RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
I recommend you post a couple from nights with high AHI values as well as low Be sure to organize your data as shown in my signature and others. It helps to see the flow limit. graph. To fit it in just use the mouse to change the height of each graph a little as you would with and Excel row.
Download OSCAR
Organize Charts
Attaching Charts
Mask Primer
Soft Cervical Collar
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: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
You should only need one graph per day, and include events, flow, pressure, leaks and snores. The first link in my signature describes graph organization. I think two graphs are fine for a start, and if we have questions, we can ask you.
You have an outstanding auto BiPAP. Have you ever considered using the auto function? The main reason for asking is that by having some pressure variation, we can often see where problems arise and correlate with higher or lower pressure. With fixed pressure, we are pretty much looking at a binary question, whether it is addressing the obstructive airway concerns or not. I'd still like to have you try a comfortable, properly fitted cervical collar to see if things change, before jumping into machine settings, which based on your residual obstructive events can only go up.
RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
05-11-2017, 01:23 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-11-2017, 01:24 PM by PaytonA.)
RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
(05-10-2017, 02:45 PM)robysue Wrote: Best in what sense? In terms of AHI? Or in terms of how you feel the next morning? Or in terms of how you feel the next day?
There is a tendency for CPAP machines to score "false" events when some people use the machine while drifting between wake and a light sleep for extended periods of time. Normal wake breathing is not as regular as normal sleep breathing, and some people's normal wake breathing patterns often fool a machine into thinking that it is seeing some form of sleep disordered breathing.
The machine can not reliably tell whether you are asleep or awake. It merely reports any cessations of breathing or significant reductions of breathing once the machine is turned on. As robysue says events that are scored when you are awake or are sliding in and out of sleep should be ignored because although they are apneas, they are not
sleep apneas or
sleep disturbed breathing.
The machine is not actually fooled into thinking that awake apneas are really sleep apneas. It is just doing what it can without knowing whether you are asleep or awake. It reports any cessation or significant reduction of breathing. It is up to people (you) to decide whether we (you) were asleep or not.
Best Regards,
PaytonA
RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
I never thought about using a cervical collar for myself, as I too have some big swings. I am also only using the CPAP for 3- 3.5 hours a night right now.
I have one of those memory foam neck collars for air travel. I am going to try and use that at night and see how that works in getting my numbers down too.
RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
(05-11-2017, 03:10 PM)rafairchild2 Wrote: I never thought about using a cervical collar for myself, as I too have some big swings. I am also only using the CPAP for 3- 3.5 hours a night right now.
I have one of those memory foam neck collars for air travel. I am going to try and use that at night and see how that works in getting my numbers down too.
I would recommend staring a new thread and posting your Sleepyhead data. Information below in my signature on how to proceed. If you are getting big number swings, odds are we can give you some recommendations on your settings for improvements.
I see your settings are 7-8.4. My feelings are that that would be too narrow a range.
05-11-2017, 05:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-11-2017, 05:44 PM by rafairchild2.)
RE: Jealous newbie looking for optimization
(05-11-2017, 03:27 PM)Marillion Wrote: I see your settings are 7-8.4. My feelings are that that would be too narrow a range.
Thanks
I will do so when I get more consistent in using my machine. I need to adjust my stats, as my range is 6 to 8.6 right now. Today I just turned off the EPR as well. Looking at my sleepyhead data, I had some weeks where things were a lot more stable. I have not been sleeping well this week, so that could be part of it and I had stopped using my CPAP for nearly a week too.
But it seems like I am getting mainly Clear Airway events. I will try the neck pillow, and I should be getting the Airfit P10 to try next week. I am a mouth breather though, so it might not work for me. But I am a side sleeper and move around a lot at night.