Snoredog wrote:Question(s):
what AFlex setting are you using?
what kind of Neuropathy pain are you experiencing?
what does your sleep architecture look like?
Neuropathy pain can impact your quality of sleep, the question is where is the source of that pain and what is being done about it.
From your latest report, you could use an increase of the Auto:Min pressure by at least 1 cm. Doing so would pre-treat some of the events seen and result in a lower AHI. If you are at AFlex=1, I would increase pressure and then also increase AFlex to compensate for the higher pressure. Increasing AFlex setting would allow the machine a broader spread in moving IPAP up by the 2 cm amount of pressure support.
Snoredog,
Keep in mind that Neuropathy is but one of the many ailments I suffered and still suffer – as understood now, most or all of them were caused or greatly worsened by the untreated and later improperly treated SDB.
I was initially diagnosed with left side peripheral Neuropathy, because they concentrated only on the areas where I had the greatest frequency, intensity and duration of pain. I demanded that they do a complete head-to-toe assessment, and subsequently they did. The technician conducting that second round of testing was amazed that I functioned as well as I did with minimal medications. I do not like taking meds and ingest as few as possible – probably too few.
The condition name that was told to me by one doctor a few years ago was Mononeuritis Multiplex, a complicated form that can result from many causes… diabetes, poor oxygen saturation, Lyme disease and a slew of other causes, including exposures to workplace chemical toxins. Months later my neuropathy suffering was described as “multiple forms of Neuropathy encompassing the entire body.”
As bad as my suffering was, I have experienced obvious lessening in severity, duration and frequency of pain since getting beneficial PAP therapy during the past several months. Currently I do not routinely take any medications for the neuropathy condition or resulting pain. I do, however, occasionally take something for pain -- usually a Tylox.
For a few years I was on Neurontin, 2400mg per day. It is also often prescribed to prevent and control seizures, but a main side effect is that it can cause nasty seizures in many people. Various other medications were prescribed in addition to the Neurontin, and supposedly worked with it.
“Unpleasant,” is the best term I can socially use to describe the feelings that the drugs generated in me. Several large, a few moderate and many smaller seizures convinced me to wean myself from and discontinue that medication – stopped medication, seizures ceased occurring.
Over weeks I weaned myself from all of the medications prescribed for the Neuropathy. Physically I felt more pain. Psychologically and spiritually I felt alive again and much more at peace with my plight. I dislike the buzz and forced-calm feelings, as well as the mental and physical lethargy that the medications produced.
I may be back on one or more medication soon, as I have a PD appointment on the 24th. I’m certain that the doctor will insist that I fortify my ability to overcome or withstand pain with an arsenal of chemicals.
As I mentioned in another post, a PSG will be scheduled for me sometime relatively soon. I am years overdue for one.
Snoredog, thanks for your input. It is greatly appreciated.
Nodzy