RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
(10-03-2020, 01:25 PM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: The Flow Limits looked better than they did compared to the last chart I saw. Likely cause for the AHI increase is elevated CA which are called Clear Apnea in OSCAR but are really Central Apnea. Central Apnea are long pauses in our breathing. AHI is a number that means Apnea Hypopnea Index; it's just a measuring stick to tell us how many apnea events took place. Lower than 5 AHI typically means the CPAP therapy is more effective. But we do not change or suggest changing settings just because AHI is higher comparing one day to another. Note that almost every time you use the CPAP and view it in OSCAR, it will look different. Our goal is to get you to the place where CPAP therapy feels comfortable and gives a reasonable AHI number. We like to see trends, stringing multiple days together.
Also of note, the CA amount went up. These CA events do this normally, they are up one night and drop down the next. These CA are never consistent in going up or down. They do however get less over time. And CA are expected as you are new to CPAP.
After this last sleep session, did you feel about the same, or was it worse or better? It is probably better to rely on how you felt after CPAP therapy than the numbers, even though numbers are helpful to us. They tell us how to measure or grade your therapy.
Hope this made sense, and hopefully you are doing OK. If anything about the CPAP or what we post does not make sense, you can post questions. Not all your posts need OSCAR charts either, they can just be questions or comments.
I would not change settings just from this chart. Keep using the CPAP as it is now. Best wishes for great therapy. Have a great weekend.
Thank you for your explanation. It helps to know that the AHI will go up and down. I didn't know if the rise in number meant I needed to change a setting.
I feel a bit groggy today but I have the energy to do what I need to do, which is a big improvement.
10-03-2020, 01:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-03-2020, 01:49 PM by SarcasticDave94.
Edit Reason: clarify
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RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
You are welcome.
Yes the grogginess is understandable. At least you are continuing to feel OK. As mentioned, if you have any questions on the CPAP or therapy feel free to ask. Again, a great weekend to you.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
(10-03-2020, 01:48 PM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: You are welcome.
Yes the grogginess is understandable. At least you are continuing to feel OK. As mentioned, if you have any questions on the CPAP or therapy feel free to ask. Again, a great weekend to you.
Thanks, I will ask questions for sure. I'm a person that likes all the information. It will take me a while to get used to the abbreviations and what things mean, and how it effects the breathing issues. Reading here helps that. I hope posting my charts daily will be a good thing...I'm thinking people want to see all the different changes that happen each night.
Hey, I live in a city called Greencastle too
You have a great weekend too.
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
(10-03-2020, 02:32 PM)DotLove Wrote: It will take me a while to get used to the abbreviations and what things mean,
Howdy DotLove,
Here's a glossary of Sleep Apnea Terms:
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php/Definitions
and a list of common Sleep Apnea Acronyms:
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php/Acronyms
Hope that helps.
Don't worry about not understanding it all - I've been here since 2004 and still don't understand it all. Fortunately there's a lot of experienced members here who can help. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the information-- just take it slow and ask as many questions as you wish.
SuperSleeper
Apnea Board Administrator
www.ApneaBoard.com
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: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
Thanks Supersleeper and Bonjour!
10-06-2020, 09:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-06-2020, 09:28 AM by DaveL.)
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
(10-03-2020, 11:34 AM)DotLove Wrote: (10-02-2020, 04:30 PM)DaveL Wrote: This is an incredible post and thread. DotLove I'm so grateful you started it.
I'm new to OSCAR therapy with my new apap machine. You've helped me so much and so have the posters here who provide help.
Thank you Dave. That's a nice thing to say.
You're welcome.
You're not alone! Know that when you ask questions you help me learn too.
Bonjour, that chart above with the notes on it helped me! Thanks
10-13-2020, 02:58 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-13-2020, 03:15 PM by DotLove.)
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
What is the ultimate goal for using cpap? Is it to have zero AHI? What would be a "good" chart look like?
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
The best results are you feeling better. The numbers are not as important as how you feel. With that being said, central, ob, and H events are timed at 10 seconds or longer(look at the signature at the bottom of the post) and if they are scattered throughout the night do not cause a lot of problems. If they are longer (you can put your mouse on the event and see the length) of course they would be causing problems.
So yes less is better.
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
The ultimate goal is to feel better. While an AHI of 0.0 happens, don't kill yourself trying for it. A 1-ish to sub 1 is usually achievable. When you start getting low AHI's, how you feel will take priority. You are going to have your good nights and not-so-good nights. I can have a string of sub .25 AHI's and after a day of strenuous Honey-Do's, can rack up a 3.5. You are playing the long game and not a daily one.
One last thought; As you spend more time using your CPAP, your body will become accustomed to its feel. This really helps in reducing your AHI. When I put on my mask at night, my brain now associates this with sleep. I'm usually out within a couple of minutes. My wife has told me that I can say "good night" put on the mask, and before she can reply, I'm asleep.
RE: Please help me to understand OSCAR data
Agreed. Numbers such as AHI are indicators to help us determine if the therapy is good or not. Zeros are not needed in any of these however. Medically, CPAP therapy is doing its job if AHI is 5.0. From there, we rely on you to say if you're feeling better for using the CPAP. Most users are likely to feel best if AHI is about 3 or a bit less, but again zero isn't required.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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