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Hi Kenney.....I too am very overweight and had heard that using a c-pap could help you lose weight. I managed to gain 16 lbs. Good luck....hope it works for you !!

MoneyGal wrote:...I see in this thread that Kenny writes "I went into the clinician's manual [and got some statistics]" - can someone tell me how to do exactly this? Or even what page on the manual it says how to do this? (and then I will sit with the machine and my husband while he figures it out...)...

In my manual the leak rate chart is on page 15. I'll go back and look to see if I can find the post I made regarding statistics...

Today I wanted to take a nap, and of course decided to use my mask since it is sleep nonetheless!

I noticed a dry and sore spot forming on the outside of my right nare, so I decided to switch to small nasal pillows. What a tremendous difference! My leak rate was zero for 2 hours, and my AI and HI numbers were better.

I'm just wondering how long it takes for this feeling of something stuck in my throat/chest to go away. I'm sure it's the muscles and tendons reacting to the increased breathing volume, but it sure feels crappy throughout the day.

Results for 2/22/2009

Usage: 9:10
Leakage: 0.34 L/s
AHI: 11.5 (Adjusted = 6.1)
AI: 0.9
HI: 10.4 (ResMed/2 = 5.2)

By far my best night so far. The small nasal pillows are really working well for me. My nose isn't sore at all today. For the first time I feel like I actually slept with minimal interruptions. My mask is becoming a part of me when I sleep and not just an annoying appendage.

My only issue is the leakage, which I know is being caused by occasional mouth breathing. I'm considering a chinstrap, but I'd like to see if I can condition myself to stop the mouth breathing. I think that leakage is just above the "acceptable" range for my RedMed (0.32 L/s?).

Any ideas on how to get the HI down lower?

I just got a call from the sleep center. Apparently, the titration of 10.0cm was a preliminary setting, because the doctor hadn't signed off on the final sleep study. He wants to increase my pressure up to 16.0cm. I explained to her that I am very technically savvy and could change the machine tonight if she wants. She said that was fine and to go for it. I still booked a follow-up appointment in late March (soonest they had!) to meet the doctor.

What I'm going to do is set it to APAP mode with a range of 10.0-16.0, possible 12.0-16.0. That way if I don't need as much pressure, it will be okay, and if I do, it will be okay. What do you think?

Since you are on 10 now and you want to lower your AHI, if it were me, I would just start with the 12-16, or even open the top up some to 20, just to see how I would do. One or two nights should tell you if you need to limit your top pressure. Just my thoughts

Bev

OutaSync wrote:Since you are on 10 now and you want to lower your AHI, if it were me, I would just start with the 12-16, or even open the top up some to 20, just to see how I would do. One or two nights should tell you if you need to limit your top pressure. Just my thoughts

Bev

Don't high pressures >14/15 induced centrals?

Thanks, Bev! I love all you guys... always so helpful!

Your doctor didn't think so, or he would not have prescribed a pressure of 16. I'm sure he knows what your limits are. Anyway, you will soon find out.

Bev

I was just diagnosed with panic disorder (probably as an effect of the apnea), so I'm pretty sure your kidding...

You are kidding right?

Yes, just kidding. You have the option of being as conservative as you feel comfortable. It's your therapy and what happened in the lab was only one night of your life. If the thought of 16 right off the bat makes you uncomfortable, start easing up, say by 1 at a time.

I can tell you that I average 16 and above every night and other than my mask leaking, the pressure doesn't bother me. You will be fine. I sure would like to see the results of your sleep study when you get it.

Bev

Me too! I requested for them to mail me a hard copy of my last sleep test (the titration, not the diagnostic). If I don't get it in a couple of weeks, I will write them a written request.

tattooyu wrote: So, I was switched to BiPAP, which I tolerated better, and finally fell asleep.

tattooyu wrote:I just got a call from the sleep center. Apparently, the titration of 10.0cm was a preliminary setting, because the doctor hadn't signed off on the final sleep study. He wants to increase my pressure up to 16.0cm.

Ok... that could be why you ended up on Bipap during your titration. If I had to guess, they are waiting for you to "fail" CPAP so that you can try Bipap.

cflame1 wrote:Ok... that could be why you ended up on Bipap during your titration. If I had to guess, they are waiting for you to "fail" CPAP so that you can try Bipap.

cflame, they put me on Bipap because I wasn't falling asleep and kept saying I couldn't exhale. We'll see what happens. I feel much more comfortable with the CPAP/APAP now. I have the mask on for much longer than four hours to be "compliant". What do you think would be considered "failing"? I'm NOT giving up that's for damn sure!

Last night I switched to APAP with a range of 10.0-14.0cm. The PRESSURE setting in RESULTS showed 11.0cm, yet here are my numbers:

Pressure: 11.0
Leakage: 0.30
Usage: 8:26
AHI: 17.8 (Adjusted = 10.4)
AI: 2.9
HI: 14.9 (ResMed/2 = 7.5)

Several questions:

1. Why didn't the machine ramp up the pressure to try and prevent more apnea events?
2. Could some of the HIs be related to waking up and moving around? My mouth got dry again so I drank some water with my mask on.
3. Why is the PRESSURE listed as 11.0 in the clinical menu but 8.8 (below the minimum?) in the SmartData section of the patient menu?

I bought some Biotene Dry Mouth Wash and OralBalance Gel, which did help quite a bit, even though I still got dry (mouth breathing I'm sure). Yesterday, I ordered a RipVW100 chin strap so that will hopefully help.

A bump a day keeps the doctor away... hopefully not my friends on here...

Kenny,

Have you considered neurofeedback training for treatment of panic and anxiety?

I swear by it. You might want to try it out after you start feeling some relief with the CPAP.

http://www.eeginfo.com/