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New Member (Hello and Help!)
#1
New Member (Hello and Help!)
Hi everyone! Smile 

I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea (AHI 35.3, which was very surprising) a few months ago via a ResMed ApneaLink Air Type III at-home device. BUT I slept rough when I used the testing device and it only recorded for 5 hours and 30 minutes (and I am sure most of those hours were not sleeping since it was a rough night). But, they did consider it a valid report so my Dr. wrote an RX for a CPAP machine.

I got a ResMed AirSense 10 Auto CPAP machine, but couldn't really adjust to it. The exhale pressure (even with EPR at the max) was too much for me, and I would wake up gasping or feel like I was suffocating. I spoke with my Dr. and he agreed to write an RX for a BiPAP machine, and I now have the ResMed AirCurve 10 VAuto.

The dual level pressure of the BiPAP has made a all of the difference! I am able to use the machine comfortably and have been doing so for the past month!! I use a ResMed AirFit N30i mask and like the way it feels. I'm sized right in between S and M cushions, so I sometimes swap them on certain nights, but I think Medium might be a little more comfortable.

The reason for my post (besides saying hello and thanking you all for the great info to get me to this point!) is that I want to make sure everything is going well and my machine is dialed in.

Can someone help guide me on what I need to post for you to help me (I set up OSCAR and have my last month imported) and after I post my info, please let me know if everything is optimal or if I should tweak items?

3 concerns I have:

1) Is a higher or lower PS (Pressure Support) setting better? My RX for PS is 6, but I have been tweaking and adjusting that number and it seems like a lower number works better for my compliance, but I want to make sure that lower number isn't bad for my apnea. If a higher number is better, I can try to persist and adjust to it. But i want to know how much this number matters based on my reports.
2) Can you guys look at my report after I post it and see if I am mouth breathing? I *believe* I am, but I want to see if there is evidence from my reports to say I am or I am not? For example, last night the AHI was super low but I feel like I might have been mouth breathing. However, the leak value was very low, but I have no idea how to interpret the data.
3) Is there anything in my reports to indicate that I need to change some other settings like Ti or the auto detection sensitivity levels?

Thanks in advance! Being able to fix a life-altering problem with technology is very cool to me and having a community of experts who want to help each other is even cooler.  Thanks
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#2
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
Welcome to Apnea Board!
Follow the links below in my signature line.  This will show you how to organize a screenshot of the daily page. The third link will show you how to use the attachment feature to post that data here.

We are more than happy to help and advise you once we can see some of your data.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



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.
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#3
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
Thanks for your help! Here is my first screenshot. Let me know what else you want to see.

   
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#4
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
Hey, we don't take kindly to newcomers who come here to brag!   Too-funny 

Your only chart above, if truly representative of your typical night, is marvelous.  I would not change a thing.  In fact, I am a bit envious.  Smile
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#5
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
hahaha :Smile That's sort of the thing. I can't believe it! It's too good to be true. :Smile The first 25 nights or so I did tweak the PS setting a bit and I would get AHI between 2-5. But all of a sudden in the past 2 nights, it's been below 1. 

I am concerned I am mouth treating or something is screwing up the numbers. Are there any other values we can look at to make sure this seems stable and accurate? Thanks for your feedback!
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#6
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
If you need to verify how effective your treatment is, and you have some suspicions about the veracity of your AHI figures, look to the 'large leak' data in the table at left along with all the other pressures and limits, and look also at the graph to the right, down several tiers, for the 'leaks' to see if you have peaks.  As long as those spikes top out below the upper limit for leaks as the machine sees it, you are fine; the machine can compensate for minor leaks, and is designed to do just that.

Most of us are aroused from sleep if we have substantial leaking, but don't count on it for you.  Many also routinely sleep right through enormous leaks.  One gets used to anything, including persisting to sleep through bad leaks.  So, if we do well initially with PAP therapy, and go several nights getting used to the 'feel' of it, we'll almost certainly know when we get that first leak. It will arouse us.
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#7
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
Thanks, mesenteria! The large leaks are never a high number on any of the nights. I guess everything is good to go and I should just keep going! I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything interesting here or that the (extremely low AHI) might be caused by an error.

If you want to see other shots of other nights or more of the columns, I would be happy to provide data. Thanks again!
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#8
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
Leak rate is good, Flow Limitations almost 0.  Really, for just starting out, it’s excellent.
As long as you feel rested, I wouldn’t make any changes.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



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.
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#9
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!) :)
The big thing for you will be to keep an eye on things. As long as you don't have complaints I wouldn't change anything.

Why are you on a bilevel?

I understand that you tweaked the settings. With those settings, a ResMed Autoset will work for you. In order to "prove" you need a BiLevel/VAuto you might want to see how PS 0f 4 works for you. Why, because an APAP (AutoSet) cannot produce a PS of 4. This would likely come into play when you need to replace your machine.
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#10
RE: New Member (Hello and Help!)
Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I'll just go with the fact that I'm lucky and everything is good, but it was nice to verify my results and I'm happy with the good news.


Bonjour: I wrote the reason why I'm on a BiPAP in my post, but I'll repeat: when I started on an AirSense 10 APAP, I could not get used to the exhale. Even with he highest EPR. It didn't feel like it reduced to me and would feel very suffocating and I would wake up gasping and freaked out. I actually gave up using my CPAP. Then I spoke with my Doctor and he said he's had success with BiPAP. He did prescribe a high PS, which strangely didn't freak me out as much as the EPR of 3. With the guidance of this forum and other notes I've found, I lowered the PS to 3 (where I'm currently at) and I've been doing very well and the BiPAP is now *comfortable* to me. I will dial it up to 4 with your advice to see how the experience is, but there is a MASSIVE benefit (at least for me) where I was could not use the APAP with EPR 3and the BiPAP has been amazing and I'm very happy with it.

An argument could be made that, with time, I was able to adjust with the BiPAP and now I could probably use a APAP on EPR 3, but I doubt it. I tried that APAP machine for many nights and I could never feel the exhale pressure relief working. Even at a 3 or 2 on my BiPAP, I can feel the pressure reduce. Maybe some of this is psychological, but it doesn't matter. I was ready to quit with the APAP and now I would never give up my BiPAP and it makes me feel comfortable.

Any other advice, I would appreciate it. Thanks again!!
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