Are these fake centrals, and how can I fix them?

[Stellatum]

   

Hi, I'm new, and I ask your patience--I know I should search before posting but I just don't know how to find the answer to my questions.

I have obstructive sleep apnea, which my CPAP treats well. My AHI has been low until recently. Now it's between 5 and 10, but most of the episodes are labeled by OSCAR as CA episodes. But I think they're not real CA episodes. I think they're just me having insomnia and tossing and turning and feeling like I can't get a deep breath and yawning and sighing a lot. I can see a big breath before each one, and some of them are occurring when I know I was awake. 

My questions: 
--Can some of you confirm for me that what I'm seeing aren't really CA events?
--Even if they're not CA events, are these disruptive to my sleep and oxygen? 
--Is my insomnia causing these "events," or are these events causing my insomnia?
--I've been very uncomfortable at night, feeling like I can't get a deep breath. I feel like my abdomen is tight and I can't relax it. Is this likely to be psychosomatic? Is there anything I can do about it? 

Thanks for your help. Above is a screenshot of a cluster of the events I'm describing.

[gainerfull]

Considering this cluster is at the beginning of the night and you're not even asleep I question the value in dissecting these flow rate graphs.

Can you post a couple nights including the full charts with a minimized calendar so we can see all of the information?

[Stellatum]

Considering this cluster is at the beginning of the night and you're not even asleep I question the value in dissecting these flow rate graphs.

Can you post a couple nights including the full charts with a minimized calendar so we can see all of the information?

Thanks. Here are screen shots of three recent nights. I zoomed in on a cluster of CAs in each. I'm not sure I did this right.

[Sleeprider]

The pattern appears to arise from increasing flow limitation and decreasing respiratory flow with an abrupt inspiration and expiratory spike. I am suspicious you may be affected by periodic limb movements due to the pattern, but I'm not going to rule out respiratory event relate arousals. I think you should consider turnning on EPR (exhale pressure relief), full time at a setting of 2 or 3 to see if that relieves the events. The apnea do not resemble my expectation of decreasing flow into a central event, but looks like a series of obstructions or arousals that might be improved with EPR.

[Stellatum]

Thanks. I tried EPR once, at 3, I think, and my AHI went up so I stopped. Also, I noticed I could smell my breath, which made me worry about co2. Is that a concern?

[quiescence at last]

I looked at the 4 graphs.  I would say definitely you were not "sleep breathing" on the first post. The brain was in commanding control of your respiration. Only at the very end of the clip do you look like your settled into the "sleep pattern of breathing" denoted by a left facing chair with fuzzy cushion. This is where the exhale is immediately after the inhale, and followed by a space of time until the "lungs" send command/trigger to central nervous system to order an inhale. pulmonary and CNS are in charge of sleep breathing.  The conscious brain is really not engaged in this.

The remaining 3 posts that were at other times all have the "sleep breathing" pattern throughout. I would argue that all those times your consciousness of the need to breathe was NIL. So, yes you were not alert. (or alerted). Your body thinks it is in no need of assistance.

I say, you good based on only those clips.  Other instances may show different, but I would not worry.

edit: I wanted to mention the slight brain breath at 2:41:45 after all the CAs had subsided. that is the right facing wooden chair. That is a conscious brain directed halt - after inhaling, holding the breath until finally exhaling.

QAL

[quiescence at last]

yeah if you can smell your breath, then you are awake.
carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are both notorious for being odorless. It might be other gasses, though.