CPAP Struggles: Seeking Answers for Restful Sleep!

CPAPExplorer · Post by **CPAPExplorer** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:07 am

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 18, 2023 8:40 am
Tell me again (don't remember if you mentioned it before and no time to go back and reread your posts) why you are limiting the max to 9 cm???

On the Aug 2 night you maxed out the pressure because of an increase in flow limitations at around 23:00 (per the machine clock) and that coincides with what might be REM stage sleep.
First REM normally happens about 90 minutes after sleep onset and doesn't last all that long at 15 to 30 minutes.
So maybe this was REM stage sleep (where it is common for OSA to worsen and/or need more pressure) or it could also be positional like maybe you were on your back or experienced some chin tuck.
If this is a one off night and you rarely see this happen then I don't know that I would worry too much about it but if you are seeing this fairly often then there's a good argument for increasing the max pressure and letting the machine kill what it wants to kill.

Will it let you sleep more soundly ...which seems to be your main issue...we don't know because we don't know what might be waking you up.

I think you have a sleep maintenance insomnia problem but I am not so sure that it is related to airway issues and the machine only fixes airway issues. It can't do a damn thing for sleep issues related to anything else other than the airway.
Are you maybe wanting the machine to fix a problem that it can't fix? You wouldn't be the first.
The list of causes for sleep maintenance insomnia is a big long list...and sleep apnea is only one item on that list but it is the only item on that list that the machine can do anything about.

my original prescription from the pulmonologist was set at 6-12 autoset for her with EPR on 3 but due to aerophagia the respiratory tech lowered my pressure to 6-9 autoset for her with EPR on 3 but. On 3 my breathing doesn't sync well and I get CA's. 6 is also too low of a starting pressure, I get hypopnea's and RERA's (even if very minimal).

aug 2 was set at 6-9 autoset for her and all others I posted above was set at autoset standard.

my 95% on autoset for her with EPR on 3 for a few months was 7.44 (see attached when I tried a fixed pressure of 7.4 with EPR off).

of all the screen shots I posted in this thread, which shows the best flow rate ? am i best on autoset standard, autoset for her or fixed pressure ?

how is sleep maintenance insomnia diagnosed and treated ?

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:19 am

CPAPExplorer wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:07 am
of all the screen shots I posted in this thread, which shows the best flow rate ? am i best on autoset standard, autoset for her or fixed pressure ?

Unknown. You have to be able to add in your subjective feelings about how you slept and how you feel and not totally rely on what the graphs show. Flow rate graphs need to be evaluated zoomed in a lot more than what you get with the big picture.

CPAPExplorer wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:07 am
how is sleep maintenance insomnia diagnosed and treated ?

You have to figure out what is causing you to wake up too many times or prematurely and then try to find a fix for that problem. To fix any problem we have to first identify the problem.
Much easier said than done. Been there done that and have the Tshirt myself.

Google "sleep maintenance insomnia causes" and start reading. That list is huge.
Google "sleep hygiene" and see if you are guilty of anything that might be affecting sleep in general.
We all do something we shouldn't...myself included.

If the aerophagia monster raises its ugly head with pressures above 9 cm...I would also just limit the max.
The aerphagia monster is more likely to create a bigger problem than the FLs are causing.
Sometimes we have to pick the lessor of 2 evils.

CPAPExplorer · Post by **CPAPExplorer** » Sun Oct 22, 2023 11:23 am

I woke up to find my CPAP mask on the floor, and it appears I've been unknowingly removing it in the middle of the night for the past three nights. I've noticed erratic flow rate (don't know what it is) toward the end of the night. I wonder if this could be the cause of my unconscious mask removal.

Also, I've read that a tidal volume below 500 is considered normal, but mine falls below this range. Is this something I should be concerned about?

CPAP Struggles: Seeking Answers for Restful Sleep!

Re: CPAP Struggles: Seeking Answers for Restful Sleep!

Re: CPAP Struggles: Seeking Answers for Restful Sleep!

Re: CPAP Struggles: Seeking Answers for Restful Sleep!