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New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
#1
New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
Hi everyone,

I recently started CPAP therapy a couple of weeks ago after receiving my Resmed Airsense 10 APAP and Philips Dreamwear mask.

I downloaded Oscar and noticed I still experience several apnea events a night despite my doctor saying they titrated my machine (He set the pressure at 6-20 with EPR set at 3 since I sometimes have difficulty exhaling).

Would anyone be able to help my interpret my data and maybe adjust the settings better? I manage to sleep most of the night with the mask and machine but still wake up several times a night and feel tired/drowsy throughout the day.

Any help would be much appreciated!

   
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#2
RE: New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
Your min 6 and EPR 3 would work better with a min 7. 

Why - min 6 is the inhale pressure. When the EPR is 3 your exhale pressure is 4

Min 7 is the inhale pressure when the EPR is 3 the exhale pressure is STILL 4. 

More min (increase min 6 to 7) will help reduce your flow limits
Apnea (80-100%) 10 seconds, Hypopnea (50-80%) 10 seconds, Flow Limits (0-50%) not timed  Cervical Collar - Dealing w DME - Chart Organizing
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#3
RE: New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
According to the medical community, sleep is considered normal, or no sleep apnea present, with AHI of 0.0-4.9.
So technically, the doc is going to look at your AHI of 0.41 and say that the cpap is effectively treating your sleep apnea. Show them 4hrs of use most nights and they will wash their hands of you.

Folks here, helpful experts who have experienced sleep apnea themselves, know that doesn't always mean all your symptoms have resolved. 

Listen to the expert's recommendations for settings. Change one setting at a time. Give that change at least 4-5 days to see how your body reacts.
Come back with the OSCAR screenshots and details about how you feel after each setting change. 

Also, very few people are lucky enough to feel great improvement after only a few weeks of cpap.
Think of it as significant sleep debt from likely years of disordered sleep and it takes time to catch up.
The time to pay back that sleep debt varies. 

I will say, your posted OSCAR chart looks beautiful for a newbie!  Keep aiming for 6+hrs of use a night, keep aiming for controlled mask/mouth leaks.
We also look at the Flow Limit 95%. The experts here know sleep is less disturbed when that number is under 0.1 with an ultimate goal of under 0.03. 

Good luck, stick with it, and you've landed in a great place for help!
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#4
RE: New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
Let's start with min at 7 as Stacy suggested. That will set a baseline with a steady EPR. REPOST AND RE EVALUATE.
since your numbers are very good how you feel becomes very significant. So be very critical with how you feel.
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#5
RE: New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
Thanks guys. I will definitely up the min pressure to 7 tonight and report back in a couple of days!
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#6
RE: New CPAP User - Need help understanding data
Hi guys,


It's been around 5 days since I upped my pressure to a min of 7 with an EPR of 3. I still wake up throughout the night for 5-10 minutes or less than 2 minutes.

In the mornings, I feel less brain fog and less tired but not by a wide margin compared to when the pressure was at 6. Do you guys recommend upping the pressure again?

Thanks!


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