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[Symptoms] New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
#11
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
(01-25-2015, 05:49 AM)DocWils Wrote: I'm sorry, from this there is not enough to indicate clinical levels of apnoea, although it certainly indicates something is up, an a proper study will tell what is really happening here.

I agree. To me, the data does add more weight to the idea that you need a sleep test.

Your other symptoms are a strong indication of the possibility of apnea and needing a sleep test. There are some apnea questionnaires you can find online that may add weight to the idea that you need a sleep test.

However, don't be too sure it's apnea. One of the reasons for getting a sleep test is to be sure it's really apnea and not a more dangerous and immediate medical problem.

One thing that would add to that would be if you see spikes where O2 drops and the pulse rate goes up at the same time.

Worn out, how difficult is it for you to get a sleep test? i.e. cost, clinic availability, insurance, etc.? Are you in the country of Lebanon?

Another clue would be to have your wife listen to you while you're sleeping and see if you stop breathing for a while. A sound recorder or even a video recorder can help, too.

(01-24-2015, 06:38 PM)worn_out_in_lebanon Wrote: This segment in the 3 hour range may be more informative than 10 hours squished into one chart.
Again, this was a relatively good night, based on how I felt this morning when I got up.
Thanks again for all the input to this point.

That graph doesn't look like data glitches to me. I'd sort of expect things to look like that if you are having trouble breathing for a while, your O2 drops slowly, and then you wake up a bit and start breathing. O2 tends to jump up very quickly once you start breathing normally.

You might want to look for that in your data when you're having a bad night.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#12
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
Let's be sure we are all on the same page. From what I gathered, he hasn't posted any graph that was made on one of his bad nights.

Given that the graphs he posted were made while he was wearing the dental appliance that gave some relief from his apnea symptoms, I think it would be more informative if we could see a graph made when he didn't have that appliance in place. He has indicated a reluctance to do that since it makes the following day unpleasant. That makes me think we haven't seen the worst of this.

I think such a graph may give rise to a whole different assessment of his condition. We would also need to see some flow information as well. The sleepyhead software data would be much more informative than a lone O2 sat/pulse rate graph.

Lacking any of that, he will need to to have a professional sleep test performed to be more definitive. If possible, he should have one done in any case.
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#13
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
(01-25-2015, 10:24 AM)surferdude2 Wrote: I think such a graph may give rise to a whole different assessment of his condition. We would also need to see some flow information as well. The sleepyhead software data would be much more informative than a lone O2 sat/pulse rate graph.

He doesn't have a CPAP yet, so there will be no flow data.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#14
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
I think he will eventually. Wink In the meantime, a bad night's oxy graph would help and made with the updated version (2.1 or higher) of the software would allow a better assessment.
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#15
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
Thanks for all the input everyone.

I found version 2.4 on the Cooper Medical site and downloaded that.
That's a much improved piece of software. Smile

Unfortunately, it won't read my previously saved spor file from the old version.
And it won't recognize my device now either.
So I can't download my previous file, or any new files, to this version.
Next I downloaded updated drivers from Cooper, installed, rebooted, but it still won't recognize my device. CMS 50D+
The old software still recognizes the device though.

My Lebanon is in middle TN. There are lots of cedars in this area, and the name comes from that.

I could probably get a sleep test easily enough.
It's just taken me a while to realize this is the path I need to start down, and accept where it leads me.
(I can be a little stubborn about going to the dr too.) Smile

I'll have to put a hold on the intentional bad night, for another week or two.
I have a certification exam coming up in a week, on Saturday afternoon - 200 questions, 4 hours.
PMP certification for project managers. Probably similar in scope to an accountant getting a CPA.
Still finishing up my studying (need to be able to focus the rest of this week), and need to be on my best game for the exam itself too.
Between work and studying, I've been averaging 54 hours a week for the past 12 weeks.
Been in the middle of leading a big I.T. project which has finally gotten over the hump and is tapering off now.
Getting next Saturday behind me will be a big turning point too.

There have been times I've woken up in the middle of the night realizing I can't breathe in, and have to push out a little air first, to get it going again.

The trick of using just the upper retainer and leaving out the lower retainer has given me some relief. With the upper in place, my lower teeth can't get in behind the upper teeth at all. Stumbled on to that trick while using a sublingual melatonin tablet (I left the lower retainer out since it interfered with keeping the tablet in place under my tongue). I fell asleep after the tablet dissolved and before remembering to put the lower back in. After doing this a few times, and noticing the coinciding improved sleep quality, that has now become my normal routine. I'm still declining during the week and need two 10 hour nights on the weekend to recover though. Not just this past 12 weeks but pretty much for the past 2-3 years.



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#16
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
If you download Sleepyhead, there is a function to import sO2sat data from you device, and will give a fairly good and clear reading. In the meantime, please note that with the software you are using, only the USB cable provided with the device will work to communicate with your computer and download the data. No other cable will work. These are proprietary cables.
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#17
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
"I've resisted getting a sleep study. "

Did your doctor suggest one?

Even if not, I think you've got enough of the warning signs to say you should ask your doctor about a sleep test.

"Two nights ago I woke up panting very hard, and my heart racing. But wasn't dreaming. Took a while to catch my breath, like I'd just finished a sprint."

While that could be apnea, don't forget that even us apneacs are still susceptible to every other health problem. That could be some sort of heart problem. Yet another reason to discuss it with your doctor to rule out other problems, and consider a sleep test.

Your problems do sound like apnea. If so, they'll probably keep getting worse until you treat it.

I understand the reluctance to get sucked into the medical mafia system. Dealing with our medical system is getting to be more and more like dealing with used car dealers all the time.

However, apnea is a bit like diabetes. It's a very real medical condition, it's serious, the tests are usually pretty conclusive, and CPAP therapy is a miracle cure for many people. Even if the system is decadent and corrupt, you need the product.

I also don't believe that they cheat on the test results and tell you that you need CPAP when you don't. They don't need to, because most of the people who've got to the point of getting a sleep test really do have apnea.


TL;DR - get a sleep test.

Read the links in my signature line below for some hints on how to avoid the pitfalls and avoid getting screwed with a bad CPAP machine.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#18
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.

Lots of great info here in this forum!

Archangle - I really like the links in your sig.

I downloaded sleepyhead on Sunday and it was able to read my spor file that I saved from SPO2 Assistant.
I haven't tried yet to read my device directly yet.
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#19
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
cool! glad you have sleepyhead, and you'll get used to some charts there. can't wait for you to get diagnosed and get the machine that will help you.

meanwhile do try various sleep positions and see what difference this makes.
Dedicated to QALity sleep.
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#20
RE: New. No CPAP yet. Oximeter results inside.
I used to have SpO2 climbing and falling. I had periods below 91%. This was with my CPAP machine on and set to 8.

I did a program of steady increases and when I went from 12 cm-H2O to 15 cm-H2O suddenly the problem of falling spO2 levels stopped and I have a steady SpO2 levels during the night.

In a 2008 there was a paper on sleep apnea assessments and 22% of certified centers didn't have a written protocol. My assessment was done in 30 minutes.

Do anything at your own risk.
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