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I'm a new user and just got a new AirSense 10 from ResMed. After reading earlier posts, I have downloaded OSCAR and changed the settings on the CPAP to export more data onto an SD card, which OSCAR has imported. But I do not know how to interpret data. I also do not know what adjustments to make to the CPAP machine to reduce my apneas while I sleep. Where do I start?
Carolee, you are off to a fine start since you have Oscar and you are here. You even have a very good machine. Read the links in my signature for Organizing your Oscar Charts and Attaching Files.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
To best help you take a screenshot (F12) and attach it to your reply (read how) when you click the REPLY button below the post.
That will best tell us what is happening and to be specific.
Gideon - Project Manager Emeritus for OSCAR - Open Source CPAP Analysis Reporter
Thank you both for your help. Here's a screen shot from Oscar. What do you think? Any suggestions? I feel like my AHI is high and I wake up feeling just as tired as when I went to sleep.
Carolee, we have seen this pattern of clustered and abundant obstructive apnea frequently. Read these wiki articles, and you can solve this by tomorrow. If you are using multiple, or tall stiff pillows that cause you to tuck your chin, you need to make a change. The soft cervical collar has proven effective and comfortable for dozens of members here. Compare your charts with the examples in the wikis and you will quickly see why your problem is so easy to spot.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
After buying both a Soft Cervical Collar and also a chin strap for CPAP users, sadly my AHI continue to be 14-17 events per hour nightly and my sleep is still not particularly restful. I bought the SCC and used it the first night after your post but found it a bit uncomfortable. So I used the chin strap for the past 3 nights. Here was last night's OSCAR reading.
Any suggestions?
I'd be happy to talk to someone via telephone or via direct message (Facebook, text) if that would be easier.
the collar takes some getting used to but will be better for oa than the chin strap (most pull the chin back, aggravating oa). to my knowledge, chin straps help with keeping the mouth closed but don't help with chin tucking. besides, you have next to no leaks which is why most people that use chin straps resort to them. flow limitations drive your pressure to max most of the night. I'd suggest at least temporarily capping your max pressure to something more comfortable while incrementally raising your min pressure to try to reduce your oa. if you can't get your flow limitations and oa down, you should start looking for a bilevel machine like the resmed vauto which would more comfortably allow higher inspiratory pressure up to 25 cmw if you need it and more importantly greater pressure support than the autoset epr can provide should help knock down the flow limitations.
Have never seen a total failure of the soft collar. Try a different model and height. With AHI this high you have failed CPAP but BiPAP is unlikely to open this kind of obstructive apnea. If the collar doesn’t work, you are back to the doctor and a titration. The measure of last resort is tracheotomy. A different collar sounds like a better idea to me.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
02-07-2021, 10:47 PM (This post was last modified: 02-07-2021, 10:47 PM by CorruptAlligator.)
RE: New Airsense 10, high AHI
(02-01-2021, 08:21 AM)Sleeprider Wrote: Carolee, we have seen this pattern of clustered and abundant obstructive apnea frequently. Read these wiki articles, and you can solve this by tomorrow. If you are using multiple, or tall stiff pillows that cause you to tuck your chin, you need to make a change. The soft cervical collar has proven effective and comfortable for dozens of members here. Compare your charts with the examples in the wikis and you will quickly see why your problem is so easy to spot.
A wedge pillow can help some people with aerophagia, and it does increase chin-tucking. We often add a soft cervical collar to those that must use a wedge pillow. If you use a larger pillow or multiple pillows, the positional apnea can often be mitigated by reducing that bulk. I use a down pillow that allows me to pull a corner between my chin and shoulder. That does the same thing as a collar, however I don't seem to have a strong tendency for this problem. I usually see the ergonomic memory foam pillows make the problem worse, but your results may vary. The solution to the problem is trying things until you find what works for you.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
