RE: what should your ahi be?
(08-15-2015, 08:55 PM)Hanrahan Wrote: Out of curiosity last night I set my Resmed 10 Auto to a max of six, trying to find my baseline AHI. Because I am trialling masks and I'm back on a small pillow I felt I wasn't getting enough air so I increased that to 7.
After 4hrs sleep [pretty good for me] I registered 2.3 AHI/hr.
My dilemma then is why the auto machine takes me up to 10 cm, a pressure that I am quite uncomfortable with and which, perversely, disturbs my sleep? In my initial sleep test I registered 22 AHI but disturbingly, zero SWS and <7% REM sleep. In the equipment test the technician found 7 cm effective but that was inconclusive because I hardly slept, partly because the air-con was freezing.
Would a non-auto [manually set] machine be cheaper and just as effective? I think the Resmed Auto is about $2,300 dollars here and masks $200. One that I don't have to don my glasses to read the screen would be nice too.
Still looking for answers 
Edit: Maybe this should have been in a new thread. It sounds too much like a "Me" post, but I did want to raise this topic. As a newbe, I am in no position to advise the OP. Sorry.
im a noob too only 10 days on an auto. after 15 years on using a bipap i didnt know what an ahi was until last week. so i think i out rank you on cluelessness lol
RE: what should your ahi be?
(08-15-2015, 08:55 PM)Hanrahan Wrote: Out of curiosity last night I set my Resmed 10 Auto to a max of six, trying to find my baseline AHI. Because I am trialling masks and I'm back on a small pillow I felt I wasn't getting enough air so I increased that to 7.
After 4hrs sleep [pretty good for me] I registered 2.3 AHI/hr.
My dilemma then is why the auto machine takes me up to 10 cm, a pressure that I am quite uncomfortable with and which, perversely, disturbs my sleep? In my initial sleep test I registered 22 AHI but disturbingly, zero SWS and <7% REM sleep. In the equipment test the technician found 7 cm effective but that was inconclusive because I hardly slept, partly because the air-con was freezing.
Would a non-auto [manually set] machine be cheaper and just as effective? I think the Resmed Auto is about $2,300 dollars here and masks $200. One that I don't have to don my glasses to read the screen would be nice too.
Still looking for answers
Edit: Maybe this should have been in a new thread. It sounds too much like a "Me" post, but I did want to raise this topic. As a newbe, I am in no position to advise the OP. Sorry.
Auto machine algorithms are 'heuristics'. They typically respond to flow limitations and snores in an attempt to ward off an apnea event. The thinking behind this is that a collapse of the airway leading to apnea is preceded by snores and flow limitations. Resmed machines are more aggressive in raising pressure than Respironics.
The problem with this theory is that at a certain pressure, snores and FLs no longer proceed to full apneas. But the machine has no way of knowing where to stop as long as it sees the snores or FLs.
That is why a lot of sleep docs use an auto for titration and then set a fixed pressure equal to 95%ile pressure given by the auto.
In your case, since your pressure needs are low (< 12cm), you can easily get on a fixed pressure cpap.
PRS1 Auto & Dreamstation Auto w/ P10 and straight pressure of 8cm
RE: what should your ahi be?
(08-15-2015, 11:04 PM)AshSF Wrote: The problem with this theory is that at a certain pressure, snores and FLs no longer proceed to full apneas. But the machine has no way of knowing where to stop as long as it sees the snores or FLs.
Do you mean the exact pressure that will prevent apneas but may not be quite enough for Flow Limitations and then this exact pressure moves up again?
RE: what should your ahi be?
(08-16-2015, 11:36 AM)PaytonA Wrote: (08-15-2015, 11:04 PM)AshSF Wrote: The problem with this theory is that at a certain pressure, snores and FLs no longer proceed to full apneas. But the machine has no way of knowing where to stop as long as it sees the snores or FLs.
Do you mean the exact pressure that will prevent apneas but may not be quite enough for Flow Limitations and then this exact pressure moves up again?
Yes Sir!!
RE: what should your ahi be?
(08-14-2015, 10:23 AM)PaytonA Wrote: (08-14-2015, 12:06 AM)under pressure Wrote: One side note: scoring a zero is very rare for both normal people or people on CPAP therapy, so it's a major celebration if any of us are ever fortunate enough to get an AHI of zero ;+)
There are several on the forum who routinely score AHI of 0 several times per week but they are the exception. The rest of us celebrate whenever we get a 0 AHI. I have been on VPAP for 4-5 years and in that time I have gotten 0 AHI three times. I have not yet figured out what set of variables is involved in a 0 AHI for me and probably never will. It is not something that is worth expending much effort on as long as my treatment is producing positive results.
The goal is satisfactory treatment of apnea not AHI=0. We would all be happy to celebrate with you if you get one of those goose eggs but we would be just as happy to celebrate successful treatment.
Best Regards,
PaytonA
I am new to CPAP and have been using mine for 6 days. My sleep study showed 32 events per hour and I would often wake up gasping for air.
My AHI has been 0 for all six days. Wow I feel lucky. That's what I thought it should be.
Cheers
RE: what should your ahi be?
I received my replacement for the defective aircurve and got a report after the first night. i have to say the myair report was very anticlimactic after getting sleepyhead while i was waiting over 2 weeks to get myair to work .
i didnt see some of the questions that were asked in posts above until now and im sorry for that. im doing great and will get over the chasing numbers thing. i guess just being new to all that info was kind of interesting even after 15 years of therapy.
i had no idea there was so much info available for you to be able to view and troubleshoot at home if you were having problems. this site is amazing. thx everyone for putting up wth an auto newbie
