Plmnb's Never Ending OSA Journey (Data)

[Plmnb]

Sleeprider,  I guess what I was really wondering in the end regarding the need of CPAP/BIPAP, is what about the chances of actually needing to go through a titration study for BIPAP machine and actually having to go pick-up the machine, when there is a possibility that I will need surgery to correct any probable issues that would THEN make it so I would only need CPAP.  (Which more than obviously would need to be titrated, because it was never done in the first place).

Yes Osiris357, you are correct.  I have had the UPP surgery, although when I had it done it was just called a Uvulectomy.  Extraordinarily painful recovery.  As I have mentioned, I don't remember if this surgery was done at the same time as my other nasal surgeries, but I ended up swallowing so much blood down into my stomach during recovery that I was upchucking once I got home and ended up in the ER.  I have been told by many doctors that the surgery is considered experimental.  Even my own original apnea doctor/pulmonologist said he would not recommend it.  (He said that 7 years ago.)

ApneaQuestions, I am very afraid of the empty nose syndrome.  I actually heard this term for the first time many years ago.  I can't remember why it came up back then.  Regarding the septum, I was most definitely asleep during surgery. So it should be interesting to see what the new ENT will say in January.  (Hope it won't be a problem that coincidentally, this new doctor is in the same practice as the original ENT.)  Pooh, I sure hope those polyps haven't grown back, again, I guess I'll find out soon enough.  And most definitely there was a camera in the room this last study.  I asked if it was operational.  I guess I should have been more direct at obtaining the response I was looking for.  (So, this is how they knew which side I was sleeping on?  Or was it the wires I was hooked up to?)

Any comments on the last charts I posted this morning?    ApneaQuestions...? Did I zoom in enough on these?  What do the zooms say?  (I'm off work tomorrow and can spend some time on the axis homework).

Regards and Thank you for taking the time on a holiday to answer my questions.

Plmnb

[ApneaQuestions]

    ApneaQuestions...? Did I zoom in enough on these?  What do the zooms say?

Now that you are getting familiar with the zooming....

I suggest that you'd do best to revisit the post (way back) from Sleeprider explaining exactly what to do using the data on that day.
Hopefully that post will now make much more sense to you. 

Here is that post so you don't need to go hunting for it: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid324961

There's no need or benefit posting additional daily charts with variable zoom levels at this point. It just confuses the issue and detracts from the task in hand.

If you concentrate precisely on Sleeprider's recommendation for 2 minute zooms and go for the exact time ranges he suggested you'll be good to go.
Of course...Make sure you use the same day's data to which he was referring.  

Here's what he suggested...

In order to help your doctors better understand what is going on, let's gets some new images together. In these images we are going to zoom into 2-minute segments of your sleep where the leak rate is low. The objective is to contrast your flow-limited breathing (Flow Rate) vs times when flow limitation is much less. For example in your last posted chart, we can use the time from 5:30 to 5:32 as a period of low flow limitation. We can use 03:15 to 03:17 to illustrate your flow limitation. Chart should include Events, Flow Rate, Pressure, Leak Rate, flow Limitation and Snore, in other words, just use the same chart organization. Once you post this, I'll help you understand what we're looking at so you can discuss with your doctor. We can then start looking for additional examples. I'd like you to discuss these with your doctor ahead of the sleep test so can use these examples of what to look for in the respiratory flow trace during the test.

Those are the two plots we've been waiting for.
Make sense?

[Plmnb]

Good evening all.

Hi Sleeprider and ApneaQuestions.  Hopefully I have it right this time.  (Sleeprider, please tell me I have the correct chart you wanted me to do this assignment on?) . Two minute segments, 3:15 to 3:17 and 5:30 to 5:32.

IF these are what you were looking for, I plan on taking print outs of these zooms and a print out of the main chart to my sleep study/titration tomorrow night.  (ApneaQuestions, I am going to tackle your axis assignment next.)

I did call the sleep lab today and tell them all the things the people on this board suggested that I request. (I didn't mention the board, I just said "I want...").  Later, when they called to confirm the appointment I made double sure all the requests I made were notated and the woman said they were.

Look forward to hearing these are correct and your final comments, if any, before I go tomorrow.

Regards,
Plmnb


[attachment=18369]   [attachment=18370]

[ApneaQuestions]

Good Job!

The flow rate axis exaggeration will help but it's not essential.

I'm sure that Sleeprider will follow up with his narrative

However, in the meantime, if you take my earlier narrative on the "ABC" image...you can use it word-for-word on the "bad" area.
The only difference is that "spikey" now begins to look more like "mountains" and "skyscrapers" because we are zoomed in.
While you wait for Sleeprider, see if you can see how that narrative "fits"

The "nicer" plot simply shows (in comparison) how much better the "nice" plot is compared to the "bad" plot.
Even the "nicer" plot is not totally "perfect".... you'll see the details if you do the flow rate axis exaggeration.

[Osiris357]

That flow rate wave form looks very uncomfortable. I hope they can get rid of most of your flow limitations for you tomorrow night.

[Plmnb]

  Thanks ApneaQuestions.  I am going to try the axis biz, I'm not working tonight anyway and since I have replaced my "addiction" of playing Texas Holde'm with FIGURING out all these OSA stuff...well, we shall see.  I know you know I'll let you know.    I will now also work on my narratives with your suggestions.  (Should I post the finished products here)?

 Osiris357...ooh, I'm quite anxious about it.  I was very adamant about the video taping when I called them today.  I explained, yet again, that I was told they would do it on the last study and that it was not done.  (I think there is a new "adamant" tone to me since joining this board).  I am a little optimistic about everything I have requested because they DO have in their notes that I will be using a sleep collar.  (Yet, I did have to clarify that we were going to use it for half the night only).

Plmnb

[ApneaQuestions]

You might like this...
I hope it works on the website.. it's an animation

It really makes the point of how different they are

Picture paints a 1000 words :-)

EDIT:
Here's how I did it... It's an animated "gif" file
Many programs can create them.. some are easier than others.
It's another learning curve that may be too much for tonight... the zoomed flow rate axis might be more useful... I'll make an animation of those too if you wish.
However I used "gimp" which is an opensource free image processing program (like a free version of Photoshop.. kinda)
I just imported the first image then imported the second image as an overlay and then exported the whole file as an animation with timestep 0.5 seconds looping forever
Here's how : https://itstillworks.com/animate-jpg-com...00984.html

[Plmnb]

 

Are you willing to share how you did that??  I want to see if I can do it too, although I would like to see if the transition could be slowed down a little?

I have a few editing programs that I hope might work.

Plmnb

[Osiris357]

I think they’ll take you serious this time around. Best of luck to you!

[Plmnb]

Don't sweat the little stuff if what I am about to say is a new concept to you and confuses you..

If it's easy for you to do... try to exaggerate the y scale on the flow chart by changing the min/max range.

You can change those scales (using windows jargon not apple jargon) by right clicking on the y-axis and changing y-axis to "override" and typing in values that look closer to the actual values you see on the flow rate.

... if that totally blew you away... ignore it.  :-)

Soooo, I ACTUALLY was able to figure out how to change the y-axis to override on the Flow Rate Chart. Unbelievable, I know.

But, why am I typing in values that look closer to the actual value I see on the flow rate?  I guess I mean, why would I want to exaggerate the y-scale?  And then, what value numbers am I supposed to be putting into the minimum and maximum boxes?

Different Issue:  Still curious about the snore chart.  I'm pretty sure I can understand why the snore chart shows no snores for the period of 5:30 to 5:32...I was breathing pretty well, right?  But, the snore chart doesn't show snores for the more difficult period, 3:15 to 3:17.  And the overall view of the snore chart sort of confounds me.

Plmnb