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+--- Thread: My cpap journey (/Thread-My-cpap-journey--25089)
My cpap journey - Lee Rilea - 05-14-2019
Hi all, I have been on my cpap journey since mid December last year, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, and my AHI at my sleep study was just under 52 iirc. You can see my equipment to the left in the info about me. They started me at a single pressure of 8cmH2O. I went in a month later for a check where they changed it to a varying 8-12. I have good nights and not so good. I rarely have a AHI under 10, have had very few if any under 5. Most are in the mid to upper teens. I have been hearing AHI should be under 5. I started out feeling pretty good and rested, but have noticed of late some of my daytime tiredness returning. I am going in Thursday to see the sleep doc. Hopefully she wil bump up my pressures. Yes, I kow you can do this yourself, but I want to gove her the benefit of the doubt first. If she won't cooperate, I will do it under the radar. Will have to do it under the radar of the wife too, as she thinks I shouldn't do it myself. I will try this weekend to post Oscar results for you. I have no idea how to do this. I have Windows 10, so if there is a tutorial someplace here or if someone can guide me that would be great.
RE: My cpap journey - OpalRose - 05-14-2019
With a Sleep Study AHI of 52, that is severe. If you have a copy of your sleep study, post it here.
In the meantime, look at the statistics in OSCAR. Can you tell us the breakdown of the AHI?
Meaning....how many Obstructives, Hypopneas, or Clear Airway? Those three things make up the AHI total.
We should not advise you to raise or change pressure if your AHI consists mostly of Clear Airways as raising the pressure could make it worse. This is the reason we need to see your data.
Many of us have tutorials in our signature lines. See below.
First link for downloading OSCAR.
Second link for organizing graphs and stats.
Third link tells you how to post that data here.
I can understand if you want to wait for your doctor to help, but I wouldn’t count on it since, as you say, your treated AHI is still in the teens. Time to take charge.
RE: My cpap journey - Sleeprider - 05-14-2019
The methodology for changing CPAP pressure is the same, whether it is done in a lab setting or by you personally. The titration protocol decision tree below is what anyone, professional or amateur should use. A special case exists if you have obstructive apnea that occur in tight clusters that suggest positional apnea. We will often suggest a soft cervical collar to resolve that situation to keep the airway aligned as described in this wiki http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Optimizing_therapy#Positional_Apnea .
RE: My cpap journey - Lee Rilea - 05-14-2019
I will post the Oscar info this weekend. Here is my AHI breakdown from last night via dreammapper. AHI 18.8 central apenas 7 obstructive pandas 86 and total hypopneas 25. I'm just not gonna have time to work with Oscar before Saturday. Between work chores and yard work I'm on the run.
RE: My cpap journey - jaswilliams - 05-14-2019
(05-14-2019, 09:46 AM)Lee Rilea Wrote: Obstructive pandas 86 and total hypopneas 25. I'm just not gonna have time to work with Oscar before Saturday. Between work chores and yard work I'm on the run.
You have to be careful with those obstructive pandas
Based on these numbers more pressure and possibly positional therapy will help reduce your AHI
RE: My cpap journey - Lee Rilea - 05-14-2019
Gotta love auto correct, it can go to he'll lol.
RE: My cpap journey - Sleeprider - 05-14-2019
(05-14-2019, 09:46 AM)Lee Rilea Wrote: I will post the Oscar info this weekend. Here is my AHI breakdown from last night via dreammapper. AHI 18.8 central apenas 7 obstructive pandas 86 and total hypopneas 25. I'm just not gonna have time to work with Oscar before Saturday. Between work chores and yard work I'm on the run.
Looks like central apnea is the leading indicator here. This is sounding a lot like complex apnea where both central and obstructive apnea is present in high numbers. CPAP is not designed for the treatment of central and complex apnea, and you may be moving towards ASV treatment. So this is the other exception to the titration protocol I posted earlier. I think you will need to work closely with your doctor to resolve the high AHI, but Apnea Board can help you to learn about complex pandas and the ASV bilevel machine that is used to treat it. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Optimizing_therapy#Complex_or_Mixed_Apnea_.28OA_.2F_CA.29
RE: My cpap journey - Melman - 05-14-2019
Please clarify. I interpret your data differently than Sleeprider. Do you mean your AHI was 18.8 with 86 obstructive apnea, only 7 central, and 25 hypopneas?
RE: My cpap journey - sheepless - 05-14-2019
I read the number of events to be 7 ca vs 86 oa. do you see or know something else to lead to the conclusion ca are the leading indicator?
RE: My cpap journey - jaswilliams - 05-14-2019
I read the data the same way as the others Sleeprider. Predominately Obstructive with Hypopnoea ?? Hence my suggestions for more pressure