CPAP titration problems

I just had my CPAP titration two nights ago.

The good news, for me at least, is that I was able to sleep a few hours with the CPAP on at low pressures. 5 felt like nothing, and 6 was tolerable. But when the technician increased the pressure to 7, I was unable to sleep at all. I woke up after only 1 or 2 hours. After that, the technician fixed the pressure at 6; I slept 2 more hours and then was unable to sleep any more. I didn't have any REM sleep.

I'm not really sure what to do next, since I wasn't really able to find my ideal pressure. Is it reasonable to experiment with the CPAP or APAP myself if I have a machine that outputs data? For example, I could start with 5 or 6 and gradually increase the pressure over a number of days until the AHI goes down to a low level. But I'm not sure how accurate the machine-reported numbers are and don't want to base my settings on invalid data.

Or should I try to get an APAP and let it calibrate my pressure itself?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

you can do all sorts of things..

but this is the easiest and best thing to do..

get this machine.. its quiet, its great, full data, easy to download, its an auto.. you want an auto..
It will figure everything out for you.. you can also run it in cpap, but auto is awesome, and you can dial
in a range you feel oh so comfy in.. why be at a high pressure that bugs you all night when you only need it
a few times a night..

here, get this.. tell the doc you sleep in many positions.. and you need an auto to compensate..

also buy the slim line hose that goes with it..
and an awesome nasal pillow mask is the swift fx..

good luck! just do it, youll be glad.. might as well start where most of us finish!
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/resme ... chine.html

elena88 wrote:you can do all sorts of things..

also buy the slim line hose that goes with it..
and an awesome nasal pillow mask is the swift fx..

good luck! just do it, youll be glad.. might as well start where most of us finish!
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/resme ... chine.html

Thanks, Elena. In the link you provided, there are a lot of accessories. Do you have any recommendations about which ones would be good to get? I'm pretty sure I don't need the aromatherapy, but some of the others (e.g., the heated humidifier and ClimateLine heated tubing) look good. Are they worth it?

The heated humidifier is considered essential by most users (and doctors). My doctor automatically added it to my prescription. It helps with dryness and nasal congestion. However, a few people find that they don't require a humidifier.

The ClimateLine hose is only useful if you have the humidifier. It is heated and prevents condensation inside the hose (called rainout) on colder nights. It's not essential, but a mask full of water at 4 am is not a good way to start one's day.

syzygy wrote:I'm not really sure what to do next, since I wasn't really able to find my ideal pressure. Is it reasonable to experiment with the CPAP or APAP myself if I have a machine that outputs data? For example, I could start with 5 or 6 and gradually increase the pressure over a number of days until the AHI goes down to a low level. But I'm not sure how accurate the machine-reported numbers are and don't want to base my settings on invalid data.

Hi,

That might be OK to help you get desensitized to the pressure. I wouldn't suggest it as being the best way to find your ideal pressure. You don't know for sure what type of treatment you need, or if you are even treatable with CPAP. You might need a BiPAP or ASV machine, or you might be one of those that doesn't respond to any kind of PAP machine.

7 is a very minimal pressure, so I am surprised that you were having an issue. But everyone is different, and everyone reacts differently. If you are that sensitive to the pressure, maybe there is something unusual about your case that a doctor should be looking into a little more deeply. In any event, I'd suggest going back to your sleep doctor, and ask what he or she suggests doing.

-john-

jweeks wrote:[ In any event, I'd suggest going back to your sleep doctor, and ask what he or she suggests doing.

-john-

Thanks for your reply, John. I will see my sleep doctor soon. I was mostly wondering if anyone on this forum could give me advice to help prepare for the meeting, since I've generally had bad experiences with doctors and would like to take as much control over my care as I can. This is especially true since I didn't sleep much during the titration and didn't generate much data.

But it sounds as if you're saying that I shouldn't prematurely self-diagnose myself, which is a reasonable point.