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What AHI figure should I expect to see? - ghce - 04-20-2018
What AHI figure should I expect to see from a well sorted CPAP protocol?
I have been on CPAP for a month and a half and have upped the pressure 3 times since I started each time getting worthwhile reduction in AHI from 9.5 to 11.5 at 10 cm 6.0 to 0.24 at 12 cm and now at the moment 1.5 to 0.63 at 13 though the average on the latter is closer to 1.00 over the last week and a half.
Is this good or can I expect better, should it be much closer to 0.0 AHI? or to get closer do I need different type of machine.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - DeepBreathing - 04-20-2018
An AHI of 5.0 is regarded as fully treated, though most people target as low as possible. In my view it's not reasonable to expect 0.0 as even people who are non-apneacs have the occasional breathing event which would count as an apnea. If you're consistently getting an AHI below about 2.0 then it's pointless changing pressures in search of better numbers. Now the thing is to concentrate on comfort and how well you feel.
If you post a SleepyHead daily chart and identify any particular problems you're experiencing we might be able to sort it for you.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - ghce - 04-20-2018
Thats very reassuring, nice to be on track.
I must say that coming from an AHI of 48 down to an AHI of 1.0 or less hasn't yet given me much of a change of quality of life but hopefully that will be a cumulative thing in the coming months and years however I am sure my wife's quality of life for sleep is a whole lot better now that my apnea is contained.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - SarcasticDave94 - 04-20-2018
I can only ditto DeepBreathing's comments. AHI under 5 is treated.
The docs that monitor their patients likely would stop trying to enhance or tweak settings upon arriving at 5 or less AHI consistently IMO. Unless comfort and rest is an issue, I wouldn't change for sake of change. Best wishes good trend continues.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - Sleeprider - 04-20-2018
Sounds like your results at 13 cm pressure is doing pretty good. What kind of EPR setting are you using? What are your residual events, OA, CA or H?
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - mesenteria - 04-20-2018
FWIW, most of us never experience a truly gratifying change in the 'quality of life' as a result of the most optimal results from our PAP. At least, judging from my three months of reading many threads here and on the other place, the low AHI doesn't seem to translate well, or satisfyingly, into more energy, less sluggishness or drowsiness, or fewer headaches. I don't know why that is...you'd think people would fairly shout 'Eureka!!!" here when at the same time reporting successful treatment and numbers.
Some of that may be due to 'early reporting', well before things have a chance to mature and settle. Often people come here within a few days, or even prior to, any form of remediation seeking guidance, assurances, or some hand-holding. It seems that it takes most of us months before we are alerted to a meaningful change in our perceptions of well-being or improvements there-to.
Hang in there.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - Ron AKA - 04-20-2018
(04-20-2018, 02:50 AM)ghce Wrote: What AHI figure should I expect to see from a well sorted CPAP protocol?
I have been on CPAP for a month and a half and have upped the pressure 3 times since I started each time getting worthwhile reduction in AHI from 9.5 to 11.5 at 10 cm 6.0 to 0.24 at 12 cm and now at the moment 1.5 to 0.63 at 13 though the average on the latter is closer to 1.00 over the last week and a half.
Is this good or can I expect better, should it be much closer to 0.0 AHI? or to get closer do I need different type of machine.
I would suggest the most critical factor in determining what can be achieved for AHI using a CPAP or APAP for treatment is the ratio of central CA events compared to obstructive OA and H events. If you have a very low component of CA you should be able to achieve very low AHI in most cases, possibly under 1.0. However if you have a higher portion of CA events, those are not well controlled by CPAP. You may have to settle for being under 5.0 for AHI.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - Vitamin J - 04-20-2018
(04-20-2018, 01:29 PM)mesenteria Wrote: FWIW, most of us never experience a truly gratifying change in the 'quality of life' as a result of the most optimal results from our PAP. At least, judging from my three months of reading many threads here and on the other place, the low AHI doesn't seem to translate well, or satisfyingly, into more energy, less sluggishness or drowsiness, or fewer headaches. I don't know why that is...you'd think people would fairly shout 'Eureka!!!" here when at the same time reporting successful treatment and numbers.
Some of that may be due to 'early reporting', well before things have a chance to mature and settle. Often people come here within a few days, or even prior to, any form of remediation seeking guidance, assurances, or some hand-holding. It seems that it takes most of us months before we are alerted to a meaningful change in our perceptions of well-being or improvements there-to.
Hang in there.
I dunno...I have yet to be prescribed my machine yet, I just did a Titration test on Wed night (04/18/2018)...but I've been using a loaner machine from a friend, an Airsense 10 Auto and we just set it at 11 - 20cm...I used it last Wed for the first time, woke up to see that my AHI was 2.8 from 79. And I felt pretty damn good....so it's been a lil over a week now, and I didn't use it last night...had issues with a new mask and just got fed up and took it off and went to sleep. Woke up with a headache and have been sluggish all day...just like before. Maybe it's in my head, I dunno...I hope to get mine here shortly with the pressure set to where I need it....Dr told me it will probably be a bilevel machine. I'm looking forward to it.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - SarcasticDave94 - 04-20-2018
Welcome to Apnea Board Vitamin J.
Some do have the near instant "feeling better" almost as soon as they are on CPAP. You sound like you may fit that category. Big congrats if so. Others do have to wait some time for therapy to work where they begin to feel well. Nevertheless, once you have the right machine, the right settings, the right mask, and have leaks controlled, PAP therapy does eventually get us feeling better IMHO.
Best to success,
PS once you get the machine, feel free to post SleepyHead data to allow gurus to share setting advice to get your settings to that optimized perfection or at least very close to that. Happy Friday y'all.
RE: What AHI figure should I expect to see? - ghce - 04-20-2018
(04-20-2018, 02:14 PM)Ron AKA Wrote:(04-20-2018, 02:50 AM)ghce Wrote: What AHI figure should I expect to see from a well sorted CPAP protocol?
I have been on CPAP for a month and a half and have upped the pressure 3 times since I started each time getting worthwhile reduction in AHI from 9.5 to 11.5 at 10 cm 6.0 to 0.24 at 12 cm and now at the moment 1.5 to 0.63 at 13 though the average on the latter is closer to 1.00 over the last week and a half.
Is this good or can I expect better, should it be much closer to 0.0 AHI? or to get closer do I need different type of machine.
I would suggest the most critical factor in determining what can be achieved for AHI using a CPAP or APAP for treatment is the ratio of central CA events compared to obstructive OA and H events. If you have a very low component of CA you should be able to achieve very low AHI in most cases, possibly under 1.0. However if you have a higher portion of CA events, those are not well controlled by CPAP. You may have to settle for being under 5.0 for AHI.
Is CA clear airway? is this a central event, still coming to grips with some of the terminology. My Clear Airway events are only a small ratio compared to OA and H and generally the OA is more prevalent than th H events but it is still a moving feast when comparing the 3 with some times the H being dominant and other times the OA.
I am very relieved that the OA events now are of much less duration, prior to CPAP I spent most of the night not breathing with events being typically more than a minute 48 times and hour lol, even at 10cm on treatment I was still getting OA duration of upto 75 and 80 seconds with an AHI of 10 to 11. Thankfully now with an AHI of 0.5 to 2.0 the duration seems to be maxing out at 35 seconds but generally around 10 and 11 seconds duration.