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Downloaded data question
#1
Downloaded data question
Hi Group. Glad I'm here. Have been on my VPAP machine for 5 years with no followup after sleep study in Oct. 2008. From my profile you can see equipment used. Have been using religiously since starting therapy but never bothered with actual therapy results as my symptoms subsided and I feel much better after having startied therapy and sleep much better when on machine.

Just recently downloaded ResScan 4.3 from this forum. Thank you. After getting necessary null modem cable the other day, I started downloading my results because I really wanted to know my AHI and AI results especially since I lowered the IPAP pressure from 18.0 to 17.0 more than two years ago to try to get more comfort from my mask.

I'm dismayed because for last 2 days of downloads no AHI or AI data. Those readings are 0.0 Is this possible that my therapy is so good that I'm not experiencing any apnea/hypopnea events?. or could there be a malfunction with my machine? I'm getting back other results for respiratory rate, minute ventilation, leak, and tidal volume but again 0.0 for apnea index, hypopnea index AHI and % time in apnea.

Hope you can help me come up with an answer. Thx. Seth[/size][/font]
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#2
RE: Downloaded data question
Seth, other more experienced members will give you better info I am sure. What were your AHI numbers previously? There are some members who have experienced 0.0 but I think that is rare. If your numbers were really low, like less than 1.0 it might be that you are doing well. I think you are right in being suspicious.

If you don't get a definitive answer, you could try as an experiment tonight, by holding your breath for 10 or more seconds. Note the exact time that you did this and it should show up in your data. It's a cheap trick but it might answer your question.
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#3
RE: Downloaded data question
Yeah, two days of 0 AHI is hard to hit. My first suggestion is to unplug the machine from the wall, wait a few minutes, then plug it back in. Check it again tomorrow.

If you are going to trick the machine like drgrimes suggested, you need to pause your breathing after you breathe out. Else the machine may not read it right. You need to hold your breath for at least 10 seconds, preferably longer, to make sure the machine records it. Less than 10, it won't note it. Right at 10, it may not either.

Do you get flow rate? If you do, then you can zoom in and look for flat lines in those two nights. That's an event.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#4
RE: Downloaded data question
Yeah, there should be a wav form for your flow rate, not just numbers. Zoom in enough to see the peaks and valleys of your breathing and pan around. You should see the pattern of your exhaling and inhaling. (inhalation and exhalation)
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#5
RE: Downloaded data question
Thanks folks for your suggestions. Since I don't have my original AHI or AI numbers I can't tell you where I was at when I started therapy 5 years ago. I really didn't pay attention to the number then but only used the machine night after night and subjectively just felt better and my PVC's disappeared which I attribute their original presence (before starting therapy) to very low O2 levels seen during my sleep study (65%). Also, my AHI must have been bad during sleep study because I was diagnosed with both OSA and Central Apnea. The VPAP II ST-A was prescribed and I eventually upgraded to VPAP III ST-A when the VPAP II went down and I could no longer get parts.

Anyway, I will try holding my breath tonight and download data tomorrow morning. Will report back and let you know the results.
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#6
RE: Downloaded data question
Good Morning folks. Followed the suggested recommendations of drgrimes and PaulaO2 of holding my breath for >10 sec to trick my machine to register AHI & AI events. Could only hold breath for about 12 secs at 2 different times with no residual volume in my lungs (at end of a breath). Stll no data recorded for AHI or AI. Data recorded for other parameters and those numbers were unique compared to the numbers for previous 2 sessions. So I know that the data recorded for the last session is unique.

I'm perplexed as to why the machine is recording data for other paramenters except AHI or AI. I'm really skeptical that my therapy is so good that I'm not experiencing any AHI or AI events during a session. I don't really want to take on the expense of another sleep study even with my insurance it will be $1000 out of pocket. Is there any option to having the machine checked out from a repair standpoint? Would that mean setting myself up with a DME? I haven't dealt with a sleep dr. or DME since my first and only sleep study in OCT. 2008.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Have a great and rested day.
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#7
RE: Downloaded data question
I know not all DME's are equal but my guys are extremely helpful. I would suggest that if you live near one, don't call but drop in and visit. Have your machine handy in the car in case they volunteer to check it for you. I have discovered that if they like you, they will move mountains to help you. Just ask them the best way to check it. They may just tell you to let them check it.

It does sound like your machine has a problem. Also did you follow Paula's suggestion of unplugging your machine? That is different than jus turning the power off/on. It forces a total reboot of the system. That might help.

Do the other graphs/data show anything unusual?
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#8
RE: Downloaded data question
Post a screenshot/report from ResScan or SleepyHead so we can see what is going on.

The AHI numbers just read the plotted points on the wav forms and trigger event markers that calculate the summary numbers you see.

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#9
RE: Downloaded data question
Drgrimes thanks for the ideas re: approaching ths DME. I did what PaulaO2 suggested since I had to unplug my machine to take it into the room where my computer is at. I'll try to get a screen shot of the results section but have already saved the reports from 2/5 and 2/6 as PDF files so I should be able to attach those to my reply. Can do this when I get home from work tonite.
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#10
RE: Downloaded data question
Sorry, I didn't answer all your questions. I don't really know how to interpret the other data but the other data parameters seem to be registering. Leak, for example seems right on as the 2 times I had to use the bathroom required me to detach the tubing from the mask. The leak graph was accurate in the time into session I detached mask and shows a big spike in the leak rate, which it should have since hose was detached. Also getting respiration values, tidal volume values, trigger and cycles %'s and 1or 2 other values I can't remember but no values in either the summary page or detailed graph page for AHI or AI.
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