New Experiment Tonite

CPAP therapy is going very well. At the 4 month mark, my average AHI is 2.2, and I am feeling a hell of a lot better generally. However, one issue that is bugging me, is that approx 1 to 2 times a week, I wake up to a AHI of between 3 to 4. When I see this on the display panel first thing in the morning, it tends to deflate my start to the day. (Does anyone think I am over-reacting???). I suspect that these higher readings tend to happen, on those nights that I end up sleeping on my back. I am normally a side sleeper, who sleeps on my right side. This definitely happended to me last nite. I woke up this morning on my back, to a AHI of 3.9.

Using tennis balls and jamming myself between pillows hasn't worked satisfactorily enough for me, to prevent back sleeping. So I thought of something radically different today,
what if I my tie my left arm to the bed to prevent me rolling over?

Experiment 1:
I cut a length of old plastic computer cord, and tied it to the bedpost. Then I lay on my right side, and tied the other end of the cord to my left wrist. This didn't work as there was too much play.

Experiment 2:

I cut the cord to a length of 50cm. I tied it to the bed frame along the side of the bed, approximately where my left hand rests during the nite. This time,
I found it physically impossible to roll over onto my back.

Thinking ahead,If this works, i have visions of using a elastic strip, fastened by velcro around the wrist.

When you said tied up with a computer cord, I got nervous. Something stretchy with velcro calmed me down. Hope this works out for you. Have you tried the backpack trick? Stuff it with a pillow or anything that would prevent you from rolling onto your back. I, too, tend to occasionally roll onto my back, and have worse nights then.

No, I haven't tried the backpack trick. It sounds like a good idea. I was just surfing the net about his issue, and came across a website:

http://lowersleepapnea.com/

They have a "positioning shirt", that apparently keeps you off your back. From the picture, it seems to have some sort of wedge, that prevents you rolling over.

I use a small soft backpack with a rigid one-liter bottle (empty) stuffed in it.

If you want to buy something, keep googling - plenty of products made for this purpose including the Zzoma, http://zzomasleep.com/about.htm .

If you don't like the backpack idea or the Zzoma, you could invest in a new mattress for side sleeping only.

Have you tried just bumping your pressure up a bit?

Brenda

I am a newbie to this cpap stuff. Is sleeping on your back a No No? I sleep on my back almost exclusively.
I am getting restful sleep and the pain in my side is gone from my wife elbowing me to quit snoring.

Pat

Sleeping on your back is NOT a "no no " for everyone. I also sleep on my back exclusively -- have for the 8 years I've been on cpap and for 7 years before that because of Rheumatoid Arthritis pain.

Some people find sleeping on their backs causes more events and may mean a higher pressure. There are some people (very few) for whom sleeping on their side causes more events.

I believe most sleep studies are done on your back so that the pressure can be set high enough to take care of events, even on your back. There are situations (like mine) when back sleeping is the only way to get any sleep so doing this is a good thing for me.
The titration on the back is so that if a person has to sleep on their back for any reason always or for short perionds in their life, the cpap can deal with the events.

I have the software and monitor my sleep so I know that things are good. I have severe sleep apnea and my titrated pressure is 11 cm. I have an auto machine and use it in auto mode with a pressure setting of 10.5 cm to 13 cm. My AHI is almost always around 1 or below and the leak rate is fine so I know that I am getting good therapy. I also feel rested.

If you are feeling rested you probably can sleep on your back if you want to or need to. If you have the software and can see the data, you know how you do on your back. I do well sleeping on my back! It sounds like you are doing fine as well!

Yikes..that is a novel idea, but I wouldn't advise it since the morning I woke up with my hose wrapped around my neck.

Your AHI is less than 5, and although most people (including me) feel better when it's well below that, it's certainly not worth the risk of tying yourself to the bed while sleeping.

Mammal wrote:When I see this on the display panel first thing in the morning,

I think it's more important to check the software to see what your daily details are...your mask may have far too many leaks, or your pressure might need to be tweaked.

Linda

Sorry, Mammal, didn't realize you do have software... saw it on your post after I wrote.

Linda

ppharman wrote:I am a newbie to this cpap stuff. Is sleeping on your back a No No? I sleep on my back almost exclusively.
I am getting restful sleep and the pain in my side is gone from my wife elbowing me to quit snoring.

Pat

From an older post of mine:

It is thought that about 40% of OSA patients have Positional Sleep Apnea (PSA). The severity of their OSA is greatest when these patients sleep on their back and less severe when they sleep on their sides or tummy. Also, when using CPAP, their pressure requirements may be lower (See viewtopic/t43360/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43360&p=384179#p384179 ).

I sleep on my tummy using the Falcon position (See viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36738&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15 ).

There is also a good study in Chest Journal about PSA that you can google for. If I remember correctly it pegs the portion with PSA as over 50%

Rooster posted this thread: viewtopic/t56665/MPowRX.html This device will keep you tongue forward and out of your throat....might be a way to sleep on your back without getting a higher AHI. Worth a try!

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have only made 1 pressure adjustment so far. 4 weeks ago I increased my minimum pressure from 4 to 6. My 95th percentile is running at 10.9. Maybe my minimum is still too far away ?

I have tried my experiment for 3 nights so far, and my AHI has continued to run true to my average each nite, 2.2. However, I found the process too restrictive and awkward, so I will not be continuing it. Instead, I will be looking into the backpack or wedge ideas, that have been mentioned to me.

I'm not sure if I mentioned that in my sleep study my AHI was 33.0, but was recored at 65.0 when I was in the supine position, hence my determination to keep off my back.

It takes a while for the machine to get from 6 to the need 10.9! I would set my lower pressure no lower than 9 and see what happens. After a week or so if all looks good then you can try lowering it by .5 per week until you see the AHI raising or feel worse.

Brenda

You could try face down on one of these, use straps if required

Brenda,

My sleep specialist was very reluctant for me to go from a minimum of 4 to 6. He only consented because I was insistent. Why are they so reluctant to raise pressures? Is it the central apneas issue? (My central apneas average is 0.4, which I believe is negligible?). How are central apneas worsened? Are they worsened by:

- A consistent rise in pressure across the board, or
- Only by a rise in the maximum pressure ?

The last time I saw my specialist 2 weeks ago, I asked him a question. I said is there any difference in having:

1. A AHI of 5.0, made up entirely of obstructive apneas, vs
2. A AHI of 5.0, made up entirely of central apneas ?

He said no, it is the same thing, it is only the overall AHI that matters.

I don't know what to make of his answer. Can anyone shed any light?