue, but I can function now, at least, and have learned to adapt to it.

Posted: **Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:18 am**

FB, don’t forget to get a soft cervical collar.

Posted: **Mon Jan 31, 2022 8:55 am**

I got a cervical collar yesterday but it's extremely itchy. I wasn't prepared to start using it, yet. After all, I'm still getting used to the mask. Speaking of which, here is last night's data. Kind of a mess. Still at 6.0 EPAP. Maybe I will try 7 tonight. I'm not sure. I woke up a few times with the mask leaking more than it usually does. I have no idea why. I didn't do anything differently.

Posted: **Mon Jan 31, 2022 10:43 am**

FatBruno wrote: ↑
Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:44 pm
Would a ResMed Oximetry Module work? I have a regular Oximeter at home, but obviously that is something I would put on when I'm awake. Does the ResMed Oximetry Module work with Oscar, and do I need to attach anything else to my body to make it work?

The ResMed Oximetry Module connects to a sensor that wraps around a finger. Oscar will accept data from it. But the whole kit is very expensive at $1000.
https://www.respshop.com/oxygen-concent ... p-920.html

There is a member selling his for $300
https://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php? ... &p=1401116

The O2Ring will also work with OSCAR. It is an extra step to get import data into OSCAR. But it's around $150.
I haven't used mine once the novelty factor wore off and I saw that CPAP was preventing desats.

Posted: **Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:22 pm**

Try wrapping your neck in a soft clean piece of fabric, maybe from an old t-shirt. Also, take a look at this:

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... cal_Collar

You'll see some interesting before/after charts plus lots of information about selecting and fitting a collar. There are links to some collar reviews at the end. Unfortunately the Eliminator seems to be out of production these days.

Posted: **Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:53 pm**

Miss Emerita wrote: ↑
Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:22 pm
Try wrapping your neck in a soft clean piece of fabric, maybe from an old t-shirt. Also, take a look at this:

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... cal_Collar

You'll see some interesting before/after charts plus lots of information about selecting and fitting a collar. There are links to some collar reviews at the end. Unfortunately the Eliminator seems to be out of production these days.

I tried to take a nap today using the neck brace and the mask together. It didn't go super well. First of all, if I were claustrophobic, it would be torture. I felt confined and trapped and it definitely raised my anxiety.

I woke up briefly and took it off because I didn't feel right. Then my head was tingling all over, so I assume it created a blood flow problem. I will try again later and I guess see if it needs to be looser. I'm not sure what was wrong.

Posted: **Tue Feb 01, 2022 12:01 am**

You want it tight enough so your chin can’t sneak down, but no tighter than that. I hope you can find the magic fit.

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