Would be great to get some feedback on my OSCAR data

[jimbobule]

I'm newly diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea. I have some nasty symptoms and been unwell for several years after being mishandled by the medical sector.
I think I have a histamine problem (due to mismedication) which means my sleep quality is very unpredictable and often characterised by 1-4 hour chunks usually 1.5hrs. Only been using CPAP for a week.

The last chart I attach is from Lowenstein Prisma TS software on the same data . It shows that a large proportion of my hypopneas are central hypopneas. Lowenstein for some reason does not count central hypopneas in their AHI score (despite having the data). My app says my AHI is 5, Oscar says about 9.

Any comments very welcome on how to improve my situation and I do hope I have followed the instructions correctly.

[SarcasticDave94]

Typically, Hypopnea if Obstructive would indicate increasing Min pressure. If they're truly Central based, then maybe not. You still may want to try increasing Min by 1 to 7.

It also appears these events get clustered in several clumps spread through the night. This can be attributed to Positional Apnea as in chin tucking. Do you use a thick pillow? It might be this is too thick and forcing the chin tuck, if applicable.

[jimbobule]

Do you use a thick pillow? It might be this is too thick and forcing the chin tuck, if applicable.

Very kind of you to reply. I'll look into pressures.
Yes, I right side sleep fairly high on 3 pillows. Maybe I try just 2 or even 1

[Deborah K.]

I suggest you change your low pressure setting to 8.  Your median pressure is 8.2, so 8 is a good place to start.

I don't know what CHI is, but it's not CA.  Your chart shows only one CA all night long, giving you a CA score of zero, so I would not worry about CAs.  Maybe you could ask the Lowenstein people what CHI is.

You have a lot of Positional Apneas.  PAs happen when your chin tucks toward your chest causing a reduction of airflow much like a kinked hose reduces water flow.  Getting these under control will drop your AHI significantly.  Some can solve this by sleeping on one pretty flat pillow.  Most wear a soft cervical collar high enough to keep their chin up.  Most drugstores carry a few and Amazon carries a lot of different ones.  Many here like the Caldera Releaf Collar if they can get one high enough because this collar is very comfortable.  Others like the Valpeau collars and others.  I use a child size pillow that has a raised front edge which tips my head back slightly.  This solves it for me.

Good luck with improving your therapy and comfort!  

[jimbobule]

That's absolutely brilliant advice Deborah. Thanks so much!

[jimbobule]

I'm in UK and bought the Vallapeu collar as per Deborah's recommendation (different brand / same design I think) and read the Optimising Therapy guide;

- I did the positional tests as per the guide and a very small rotation of my neck downwards impacts my nasal breathing. 

- I show 1 graph from yesterday where AHI was 13+ and one graph from today with the collar was 3+. Today shows only 1 positional cluster. Without that cluster my AHI would have been 1 or so. 

Seems I fit the Positional Apnea description as per guide perfectly?!?

My sleep is still very very fragmented, one hour chunks. Any help on that? Or just get used to CPAP? Do I even need CPAP?

[jimbobule]

Bumpy bumpy bumperty bump bump

[Jay51]

Your 2nd chart would be pretty good without that one positional cluster of hypopneas (H's). 0.00 flow limitations.  Very low mask leaks.  Numbers look pretty good.  

Try to get some consistent sleep using the positional apnea techniques.  Update us again in awhile to see how it is going.  You have the softpap options on your machine I think to further reduce H's if that is necessary in the future.  

1OSCAR Optimisation for Lowenstein

[jimbobule]

Thank you.

[jimbobule]

I limited my auto pressure range 8-12 (as above 12 it was just causing H's) and implemented Softpap setting 1.

This then gave me a Flow Limit score of 26.46 flagging 263 events?

Neck collar seems to be working still and my AHI score was almost exactly the same but sleep phases were  longer.

My AHI might seem OK but I still feel like I've been put through a washing machine on spin cycle each day and need to take a beta blocker to calm palpitations hence why I'm posting daily.

Two charts same day. One with full readout, other with Flow Limitations flagged. I've read the wiki but am confused what it means.

          

Thanks in advance!