Help with data reading

[rebirth]

   
I got 2 hours of good data. It looks good to me. 
My setting: 
APAP 4-15
AFLEX 2

[OpalRose]

The question is why only 2 hours sleep?  Have you been using these same settings since April and your AHI could be improved with some small changes.

First, look at your median and 95% pressure numbers, as that is where your minimum pressure should be set, especially when using a Respironics machine as they are slower to react to apnea's than a ResMed.

Also, the Flow Limitations are high.  Look at your pressure chart... see the pressure rising to over 8 trying to tackle the events. The machine can't do its job with a low pressure.

I would suggest setting the minimum pressure to 7cm, Flex at 2.   This should help bring down that AHI number.

Can I ask...do you feel air starved with a pressure set at 4cm?

[rebirth]

I have not been using these settings since April. I've been struggling to fall asleep with it, then having allergy issue and still have some pressure in my ear if i swallow which makes me take of the mask and clear my sinus and space between the ear/nose/throat. Once i got that under control I was having so many CAs I was waking in panic and was not able to fall asleep for long. I change the flex from 3-2 and that reduced the CAs and panic but then made it hard for me to sleep with the pressure again. 

Long story to say that last night I got to sleep but took it off after 2 hours because I wanted to make sure I wasn't having all those CAs. Got up this AM checked the DATA and it looked good. 

I agree the starting pressure is not sufficient, however I'm the opposite of starved for air, i feel like in over inflated balloon and I can't get to sleep at all with higher starting pressure. I like the dreamstation, because it kinda sneaks the pressure up after i'm asleep and doesn't wake me doing me. I guess one could say i'm sensitive to high pressure and by high i mean 6. 
So 2 hours is my success story. 

[Cpapian]

You mentioned feeling like an overinflated balloon...... does that mean you are swallowing air?

[rebirth]

I don't think i'm swallowing air. I think it's just too easy to breath. It feels like what it is, an pump blowing air up my nose. lol. I think when i breath normally, asleep or awake, i have a moment of nothing between inhaling and exhaling. The APAP kinda takes that away. I feel like if i'm not exhaling i'm immediately inhaling. No moment of nothing.
How can i tell if i'm swallowing air?
I doubt i am because i can't really swallow without my inner ear getting inflated and that's very uncomfortable so i try not to swallow.

[Gideon]

Just to gain a concept of the pressures we are working with try this.
Get a tall glass of water and a straw.
Insert the straw and pretend you are a kid again and blow bubbles. Silly I know but do it.

With the straw at 8 inches of depth it takes 20 cmw of pressure, the max that a CPAP can produce and double the 10 the average person uses.
Thjis is not saying that you do not have a problem, just that all the pressures we deal with are real, real low, even the really "high ones".

[rebirth]

Oh i understand pressure. I get psi, I know what CFM is, and I know what CmH20 is. But it wouldn't matter even if i didn't. Understanding how much pressure something is won't change the way my body reacts to it.

[Gideon]

You are right, but it can change the way you react to 0.28 psi or less and that is a start.

[rebirth]

        I got more hours last night, but the machine woke me with pressure increases and i woke twice with CAs

You can see at one point i had an obstruction, the pressure palse didn't work as i have another obstruction right after, then a CA. 

I'm not happy with last night at all. AND i'm so tired this morning would have done better without the machine on.

[OpalRose]

I wouldn't be happy with that either!

Are you willing to try this? Set you minimum pressure to 4.5 for a couple days. It won't make much of a difference in your apnea's, but hopefully you won't notice the difference in pressure.

Then turn it up to 5cm for a couple days. Repeat this until you reach 6cm. If you take it slowly, you might be able to tolerate it better.

If you continue to stay at a minimum of 4cm, the data is not likely to change, nor how you feel... which is more important.

Look at the statistics... you are already sleeping with a higher pressure. A median pressure of over 6 and a 95% reading of over 9. Respironics machines need a little help in tackling apnea's, as the machine won't react fast enough when the minimum pressure is so far below where it needs to be.