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[Diagnosis] Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
#1
Question 
Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
Hi all!

I was diagnosed with OSA 12 days ago, with an AHI of 24.5, mostly hypopneas, even though I am a pretty skinny guy. It was shocking to discover I have this condition, but also a relief because now I know why I'm tired in the afternoons and can do something about it.

Immediately after diagnosis, I got myself a BiPaP machine and masks out of pocket, and started playing around with the settings and lurking here. I'd like a bit of help in understanding my data, here are my questions (with an attachment after each):

1. About 3 - 4 times an hour, there is a peak on my inhalation graph. Is this normal or should I count this as some sort of 'event' or abnormality. It's just odd that it shows up randomly.
   

2. During the night, many of my apneas (hypopnea, OA) show up right after strong/uneven breathing, or soon after I go to sleep. Are these events real or just due to me waking up or being awake? Should I remove them from my score? Sometimes they also include a desaturation event and/or increased HR.
   

3. Related to my previous question, I see ~4 'awakenings' per hour, where my respiration and heart rate increase dramatically for about 60s, then my respiration goes back to normal. These events appear out of the blue and don't seem to be related to sleep apnea. Is it normal to see this many arousals/hour, and to have my heart racing to 85+ bpm?
   

4. Some of the hypopneas shown by Sleepyhead look like normal breathing variations (to me at least). Can you guys comment? Here's an example:
   

Thanks for the help! I still have a few more, I will keep posting them Smile
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#2
RE: Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
I'm new too, so I'm just guessing, I saw nothing I'd overly worry about. a couple of hyperventilation from rapid breathing followed by a lull till the co2 built up. o2 down to 93 and 90%.
a but of flow limit maybe in the other. perhaps a bit more minimum pressure might be needed?

I'd read how to post full charts, instructions are in the signatures of some members. They will appreciate it and respond better.
mask fit http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer
For auto-cpap, from machine data or software. You can set the min pressure 1 or 2cm below 95%. Or clinicians commonly use the maximum or 95% pressure for fixed pressure CPAP, this can also be used for min pressure.
https://aasm.org/resources/practiceparam...rating.pdf
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#3
RE: Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
Thanks for the feedback. Here's my post with images:


I was diagnosed with OSA 12 days ago, with an AHI of 24.5, mostly hypopneas, even though I am a pretty skinny guy. It was shocking to discover I have this condition, but also a relief because now I know why I'm tired in the afternoons and can do something about it.

Immediately after diagnosis, I got myself a BiPaP machine and masks out of pocket, and started playing around with the settings and lurking here. I'd like a bit of help in understanding my data, here are my questions (with an attachment after each):

1. About 3 - 4 times an hour, there is a peak on my inhalation graph. Is this normal or should I count this as some sort of 'event' or abnormality. It's just odd that it shows up randomly.
[url=http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/attachment.php?aid=3387][/url][Image: b8u9cEk.png]



2. During the night, many of my apneas (hypopnea, OA) show up right after strong/uneven breathing, or soon after I go to sleep. Are these events real or just due to me waking up or being awake? Should I remove them from my score? Sometimes they also include a desaturation event and/or increased HR.
[Image: ZP9hyqf.png]





3. Related to my previous question, I see ~4 'awakenings' per hour, where my respiration and heart rate increase dramatically for about 60s, then my respiration goes back to normal. These events appear out of the blue and don't seem to be related to sleep apnea. Is it normal to see this many arousals/hour, and to have my heart racing to 85+ bpm?
[Image: GLeOSIi.png]




4. Some of the hypopneas shown by Sleepyhead look like normal breathing variations (to me at least). Can you guys comment? Here's an example:
[Image: b8u9cEk.png]


Thanks for the help! I still have a few more, I will keep posting them [Image: smile.gif]
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#4
RE: Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
Everything looks normal and most of these events (2 and 3) are related to a brief arousal you probably were not even aware of. If you want to see some crazy breathing, you should see what it looks like when you're awake. Small peaks in flow are a natural increase in inhalation and could be a recovery breath following a period of hypopnea. Hypopnea is not a cessation in breathing but a flow reduction of 30% over at least 10 seconds. In PSG hypopnea includes a desaturation of at least 4% from baseline, which appears to be about what your event 3 had.

What settings did you go with? Your profile just shows CPAP pressure 4. For bipap we usually note pressure as IPAP/EPAP at PS, or for auto bilevel IPAPmax/EPAPmin at PSmin-PSmax.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

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#5
RE: Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
I agree with you that event #3 fits the definition of hypopnea... it's just odd that it came after a period of labored breathing. Maybe I was awake and 'forgot' to breathe?

I got a BiPaP machine, not because I needed it, but because it was actually cheaper than the APAP. I generally set it to run on APAP mode, with a pressure range of 6 - 25, but still playing with the numbers.

For instance, last night I set it to straight CPAP at 4, and my AHI = 4.6. For me at least, sleeping position is key. I'm also playing with decongestants at night and that seems to help.

I am such a scientist... Testing everything.
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#6
RE: Help understand odd features of my sleepyhead data
Hi 99zzz,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you with your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
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