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First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - Printable Version

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First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - kupalooza - 03-06-2015

I've had my ResMed 10 Auto for 2 days now and while I feel like my apnea (diagnosed as "mild to moderate", no other data provided) has improved somewhat, I'm not quite sure I'm getting what I'm supposed to be. I've felt mildly more refreshed but I'm still a little on the groggy side in the morning.

I downloaded SleepyHead and grabbed the data from my machine. Attached is a copy of my initial statistics for my first two days. I'm still learning about the software - can anybody provide some feedback for me as to what this all means and tell me if my machine is doing the trick or not? If not, is there anything I can do to improve my results? My MD is very difficult to get a hold of and I'm not sure I can stand to wait yet more months to get anything corrected (took months as is to get my machine).

If you can't see my file (or is not allowed), here are the basic numbers, which I don't quite understand. My pressure setting is a 7.

Most recent result (what do these numbers mean?):

AHI: 7.66
Obstructive: 2.01
Hyponea: 0.73
Clear Airway: 4.74
Average Leak Rate: 1.06
90% Leak Rate: 2.40
% of time above Leak Rate Threshold: 0.01

Thanks!


RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - AshSF - 03-06-2015

Good job on controlling leaks. That is a big part of the battle which you have under control.

Give it at least 10 days on this setting. Since you have just started CPAP, you are seeing Clear Airway apnea events. They will settle down to their true level (probably close to zero) once your body gets a bit used to breathing against this device.

Once you have been on it for 10 days, then post your summary data again. I would not touch anything for the first 10 days.

What is your EPR setting? After evaluating your 10 day data, you may have to change your pressure/EPR settings to optimize your therapy. Its easy to do. You should request a clinical manual of your machine by clicking "CPAP Setup Manuals" link on top of Apneaboard page.




RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - retired_guy - 03-06-2015

I really don't understand why some docs prescribe a perfectly good auto-titrating machine then insist on dummy'ing it down with a low fixed pressure.

As Ash says, the conventional advice is don't do anything for awhile. But, as an ultra right-wing conservative with closet liberal tendencies, I generally suggest modesty, but movement.

So if it was my machine, then I'd set it to "auto" mode, with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10, and see what happens over 2 or 3 nights.



RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - trish6hundred - 03-06-2015

Hi kupalooza,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more answers to your questions and much success to you with your CPAP therapy.


RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - GeoffD - 03-06-2015

(03-06-2015, 02:36 PM)kupalooza Wrote: Most recent result (what do these numbers mean?):

AHI: 7.66
Obstructive: 2.01
Hyponea: 0.73
Clear Airway: 4.74
Average Leak Rate: 1.06
90% Leak Rate: 2.40
% of time above Leak Rate Threshold: 0.01

AHI is the number of apnea events the machine thinks you have per hour.

Obstructive, Hyponea, and Clear airway are the machine trying to guess what kind of apnea event each one was. Obstructive is what most people typically see a lot of. That's when your upper airway gets blocked. I use ResScan software so I'm not qualified to comment on how Sleepyhead software names things.

24 is the "unacceptable" leak rate. 1 or 2 is fine and means you likely don't have a mouth leak problem that requires a chin strap; and your mask fit is fine.

Without knowing the numbers in your sleep study, it's tough to say much about an AHI of 7. If you were at 30 or 40 in your sleep study, it's a big improvement. Between your body adjusting to the machine and fiddling with the settings slowly over time, it would be good to get to a lower number. Less than 5 is "average" and a lot of people (like me) with severe apnea (I was 42 events per hour in my sleep study) get below 1 most of the time. Everybody is different.

I agree with the advice to enable the AutoSet feature is the right approach. If the machine sees you're having breathing issues, it bumps up the pressure. Your software can show the individual apnea events as they occur and how long they last. You should put up some of that data. If the events are bunched together, AutoSet might really help.

You were asked about your EPR setting. Many of us, particularly those who use higher pressures than you do, set it on 3 so you're not fighting so much to exhale. I'm at 14-17 AutoSet. When I exhale, it drops down to 11.

My final words: Change settings very slowly and make very modest changes. Collect at least a couple of weeks of data before changing them again. Many durable medical equipment suppliers (DMEs) have a cow if you change the settings without getting your sleep center to change the prescription. It's probably better to ask them before changing anything as you're trying to dial in your settings.


RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - OpalRose - 03-06-2015

(03-06-2015, 02:36 PM)kupalooza Wrote: I've had my ResMed 10 Auto for 2 days now and while I feel like my apnea (diagnosed as "mild to moderate", no other data provided) has improved somewhat, I'm not quite sure I'm getting what I'm supposed to be. I've felt mildly more refreshed but I'm still a little on the groggy side in the morning.

I downloaded SleepyHead and grabbed the data from my machine. Attached is a copy of my initial statistics for my first two days. I'm still learning about the software - can anybody provide some feedback for me as to what this all means and tell me if my machine is doing the trick or not? If not, is there anything I can do to improve my results? My MD is very difficult to get a hold of and I'm not sure I can stand to wait yet more months to get anything corrected (took months as is to get my machine).

If you can't see my file (or is not allowed), here are the basic numbers, which I don't quite understand. My pressure setting is a 7.

Most recent result (what do these numbers mean?):

AHI: 7.66
Obstructive: 2.01
Hyponea: 0.73
Clear Airway: 4.74
Average Leak Rate: 1.06
90% Leak Rate: 2.40
% of time above Leak Rate Threshold: 0.01

Thanks!

Hi kupalooza,
I also do not understand Doctors who set a fixed pressure on an Auto CPAP, although you can do that later if your more comfy with a fixed pressure.
Your AHI is good for only 2 days, but could be a lot better. Do you know what your titrated pressure number was from your sleep study?
I think retired-guy's advise is good to start, then watch sleepyhead and keep track for a week or more before making any other changes. Maby by then you can post graphs and get help making further adjustments if needed.
Good luck! Sleep-well
OpalRose


RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - rbrooke - 03-06-2015

[quote='kupalooza' pid='103391' dateline='1425670574']
I've had my ResMed 10 Auto for 2 days now and while I feel like my apnea (diagnosed as "mild to moderate", no other data provided) has improved somewhat, I'm not quite sure I'm getting what I'm supposed to be. I've felt mildly more refreshed but I'm still a little on the groggy side in the morning.

I downloaded SleepyHead and grabbed the data from my machine. Attached is a copy of my initial statistics for my first two days. I'm still learning about the software - can anybody provide some feedback for me as to what this all means and tell me if my machine is doing the trick or not? If not, is there anything I can do to improve my results? My MD is very difficult to get a hold of and I'm not sure I can stand to wait yet more months to get anything corrected (took months as is to get my machine).

If you can't see my file (or is not allowed), here are the basic numbers, which I don't quite understand. My pressure setting is a 7.

Most recent result (what do these numbers mean?):

AHI: 7.66
Obstructive: 2.01
Hyponea: 0.73
Clear Airway: 4.74
Average Leak Rate: 1.06
90% Leak Rate: 2.40
% of time above Leak Rate Threshold: 0.01

Thanks!

Don't expect instant success. Remember that the machine working properly won't solve not getting enough sleep. I.E. if you body requires 8 hours and you get 6-1/2 hours of great sleep, you still need the balance. I know that every one is different. Plus, remember that until you used the equipment, you may have been deprived of sleep and that will take some time to recoup. so carry on, keep track of the readings as you are doing, consult with the pro's and enjoy.

Cheers

Robert






RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - kupalooza - 03-06-2015

Hi everybody! Thanks so much for all the great advice so far.

I checked SleepyHead and it says I'm on an EPR of 3. Also, for those who asked - all I know about my sleep study is that my AHI during it was returned as "somewhere between 7 and 12", so if that's the case maybe I'm not improving all that much?

I looked at the graphs (are there certain ones that are good to show?) and I had a bunch of clear airway issues when I first went to bed, so maybe I was adjusting. I was good for about 90 minutes then had minor issues (I recall waking up during this time for a couple of seconds, so maybe that was it). Everything else was mostly scattered with the exception of a period around 4:30 AM, and I think I woke up briefly then too. Neither was disconcerting unlike other apnea episodes, just went back to sleep. Maybe I just need time to adjust to prolonged CPAP usage?




RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - quiescence at last - 03-06-2015

if you had an AHI of 7 to 12 in your sleep study you would not have been prescribed with CPAP.

I wouldn't have, unless there was some other problem they detected.

QAL

by the way, I'd just keep on using it for the week, as ASH indicated. there is nothing seriously wrong with where you are at at the moment. I am a conservative, right out in the open.

good reading is yours for the taking. pop around and do some word searches for anything that sounds interesting.



[just because you can doesn't mean you should.]
.


RE: First two days of CPAP data - any advice? - APAPqueen - 03-06-2015

I agree with retired guy!!! Use that machine to it's fullest!!! Set it on APAP mode, I would set a range of 4cmH2O-20cmH2O, turn EPR off, turn ramp off, change essentials to plus and let it rip. If you change essentials to plus you can look at the full sleep report. The S10 is an awesome machine... use all of it!!!