Need help with inspiration/expiration time and FR/FL.

Hi!

I keep struggling to optimize my pap treatment in hope of getting more energy back. I’m also severely ill in ME/Cfs so every percent counts immensely.

1. When reading about inspiration and expiration time, the expiration shall be longer than the inspiration, a ratio around 1:2 at least. Looking at my I and E, my I is ALWAYS higher than my E. Is there a possibility I’m hyperventilating a bit, and that I need to get that fixed to optimize my treatment? When looking att sleep techs on You Tube, some say that I and E aren’t anything to worry about. What are your thoughts on that? Attached a Oscar screen pic. of my I and E and one up closer showing my FL and FR, which I comment on below.

2. Have been getting good help from you with my settings, trying to get my FL down and get a more nice looking FR, in hope for better sleep quality. Kept upping both min and max by 0.2, for the body to get used to it. When pressure’s above 11.4-ish I start to have a not very happy tummy. But when looking at my FL and FR I feel I somehow need to go higher in order for my FR curves to not flatten out. The first hours of sleep, my deep sleep, is when the FL is too high, if I understood what I’ve read correctly. What do you say, should I keep on my babysteps in a higher min and max? Or should I settle albiet the FL and FR looking like this?

When I look at some sleep techs on You Tube, they say that FL doesn’t matter as long as FR and oxygen looks ok. I’ve invested in an oxymeter, a Wellue 02 ring (really great product) which shows that my oxygen is good and stable through out the night. My pulse is a bit interesting though as it goes up when I’ve fallen asleep, when it should go down. I’m in a lot of distress though, which maybe can be the reason. But feel free to think loud regarding this too.

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/XwsSOUq

//Andréa

Increasing your max pressure will probably go a long way to improving your FLs and therapy.

As you suggested you higher pressure upsets your tummy.

Absolutely, baby steps pressure increments are the way to go.

You haven't provided a non-close up view of your therap. But if your FLs are really high, than wouldn't a much longer Inspiration time be a consequence of a lot of FLs?

I looked at my own numbers and my I:e ratio is about 1:1.7. But I went back and looked at my earlier charts where my Therapy wasn't great, FLs a lot higher my I:E ratio was much closer. Not as extreme as yours.

I think improving your therapy (and FLs) will change you I:E ratio. I have less confidence, trying to change your I:E ratio will influence your sleep. I think your I:E ratio is a symptom, not casual.

You can't tell anything from SkyLab view and anyway I think overall your sleep looks messy. If the I and E times are measured during a period of Junk then the result will be junk.

Find some stable breathing like this and then see what you've got:



Also, if your respiratory rate is high the E time will be reduced because the I's are coming in quicker.

If you have cardioballistic artifacts, that will mess up the measurement of your I:E ratio on the particular machine you have. I can’t see the details on the flow rate images. See if there’s an oscillation around the zero line between breaths.

I wonder whether your FLs are partly positional. Have you ever tried using a soft cervical collar to keep your head and neck well aligned?