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[Equipment] Question
#1
Question
Diagnosed last June (2015) having severe sleep apnea. AHI of 52, no Central, pulse-ox measured as low as 72, no REM.
Placed on Resmed Autosense 10; heated hose, full mask. Unable to get more than 3 hours on machine. Appointment with ENT physician found severe deviated septum (left) and severe turbinate hypertrophy (right). Had surgery to correct (successful). Now able to get as much as 8 hours, average of 5 hours, on APAP. AHI average for last 60 days is 0.6 according to machine data and Sleepyhead. Occasional night less than 3 hours due to sinus congestion from surgery, but this is diminishing.
Fought with ins. co. due to non-compliance during this period. Ended up sending unit back and purchased my own machine (same model).

My question: is it worthwhile to get an oximeter? The Resmed unit for my APAP is $200. I will speak with my pulmonologist about this, but was looking for other opinions.
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#2
RE: Question
I bought a non-recording one, then bought a recording one. At first I used it maybe 5 times and now not in months. If CPAP therapy is working and you are using it, O2 should be fine, kind of the whole point. If it brings you peace of mind and you can afford it, get it.
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#3
RE: Question
Just one person's opinion here...
I think you'll be fine with staying on your Autoset.
i.e. -- probably a waste of money to get an oximeter. However, if it would ease your mind then go for it.
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~ Rest in Peace ~
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#4
RE: Question
Hi cjtaft01!

Welcome to the forum.

Most people purchase a less expensive model based on the CMS-50 chipset. The models that are compatible with SleepyHead are: 50D+, 50F, and the 50I("eye"). The order that they are listed is also the order of features and price. Another less popular model(at least around here) is the Pulox 200 through the 600 model. The Resmed is probably more accurate than the ones I've listed but it's considerably more expensive too.

Good Luck.
Crimson Nape
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#5
RE: Question
Hello. You mention your diagnostic test pO2 dipped to 72%? I can understand you wanting to check your pO2 occasionally now you are on successful APAP - I would think you might find it reassuring to know you probably now don't go anywhere near 72%.

I bought a Contec CMS 50F oximeter a while back (80 UK pounds sterling), and have been pleased with it. It comes with it's own simple software so you can see a night's results on a PC (I don't think it is Mac compatible) and also print out a neatly designed 'oximeter report' if you want. The data also imports well into the current version 0.9.8-1 of Sleepyhead.

The drawback for frequent users is that it holds very little data, I think it deletes data every time you re-start 'record' so you have to download each morning. Also the manual that comes with it is written in a (clearly translated, probably from Chinese) version of English that I have never come across before! It took me a good 30 minutes or so when I first started to use the Contec to work out how to use the menus etc - I didn't find the features at all intuitive but soon got used to them. Also, it is very sensitive to movement - restless nights, clearly with a lot of flailing of the wrist the Contec is attached to, can give quite a few artefact downward spikes on the pO2 graph. (I feel sure they have been artefact as I have never seen any contemporaneous events in Sleepyhead that would explain such marked and brief desaturations).

I use mine mostly now because I have episodic fast abnormal heart rhthyms, and I find the pulse data helpful.

So, if you can afford an oximeter, and if you fancy it, why not?


My current settings: Auto ASV EPAP 11-14, PS 3-10
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#6
RE: Question
Hi cjtaft01,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
It’s great to hear that you are doing so well with your CPAP therapy after such a rough start.

Much success to you and keep up the good work.
trish6hundred
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#7
RE: Question
Thank you for the responses. They generally supported what my thoughts were.

My results for last night via Sleepyhead:

Time on APAP: 6.05 hrs.
AHI: 0.33
Avg. Leak Rate: 0.36
Avg. Pressure: 10.29

Thanks again.
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#8
RE: Question
Interesting that you only managed to get 3 hours sleep on the machine, makes my 4 look great, well sort of.

I did without APAP for 14 nights and got my best sleep for ages, though I was told that people often say this, with the suggestion being that it was not "good" sleep.
Clearly I am still alive.

To clarify this oximeter thing, if not using APAP, the oximeter will give a good reading on the quality and length of my sleep?
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#9
RE: Question
Phill, not directly. It will show you what your O2 levels are and what your heart rate is doing. You can assume that when your O2 is low that your body is not doing the best regardless of how you judge your sleep quality. Some people are just not disturbed by low O2 levels. I had an AHI of 29 and was not sleeping more than 60 minutes at a time all night, my FIL on the other hand had an AHI of 54 and said he was sleeping just fine.

With CPAP you have several things going on all at the same time.
You have your therapy settings and if they are correctly allowing you breathing to maintain your O2 levels and CO2 levels where they need to be

Then you have comfort settings and are they set so that you will use CPAP and get good quality sleep with CPAP.

CPAP can get your therapy settings right on it's own, depending on the machine you have, but I don't know of any that can adjust your comfort settings so you sleep well. You must adjust them yourself.

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#10
RE: Question
Many thanks for explaining what results to expect from an oximeter.

You say you were not sleeping more than 60 minutes at a time! I remain amazed at the varying indicators of apnea problems that people give on the site, I like your FIL was sleeping just fine.Dont-know
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