Last Night Was First Night

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:13 am

Gotta go to town and run some errands and then I can start looking for some masks for you.
I know I don't have very many full face masks but I do have some.

More later.

Wonderful, thank you!

Send me a PM with your name and address so I can mail you some stuff.

I haven't found a Vitera yet but I might have one in the other donations box out in the shed. Will go dig out that massive box of stuff later when it cools off a bit.

So far I did find a few masks to send you and one of them was the Simplus in a med/large. Some have instructions but most don't have any paperwork.

Bear in mind that I have zero history about any of these masks. Gently used but used nonetheless so I always suggest that people wash everything really good per their own cleaning routine before using.

The off brand hybrid....Changing the cushion was a bitch. It had the small size already on it so I changed it to a medium. It does have the instructions and paperwork in it's little box.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 25, 2024 12:57 pm

Send me a PM with your name and address so I can mail you some stuff.

I haven't found a Vitera yet but I might have one in the other donations box out in the shed. Will go dig out that massive box of stuff later when it cools off a bit.

So far I did find a few masks to send you and one of them was the Simplus in a med/large. Some have instructions but most don't have any paperwork.

Bear in mind that I have zero history about any of these masks. Gently used but used nonetheless so I always suggest that people wash everything really good per their own cleaning routine before using.

The off brand hybrid....Changing the cushion was a bitch. It had the small size already on it so I changed it to a medium. It does have the instructions and paperwork in it's little box.

So awesome! Thank you!

I slept pretty well last night. I did take a sleeping pill because my doctor had me take an oxygen test and I had a lot of trouble falling asleep with the thing on my wrist and finger. Anyways, I'm wondering if I should still up the pressure every few days.

https://sleephq.com/public/faaaeadc-c30 ... e6dccdb7e0

Oh, also, my SleepHQ is always ahead by an hour and the profile setting doesn't let me change it. Anyone have any ideas how to do this? Thanks!

Can someone explain snore thing to me? I mentioned to my doctor(not that they seem to know anything or care much about sleep apnea treatment) but they basically said the snore chart doesn't matter and I can ignore it.

https://sleephq.com/public/6c44fb40-94d ... 8a493e63ca

Snores are one of the early warning signs that the airway is trying to collapse....snores may or may not grow up to be full blown flagged apnea events. Often they go along with flow limitations which are also one of the early warning signs the airway is trying to collapse (assuming the FLs aren't from nasal congestion issues).

So while I wouldn't just totally ignore snores because of what they can grow up to be and they can disrupt sleep as well....I don't obsess over minor snoring as long as I was sleeping good and feeling good.

Your AHI is nice and low so those snores and FLs aren't growing up to be a full blown flagged apnea event and if you were reporting feeling awesome and sleeping great then I don't know that I would worry about them BUT you aren't yet reporting that so if it were me and I was in your shoes...even with the AHI being low, I would try a little more baseline pressure just to see if it helped with the way the reports look and/or how you feel and how you are sleeping. Your snores and FLs aren't horribly horrible though....but they are there and they potentially could be affecting your sleep quality and for that reason I would try to kill them a little more effectively with a little more pressure (baseline/minimum).

I don't think it is a critical issue at this point though. I don't think it is your magic bullet.

You can compare your snores and FLs to mine. See report below

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 9:22 am

Your snores and FLs aren't horribly horrible though....but they are there and they potentially could be affecting your sleep quality and for that reason I would try to kill them a little more effectively with a little more pressure (baseline/minimum).

I don't think it is a critical issue at this point though. I don't think it is your magic bullet.

Thank you, Pugsy! I was planning on upping the minimum to 9 tonight and upping it every few days till I get to 10. I think I'll stick with that plan.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:13 am

Iancdub88 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 25, 2024 9:38 am

I just cannot get rid of annoying leaks with the Evora no matter how many adjustments I make or how many different sizes I've tried.

Any leak that disturbs our sleep is unwanted....even if it doesn't rise to large leak territory.
Our sleep is very fragile. You don't stand a chance of seeing much improvement in sleep or how you feel when you have very many arousals from leaks.

Iancdub88 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 25, 2024 9:38 am

I've heard that sometimes finding the best mask is the most difficult piece of all this so I'm open to stuff.

I have always said that finding the right mask is the hardest part of this whole cpap journey. If a person isn't comfortable with a mask they probably won't sleep so great and sleep is why we do all this crap. Comfort is critical.
Now I know that I sometimes mouth breathe with my mouth uncovered by a mask but it doesn't wake me up and it's rare that it happens so I don't really worry about the leaks when they don't wake me up having to fiddle with the mask.
I learned a long time ago that doing something to force my mouth shut ended up causing me more sleep problems than the leaks caused so I just don't do anything like taping or chin strap or cervical/jaw support.

Gotta go to town and run some errands and then I can start looking for some masks for you.
I know I don't have very many full face masks but I do have some.

More later.

Pugsy, do you suppose the high levels of humidity you use keep the congestion in check?

I would think even with a ffm if you can’t breathe thru your nose you have greater likelihood of opening mouth to breathe and potentially breaking the seal and leaking more?

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:13 pm

I would think even with a ffm if you can’t breathe thru your nose you have greater likelihood of opening mouth to breathe and potentially breaking the seal and leaking more?

If you're a mouth breather, you fit the mask with your mouth slightly open and make sure it doesn't leak in that position.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:13 pm

Pugsy, do you suppose the high levels of humidity you use keep the congestion in check?

Well yeah, for sure. I am one of those people that high humidity actually helps reduce any congestion.
Many years ago I tried a much lower humidity setting and the results were total disaster as I ended up with massive congestion and drainage that took 2 days to go away after trying a setting of 1 for humidity for one night only.
Hell will freeze over before I ever do that again.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:13 pm

I would think even with a ffm if you can’t breathe thru your nose you have greater likelihood of opening mouth to breathe and potentially breaking the seal and leaking more?

Well we have two ways of moving air into our lungs....our nose and our mouth. Stands to reason that when one is inoperable that we have to rely on the other way.
My personal opinion is that full face masks just are harder to keep leak free in general because of all the mask real estate trying to seal on your skin. Mouth opening may or may not make the leaks worse but it could I suppose.

ozij wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:57 pm

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:13 pm

I would think even with a ffm if you can’t breathe thru your nose you have greater likelihood of opening mouth to breathe and potentially breaking the seal and leaking more?

If you're a mouth breather, you fit the mask with your mouth slightly open and make sure it doesn't leak in that position.

I didn’t realize this. Thanks.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:09 pm

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:13 pm

Pugsy, do you suppose the high levels of humidity you use keep the congestion in check?

Well yeah, for sure. I am one of those people that high humidity actually helps reduce any congestion.
Many years ago I tried a much lower humidity setting and the results were total disaster as I ended up with massive congestion and drainage that took 2 days to go away after trying a setting of 1 for humidity for one night only.
Hell will freeze over before I ever do that again.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 1:13 pm

I would think even with a ffm if you can’t breathe thru your nose you have greater likelihood of opening mouth to breathe and potentially breaking the seal and leaking more?

Well we have two ways of moving air into our lungs....our nose and our mouth. Stands to reason that when one is inoperable that we have to rely on the other way.
My personal opinion is that full face masks just are harder to keep leak free in general because of all the mask real estate trying to seal on your skin. Mouth opening may or may not make the leaks worse but it could I suppose.

Do you think this poster could benefit from a more balanced combo of heat and humidity to improve their sleep?

I also don’t understand why they have a ramp pressure higher than their minimum.

‍♀️

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:15 pm

Do you think this poster could benefit from a more balanced combo of heat and humidity to improve their sleep?

I don't know. I have my doubts because I am not hearing nasal congestion complaints. In fact minimal sleep disruptions are remembered and they mainly pertain to mask leaks. The mouth opening thing could also simply be out of habit and not from some sort of nasal congestion. I know I used to mouth breathe a lot (before cpap) but my nose wasn't the problem. Most likely I was gasping for breath because of the apnea events. Stop those apnea events and most of my mouth breathing also stopped.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:29 pm

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:15 pm

Do you think this poster could benefit from a more balanced combo of heat and humidity to improve their sleep?

I don't know. I have my doubts because I am not hearing nasal congestion complaints. In fact minimal sleep disruptions are remembered and they mainly pertain to mask leaks. The mouth opening thing could also simply be out of habit and not from some sort of nasal congestion. I know I used to mouth breathe a lot (before cpap) but my nose wasn't the problem. Most likely I was gasping for breath because of the apnea events. Stop those apnea events and most of my mouth breathing also stopped.

makes sense thanks

I was just thinking of the flow limits too. mine always go up when i’m congested.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:29 pm

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:15 pm

Do you think this poster could benefit from a more balanced combo of heat and humidity to improve their sleep?

I don't know. I have my doubts because I am not hearing nasal congestion complaints. In fact minimal sleep disruptions are remembered and they mainly pertain to mask leaks. The mouth opening thing could also simply be out of habit and not from some sort of nasal congestion. I know I used to mouth breathe a lot (before cpap) but my nose wasn't the problem. Most likely I was gasping for breath because of the apnea events. Stop those apnea events and most of my mouth breathing also stopped.

I am going to be trying out nasal pillows with mouth tape when they arrive next week. I'm hoping that will help to break the mouth breathing habit. i do say habit because it's not a necessity but I have been a mouth breather, even during the day most of my life. Therefore, it might take some time to adapt.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:15 pm

I also don’t understand why they have a ramp pressure higher than their minimum.

‍♀️

To be honest, I was not aware of this. Probably a mistake on my part. I've also been considering not using ramp. I've heard you don't get therapy during ramp time? Anyone know if that's true?

Iancdub88 wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2024 2:59 pm

I've heard you don't get therapy during ramp time? Anyone know if that's true?

Well....pressure during ramp isn't totally without therapy value (depending on ramp and your pressure needs) but during ramp the machine will NOT record or respond to any apnea events that might happen. So the absence of any flagged events during any ramp time doesn't necessarily mean nothing happened. So you might get "some" therapy value at the lower ramp pressures but it isn't going to be much if your ramp is low and you need pressures that are considerably higher.