09-27-2016, 03:50 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-27-2016, 03:51 PM by Bizango1.)
DreamStation AHI Question
Hello
I have a question about AHI information on my DreamStation. I did search for this info pre post but couldn't find an answer. Does the machine open the airway and correct the Apnea/Hypopnea event when it recognizes it or are those Apnea/Hypopnea's still happening because perhaps the pressure is not high enough? My hope obviously is that is just recognizing them and recording them while i'm still breathing normally.
Thank you for your time.
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
(09-27-2016, 03:50 PM)Bizango1 Wrote: My hope obviously is that is just recognizing them and recording them while i'm still breathing normally.
No, if it's recording them, you're having them. But everybody has them, it's just when you have too many of them a CPAP machine is prescribed. And even with the machine you can't get rid of all of them.
All the machine does is blow air. It has sensors that measure pressure and flow rate. If the pattern of the flow rate indicates a possible event coming up, auto-adjusting machines will raise the pressure in an attempt to prevent it. They will also raise the pressure after an event to help prevent future events.
Sleepster
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
Hi Bizango1,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more responses to your post, and good luck to you with your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
What model Dreamstation did you get? You're using fixed pressure, so the machine is currently using a pressure of 11.0 cm to stent the airway, and does not make any changes to that pressure in response to apnea/hypopnea or other indicators.
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
Sleepster,
Thank you very much for your response. I had no idea that I was still having or that it was normal to still have A/H when using a CPAP. In 2009 I was diagnosed with Severe OSA. I've been using a system with no data set at 11cmH20 since the summer of 2009 religiously and I still get a bit tired some days but nothing like pre CPAP. I just got the DreamStation and averaged between 4.x and 9.x AHI over the last 4 nights. Prior to last night I set the C-Check mode and notice that the DreamMapper software on my phone says usage was 8.0 to 14.0 so perhaps the baseline needs to be higher than 11.0.
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
SleepRider,
Thank you for your response. I have the DreamStation CPAP Pro. Looks like the Auto CPAP may have been a better choice.
Thank you
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
(09-27-2016, 11:13 PM)Bizango1 Wrote: SleepRider,
Thank you for your response. I have the DreamStation CPAP Pro. Looks like the Auto CPAP may have been a better choice.
Thank you
Hello Bizango1,
I sometimes wish I had an auto machine, also. C-Check should help you get your pressure tweaked.
C-Check runs a pressure range around your fixed pressure setting and will set your pressure at the 90% pressure after the machine determines what it is. It will change the pressure every thirty hours in 1cm increments, if a change is needed until it gets to the pressure it determines you need. The most the machine can change the pressure while in C-Check mode is 3cmH2O on either side of your fixed pressure.
After running C-Check, I ran A-Trial and arrived at the same pressure C-Check determined so I think you are headed in the right direction.
Mitch
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
Thanks to Pupcamper for that response. That was the reason we wanted to know the model of Dreamstation you have. It is capable of performing in auto-mode for a limited trial, and to evaluate alternative pressures. The other thing you must do is to download #Sleepyhead to get a better picture of what kind of apnea you have, and whether it is responsive to alternative therapy pressures. The forum members are pretty good at helping you to interpret the data and making constructive use of it.
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
Mitch,
Thank you very much for the information.
John
RE: DreamStation AHI Question
Thank you Pupcamper and Sleeprider for the info. It's a bit embarrassing not knowing all this while using a CPAP since 2009
but I will download the Sleepyhead software and see if I can figure out how to upload my data to it.
Thanks again,
John