Requesting Advice for Optimizing Settings

[Dormant]

I've been lurking and want to say 'thank you' for all those helping here! 

I've used Resmed AirSense 10 AutoSet CPAP for a year. Tried a few masks and keep going back to the P10, although just last night tried the Brevida for the first time and it wasn't an easy night, but I will give it more tries. I do not use the humidifier.

After the initial 3-month compliance I had an appt. with the sleep dr. and asked a few questions, showing her a Sleepyhead report.  I was shut down with 'I don't know Sleepyhead, besides, all you have to be concerned about is making sure there is a smiley face on the machine in the morning.'  She knew the reason for the initial sleep test was to see if my worsening 'chronic major clinical depression' (on Rx for 25 years) could possibly be caused by any sleep disorders. 

FYI: I do have an appt. next week with a psychiatrist and imagine we'll change the Rx as we did 8-10 years ago.

So yes, I'm getting the smiley face every morning, yay!  Low AHI, I know I have some oxygen deprivation, but really don't understand the charts, and I am getting the smiley face (ugh).  I usually sleep 8-9 hours every night, but the CPAP has not helped me feel any better.  So here I am, asking please if there are any machine tweaks that might help my sleep.  I frequently have vivid dreams, almost nightmares, maybe during REM?  I get sporadic shoulder pain from impingement of the supraspinatus tendon, which will sometimes wake me up. 

Thanks in advance for reading and helping!

[Gideon]

Welcome to the forum.

With an AHI of 3 without CPAP I assume you are using this "to see if my worsening 'chronic major clinical depression' could possibly be caused by any sleep disorders"

Your numbers are good so I'm going to target your comfort and minimizing your Flow Limitations and RERAs.  Bt definition RERAs are a series of Flow Limitations ending in an Arousal.  In general, we do not like arousals.
To do this I'm going to suggest to simply set your EPR at 3.

[Dormant]

Thank you, Bonjour!  I will make the change to EPR 3.

I'm confused now with reading the actual sleep study report line:
Apnee Index   Obstructive 3.0

The dr. sent me the findings/interpretation with the following info:
AHI was 15.5 per hour, 15.5 supine, including an obstructive apnea index of 3 and central index of 0.  This diagnostic HST shows moderate severity obstructive sleep apnea. 

I would not have qualified for insurance with only a 3 AHI, either.  I don't know what the difference is between the 'Events Index' and 'Apnee Index'.

[jaswilliams]

Thank you, Bonjour!  I will make the change to EPR 3.

I'm confused now with reading the actual sleep study report line:
Apnee Index   Obstructive 3.0

The dr. sent me the findings/interpretation with the following info:
AHI was 15.5 per hour, 15.5 supine, including an obstructive apnea index of 3 and central index of 0.  This diagnostic HST shows moderate severity obstructive sleep apnea. 

I would not have qualified for insurance with only a 3 AHI, either.  I don't know what the difference is between the 'Events Index' and 'Apnee Index'.

Based on your sleep report your AHI was 15.5

The Apnoea Index was 3.0 and the Hypopnoea index was 12.5 so yes you need a machine both numbers add together to make the AHI


A hypopnoea is a partial apnoea a reduction in flow of breath rather than a full stop of breathing.

[Dormant]

Thank you, jaswilliams!
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I've changed the EPR to 3, and I'm trying my best to learn about the graphs and all, but then it gets too technical and I lose focus.  The hypopneas can't be very healthy!  But I don't know if they are caused by the apnea, don't know if I should be as relaxed about them as the sleep dr.?