Blood Oxygen Monitor

[symmit]

Thanks,
I just found out how to get the full reports !!
Is there any particular part I should be looking at?
Is there a bit that says what my AHI is? (what ever that means!)

Lorraine

You have to work it out for yourself!

[Tigers Fan]

Hi Lorraine

You are not paying attention!!!!!!

With your last post in mind, please read my earlier post again!

You are beginning to remind me of a Deck Officer with a shifting spanner in his hand. Trouble!

[ElleCee]

Hi TF,
I feel like a naughty school girl
Right, I found the summary page (at last) and I had 64 events with an average event duration of 61.4 seconds.
I will do the tests for another 3 nights and get an average, then I will go back to cpap for 4 nights and then I will ask what to do next.
Is that ok?
Have I got it right now?
Lorraine

[Berneta]

Hi Lorraine

I think I would just use the CPAP-- and then have the Smart Card read to find out what my AHI is. (A smart card would tell you what you want to know, and if you should continue to use your CPAP.) But then I hate to tinker with machines--and esp if I don't know what I am doing. Compare this --compare that--phooey. Good luck, hope you get the answer you want after going to all that trouble. XOX Berneta

[ElleCee]

Nice idea Bernetta,
Sadly though my cpap doesn't have a smart card, nor will it take one so I thought this the cheaper option compared to buying another cpap.
Still, it is a learning curve!
Thanks for the encouragement
Lorraine

[Tigers Fan]

Now we are getting somewhere! Pink suspenders and a naughty school girl!

You are now right on the money! Nearly! You told me what I asked for but I didn't ask for what I wanted! Right under where it tells you that you had 64 events, it tells you your Adjusted Index. For our comparative purposes, your Adjusted Index will serve as a good guide to your AHI. What was your Adjusted Index?

Other than this, do as you say! You're getting the hang!

TF

[ElleCee]

Now I is excited !!

Adjusted index of SP02 is 5.7 and pulse is 18.2
of course that means nothing to me at all but I bow to your superior knowledge

Nighty night
Lorraine

[Tigers Fan]

I hope that is your Pulse Adjusted Index and not your pulse!

Right! Now you know what info we need do a few nights with and a few nights without CPAP. Average the typical night's readings (ignore a night you know was poor sleep for whatever reason) and compare.
You will know whether ot not you need CPAP and the 'with CPAP' readings will give us a clue as to what you need to do to improve things.

TF

[ElleCee]

Fankoo so very much

I will report back in due course

Lorraine x

[ElleCee]

I have some results...

3 nights without cpap the adjusted index reads:

Night 1... 5.7
Night 2... 5.7
Night 3... 8.4

3 nights with cpap :

Night 1... 1.3
Night 2... 1.9
Night 3... 0.5

That is with a pressure of 14.6 (ramping from 9.6 after 5 mins)

TF, please would you interpret it for me

Thanks
Lorraine

[Tigers Fan]

If the lower the Event Index the better the sleep you are getting, you can interpret those very conclusive findings for yourself!!

Without CPAP you are borderline for treatment - well, in fact I think you fall below the AHI = 10 criterium (remembering the SpO2 Event Index is not AHI but a good facsimile). But - AHI < 5 (5 or below) is considered good treatment.

With CPAP, you are doing very well indeed. Not perfect, but very well indeed.

The question now is this - how well did you feel after the three nights without CPAP compared to the three nights with CPAP? And - is CPAPing worth the benefit of better well-being (I assume) you feel.

Assuming the answer to that is yes - how about increasing you pressure 0.5cm and doing another three nights? OR stay as you are and PAP when you feel the need/tiredness.

TF

[ElleCee]

Thanks for getting back to me TF,
Last night was the best nights sleep I have had since doing the tests. I managed to get a good seal using the sleepweaver and I also took a sleeping pill, although today I still feel tired.
I have been very tired when not using the cpap so on your suggestion I am going to up the pressure to 15.2 for 3 nights and see how I go. If I can keep the adjusted index to less than "1" I will be happy.

Last night the total number of events was just 4, and going back through the nights in reverse order they were 12, and 12 but without cpap they were 52, 64 and 77. Does this mean something?

I guess in reality it means that it wont matter too much if I stop using it occasionally but for now I will keep with it.

Thanks
Lorraine

[Tigers Fan]

As you have been very tired when not using CPAP, sounds like you should use it by default - but not worry about missing a night if you have other things on your mind.

Let's see what effect an upward pressure adjustment makes, remembering you may need to go down instead. I figure you may as well have optimum therapy during the nights you use CPAP.

We don't much bother about the total number of events per night unless we know the number of hours for each night. The Events Index is the total number of events divided by the number of hours you used the machine - the arithmetic is already done and we have a standard - an index - to compare.

Please remind us what your medics told you. I remember you were disappointed you were told you had to stay on CPAP after losing weight - though you now say you are tired if you don't use CPAP. Are we flying in the face of the medics or are we agreeing with them?

TF

[willyoustopsnoring]

the model Contec CMS-50E, which countydownmum has written about is on amazon for £75:96, dont know if this helps, also about 20 reviews for it so may give you a better view of what you are buying, good luck

[proterra]

There are several manufacturers of pulse Oximeters. The one that is used by a lot of medics & nurses are the Nonin range.
see http://www.nonin.com/PulseOximetry

Available from several companies in the UK. not as cheap as the Chinese ones but known to be accurate and you have backup available for probes etc if required.

I speak from having sold Pules Ox for several years, though not involved now so I have no commercial interest.