so much for mask #3 :(

[Chivalry]

well... tried mask number three last night,,, with high hopes of fianly geting 1 with a decent fit... no such luck,,, woke uo a few times with the usual problem... machine ramped up to 20 pressure and mask leaking and farting so loud it woke the wife up... and im sleeping downstairs! lol

Heres the stats..

Usage 6.5h
mask fit (are they havin a laugh?)
Leak 44.4 L/min (see above!)

AHI 5.3
Total AI 2.9
Central AI 0.7

soo looks like another trip back..... although im gonna try the mask and machine today again while im awake and sitting on the computer or watching tv.... as im begining to get a sneaking feeling the machine isnt acting right...
I noticed a few times... that even while im still awake and havent drifted off to sleep that the pressure has become uncomfortable.. and when i have looked at the machine it is up to 15 or so and still rising... i cant see this as right... for someone awake and breathing normaly surely an auto machine should be sitting down around 7 or 8... and has no reason to climb up to 15 pressure,,,,

*sigh* patience is a virtue right?

[symmit]

AHI 5.3
Total AI 2.9
Central AI 0.7

soo looks like another trip back..... although im gonna try the mask and machine today again while im awake and sitting on the computer or watching tv.... as im begining to get a sneaking feeling the machine isnt acting right...
I noticed a few times... that even while im still awake and havent drifted off to sleep that the pressure has become uncomfortable.. and when i have looked at the machine it is up to 15 or so and still rising... i cant see this as right... for someone awake and breathing normaly surely an auto machine should be sitting down around 7 or 8... and has no reason to climb up to 15 pressure,,,,
)

AHI 5.3 with an auto? What's your minimum pressure set at? Are you controlling what your machine is set at or is that down to your clinic? Either way it may be worth (a) trying another machine in case it is faulty and not detecting your breathing and (b) tweaking it for a narrower range of pressures - if you need it at 10 to keep your airway open there's no point setting it at 4...

[Tigers Fan]

Hi Chivalry

I think you are looking in the right area when you suspect your machine. Is there such a thing as a leakless mask at 20 cm? I very much doubt it!

The dowside of autos is their tendency to ramp up the pressure to fix an apnoea and then leave it high for too long, just to make sure you are OK - except you are not because the gale has woken you.

One way round this is to narrow the operating pressure band - min set high enough to prevent 'most' apnoeas and the max set at a bit above your 90/95% pressure.

The machine should not increase pressure whilst you are breathing normally. It can mistake you hoilding your breath as an event and will increase if you are half asleep/awake and stop breathing.

TF

[Chivalry]

when i picked up the mask yesterday i had a word with the tecnition about narrowing the range to avoid the machine climbing to 20 in the event of a leak...
She pretty my flatout refused to entertain the idea saying the whole point of an auto was that it continuosly auto tritrates.. thus taking the need away for setting a min and max pressure....
She said all the auto machines were allways left wife open.. and when i mentioned that i had read quite in depth on a number of forums.. about people at private clinics with auto having them narrowed down.. i got told in no uncertain terms that people on the internet and on forums were not experts and there opinions didnt count for much

Her opinion was its all about the mask,,,,, mask mask mask,,,,, get the right mask and it will solve all the other problems... (which i can agree with to a certain ammount) but... i stil think with a bit of intelligent thought with the min and max settings.. it could turn a mask thats unusable into a mask thats perfectly usuable and gives good fitting and results..

But.. although i do know how to alter the min and max settings... if i did.. is there any way they could tell when they check the machine? (obviously i would set back to 4 - 20 before my visits)
Or do i just go along with what im told to do ... and hope 8 - 10 masks down the line i finaly get 1 thats sorts my problems out..

[symmit]

when i picked up the mask yesterday i had a word with the tecnition about narrowing the range to avoid the machine climbing to 20 in the event of a leak...
She pretty my flatout refused to entertain the idea saying the whole point of an auto was that it continuosly auto tritrates.. thus taking the need away for setting a min and max pressure....
She said all the auto machines were allways left wife open.. and when i mentioned that i had read quite in depth on a number of forums.. about people at private clinics with auto having them narrowed down.. i got told in no uncertain terms that people on the internet and on forums were not experts and there opinions didnt count for much

Her opinion was its all about the mask,,,,, mask mask mask,,,,, get the right mask and it will solve all the other problems... (which i can agree with to a certain ammount) but... i stil think with a bit of intelligent thought with the min and max settings.. it could turn a mask thats unusable into a mask thats perfectly usuable and gives good fitting and results..

But.. although i do know how to alter the min and max settings... if i did.. is there any way they could tell when they check the machine? (obviously i would set back to 4 - 20 before my visits)
Or do i just go along with what im told to do ... and hope 8 - 10 masks down the line i finaly get 1 thats sorts my problems out..

In my non-expert opinion I think it's important not to upset your healthcare provider, and in the first instance you should push for a replacement machine - if it's faulty then that could sort your problem.

Other than that once you've got a good selection of masks then remember it's your machine, and your sleep apnoea, and your therapy. If you can read your stats then I expect you can tweak your settings a bit at a time without coming to severe grief.

[Chivalry]

In my non-expert opinion I think it's important not to upset your healthcare provider, and in the first instance you should push for a replacement machine - if it's faulty then that could sort your problem.

Other than that once you've got a good selection of masks then remember it's your machine, and your sleep apnoea, and your therapy. If you can read your stats then I expect you can tweak your settings a bit at a time without coming to severe grief.

Not sure its actualy my machine? i assumed it was kinda on loan indefinatly.... should my apnea ever be cured i would fully expect them to want the machine back

[scotty44]

leaky mirage

Hi Chivalry are you sure its the mask or do you have a crush on the technician at the sleep lab?. I managed about 9 hours on new mask with only one episode of high pressure and leaks.

[Fredxx]

I would ask her a couple of questions whilst keeping a look of wide eyed innocence on your face...

Why do the manufacturers make the machines work such that you can set minimum and maximum pressures if they are meant to only be run on the maximum range possible?

How long she has been living with sleep apnoea and sleeping with the mask on every night like you now have to, so she knows what it is like? If not, how come she knows better than you what problems you are having.

Has she tried using a machine with the pressure running at maximum (i.e. 20) and wondered how anyone can sleep with that, after all, what is the point of having a machine that is designed to stop you being woken by an apnoea if you are then just woken by the machine anyway!

Has she heard of the BMA recommendation of patient empowerment, and working with patients to help them live with long term conditions rather than telling them this is it, just get on with it...

At the very least, when you get the next mask and fitting, make sure you test it there and then with them, with the machine on maximum they have it set for, and with you lying down on your back and on your side. Make sure you test it with the head up and with chin on your chest as well. My guess is that they will struggle to get an effective seal with any mask running like that...you can then innocently suggest that the maximum pressure maybe should be set to 15 and then try again.

[Chivalry]

oooh.. managed to work out how to get a detailed graph of all the info and will try and get it showing,,,
First 2 pages are a list of info for the last 3 weeks,,, second 2 images are detailed from last night with the new mask..

[Tigers Fan]

Spot on, Fredxx! I'd change only one thing - rather than just setting max at 15 cm and seeing what happens, set it a notch or three above your 90/95% pressure (you expert technician will know what that is).

As for upsetting them, I think we have to remember that it's their choice to get upset or not. Your decision is to follow their advice even when it obviously isn't working for you or to take responsibility for your own therapy and learn to make adjustments to suit yourself - with support from the experts on this forum. Let's face it, it ain't rocket science, just make small adjustemts every few days.

The crux of the matter is that PAPing does nort conform to any one set of rules or ideas - it really is different for everyone and you have to find what suits and works for you.

TF

[Sparticus]

well... tried mask number three last night,,, with high hopes of fianly geting 1 with a decent fit... no such luck,,, woke uo a few times with the usual problem... machine ramped up to 20 pressure and mask leaking and farting so loud it woke the wife up... and im sleeping downstairs! lol

Heres the stats..

Usage 6.5h
mask fit (are they havin a laugh?)
Leak 44.4 L/min (see above!)

AHI 5.3
Total AI 2.9
Central AI 0.7

soo looks like another trip back..... although im gonna try the mask and machine today again while im awake and sitting on the computer or watching tv.... as im begining to get a sneaking feeling the machine isnt acting right...
I noticed a few times... that even while im still awake and havent drifted off to sleep that the pressure has become uncomfortable.. and when i have looked at the machine it is up to 15 or so and still rising... i cant see this as right... for someone awake and breathing normaly surely an auto machine should be sitting down around 7 or 8... and has no reason to climb up to 15 pressure,,,,

*sigh* patience is a virtue right?

Its not the mask but the size. If you was measured for your mask then its usually wrong! I was measured and was told that Im bang in the medium range, so I ask for a small and a large? The tech looked at me funny too and asked why. I told him I wanted to make sure it was right. So I got the 3 masks and sat down, laid down, rolled around on the bed and stood up, which one did I take, the large one which according to them is a complete mis-fit. I have never suffered from leaks. How can you measure something that is different in every aspect. Next time, go through all the mask and all the sizes dont just settle for what peeps tell you. Worked for me anyway

[Chivalry]

i have posted some screenies of the detailed graphs, i finaly worked out how to get from my machine onto my PC and get detailed info on my nights sleep... already posted here but awaiting a mod to `ok` the post as its linked to images..

[symmit]

i have posted some screenies of the detailed graphs, i finaly worked out how to get from my machine onto my PC and get detailed info on my nights sleep... already posted here but awaiting a mod to `ok` the post as its linked to images..

Woohoo - stats! We like stats.

Looking forward to having a peek!

[Chivalry]

Woohoo - stats! We like stats.

Looking forward to having a peek!

well seeing as its been near 2 days since i tried to post em here.. and stil awaiting mods to say its ok,,, heres a link to the Cpaptalk thread i posted them in earlier.. so you can see em all there

cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t59016/New--to-apap-graphs-ok--.html?sid=59729a108ffb08665ab90712e1de1678

obviously add the, http://www. at the start .. i left it off,, in case that link got caught up in the "awaiting moderation " net..

[Chivalry]

all this has got confusing.. lol

Ok,, stats are now showing on page 1... and obviously if u follow the adress above it will link to a larger thread with more graphs of the last 3 days.... with last night being perfect!! 0 leaks and my first full nights sleep without waking !