Three months...need experienced input

Tired Linda wrote:

Janknitz wrote:You mentioned that the FX and taping worked well for about a month and then you couldn't get the pillows to seal anymore. A month is about the expected "lifespan" of the Swift pillows (I seem to get longer periods from some but not all of the Swift pillows). I'm wondering if you changed to a new nasal pillow it might work for you again????

Jankknitz, this is indeed something I thought of yesterday and may be worth pursuing.
Thanks.

Can you show us some data for the period you used the Fx? We might be able to help if we see some images.

Also, a couple of other thoughts worth repeating:

1. regardless of the type of mask you use, the nasal pillow or inner cushions need to be changed - it varies with type/model/brand of mask but it's not unusual after 4-6 wks to swap to new one.

2. others might disagree, but I look only at Ai events and not total AHI. On some nights my HI are in the 5-10 range whereas my Ai might go as low as 0.5. So the total might be greater than 5 and therefore very misleading.

And someone else asked earlier but I don't recall seeing a reply: how do you feel after 3 months? It took me 4-5 masks and 3 months before I started to feel the difference.

In addition to how do you feel, how is your sleep? Just wondering if your sleep is substandard or if it's the numbers you have issue with. Sometimes one can be right on the edge of success, and the slightest nudge can make the difference. Have you tried 11.5 just to see if it helps your numbers? I personally would be hesitant to change masks if I was comfortable with one and it wasn't leaking. Have you considered your neck alignment when sleeping? I've had to work on keeping my neck and spine aligned with my head tilted very slightly forward (but NOT tucked). I'm a side sleeper, and I try to position my spine at a slight forward angle in the bed, just because in my mind I think if my face is slightly forward (without tucking my chin) gravity will help prevent my tongue from relaxing and crowding my throat. Hopefully some small changes can help you reach the success you need.

rubymom wrote:I guess my biggest question is...how do you feel? Are you feeling any better?

Not particularly. I'm tired and easily irritable. Many afternoons, I would love to be able to nap. My sleep is better...but it's not right. I have had enough nights with an AHI of <5 to know what it feels like, and I want more of them. When I wake up in the morning, I can usually tell about where my AHI will be (< or >5) before I even look.

rubymom wrote:Also, when you said things went crazy at a pressure of 13, what does that look like?

It seemed to set off a lot more events (apneas, hypopneas, vibratory snores). I don't have my data with me, but I believe that night my AHI went over 10. I didn't feel like I slept well at all.

Tired Linda wrote:... No scare stories please...I already know my therapy is not optimal. ...

Ah, shucks! A good horror story or two is always fun!

Unfortunately for you, it's been a struggle. You've gotten some good responses. As you can see it takes some tweaking to make it work. Some people get results right away. Others take months before it all settles down. But I would definitely talk with your RT and/or doctor at this point if you continue to feel poorly. By three months you should be adjusting to it and feeling much better.

Keep us updated. We do try to help when possible. Unfortunately a scare story almost always creeps into the answer!

Hi Linda

Experimenting with pressure around 11 might be worthwhile.

I use a range of 11 to 13, and the average pressure I get is usually 11.8, with an AHi of around 3.0. You can even try 11 to 12, and see what happens.

If no leaks, then pressure may be the culprit, but you need it on auto to co-relate pressure with events when you check your data.

cheers

Mars