High flow rate? - another unwell feeling, O2 dropping and quit breathing

[MyronH]

What causes Flow Rate to be higher then normal? Larger breaths? Tonight I'm having this "unwell" feeling again, and when I lay down my Contect oximeter alarms me my O2 dropping to low 80's, every time i try to doze off to sleep. Sometimes just laying in bed and not asleep, it still drops. I've checked the O2 meter with the oxygen sensor on my Samsung S8 phone, and it says the same percentage.

This has been going on for 3 months , where I can't get sleep on certain nights, due to feeling unwell, and O2 drops. My sleep doctor and cardiologist point fingers at each other.

The only thing I noticed, is the increased CA's and breathing pattern before them which looks like I stop taking breaths. This is very concerning, since this is happening more frequently to me. I was out tonight with some friends late, got home at 11am and immediately tried to go to sleep. But O2 keeps dropping.

I've been to the ER in the past for this and they just sent me home, to go see my sleep doctor.

My Flow Rate seems to be increased on these nights up to 37. Normal is around 20 or so. I try taking a sleeping aid or my klonopin for anxiety and it doesnt help.

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[ardenum]

i think your min EPAP pressure is too low. Id set it up so it doesnt go below 7 and try a night on that.

[MyronH]

i think your min EPAP pressure is too low. Id set it up so it doesnt go below 7 and try a night on that.

That was already tried in the past and didn't work. This happens only on certain days where i feel "unwell" and maybe "stressed".

I am not sure how "stress" can cause person to stop breathing.

[Sleeprider]

You can see on this chart where the flow rate becomes semi-transparent and there is a core of limited breaths along with the normal higher flows. It is also visible in the mask pressure and is reflected in the dips in your SpO2. Let's look at a closeup of 00:05 and see what's happening. The same problem is present at 00:13, 00:35 to 00:45, 00:47 and so forth.

[ardenum]

I personally cant function if I stay awake over 22:00, I always go to bed between 20:30-21:30, I also take naps during the day. A perfect day for me is falling asleep at 21:00, waking up at 9-10 then 3 naps every 3h during the day. When I do that and I manage to fall asleep each time then I feel healthy.

Do you always stay up so late? I get the best sleep between 21:00 - 4:00 and 7:00 - 10:00.

A healthy sleep hygiene should also be a part of treatment. I also follow the rule no electronics after 18:00.

[MyronH]

I personally cant function if I stay awake over 22:00, I always go to bed between 20:30-21:30, I also take naps during the day. A perfect day for me is falling asleep at 21:00, waking up at 9-10 then 3 naps every 3h during the day. When I do that and I manage to fall asleep each time then I feel healthy.

Do you always stay up so late? I get the best sleep between 21:00 - 4:00 and 7:00 - 10:00.

A healthy sleep hygiene should also be a part of treatment. I also follow the rule no electronics after 18:00.

No I don't normally stay up so late. My issues occur even if I go to bed at 5 or 6pm. I start feeling "unwell" at random times during the day. I get flush in the face, and start breathing shallow, and have palpitations I feel in my lower gut.

Like I said, I just lay down and don't even have to fall asleep completely, and I get CA's and stop breathing sporadically. My oxygen drops immediately to 80's.

My sleep doctor said these are just transitional CA's but that doesn't explain my "unwell" feeling that accompanies all my symptoms. And they happen only on these specific days I have this unwell feeling. 

I'll upload my other charts requested here soon when I get back home.

[MyronH]

You can see on this chart where the flow rate becomes semi-transparent and there is a core of limited breaths along with the normal higher flows. It is also visible in the mask pressure and is reflected in the dips in your SpO2. Let's look at a closeup of 00:05 and see what's happening.  The same problem is present at 00:13, 00:35 to 00:45, 00:47 and so forth.

Where is it semi transparent? 
I'll upload closeups here soon. Since this issue starts happening during the day when I feel bad, I'm pretty sure there is nothing wrong with my CPAP therapy. Some other health issue is going on. 

I was recently in hospital for DVT and PE blood clots in lungs. But they cleared me of that and now on blood thinners to prevent that. 

I sent a message to my Hematologist to see about getting another CT scan done of my abdomen since that is where I start feeling bad when this happens. 

I see the sporadic breathing too and that is what happens with me. I'm wondering now if it is something Neurology going on as well. I recently had a neurologist EEG test and still waiting on results.

[tedvpap]

I am glad to see that you meant 11PM not 11AM. LOL
Your breathing is jagged so the peak flow rate is higher than normal.
Do you have any zoomed in charts showing good breathing?

[ardenum]

No I don't normally stay up so late. My issues occur even if I go to bed at 5 or 6pm. I start feeling "unwell" at random times during the day. I get flush in the face, and start breathing shallow, and have palpitations I feel in my lower gut.

I know what you mean, I get something very similar. I handled it by giving myself a break for 6 months from everything, and fully concentrating on tuning into my body and how daily activities affect it, how it reacts.
I employ what people with ME/CFS do is called pacing. Example (NOTE : Graded actvity part is to be avoided).
After I started giving myself a break, that cold unwell feeling in my chest gradually went away.

[MyronH]

You can see on this chart where the flow rate becomes semi-transparent and there is a core of limited breaths along with the normal higher flows. It is also visible in the mask pressure and is reflected in the dips in your SpO2. Let's look at a closeup of 00:05 and see what's happening.  The same problem is present at 00:13, 00:35 to 00:45, 00:47 and so forth.

Here are some closeups. Yes, these "limited breaths" are what occur, on these days/nights when I have this weird "unwell" feeling.

The only health issues I know that I currently have, are AFIB, past blood clots, tachycardia, and gallstones. A surgeon I saw for my gallbaldder wanted to take it out. He was trying to say he has seen it cause weird symptoms. But I don't see how it could cause these "limited breaths".

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