Still having too many events & daytime sleepiness

Hi--I have been diagnosed with OSA about 8 months ago and still struggling with CPAP but staying with it. My events range from below five to more than 20 several nights in a row. Do I need to be concerned with a few nights per week with 20+ events per hour? I can't get the daytime sleepiness to go away and I am at my wits end. I feel really scared sometimes and would appreciate any suggestions; thank you--Sophie

My doctors said not in the early days. I rarely see a doctor about it and only once in the last 5 years.

I have always believed that my APAP machine is dealing with the apneas whatever the numbers that happen and that if I stopped I would revert to my natural severe apnea. I stopped thinking about it for many years. If the machine is working then the impacts of the apnea itself should be being dealt with as needed. To me an APAP is doing all the monitoring and adjusting for you.

I review my stats now only every couple of years and/or if I have a really bad week to see what was happening. It seems to be more under control these days and I have been at it for 10 years. If you have daytime sleepiness after 8 months then may be worth keeping in touch with doctor. I tend to think that APAPs are better than doctors, as the machine reacts as necessary. (could be deluding myself there of course) If you are CPAP try APAP and see if it works better. Doctors seem to only echo try whatever makes you feel better.

My brother swears by CPAP but I prefer Auto PAP. If you need higher settings it does it. The fact that it runs at the lowest setting that is doing what is needed is what I like about APAP. At the moment I am good, it runs low and very quietly. But if for any reason that changes APAP ramps it up as is needed.

An AHI of 20 is not good. Therapy isn't working as it should. If you have a Resmed machine and are getting AHI feedback, what is your L/Min rate? If the mask seal is good, IT IS TIME TO TALK WITH THE SLEEP DOC as your prescription isn't getting the job done. The amount of air pressure prescribed is what they found during the initial sleep study was needed to keep your airway open. So... seems to me either the mask is leaking which negates the positive effect of the air pressure or the air pressure setting is not correct for you now. How do you monitor your therapy?

If you AHI is ranging in the 5-20 range, I would recommend talking to your doctor. Ideally most doctors would like an AHI under 5.

I monitor my numbers through my air at resmed. The leakage varies all over the map (good seal: 18 to 20 -- to adjust seal with very low points). I don't understand why except to sleep on your side, as recommended, is pretty challenging to also keep your mask on straight and not have a leak. Honestly I haven' figured this out yet. . . still trying. Thank you for your responses--

If your leak rate is acceptable, then seems to me that you should talk with the sleep doc. Only thing that remains is adjusting pressure(s). As far as sleeping on your side, I found it totally impossible with the Simplus mask but can sleep on my side using the Amara View mask. I tend to keep my hand on the mask while sleeping to stabilize the mask. They also make a side-sleeper pillow which might help. I think it is kind of U shaped. I generally sleep just on my back and don't roll around much so not much of an expert on side-sleep.

agreed that if you leak values are low and you are still getting a higher ahi, would recommend talking with your doctor.

Really appreciate these responses; so helpful. Helps me prepare more for my next visit.

It is important you get back after chatting with your doc to give us feedback on where your course of therapy is taking you. Knowing outcome is very instructive and helps all of use learn! Good luck.

Wiredgeorge--thank you. Honestly I feel that I am not on top of this yet but I have read that some people take a year to adjust. Trying to exercise more to help short circuit the daytime sleepiness. Although, lol, I did both today: exercise and sleep during the day. I will post again after I have a better sense of where I am going with this. Really appreciate these responses.

I am so glad to have a chance to hear from fellow sleep apnea folks & to be able to ask questions. I just started my apap last Thursday (2-16-17), the same day having arthroscopic surgery on my left shoulder; that said, it wasn't the best time to start. I have been sleeping in my recliner most nights due to shoulder pain (I can't sleep on my side in bed). I'm using the RestMed Airsense 10 with a F & P Eson 2 nose mask, which is what my sleep apnea doc recommended. My "events" display shows anywhere from 3- 8 per hour, where 8 events per hour was what I scored during my sleep study. I have the machine set on auto sense, but sometimes during the night when I'm trying to go to sleep it doesn't seem like I'm getting much air. I understand that it adjusts up as you go to sleep. Having said all this, are my results ok for this short period of time? Any comments/suggestion appreciated.