[Equipment] New APAP Machine

[revo39564]

I had a sleep study about 3 years ago,,,,, my pressure was 11 cm....my headaches went away...more energy awesome..... Anyway earlier this year I started feeling fatigued. My doc wanted me to do a repeat sleep study.....but my insurnace doesn't cover this that well. So I bout an Auto titrate and set t to 4 - 20 cm....I have reviewed the last 3 days.....O apnea, O snoring, O AHI, etc.......average pressure 4 cm? WTH? Has anyone had this happen.


Robert

[Sleepster]

We've heard reports of people getting weird or missing the data the first night or two with a new machine. Your machine is not one that I'm familiar with. I wish I could be more help.

[revo39564]

I did test it the first day..with fake snoring, fake apneas, shallow breathing..the machine did pick up all the fake events well...

I am wondering if my sleep apnea has improved/
resolved and the CPAP was causing multiple arousals during the night

Robert

[SuperSleeper]

O apnea, O snoring, O AHI, etc.......average pressure 4 cm

Hi Robert,

That's possible, but VERY highly unlikely, unless something has changed in your life to completely "cure" you of sleep apnea (weight loss, surgery, etc.).

Remember that one night's worth of data does not a trend make. It's possible that the machine starts the day differently from what you start yours. I'd keep using it for another night at least and then check data again. You'll likely see something then.

If not, come back and perhaps we can help. Could be a problem with the machine or something else.

One thing I would change is narrowing up your pressures a bit. Operating a CPAP in wide-open mode (4-20 cmH2O) usually doesn't provide the best therapy. I'd start your pressure at a minimum of 6 or 8 and perhaps 5-6 cmH2O above your suggested titration pressure of 11 for the upper limit. Perhaps a range of 8-17 to start off, then adjusting for best AHI after that.

Click HERE for our page on how to best adjust your pressure for the lowest AHI.

Let us know how it goes, and -

[trish6hundred]

Hi revo39564 and WELCOME! to the forum.!
I'm not familiar with your machine but hang in there for more responses to your post. Best of luck to you.

[revo39564]

thanks...I was taking testosterone shots when I was titrated.... I think that worsened my sleep apnea. The sleep study showed a few central but mostly obstructive apneas....My sleep has been poor since I was 8 years old.....

I was going to give it 1 week @ 4 -20 cm.......then switch it to 8-14 cm until I f/u with my pulmonologist. I just find it strange for 3 nights I have averaged 4 cm.....my old CPAP machine always reported an AHI of 0.1 for the last year or so........Glad I found this awesome website

[SuperSleeper]

thanks...I was taking testosterone shots when I was titrated.... I think that worsened my sleep apnea. The sleep study showed a few central but mostly obstructive apneas....My sleep has been poor since I was 8 years old.....

If that's the case, it's possible that you were incorrectly titrated 3 years ago and that the titration showed a higher AHI than what was normal without the testosterone treatments.

I'd check to see if somehow the doctor could order a new sleep study as a "medical necessity" due to a flawed initial study. Perhaps that way insurance/Medicare may agree to pay for it. Not sure if that would work or not, though.

I was going to give it 1 week @ 4 -20 cm.......then switch it to 8-14 cm until I f/u with my pulmonologist. I just find it strange for 3 nights I have averaged 4 cm.....my old CPAP machine always reported an AHI of 0.1 for the last year or so........Glad I found this awesome website

The Zzz-Ware Advance Therapy Tracking Software should have come, free of charge, with your new machine. If you didn't get it, ask your Durable Medical Equipment supplier (DME) for it - it came in the package, assuming your machine was new.

Use the software to keep track of variations in pressures, AHI & leak. If there's absolutely no variation whatsoever, something isn't right with the machine.

4.0 cmH2O of pressure is hardly any pressure at all. If this machine is working correctly and your AHI is 0.0 with 4.0 of pressure, you likely don't have sleep apnea.

But I suspect something else is going on here.

[PaulaO2]

If you have a leak in the mask (as in it moves in the night) then your data is going to be skewed.

If you continue to get the 0, try unplugging the machine, wait a half minute, then plug it back in.

Also, are you getting this data via the screen? Most machines reset the data at noon. So if you are looking at the screen after noon, it will be 0.

[revo39564]

yeah I am using the advanced software ...quite nice software......leaks are below 40.....got a new mask when I changed machines......I am going to give it more than 3 days....Maybe I will get a sinus infection or head cold and see if this affects it.....