Would love some feedback on OSCAR data

[kewlpewl]

Is there anywhere that makes custom Soft Cervical Collars?

I'm on to about #5 now and this one has its pro's but still has cons. I now remember why I gave up the initial try  

#5 was from amazon, is the right density to not be able to tuck my chin inside it, as well as being close enough to the right height. However, its too high on the sides pushing up my ears waking up sore, as well as somehow making me wakeup with my teeth digging in to my lower lip to the point its incredibly sore and I have a divot in it for the rest of the day
I woke up the first couple of nights mid sleep to rip it off, but I have attached my first successful full nights sleep with it on and no chin tucking. Never mind, I managed to somehow flip the SD card to read-only again

#4 was the caldera, ordered the largest size and it is still about 5cm off closing the velcro. #3 was a chemist(drugstore) that was the right length but too soft, #2 was another chemist with the wrong height. #1 was wrong on all accounts. Maybe by number 10 i'll have something usable

[kewlpewl]

Last 3 nights attached. Is the collar making a difference? Am going to get it altered when I find the time for a bit more comfort and structure, but it SHOULD be doing the job as it is. Thanks, Lee

[kewlpewl]

Hello, I would really appreciate some assistance with interpreting my most recent OSCAR data to reduce/remove my recent issue of significant 'Aerophagia', and also if there are any settings changes that might be needed.


   
   
   

The most recent (attachment 67937, 05082024.png) was the worst where I repeatedly woke up thinking I was going to either throw up or soil myself and had to run to the bathroom to learn it was just air.

Thankyou in advance.



On a more general note, I have now been using CPAP therapy for approximately 1454 days straight now. I feel more rested in the mornings, sleep more soundly and am more productive than before CPAP. I owe many thanks to those on the forum who have helped me get the hang of CPAP and the benefits of it. Thankyou!

[Sleeptechmaster]

I am new here but i have analized a lot of your nights that you have posted and have a lot of experience. It looks like when you are going into REM your auto pressure is quickly hitting maximum but then also very quickly falling. Hitting a pressure of 20 with nasal pillows is a lot so your mouth may be opening briefly waking you up and kicking you out of REM. If that pressure was needed for REM you would typically see it stay at that pressure for maybe 20-30 minutes instead of sharply increase and then fall. You could be being starved of REM due to the high pressure you have set. All of your studies show an AHI well inside of the normal levels. Your mouth opening and closing many times a night could be fragmenting your sleep stages and you might not be aware of it at all. If you wake up for 1 second and fall back to sleep 1 second later there will be no memory of it. I would test with lower maximum pressures like 16. Your nasal pillows might not support that high maximum pressure you are briefly recieving and may be counter productive. A lower minimum pressure might also help with comfort as all of your AHI increases appear to be REM related. You will be forced to exert less energy breathing during stage 3 sleep and stage 2 so your daytime energy could improve.

[kewlpewl]

I am new here but i have analized a lot of your nights that you have posted and have a lot of experience. It looks like when you are going into REM your auto pressure is quickly hitting maximum but then also very quickly falling. Hitting a pressure of 20 with nasal pillows is a lot so your mouth may be opening briefly waking you up and kicking you out of REM. If that pressure was needed for REM you would typically see it stay at that pressure for maybe 20-30 minutes instead of sharply increase and then fall. You could be being starved of REM due to the high pressure you have set. All of your studies show an AHI well inside of the normal levels. Your mouth opening and closing many times a night could be fragmenting your sleep stages and you might not be aware of it at all. If you wake up for 1 second and fall back to sleep 1 second later there will be no memory of it. I would test with lower maximum pressures like 16. Your nasal pillows might not support that high maximum pressure you are briefly recieving and may be counter productive. A lower minimum pressure might also help with comfort as all of your AHI increases appear to be REM related. You will be forced to exert less energy breathing during stage 3 sleep and stage 2 so your daytime energy could improve.

It's interesting you say that, my understanding was that a high upper bound for pressure wasn't necessarily a bad thing as the machine wouldn't use it unless it was necessary.
Do you mind explaining to me why it is raising to max and then quickly falling?

I thought the purpose of the soft cervical collar was to stop me from tucking my chin, but would have the added effect of keeping my mouth closed.

I'm not following the logic of lowering pressures with an auto machine, I was under the assumption that the machine would control pressure to where it is needed and the lower bound being hit more often would be indicative of a required change.

[kewlpewl]

I'm not sure how I managed to mess up the rows on the screenshots and why I just realised, but here they are again. Hopefully correctly this time.