Is it normal for snoring to resume?

Hi,

This may seem like a dumb question, but I need to know if it is normal for snoring to eventually resume while on CPAP therapy? You see, after I first started about a month and a half ago, I was told by my wife that I didn't snore at all. During that time, I was still adjusting to the device/mask (full face). On the days where I could get the fit of the mask right, I felt great when I woke up. Unfortunately, now the mask is fitted correctly and I'm snoring. I've been thinking that I wasn't given the proper machine. My machine is bare bones Respironics REMstar M-series with humidifier (that I had to ask for). I figured I'd ask here before I call my DME in the morning.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

Scott,

In terms of having the 'right machine', all CPAPs will deliver the same pressure when set to the same pressure setting, so changing the machine won't affect your snores. Likely your pressure setting is too low, and it's not able to stop the snores (so to answer your question: if you're snoring a lot, then no, that's not normal).

The best type of machine to get is one that is data-capable, so that you can actually track the amount of leaks, the number of snores and other events. You should check with your DME on getting a data capable machine.

Here are some posts from " Our wisdom" at the top, under the yellow light bulb, that can help you in acquiring a data-capable machine:
Selecting Your CPAP equipment
Insurance, DME's, getting the data-capable machine you need

And welcome to the forum!

If you're using a full face mask, the likely culprit is that your pressure setting is too low.
Having your humidifier set too high might contribute to more snoring.
Doing a nasal rinse/cleansing before going to bed can help, too.

Getting a machine that has data-capabilities (like the M Series Pro) would be advantageous to determining how your therapy is working.


Den

Thanks for the welcome and the advice! Both are greatly appreciated. My pressure is set to 7. My study had pressure ranging up to 12, so I'm thinking that I'm safe up to twelve, the test was done with a full face mask. The thing I'm after, and haven't been able to attain is this: After the second study (with mask) I felt absolutely euphoric when I woke up. And now, I'm snoring again--not like train as before, but my wife says it's disturbing and I don't feel as good.

Regarding the humidifier, I have mine set to three and that seems good enough to stop condensation in the hose and stop me from waking with a dry mouth or dry sinuses.

Thanks again!

Scott

dunkonu23 wrote:Thanks for the welcome and the advice! Both are greatly appreciated. My pressure is set to 7. My study had pressure ranging up to 12, so I'm thinking that I'm safe up to twelve, the test was done with a full face mask. The thing I'm after, and haven't been able to attain is this: After the second study (with mask) I felt absolutely euphoric when I woke up. And now, I'm snoring again--not like train as before, but my wife says it's disturbing and I don't feel as good.

Regarding the humidifier, I have mine set to three and that seems good enough to stop condensation in the hose and stop me from waking with a dry mouth or dry sinuses.

Thanks again!

Scott

I'm wondering why your pressure is so much lower than the study.
What pressure is your prescription written for?

Den

Wulfman wrote:

dunkonu23 wrote:Thanks for the welcome and the advice! Both are greatly appreciated. My pressure is set to 7. My study had pressure ranging up to 12, so I'm thinking that I'm safe up to twelve, the test was done with a full face mask. The thing I'm after, and haven't been able to attain is this: After the second study (with mask) I felt absolutely euphoric when I woke up. And now, I'm snoring again--not like train as before, but my wife says it's disturbing and I don't feel as good.

Regarding the humidifier, I have mine set to three and that seems good enough to stop condensation in the hose and stop me from waking with a dry mouth or dry sinuses.

Thanks again!

Scott

I'm wondering why your pressure is so much lower than the study.
What pressure is your prescription written for?

Den

It was written for 7. I can bump it up but I'm hesitant (I have the clinicians manual).

Scott

Was there any justification for the pressure of 7? Emergence of central apneas for example??

echo wrote:Was there any justification for the pressure of 7? Emergence of central apneas for example??

Quote of the report :

"With the administration of CPAP there were a total of 6 events, 6 apneas and 0 hypo(obscured due to fax). The AHI was 1.0 per hour. On the final CPAP pressure of 12, the AHI was 0.0."

Later in the report:

"CPAP Tritation was initiated at a pressure of 5cm H2O and incrementally increased to an optimal pressure of 7cm H2O where the AHI was 0.0. "

The recommendation:

"Initiate CPAP therapy at 7 cmH2O".

Based on this, they started at 5, increased to 7 where the AHI dropped from 1.0 to 0.0 and continued to 12 where the AHI remained at 0.0--at least that's how I read it.

That's about all there is.

On the first study--non CPAP, the overall AHI was 88.4 per hour 489 events, 474 apneas and 15 hypoapneas.

Scott

It looks to me like 12 cm. or something very close to it is where you need to be.
Not only will it bring your AHI down, but will lower your snoring.

Den

I am thinking what Wulfman is thinking- that 12 or close to 12 cm is a good pressure for you.

There is however, quite a difference between 7cm and 12 cm.

I would suggest you put it up .5cm or even 1cm and see how things go with that for 3 days to a week. This gives your body a chance to adjust gradually as you up your pressure. After the 3 days to a week, up it .5 or 1cm again and monitor snoring and how you feel. You may be able to move it up faster but that depends how you feel and how the increased pressure feels.

Keep upping (to a maximum of 12) if this seems necessary. Your wife can let you know about the snoring! You can see if you sleep and feel better as you go along.

You might fill in your profile (in text, not Iconny), so when people off suggestions they will have something to go by other than a WAG. XPAP treatment isn't anti- snoring treatment, snoring is a symptom of a problem. XPAP, can Lower snoring if done correctly, but if you have a reason for snoring to take place besides Sleep Apnea you can still be snoring. using a Nasal Mask and mouthleaking can cause snoring and loss of effective treatment. Jim

Goofproof wrote:You might fill in your profile (in text, not Iconny), so when people off suggestions they will have something to go by other than a WAG. XPAP treatment isn't anti- snoring treatment, snoring is a symptom of a problem. XPAP, can Lower snoring if done correctly, but if you have a reason for snoring to take place besides Sleep Apnea you can still be snoring. using a Nasal Mask and mouthleaking can cause snoring and loss of effective treatment. Jim

Will do.

Scott

Hawthorne wrote:I am thinking what Wulfman is thinking- that 12 or close to 12 cm is a good pressure for you.

There is however, quite a difference between 7cm and 12 cm.

I would suggest you put it up .5cm or even 1cm and see how things go with that for 3 days to a week. This gives your body a chance to adjust gradually as you up your pressure. After the 3 days to a week, up it .5 or 1cm again and monitor snoring and how you feel. You may be able to move it up faster but that depends how you feel and how the increased pressure feels.

Keep upping (to a maximum of 12) if this seems necessary. Your wife can let you know about the snoring! You can see if you sleep and feel better as you go along.

Thanks. Honestly, that's what I'm thinking, too. The report, apart from the recommendation seems contradictory and I get the feeling that the proper level is 12. I am going to call my DME tomorrow to see what is needed to swap out for a machine that can adust from 7 to 12 as needed--with data card so that guesswork is eliminated.

Scott

That would be an auto machine if you want to set your pressure at a range from 7cm to 12 cm.

It would be good if you could get an auto but I expect you would still have to have your minimum pressure set at or close to 12, as soon as you worked up to it in the same way I suggested for the machine you have now.

If you do get an auto with a data card, you will need to buy a card reader and software as well, unless your DME is going to read the card for you periodically. You would be far better off having the card reader and software yourself so you can see, day by day, how your therapy is going.

An auto is the best way to go, since it can also work in straight cpap mode if that turns out to work better for you. You then have the opporutnity to have a "mini sleep study" yourself every once in a while, if you use the auto in cpap mode and begin to see more events than is good. You can switch it to an auto range and get a better setting by using an auto range and adjusting it accordingly for awhile. Then, if you do prefer cpap mode, you can reset your cpap pressure using what you learned while the machine was in auto mode.

Some people do better in cpap mode, some with an auto range but, with the auto you can do both!

Hawthorne wrote:That would be an auto machine if you want to set your pressure at a range from 7cm to 12 cm.

It would be good if you could get an auto but I expect you would still have to have your minimum pressure set at or close to 12, as soon as you worked up to it in the same way I suggested for the machine you have now.

If you do get an auto with a data card, you will need to buy a card reader and software as well, unless your DME is going to read the card for you periodically. You would be far better off having the card reader and software yourself so you can see, day by day, how your therapy is going.

An auto is the best way to go, since it can also work in straight cpap mode if that turns out to work better for you. You then have the opporutnity to have a "mini sleep study" yourself every once in a while, if you use the auto in cpap mode and begin to see more events than is good. You can switch it to an auto range and get a better setting by using an auto range and adjusting it accordingly for awhile. Then, if you do prefer cpap mode, you can reset your cpap pressure using what you learned while the machine was in auto mode.

Some people do better in cpap mode, some with an auto range but, with the auto you can do both!

Thanks. That's what I'm thinking, too. I'm hoping I can get my doctor to modify the prescription for an APAP machine as I think it's what's best. I did bump up the pressure a bit to 8 today and found that I had to tighten the mask a bit to stop leaks, but otherwise I won't know about snoring until the weekend--I work nights, so I have no monitor. That's another reason for the APAP machine/software.

Scott