CPAP for 10 Years - STILL HIGH AHI's!

[WhyMe]

I would also suggest you read the post about organizing OSCAR charts to make it easier to post them and easier for others to find and review the most useful information.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ganization

[jbsix]

Hi jennie,

click this link to see how to organize your charts before taking a screenshot: Video

Organizing the most useful charts listed below makes it easier for others to help you:

• Event Flags
  
• Flow Rate
  
• Pressure
  
• Leak Rate
  
• Snore
  
• Flow Limit (Resmed only. Respironics includes Flow Limitation in Events)
  

Hope this helps!

[DeepBreathing]

Hi Jennie

Thanks for posting the charts - that's more or less what we need. It helps to turn off the calendar - click the little black triangle next to the day. We don't need to see the calendar and getting rid of it will show of some additional statistics which may be of use. You can also turn off the VS2 Snore event as that doesn't give much useful information, just clutters up the chart. When you get a chance to practice more, set up the chart to show the graphs that jbsix has listed - they are the ones we need most, and the others are basically just clutter at the moment.

One thing stands out very clearly - almost all your apneas occur in two clusters, at 02:00 and 04:30. This is almost certainly due to positional apnea. Your chin is most likely getting tucked down to your chest and this is compressing the windpipe. You're sleeping with three pillows and a wedge under your thighs, which is making it difficult for you to have a fully open airway. The optimum is to sleep with your head tilted slightly back with your chin up - in that position your neck is extended and your airway is clear. You will need some help to keep the airway clear so we recommend getting a soft cervical collar. That will help to keep your neck straight and your airway open. You should also arrange your pillows so that they support your upper body to help with the GERD, but also allow your head to fall back slightly.

There are other things showing up in the charts, but nothing to worry about now. At this stage we just want to keep your airway open and prevent chin-tucking. The collar should help a lot. After that we can go on to address some of the details and possibly lower your pressure, which will make sleep more comfortable.

[jennie54]

Thanks, sounds like a lot of valuable information.  It is taking me some time to understand using this software as I've always depended on my doctor appointments to keep me up to date on my sleep data. (And all they ever told me was that my AHI was still high; and most of the time never even giving me the numbers to support that, and just that I was 100% compliant and with leakage here and there). So all of this other information in these charts are things I never knew about and never realized how much data got collected when sleeping while using CPAP. I just downloaded the software a few days ago and it's so much to take in and learn and not to mention overwhelming.  So for me this is definitely a learning process and will take me a long while to fully understand and interpret all of these charts.  I will look into where I can get one of those soft cervical collars you mentioned and trying to reposition my pillows etc. and see if that could help my AHI for the better.  Thanks for helping!

[jennie54]

   

I have been searching for one of those Soft Cervical Collars online and on Amazon - there are so many choices that I have no clue as to what would be the best for me. I am willing to try anything to help my breathing to be improved when I sleep. My neck measures at 15" - is that info I need when buying a collar?  Also, I have some more questions as to what these sections of my pie chart mean - I know I was informed that the pie chart does not offer significant data, but nonetheless I am curious. Thanks.

[WhyMe]

The pie chart just summarizes some of the data from the stats above it, showing what percentage of your total apneas relate to each type.

[sheepless]

Jennie54, some local pharmacies stock soft cervical collars. last I looked the walgreens in my area had 2 models for about $20 each, one adjustable and one not. relatively cheap and accessible, it's an easy way to try one before spending more on the fancier online models.

[Sleeprider]

Jennie, this is what I suspected. Please read the Optimizing Therapy Wiki, positional apnea section http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...onal_Apnea Your results look like classic positional apnea. I recommend you order a soft cervical collar. The Releaf on Amazon is inexpensive and popular for this purpose. Get a comfortable fit that lets you easily slide several fingers between your neck and the collar. The collar will support your chin and prevent chin tucking, and will gently keep your jaw in a closed position which will help with leaks. Comfortable is the key word. I predict this will cut your AHI by up to 75%.

[jennie54]

I will most definitely look into purchasing one of these soft cervical collars ASAP. I am desperate to get better sleep and will be thrilled to begin to see my AHI's go down.  The only other thing that I may have going against me in this fight to have CPAP work better for me is the fact that I have a very narrow airway.  On several occasions in the past when I've had surgery the doctors have told me that I was hard to intubate so I always now bring that to their attention if I have surgery for any reason.  My cardiologist told me a few years back after looking closely at my throat that what it's referred to is Mallampati, and that my Mallampati score was 4 meaning that my airway was almost completely closed. That in itself is a good predictor of sleep apnea.  I had no idea and I still don't know whether this was something I was born with or whether it developed over the years.  I just always remember being tired as a child and never having the energy other children had.  And of course as I got older and put on that extra weight (probably now about 20-30 lbs. over my ideal weight) that that made my breathing situation worse. Now I have to pursue every avenue I can to get this under control and take back my life.  I appreciate all of the advice I've gotten so far on this board and will continue to post and reach out for support.

[Sleeprider]

I think your medical history simply confirms the need to avoid occlusion by positional therapy. You WILL see a big difference.