Need help...Increased pressure creates problems

spookydoo · Post by **spookydoo** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:24 pm

Hey guys,

I'm good at 11 on pressure. However, some nights I'm not good at all on 11. Some nights it goes up to 13 or even 15 with 95% on 13. On those nights, my AHI goes into the high 4's and 5's. Some of you may think that 4's and 5's aren't so bad. However, for me when I have those numbers I am dizzy the next day and have manure for brains. So, I've tried to crank up the pressure a few times to 12 or even 11.4. However, the problem is that whenever I go above 11 I feel like I have air blowing into my chest, stomach, or something...it just fells like it is going into the wrong place and I don't feel good after the event. It knind of feels like having a chest cold. That can't be good. Maybe it causes reflux. I don't know. I just know that something doesn't feel right when I do that. Any thoughts?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:33 pm

Your profile shows that you have an Elite II CPAP.......a fixed pressure machine. Yet, you mention pressures increasing.
If you actually have an Auto instead of the Elite and if you're "good" at 11, why don't you just set it in CPAP mode at 11 and see if it STAYS "good"?

Den

spookydoo · Post by **spookydoo** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:42 pm

Wulfman, thanks for the heads up. I posted the wrong equipment in my profile when I first signed up. Haven't noticed since then that it was wrong. It is an auto adjusting. Fixed that in my profile now. I don't want it to stay at 11 because it seems like I would never have an AHI in the 4's or 5's if my pressure was higher than 11. EVERY single time my AHI is in the 2's, I feel incredible the next day. No dizziness, brain works great. I long for days and nights like that.

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:43 pm

Spooky........

Although my mask and machine is different from your setup....I'll try to help.

Your CPAP machine is designed to pressurize your lungs and upper respiratory system......to push obstructive tissues out of the way....so that your airway will open up...so that you can breathe.

Ideally, you should have only (1) place that the pressurized air can escape......the exhaust port on your mask.

If air is escaping anywhere else, you will not have effective therapy.

For me to obtain effective therapy, I've selected the headrest mask....and I tape my mouth shut every night. My leaks are minimal....and my AHI was 0.0 night before last...and 0.1 last night.

There are (2) keys to effective therapy: Leak Control......and Reporting Software. If your machine will not allow you to use software to produce a detailed report every morning, get rid of it now.......and obtain a machine that will allow you to do so. CPAP therapy without software.....is like driving in the dark without headlights. You can't see where you're going....and you can't see where you've been.

Gerald

robertmarilyn · Post by **robertmarilyn** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:46 pm

Gerald wrote:Spooky........ If your machine will not allow you to use software to produce a detailed report every morning, get rid of it now.......and obtain a machine that will allow you to do so. CPAP therapy without software.....is like driving in the dark without headlights. You can't see where you're going....and you can't see where you've been.
Gerald

The machine he has listed now is data capable and his profile shows that he has the software, so he should be good to go
mar

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:47 pm

This is my guess, if you sleep on your side you are ok at 11 CMs. If you sleep on your back your AHI goes up, GERD affects you & the machine spends time trying to deal with your breathing.

I may be wrong, but it looks like that type of pattern.

Are you aware of changing sleeping from your side to your back ?

Good luck

DSM

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:53 pm

Robert..........

Ok.....with software, he has half the battle won. We need to help him conquer the leaks.

A full face mask has so much interior area.....that a mild pressure will lift it off the face pretty easily. I'm betting that Spooky has a big leak problem....and doesn't realize it.

Gerald

robertmarilyn · Post by **robertmarilyn** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:12 pm

Gerald wrote:Robert..........

I'm Robert's other half...Marilyn

Ok.....with software, he has half the battle won. We need to help him conquer the leaks.
A full face mask has so much interior area.....that a mild pressure will lift it off the face pretty easily. I'm betting that Spooky has a big leak problem....and doesn't realize it.

For the short time I used the Quattro full face mask, I was not able to conquer leaks. Once I got the Mirage Swift for Her, I was able to go through each night with NO leaks usually. So he could try the Mirage Swift for "HIM" but he may require a chin strap and/or taping.
mar

robertmarilyn · Post by **robertmarilyn** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:17 pm

spookydoo wrote:Hey guys,
I'm good at 11 on pressure. However, some nights I'm not good at all on 11. Some nights it goes up to 13 or even 15 with 95% on 13. On those nights, my AHI goes into the high 4's and 5's. Some of you may think that 4's and 5's aren't so bad. However, for me when I have those numbers I am dizzy the next day and have manure for brains. So, I've tried to crank up the pressure a few times to 12 or even 11.4. However, the problem is that whenever I go above 11 I feel like I have air blowing into my chest, stomach, or something...it just fells like it is going into the wrong place and I don't feel good after the event. It knind of feels like having a chest cold. That can't be good. Maybe it causes reflux. I don't know. I just know that something doesn't feel right when I do that. Any thoughts?

I feel your pain, literally. I probably need my pressure higher but I am fighting some intense pain due to acid reflux, air going into my stomach and heartburn problems. I don't have an answer for you at this time...I am having to go through some tests for GERD and other problems. In fact, I will also be having another sleep test and a MLST test and maybe the doctors can get this situation figured out. I don't know if a different type of machine will help me...we'll see.

I hope your situation can be fixed easily.
mar

spookydoo · Post by **spookydoo** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:40 pm

Guys, my leaks are typically like this on my Resmed software: 0% median, 0% 95th percentile, maximum 0.3. I thought that was good. Is that bad?

robertmarilyn · Post by **robertmarilyn** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:44 pm

spookydoo wrote:Guys, my leaks are typically like this on my Resmed software: 0% median, 0% 95th percentile, maximum 0.3. I thought that was good. Is that bad?

Oh, that's very good, as far as I know!
mar

Need help...Increased pressure creates problems

Need help...Increased pressure creates problems

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