Can someone please help me

[stardust123]

My husband has been diagnosed coming up on two years. I keep trying to post a message but it doesn't work. We can't get his number under 5. They say he has mixed apnea, but he has no other health problems. He has had this problem all his life. His college roommates said he snored and he was tired all the time. I am so fed up with this. Why can't we get this number down? Here's what happens. He gets up at 5 checks his number and it's 3 then he sleeps for two hours and the number jumps to 12 IN TWO HOURS. I don't know what to do. We have Kaiser and they suck. Our options are go to another facility and try to see a sleep doctor, do nothing or call the respiratory therapist and see if they will play with the pressures. His oxygen is normal. Please someonbody answer this question. I don't know why this isn't working. This is the 3rd time I have typed this.

[Pugsy]

First of all what machine brand and model is he using?
How long has he been using cpap therapy?
Where are you getting these AHI numbers you are reporting? Software or off the machine?

Once we know what equipment is being used we have a starting point for evaluating the AHI.
If the majority of the events are central it is possible that the machine isn't the right type of machine but before going down that road let's start with the basics and figure out what machine and what software needs to be used to see exactly what is going on.

[stardust123]

first of all sorry for sounding so urgent. I tried writing this like 3 times and for some reason it wouldn't post. His machine is a Resmed S9. He has been using it for coming up on two years in March. He's had this sleep problem as long as I have known him 22 years. I sent him to doctor two times and they missed that he had sleep apnea. Finally, I sent him to sleep clinic 2 year ago. He's normal weight, so I think he may have had this all his life. I think it's the shape of his jaw and face that caused this problem. We have been recording his numbers daily and writing them down. Just today he got a report printed out. For a while the numbers were great, but then he got sick with the flu about 5 weeks and ever since we can't get the numbers down under 5 So when he gets up say at 5, he checks the number on the dial by pushing the I and the number will be 3, but when he lays back down and sleeps for two more hours and checks the numbers again, the numbers are like 11 sometimes. I tried elevating his head to see if we could get the numbers better but that made it worse. Sometimes when I watch him sleep it almost seems like he's holding his breath. As I said we have Kaiser and it's not good. My options, 1. call another sleep doctor, 2. call the respiratory therapist and try to play with the pressure, see 3. if it gets better on it's own. I am just a nobody, but I think the pressure might be a little TOO high and he holds his breath. I think his body does that to keep his oxygen at a certain level. I am not sure. I don't have any training.

[Julie]

We understand and want to help, but you need to give us the info asked for above because without it, we have nothing to go on that would translate to useful advice. So far all we know is how bad you feel, but please relax , and go and get each piece of info asked for - the sooner we see it, the sooner we can help.

[palerider]

His machine is a Resmed S9.

there's about 14 different resmed s9 machines, with very different functionality.

what's it say over the power button?

[Mudrock63]

Your husband's symptoms sound like mine. Relatively skinny, bad snorer, stops breathing at night. It has a LOT to do with the architecture of your neck and throat. I too just went through a respiratory illness....flu, whatever you want to call it....and my numbers spiked up due to complications with the sickness. Propping his head up may help with congestion and drainage, but it could also be constricting his airway somewhat.

The great news is you have come to the right place for help. But the good folks here need to know exactly what equipment, machine, mask, humidifier, he is using in order to help you. That info will help them lead you somewhere you can get more detailed reports about what is going on with him overnight, and suggest tweaks that may be quite helpful to his therapy.

So do what you can to get all that on here, and they will take if from there. If you need to be walked through anything, don't hesitate to ask.

[stardust123]

Okay thanks so much. I am stressed because our medical care sucks. It takes WEEKS to ask anyone a question and have them call you back. It takes months to see the doctor. They don't explain anything. They took us all in as a group when he got the machine. They gave everyone the same thing. The first mask sucked, so we got a different one. Okay, I am looking at a sticker on the back of the machine It says IP21 Resmd H5i DC24 V 1.25A, 3.75 There are Two piecies to the machine It says Autoset above the start button and EPR. Before the respiratory sickness, his numbers were good. That was about 2 months ago. I tried proping his head with a wedge, but it made it worse. Last night was pretty good 4.3 AHI. I think sometimes he's awake and he wears the mask and it makes the numbers go high. He likes to sleep on back, but that makes the numbers worse. I am so sick of this problem. I told him 22 years ago, something was wrong. I sent to two doctors and they didn't catch problem. He finally fell asleep in a swimming pool. Thank God I was standing there next to him in the swimming pool. I grabbed him as he was about to fall into the water, he hit the water and woke up. He's big and pulled him up out of the water. He could have bumped his head on the pool and drowned. He's a lot bigger than me. I don't know how I did it. This problem is nothing to play with. That's when I found that sleep clinic and sent him there. In april it will be 2 years.

[chunkyfrog]

Good! The part that says Autoset is the flow generator, the "blower", or the basic unit.
The H5i is the heated humidifier.
Autoset is excellent! Do you have Sleepyhead yet?

[stardust123]

I dont' know what a sleepy head is? I don't know all the buttons on the machine. I watch him do it.

[Pugsy]

You can read about SleepyHead here
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment
and some examples of what you can see here
viewtopic/t103468/Need-help-with-screen-shots.html

What are the pressure settings being used right now?
If you don't know how to get to the menu to see the pressure settings this manual explains how
http://www.apneuvereniging.nl/forum/pdf ... manual.pdf

[palerider]

It says IP21

and, for what it's worth, "IP21" is an international rating system defining "ingress protection",
the 2 means it's protected against things >12.5mm Fingers or similar objects.
the 1 means it's protected against Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect.

[Pesser]

I'm reading this entire post. Have you stated what the initial starting pressure is? This, for many people is very important. When he checks the unit at 3:00 AM is he shutting the unit off. At re-start he would have a new starting pressure. What is the pressure setting? Is he using a ramp pressure?

[stardust123]

He said his pressure is 10. He said he is not shutting machine off, but he did push button to stop air flow. I think the machine messes up if you stay awake. Last night he didn't wake up except once to go to bathroom. His AHI was 3.2. That's good. I am reading this sleepy head thing. My husband uses the mask that goes over the mouth and nose. He tried the other but did not like. He he uses REMZZZZ under the mask. The Respiratory therapist said she had never seen anyone that had such a low leak rate. He doesn't seem sleepy at all. He's not falling asleep on the couch anymore.

[Julie]

That's great!

[stardust123]

IT's just that the average is high. If we could keep that down consistantly. Says average is 6.5 AHI. He was sick. I am trying to download this sleepy head thing.