Does snoring matter?

[Bungle]

Hi all,

First time poster here from the UK.  I have recently started CPAP therapy following an OSA diagnosis of 48 AHI.  I am fortunate that I am getting used to the therapy after 10 days or so.  I have an Auto CPAP and have reduced my pressure down from 20 max to 13.  My AHI score is now 1.1, it was 0.7 before but I think the pressure was far too high as I was getting headaches and aerophagia.  Having reduced it, this has all gone and although I am disappointed my AHI has gone up slightly, I believe that because its under 5 that is more than acceptable for therapeutic effect?

My concern that I wonder if someone could guide me with is this, although the numbers are great, I can see that OSCAR picks up some snoring.  I have read that snoring with CPAP therapy is not normal and maybe a sign the pressure needs increasing.  Is that correct? The numbers all appear fine and within range to be honest, am I getting transfixed on snoring and it doesn't really matter?

Thank you.

Paul

[staceyburke]

Any snoring shows som apnea is present. Is it serious ? No one can tell. We all go on data here. You get that data using OSCAR. It is totally fess, as is everything there, download from the top of the site. Also check wiki at the top of the page and search OSCAR for how to use it.

Please put up your charts from OSCAR and we can and will help.

[Bungle]

Thank you so much, I hope I have done this right as I am new to this all and trying to learn.

I hope the results are good.

Thank you.

Paul

[staceyburke]

Good Job on the chart!  You do have a problem with flow limits.  Flow limits are apnea just as are Obstructive and Hypopnoea.   They are just smaller and without a time of 10 seconds.  Take a look in my signature to see how apnea is classified.

Flow limits stop you form going into a deep sleep and can wake you up.  We will not completely eliminate them but we should be able to cut them down a lot.

We use EPR (exhale pressure relief) to help with flow limits.  Not only does EPR help with flow limits but it makes it easier to exhale.  The Min is the inhale pressure and the Min-EPR is the exhale pressure.  You need a min of 7 so the EPR can work (4 is the lowest the machine can go)

So with that being said - I would suggest a min=7  EPR=3 and see how that effects you.  Please post tomorrow so we can see what is going on.

Your inhale pressure would be 7 and exhale would be 4.  And that should help with keeping the high pressure down below 13 where you are now set.

I would also turn the ramp off, you are not getting any therapy during the time using the ramp

[Bungle]

Thank you Stacey,  I will make the changes and post tomorrow. 

Kind regards

Paul

[Bungle]

Stacey, 

I appreciate things will be more apparent tomorrow,  but could you please educate me on how you know that there is an issue with flow rates and what good looks like on the graph and numbers wise too please?

Hopefully your recommendations will help but if they don't what does it suggest?

Kind regards

Paul

[staceyburke]

There is a flow limit chart that is at the bottom of your Oscar post. Again, it is a lower class of obstruction (apnea), Because it is restricting your breathing it does effect your sleep.

You can look at the graph and of course the number and degree (height oh the line) shows how large the limitation is.

[staceyburke]

Let me give an explanation of apnea in general. Think of your air flow as a garden hose. If there is no kink in the hose the water flows at full force.

You get a bend in the hose you still have a lot of water BUT it is less coming out because of the small kink (flow limit). You take a couple more steps and the hose bends more and the water is cut into about half (H event). You takes a couple more steps and the hose is totally kinked and no water is coming out (O event).

I don’t know if that helps you visualize it or not but I tried.

GOOD things leak rate is good, O events only 2 very good and only a few more H events. All in all a very good job.

Bad flow limits.

[Bungle]

Thanks Stacey, appreciate you taking the time out. I will post tomorrow and I can call on your expertise again.

Paul

[Gideon]

You said flow rate, Stacy said flow limits.

In a zoomed view of the flow rate you will see flow limited breathing. In this case it is clearly indicated in your statistics (95%>0.10) and the flow limit chart.