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This is what I had read earlier on CPAP.com which made me think that just buying the cushion and the flap would be okay... But I could be wrong!

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Key Product Information
Manufacturer: Respironics


This is a package of both the replacement cushion and silicone flap for the ComfortGel mask.

Any cushion size may be used on the ComfortGel mask frame, but the same size silicone flap must be used to secure the cushion to the frame. The silicone flap and cushion are each sold separately elsewhere on our site.

Question for everyone: Allison said her AHI was 5.1 and CPAP was suggested. Is that really high enough to go through all this trouble? Isn't that number approaching normal? I'm assuming that number was from a sleep study? I would just hate for someone to go through so much trouble, if they really didn't need CPAP.

It was a 5.2. I did feel a bit better though the next day. That is why the doctor wants me to try it out and if I feel better, then continue; if I don't, then don't worry about it. I think I will have to get a couple of full nights sleep with a mask that is comfortable before I can make that final determination.

Well, washing mask last night did seem to help a bit. I felt the mask "gripped" my face better without having to tighten my straps too much. It is still a challenge though as I can just almost get my face turned enough to get comfortable (stomach sleeper).

I have my stats for last night. It may be a bit off though. I put on the mask for a bit before going to sleep to see if washing it helped. I got caught up in a TV show, so I ended up with the mask on for about 1/2 an hour before I actually turned off the TV. In that time, I definately yawned several times. I had trouble deciding how to handle that - do I try to push it out my nose, do I try to block off my nose and do the exhale through my mouth, etc.

Also, the neighbors across the road came in late and that got the dogs all riled up, which riled up our indoor dog. It's very hard to scold her while the CPAP is going. When I finally decided that she was not interpretting my grunts correctly, I had to take of the mask, etc., to tell her to be quiet. That lead to a few minutes spent trying to teach myself how to talk with the mask on.

<CPAP Pressure set at 9, EPR on 2, no ramp, mask set on Standard>

Last Night:
Time: 7:38
Pressure: 8.4
Leak: 0.12 L/s
AHI: 3.2
AI: 0
HI: 3.2

For the week (of mostly partial nights)
Time: 5:22
Pressure: 8.4
Leak: 0.12 L/s
AHI: 4.0
AI: 0
HI: 4.0

I think those stats look great.
I know what you mean about the trouble of something disturbing us after we're all set to go to bed. I especially had that problem when I was taping my mouth shut, and my college-aged son would come into the room and ask me a question, even after my lights were out.
Sneezing and coughing definitely caused problems with the tape too.
Your stats look really good. Did that AHI of 5 you mentioned initially come from a sleep study?

Yes, my 5.2 came from a sleep study. One night for the study, then another night to be titrated.

Well, hopefully others more experienced and knowledgeable than I (like RestedGal, for one?) can jump in here and correct any assumptions I am making, but ....

Your set pressure is 9 cms. Your EPR is set a 2 cms. So, theoretically, given the interruptions, 1/2 of the night you were inhaling and 1/2 of the night you were exhaling, meaning 1/2 of the night at 9 cms and 1/2 of the night at 7 cms. Which would, theoretically, give you a median or average pressure of 8 cms for the night.

But 95% of the night you were AT OR BELOW 8.4 cms. So that .4 cms "might" be accounted for by the .12L/s leak rate.

BUT, the reported leak rate is the leak rate AT OR BELOW which you experienced them 95% of the night. At times it could have been higher, at other times lower.

That's where the software and reader comes in so handy. You would also see the median and maximum pressures and leak rates.

Which takes me back to square one and what was the purpose of my even saying all this. Darned if I know!!!!! Duh.

When they download your data you are for sure gonna wanna see the printout for yourself!!! Curiosity killed the cat!

And by the way, that is a great leak rate so early in the game for you!!!

My pre titration PSG gave me an AHI of 4.8 or something like that, and no stage 3 or 4 sleep. I insisted on having a titration because of all the indications I had that I may have sleep apnea.

The 2 hours I managed to sleep on the titration study gave an AHI of 18.

I've been using the machine for close to three years - no more night sweats, no more multiple potty breaks, no more waking up with my heart racing, no more gasping, no more morning headaches, no more jolting awake in a panic just as I'm falling asleep.

One night in a sleep lab does not always give you the right information.

The cut off at 5 was made by medicare - a financial decision not to pay below that, and not a medical one.

O.

You know... I haven't had a night potty break that I can remember when I have had the mask on. That in itself it good.

The doctor also gave me a different kind of prescription. I have a lot of pain in my shoulder (mostly on the right side). It could be related to doing almost everything on the computer by mouse. It is called gabapentin. The drug was originally developed to be for seizures, but my dr. said that it didn't do that good of job. It is now being used for other reasons, but the one he said there was a lot of success with was neuropathic pain. I have actually been taking it for around a month. I take it one hour before bed. I can take 1, 2, or 3 tablets (300 mg each). Most nights it is one. If I have been in a lot of pain most of the evening, or spent the evening on the computer, then I will take 2. I haven't taken 3 yet.

I have also started taking 3mg of melatonin. It seems to be helping. I have trouble going to sleep, staying asleep, and just poor sleep quality in general.

Here is a link to my original sleep study results that I posted.
viewtopic.php?p=224617

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Prescription

RDI - Respiratory Disturbance index - is the more important number in evaluating PSG results. Yours is 6.9, because, in addition to frank apneas and hypopneas, you had Respiratory Effort Related Arousals, (that's those RERAs. The RDI is the better number for judging your need for CPAP - no doubts about your qualifying. its above 5

Even more impressive is how bad your oxygenation got: anything less than 90% (ninety) will have a hospital staff give you extra oxygen if you happen to be hospitalized. And your low was 75%. The number of your desats also looks like you were desaturating more or less on every apnea or hypopnea - a total of 31 desats to a total of 30 apneas and hypopneas. I can't read your linked chart enough to say that they happened concurrently, but the doctor looking at your graphs does.

By the way, your limb movements may also be caused by the respiratory effort.
O.

Well, last nights numbers seem to be a bit better. I think I could tell for certain if I had the software, but at $69.99 for the reader and $179.95 for the software, it is just not in the budget right now. Plus, it is not compatible with Vista which is what we have at home.

I didn't right down the time.
Leak: 0.08
AHI: 2.1
AI: .1
HI: 2.0

I was doing a lot of coughing with the mask on - I don't know if this would have had an effect on the numbers or not.

I don't know how much I trust the O2. I didn't do too well with the monitor - it kept going to the edge of my finger. At the titration, they adjusted how they taped it to my finger and I didn't have any trouble. The doctor said that the numbers looked good during the titration.


[quote="ozij"]RDI - Respiratory Disturbance index - is the more important number in evaluating PSG results. Yours is 6.9, because, in addition to frank apneas and hypopneas, you had Respiratory Effort Related Arousals, (that's those RERAs. The RDI is the better number for judging your need for CPAP - no doubts about your qualifying. its above 5

Even more impressive is how bad your oxygenation got: anything less than 90% (ninety) will have a hospital staff give you extra oxygen if you happen to be hospitalized. And your low was 75%. The number of your desats also looks like you were desaturating more or less on every apnea or hypopnea - a total of 31 desats to a total of 30 apneas and hypopneas. I can't read your linked chart enough to say that they happened concurrently, but the doctor looking at your graphs does.

By the way, your limb movements may also be caused by the respiratory effort.
O.