Is this good or bad ?

[Kushty]

I have been using cpap since the 10th of Jan , I have just downloaded the data from my machine but don`t really understand what it all means last nights readings for example are -

clear airway apnea 4
flow limitation 1
hypopnea 88
obstructive apnea 36
periodic breathing 4
pressure pulse 111
rera 3
vibratory snore 168

Thanks in advance .

[Tigers Fan]

That is so bad that I don't believe it!

I'd call your clinic and talk it through with them.


TF

[Kushty]

Are you serious ?
TF..

Why is it so bad ?

[Tigers Fan]

88 + 36 = 124. Assume an eight hour night, gives AHI 15.5. Lots of people are lower than that when untreated, before CPAP.

Truth to tell, I read it as an AHI of 124 this morning because the numbers you give are not comparable until we know the length of your sleeping session.

To reassure you, you are still alive so the figures are not terminally bad!! In the short term. For a non-driver, anyway. Joking!

Go to your clinic, your pressures need adjustment.

TF

[Kushty]

Good or Bad ?

I have a follow up appointment on the 27th ,, should i just wait until then ?
I just downloaded last nights data which i have attached.
I do think i probably need a different mask ?

[CurryKitten]

If it helps, you're not unique in having quite bad figures. I've been on CPAP since Jan 18th, and my AHI has been all over the place. One night, it hit a magical 7.4, since then it's been as high as 39, and last night 18.46 (which I count as a minor success given how crap it's been before)

I find your stats more interesting than mine though, as mine is just set CPAP at 10, and yours is APAP 4-20. I expected APAP to magically sort everything out... though I guess this may slightly be hampered by the leak you are getting.

I was getting a constant leak I wasn't aware of, until I started shaving in the evening (stubble sort of look before hand), now my leak is absolute constant on 0. That said, I'm going to follow up on my high AHI as well, I was just letting it run until next week to see if the AHI actually goes into any sort of pattern

[Tigers Fan]

An APAP left 'wide open' with settings 4 and 20 can work well for folk requiring low pressure air. For people requiring higher pressures it can be the worst thing, as bad as not having a machine at all, almost.

Other than the fact that it was invented, there is nothing magical about PAPing - only settings optimised for the individual will do.

There are any number of threads about APAP settings.

TF

[Barely Awake]

I had been on CPAP 6 years when getting my first APAP. A fellow hosehead on here pointed me towards having the min pushed up to within 2 of my 90% reading of 11. With the machine min set at 9 then it works lovely for me. My AHI is now around 1 and using a new Sleepweaver and a new hose I am totally leak free - YIPPEEEEE!!!!!!!

[symmit]

I have a follow up appointment on the 27th ,, should i just wait until then ?
I just downloaded last nights data which i have attached.
I do think i probably need a different mask ?

Your AHI is good when the pressure is about 12 - I'm not a doctor so can't make any recommendations but if it were me I'd be setting my minimum pressure at 11 ish...

[Sparticus]

An APAP left 'wide open' with settings 4 and 20 can work well for folk requiring low pressure air. For people requiring higher pressures it can be the worst thing, as bad as not having a machine at all, almost.

Other than the fact that it was invented, there is nothing magical about PAPing - only settings optimised for the individual will do.

There are any number of threads about APAP settings.

TF

So true. It takes an apap machine minutes to climb just 5cm so to have it that far to climb is not good. Speak to your support team and ask them to change it for you.

[Kushty]

Well i went to the clinic yesterday , they only seemed interested in knowing if i was compliant , which i am.
I told them about the leaks , they put my mask on me turned the machine on (4cm) for about 30 seconds and said "no leaks"
I said doesn`t your software give you info about leaks and AHI`s , they said " no not really , i did see a couple of leaks tho "

They gave me a monitor for my wrist and finger overnight which i returned this morning and that was that !

Off you go we will be in touch. I have attached last nights readings
it seems to show a few leaks.

[Sparticus]

OMG! Your results look like a battle ground! I know what you mean about the hospitals, they dont give a monkeys about any results and if you ask a question its like how dare you ask me!!! They make me feel so little when I go, I usually take a piece of paper with questions but never get past the first one because they are so god dam cold towards their patients. Makes me so bloody angry, I will start shouting when a go later in the year. anyway here's my data with leaks for you to see the difference




My leaks are usually barely visible as I just dont get them. Hope this helps

[symmit]

All I can suggest is read all you can about setting your own pressure and start tweaking, as it's set at minimum now the only way is up!

[Kushty]

What software do you use Sparticus ? It would be good to have something other than Sleepyhead to compare it with.

Your are right about their attitude , they treat you like an imbecile and if you ask questions it is like " its like how dare you ask me!!"
I don`t think they realise just how difficult this whole thing is to deal with.

[Sparticus]

What software do you use Sparticus ? It would be good to have something other than Sleepyhead to compare it with.

Your are right about their attitude , they treat you like an imbecile and if you ask questions it is like " its like how dare you ask me!!"
I don`t think they realise just how difficult this whole thing is to deal with.

I had a big row on here about data chasing and especially with TF but I was sooo wrong. I didnt understand why they were obsessed by it all but now, I have to agree with them 100%. You have to take your own health in your own hands because the docs dont have time or cant be bothered to sit down and chat about pressure and AHI's. My appointment is 18 months apart, how the hell am I suppose to know whats going on, have I got leaks? Is my apap working to its best settings? EPR? Leaks? There's too much going off just to be left to chance. It took me a while to see this but gradually I got what TF and others were saying was correct. So I started buying my equipment to help me look and log my data. I got my card reader and my card of ebay and I bought a oximeter. now I check everything. Everyday I check leaks, my AHI and my pressure readings and settings and most days I see if I can tweak some more.

When I return to the hospital for my 18 month appointment, I could show them all the data I have and tell them they were way off, I could shout and rant about there idea of treatment but do you know what, I will say NOTHING, other than thank you see you again next year.

The software I use is ResScan for Resmed machines not sure if you can use it for other systems, TF's your man to ask. There are lots of other software on the net that can be got quite easy. My advise is READ & LEARN and also ask questions because the knowledge is priceless. Hope this helps

Spart.