My CPAP report card

[umangbhatt]

Please refer to the CPAP report file I created with the help of Sleepyhead Software.

I hv been using CPAP since 10-03-2012 continuously. I hv been diagonised with sleep apnea with high degree i.e. 45

Please help me to draw conclusion from this report

Thanks

Umang Bhatt
India
email address [email address removed]

I removed your email address so it would not be harvested by spam bots. - Moderator

[Paptillian]

Hi Umang,

This is excellent since you have so much data that it's easy to see the trends. Over the course of a year, it looks like your average AHI is still above 5 which is considered mild sleep apnea. Although it's a vast improvement from severe apnea, I don't think your apnea is totally controlled. If you got 7-8 hours of usage each night I would be less concerned but it seems that you only use the machine for 4-5 hours. Therefore a significant portion of your night is still poor quality sleep (or you are not getting enough sleep).

Can you tell us what is holding you back from using the machine for the entire night? Maybe there are some simple adjustments that could be made. How do you feel about your mask? What model is it, and how long have you been using it?

Also, what percentage of those events are obstructive vs. central? A high number of central events will raise your AHI, though your doctor should distinguish if they are caused by CPAP or if you perhaps need a machine that treats central apneas. The best indicator is your oxygen saturation. It looks like you have a pulse oximeter-- do you have any data from it?

As for the leaks, I believe the Respironics machines report total leakage instead of unintentional leak. I'm not familiar with the conversion, but it requires knowing the mask intentional leak rate (from the manufacturer) and then subtracting it from the total leak. I'm not sure what other corrections are necessary.


By the way, I'm not a doctor and I'm still learning about CPAP myself. This is all just my opinion.

[trish6hundred]

Hi umangbhatt,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more answers to your report and best of luck.

[umangbhatt]

Thank you for your response.

As regarding your observation that I am using the machine for only 4-5 hours, I would like to inform you that I have habit of dozzing in front of TV before I go to Bed. Thus if I go to bed at around 9:30 PM then only I can increase no. of hours with machine. I also donot sleep beyond 5:30 AM in morning. Thus CPAP is trying to push me to the ideal life that is "EARLY TO BED EARLY TO RISE". I need to go to bed early message is clear.

As regarding your query pertaining to Mask, I would like to mention that I am using the same mask that has come along with my Phillips make Respironics Machine the day I purchased. I may have to refer manaul to know the make. I donot know much about Pulse oximeter. May be I have to consult my doctor. I appreciate your approch of learnig yourself regarding your body. We should go to doctor only in exigencies or emergency.

Please keep up the good work to share your opinion.

[umangbhatt]

Further to your query regarding status of Apnea i.e. central or otherwise

please refer to the .jpeg file of charts which I could generate from Sleepyhead software. Doeas theses charts leads you anywhere ?

Kindly inform me.

Umang

[Paptillian]

I need to go to bed early message is clear.

Well I wasn't trying to preach to you, I apologize. I'm not always able to get to bed early myself. It was just a recommendation based on what I know to be the right thing to do, and what the doctors say we need. Unfortunately what we need and what we are able to do are not always in harmony.

Hopefully someone here who is familiar with the Respironics data can say whether or not the leak rates are acceptable. Hopefully with just a small tweak (maybe to your mask or cushion) you can get sub 5 AHI numbers.

I don't see any other charts posted. If you have additional data I'm sure we'd be happy to look.

[RonWessels]

Hopefully someone here who is familiar with the Respironics data can say whether or not the leak rates are acceptable. Hopefully with just a small tweak (maybe to your mask or cushion) you can get sub 5 AHI numbers.

They probably are, depending on the specific mask being used. The intentional leak rates for various Philips Respironics masks are given here. At pressures of around 10 cmH2O, the intentional leak rate tends to be around the 25-30 L/min mark. You are showing a total average leak rate of 25-32, so your average unintentional leak rate is below the 7 L/min point. Your 95% leak values give unintentional leak rates of from less than 9 L/min for the previous night up to 30-35 L/min for your higher history figures. This is well into the "large leak" range, but they are 95% numbers and would probably include nose and face scratching where the leaks shouldn't really count.

[vsheline]

As regarding your query pertaining to Mask, I would like to mention that I am using the same mask that has come along with my Phillips make Respironics Machine the day I purchased.

Hi umangbhatt, welcome to the forum!

It is usually a good idea to replace at least the mask cushion(s) every 2 to 6 months. New mask cushions seal better.

Of course it is important also to clean or replace air filters regularly, like monthly if possible.

Take care,
--- Vaughn

[umangbhatt]

You need not apologize. Its very good to receive such opinion / comments. I do not have any hard feelings about it.

I think there is a provision for attachment to enable Oxymetry with my Phillips, Respironics Machine. But I have been told by supplier that procuring such attachment is not so needed at this stage.

As regards Mask, replacement of mask gel (I mean cushion) is something I have been cntempleting.

[Paptillian]

I think there is a provision for attachment to enable Oxymetry with my Phillips, Respironics Machine. But I have been told by supplier that procuring such attachment is not so needed at this stage.

There is no need to purchase the expensive oximeter that interfaces with your machine.

If you ever feel the need to check your own oximetry data, you can use a device such as the Contec CMS50D. It records data overnight and then you can check the data using the supplied software. Since it does not interface with your machine you will have to manually synchronize the data with your machine's flow data (by lining up print-outs) to align apnea events with oxygen desaturations. Or, you can just look at the oximetry data independently.

I don't have one yet myself but I'm thinking about buying one. A simple pulse oximeter is a good tool to have.