[OSCAR analysis] Still exhausted after using CPAP, is there anything wrong?

[HelpIAmTired]

Hello, I am an 19 year old male, not overweight (140 lbs and 5' 9"), I do not drink or do drugs, I do not currently have any vitamins deficiencies or known health problems aside from mild sleep apnea (AHI untreated around 12-15), feel free to ask any questions.

I have been using my cpap for about 2-3 weeks and I feel no difference at all despite usually consistent below 1 AHI (yes the Oscar data says 1.2 today but usually my Resmed says below 1). I still experience extreme exhaustion and nocturia, and am loosing my mind! I have been a walking corpse for about 5 months now and am desperate to feel rested. 

Today was my first day using OSCAR and as you can imagine, I have no clue how to analyze this data. I have tried analyzing it myself but it is going over my head. I was hoping y'all could take a look and let me know if I am doing anything wrong, thanks! My doc set my cpap settings to 4-10 pressure which I think is a bit low, but was wondering what input y'all have!

(I am unsure what info is relevant, I can provide more upon request)

   
   
   

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[super7pilot]

Your numbers don't look bad. However, I couldn't see the Flow Limitation chart. The main charts the forum needs to see are as follows.
1, Event Flags
2, Flow Rate
3, Pressure
4, Flow Limitations
5, Leak Rates

Most people just starting out on therapy will be tired even with low ahi numbers. The reason for that is your body is adapting to breathing pressurized air. Which is not natural. And it will usually cause sleep disturbances. Esp with your low 4cm pressure very quickly climbing to 10cm. That was the case with me. My AHI was low and I felt like a truck ran over me for 6 weeks.

And you are correct that your low number of 4cm is way too low for an adult. You should set it around 8-12 EPR2 and see how it goes. Your AS11 has a built in humidifier. I suggest you use it. A dry irritated nose can bring on congestion and burning from drying out. You had a lot of mask leaks and they can effect treatment and wake you up. So use the mask fit option on the first screen under the + button and adjust that mask.
clinical settings


One thing that can help a new person is to look at the left side of the OSCAR chart screen between the date window and AHI banner. Click on notes and you can document how you felt. This will make it easier to track over time as we can sometimes forget how we felt on a given date from weeks ago.

And also don't make too many changes to the settings in one go. As you won't know which of the several changes you made or that the forum suggested worked or didn't work.

[HelpIAmTired]

Thanks for the reply, I will contact my doc about getting that updated rn!. Also I will definitely readjust my mask to ensure less leaks. I have attached a screenshot of my leak rate and flor limit, hopefully it actually adds its my first time using this forum.


[img]blob:https://www.apneaboard.com/f46cb96f-40c1-4d67-bd1d-4011578d7c6b[/img]

[super7pilot]

You can set the pressure yourself. Most of the members here change their own settings. Click on the link
i added to my first reply.

[HelpIAmTired]

Oh cool! You're a lifesaver I really appreciate it! I hope this will help me. 

On the top of your head do you think there's a reason my doc prescribed me 4-10 pressure, it has always seemed so weird to me as that seems much lower than what other people have. Is that due to my sleep apnea only being mild? thanks!

[super7pilot]

Yes, The Dr's are lazy and just set the machine to a wide pressure swing and let it's algorithms figure out what to do. Most like me were sent home set to 4-20.