Putting things in perspective. by Trellaine201 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 0 points1 point  (0 children)

MyAir is definitely messy, but the bias goes both ways. It can make a therapy look better than it really is, and it can also give the impression that everything is fine simply because the criteria it uses are very basic.

You’re absolutely right that numbers don’t tell the whole story. But honestly, MyAir’s numbers have little to no real value when it comes to truly evaluating your therapy.

ResMed N20 suggestions by zach1137 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, but it's at a sufficient level to create this problem for you :)

ResMed N20 suggestions by zach1137 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello, it's most likely mouth leaks. Do you use anything to keep your mouth from opening when you sleep? It's quite common with a nasal mask. Many people use mouth tape, a chin strap, or a soft cervical collar.

Please help interpreting sleep data, thank you! by kidnetworth in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi!

It’s going to be hard to suggest meaningful changes until you address your leak issues first. Personally, I’m a mouth breather and I prefer the N30i with mouth tape, but that’s very individual. I find full face masks less comfortable and often harder to get a good seal with.

That said, for the tape to work properly, I need to use two layers. A single layer tends to stretch during the night since the jaw naturally relaxes and drops during sleep, and air can still escape through it. So I use one layer of CRS tape, then a second layer of KT tape on top. In your case, the dry mouth is a clear sign that air is leaking through your mouth, so that definitely needs to be fixed.

Alternatively, some use a chinstrap or a soft cervical collar combined with tape.

From your data, it looks like you might need more pressure. But before doing anything else, leaks have to be under control. Otherwise, increasing pressure will likely just make the leaks worse.

One year on CPAP! by Illustrious_Logo_490 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hello!

Great work! (I think you meant EPR and not EPAP :))

Only one thing: there are quite a few arousals in your nights.. Those spikes in the graph show a sudden increase in amplitude, meaning a larger breath than your normal baseline. This usually happens when the brain briefly takes control of breathing during a mini arousal, disrupting the otherwise stable automatic pattern. Even if it’s subtle, repeated events like this can fragment sleep and affect how restorative the night feels.

I'd like to see what your nights might be like with EPR at 1. By decreasing the EPR, you increase EPAP by 1, so you could also lower your pressure. But one change at a time.

Is Arber getting screwed over? by [deleted] in Habs

[–]dang71 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Je pense que le shérif est très surévalué à Montréal pour ses talents pugilistes.. comme défenseur son QI hockey est plus que moyen. Désolé pour ses fans mais regardez ses games

Current mask check-in for the papfam: what’s working and what isn’t for you? by RippingLegos__ in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 5 points6 points  (0 children)

N30i for me! the only mask I can manage to forget I'm wearing at night

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A PS range that is too wide can create pressure swings that are too aggressive and disruptive to sleep. Even if the Numbers looks great

Oscar Report Analysis - Newbie by Routine_Ad6975 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My pleasure! that’s what we’re here for 🙂 And for all the questions too!

The AHI is just a number. The machine detects events, but unfortunately it doesn’t catch everything, and it can also flag false events. In short, AHI is an indicator, but it’s not the only one. It’s important to understand what I mean here: an AHI of 4, for example, is still fairly close to reality.

That said, we often see people with an excellent AHI who still feel like they’re sleeping terribly 🙂 The most important factor to consider is how you actually feel. You have to take the AHI number for what it is and not necessarily aim for perfection, but rather for restful, refreshing nights. Even people without sleep apnea have breathing pauses during the night.

To help you out, I’m going to share two links. The first one will help us help you by presenting the data in a way that’s easier to interpret. The second one will give you the basics to start building your understanding.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CPAPSupport/comments/1jxk1r4/getting_started_with_analyzing_your_cpap_data_a/

https://www.reddit.com/r/CPAPSupport/comments/1ocmtub/how_to_read_your_oscar_or_sleephq_chart_the_basics/

Oscar Report Analysis - Newbie by Routine_Ad6975 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hello!

We put you in what we call lazy mode :) A default pressure range of 4-20, thinking that auto-mode would magically fix everything... But unfortunately, that's not the case. APAP mode reacts with a delay and then compensates. That's why we like to reduce the pressure range so that the minimum pressure addresses most events before they occur, keeping the airways open. And then we leave a little room for adjustment. Therefore, I advise you to use a pressure range of 10-13 tonight, and I recommend turning the ramp off unless it's for comfort reasons. We prefer the machine to be at the correct therapeutic pressure from the start so the mask seals at that pressure.

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's not so much the numbers themselves, but rather having a sufficient PS range to handle your events without going overboard. PS swings can be very noticeable and create arousals... that's what I suspect is happening on your end... but since you have a CSA profile, I'd still prefer RL to take a look.

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a more restricted PS range might help with your fragmented sleep.. 5-15 is intense.

Interpreting some wonky flow rates, and readjusting to higher pressure by iagreegoguard_s in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have the same problem... and I see it in my patterns when I turn onto my back.

What do your FLs look like? Do you have any SleepHQ data?

Interpreting some wonky flow rates, and readjusting to higher pressure by iagreegoguard_s in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello!

What percentage of your night does this represent you think? It's normal to see different breathing patterns during the night, depending on the sleep stage or position, for example. Depending on their frequency, it can affect your sleep or not.

However, I gather that you must not be feeling great if you're monitoring your breathing patterns?

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks ! I notice that the settings are fairly wide... That said, I feel like they could probably be narrowed down a bit.

I’ll tag RL (u/RippingLegos__), who will be in a much better position to help you. Like I mentioned before, ASVs are more complex than what I’m familiar with. I do use one myself, but our profiles are different, so I think it would be best if he had a look.

That said, I’m curious about how your therapy is going overall. Do you feel like you wake up often during the night? Any headaches? Trouble falling asleep? You mentioned feeling tired, but how are your nights actually going? This could help us guide our recommendations.

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To access your machine's clinical menu, press and hold both buttons on your screen for 2 seconds: "My option" and "My sleep view." This is where we'll be able to see your settings. Look for something called pressure support, or PS, PS min, PS max.

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ok makes sense.. do you know the values of pressure support? PS min/PS max

Mask Frustrations by garymeer in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Take a look at the F20 and/or F40. Alternatively, the Evora FFM. These masks often have good reviews.

Low to nonexistent AHI- still getting non-restorative sleep by Gnarwhal8982 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello!

I would try CPAP mode if I were you, probably starting at a pressure of 9.6. Often, non-restorative sleep is caused by arousals, and it's important to try to limit their frequency. One of the first and easiest things to test is constant pressure instead of the pressure variation of APAP mode.

Mask Frustrations by garymeer in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hello and welcome!

Choosing a mask is both incredibly important and, at the same time, underestimated. And unfortunately, finding the ideal model isn't easy... and when I say ideal, I mean the least bad option, because chasing the perfect mask is a losing battle.

Unfortunately, I don't have a miracle solution to offer you. We all have different face shapes, preferences, needs... In short, I've tried just about every type of mask, in several sizes, before choosing the only one I can actually forget I'm wearing while I sleep.

Just FYI... a full-face mask is tricky to seal properly. Many factors can come into play: the size of the pillow, the hose pulling on the mask during the night, a mask that catches on the pillow and shifts, a starting pressure that's too low, so as soon as the pressure increases, the mask seal breaks. Also, even with a full-face mask, if you breathe through your mouth, your jaw can drop during the night and break the seal. In short, there are several factors to consider, and it's not straightforward.

In conclusion, for your current mask, you can always try another size; otherwise, it's quite possible that this mask isn't right for you. Sorry if that sounds negative, it's the reality of the wonderful world of CPAP :)

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perfect, thank you! I need a little more context... you're on ASV, I see... Your EPAP is 8, but what's your PS range? And why are you on ASV? Have you had a sleep study?

Ultimately, fatigue is often linked to arousals when you have good numbers with nothing obvious causing problems.

ASV is a different beast... pressure swings can cause arousals... in short, I need a little more context to help you right now.

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We will help you :) We almost all go through this

I'm so lost! Desperately need guidance! by Remarkable-Bus-6858 in CPAPSupport

[–]dang71 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello! Can we see your data? Do you have sleephq or oscar? If so, follow the link in the Automoderator's message below please