NEW TO CPAP AND FORUM

[Gideon]

It would help us help you if you would post some detail on your initial study. Especially any mention of amy apenas other than obstruct I've and any other oily issues noted.

[chill]

... and any other oily issues noted.

You mean like greasy skin?  

[holden4th]

Hello again

When I started out I decided to just rent for 6 months to see if I could handle PAP therapy and eventually ended up with a rental auto machine. I quickly learned from the folks in this forum how to access the clinical menu and start making my own pressure adjustments. As DB says, doctors want you on a set pressure when auto is a far better way of finding your best settings. So can I suggest that rather than splash out for a new machine you stick with the rental and use it to experiment. Just Google how to change the settings and you'll be able to see a clip of how to do it. If the appointments are being paid for by your health fund then I would stay with those as well.

Best wishes.

[Marillion]

Some great advice above. Your best bet as they already told you is to download Sleepyhead and then post the data. That way they can help you further fine tune your settings. Make sure to follow the instructions on how to organize your charts too! All the best and good job on finding this forum! You're in a good place to get some help.

[KijabeKid]

Hi All,  Many thanks for all the posts, suggestions and encouragement.  I have changed over from the Eson mask to the respironics dreamwear.  Last night was probably the best night so far, machine reported 17 events, which was the lowest yet.  The DME increased the pressure to 7 however I would assume this is probably still to low and I need to set up a range on the auto settings.  I also got access to my original sleep study and the CPAP study reports.  Is it within Forum rules to post this here so some more experience folks can have a look?

[Marillion]

Post away!  You can of course remove any personal info you deem necessary.

[Sleeprider]

It sure is puzzling why your doctor would rather put you on a fixed pressure rather than auto. If you want to set it up for minimum 7 and maximum 14, I would think you could learn a lot about what works.

[KijabeKid]

Post away!  You can of course remove any personal info you deem necessary.

Hi Marillion,  many thanks for your message.  I will do my first sleepyhead download tonight and will post once formatted.

[KijabeKid]

It would help us help you if you would post some detail on your initial study.  Especially any mention of amy apenas other than obstruct I've and any other oily issues noted.

Bonjour bonjour,

Below is the recap of my initial sleep study

Witnessed apnoeas, hypertension, snore.

Comments:
The patient slept for 7:49 (hh:mm) mainly in the supine position and rated their quality of sleep as worse than usual. Sleep onset was rapid (3 min), latency to REM sleep was normal (107 min) and sleep efficiency was normal at 93.5%. Sleep staging identified slow wave sleep as absent and REM sleep as present in reduced proportion (13% Total Sleep Time). Sleep architecture was fragmented with a total arousal index of 70.0. The majority of arousals were associated with respiratory events. 65.5 minutes of supine REM was recorded.

Periods of continuous as well as intermittent snoring ranging from soft to loud intensity was noted. During sleep 520 apnoeas (202 obstructive, 185 mixed & 133 central), 214 hypopnoeas and 1 RERA were observed. The respiratory disturbance index overall was 94.0, including AHI of 93.9 (normal<5); in NREM sleep was 92.0; in REM sleep was 106.3; in the supine position was 97.4, and non-supine position was 87.2. The mean duration of apnoea and hypopnoea was 23 secs, the longest apnoea was 44 secs and the longest hypopnoea was 50 secs.

Average awake Sp02 was 94% and minimum Sp02 during sleep was 77%. 35.8% of sleep time was spent below 90% saturation; and 1.2% of sleep time was spent below 80% saturation. Blood pressure on retiring was 130/87 mmHg; on waking was 142/91 mmHg.

No periodic leg movements were noted. Rhinomanometry testing showed total inspiratory flow of 687.91 ml/s at 150Pa consistent with slight nasal obstruction.

Conclusion:  Very severe obstructive sleep apnoea with severe sleep fragmentation and severe oxygen desaturation


Further Below is the redap from my CPAP study

Comments:

The patient slept for 8:21 (hh:mm) mainly in the supine position and rated their quality of sleep as worse than usual. Sleep onset was normal (11 min), latency to REM was normal (86 min) and sleep efficiency was normal at 93.6%. Sleep staging identified SWS as present in normal proportion (13% Total Sleep Time) and REM sleep as present in normal proportion (23% Total Sleep Time). Sleep architecture was well consolidated with a total arousal index of 2.2. The majority of arousals were spontaneous in nature. 78.0 minutes of supine REM was recorded.


The respiratory disturbance index was 2.8 with a CPAP of 6 cmH20, which was maintained for 359 minutes, including a period of supine REM sleep. During sleep 7 central apnoeas and 23 hypopnoeas were observed. CPAP was titrated from 4 to 6 cmH20; no significant snoring was noted > 4 cmH20. Mask leak was acceptable. The mask used was a medium Fisher & Paykel Eson. A chinstrap was not used.


Average awake Sp02 was 94% and minimum Sp02 during sleep was 87%. 0.3% of sleep time was spent below 90% saturation. Blood pressure on retiring was 118/75 mmHg; on waking was 122/85 mmHg.


4.8 periodic leg movements occurred per hour of sleep and contributed to 0.2 arousals per hour of sleep.


Conclusion:

Satisfactory control of respiratory events with CPAP 6 cmH20 including during supine REM sleep. Cardiac rhythm was sinus.

Recommendations:

1.    Sleep Physician review.

2.    Trial CPAP 6 cmH20.

 

Thanks!

[Hydrangea]

You slept for 8 hours, and they only tried 3 pressures on you?! Unbelievable.

You'll get the help you need here.

P.S. I would give you a gold star for sleeping 8 hours in a lab!!!