SleepyHead Data - Newly Diagnosed

[davidb01]

Hi All,

I've recently been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea (AHI of 63) so I'm currently running my month long CPAP trial. I'm a bit over 2 weeks into - can't say I've noticed a marked difference in my tiredness levels yet, but fully aware that this is a process and can take a while to get used to in.

Initially, the machine they gave me for the trial (F&P Icon) was set in APAP mode on a pressure of 5 - 20. At my last visit (on Wednesday) they've set it to CPAP mode starting at 5 with a ramp up to 9. Good news is my AHI's dropped to pretty much under 3 each night!

I was using a F&P Eson mask which I manage quite well with - no major leaks (I also tried a Pliaro Q pillow mask - but could never seem to get it to sit right, got lots of leaks, and my wife complained about the noise from it anyway! ). At my appointment I got a DreamWear mask to try - hoping I can keep going with this mask! I'm getting a couple of major leaks a night with it (see data attached) but last night- was only 2 mins a time, twice over the course of the night.

What I'm not sure about is the Sense Awake function on the Icon - not sure I like that. It seems to still make the machine pressure go all over the place. I'm getting a ResMed Airsense 10 to try next week (that's the machine I want to buy) which is supposed to be a more constant pressure. I'll have to see how that goes.

Anything else I should be looking at in my data? (The breaks in the data is when the machine was off cause I was taking kids back to bed!)

Thanks!

[justMongo]

I had to look up SensAwake...
The F&P manufacturer's website talks about it:
https://www.fphcare.com/sleep-apnea/clin...sensawake/

[green wings]

I see what you mean. I'm not clear about how the machine "senses" that you're awake. It almost looks like the machine decides you are awake, drops the pressure, then you have a hypopnea or obstructive apnea.

I'm still pretty new at this, though, so I'll be interested to hear what others have to say.

Welcome to the forum.

What I'm not sure about is the Sense Awake function on the Icon - not sure I like that. It seems to still make the machine pressure go all over the place.

[DeepBreathing]

G'day David, welcome to Apnea Board.

I think your numbers look pretty good at this early stage and will doubtless improve. Some lucky people experience instant improvements but for most of us it's a journey.

I have to say SenseAwake looks like a gimmick to me, and I wonder if it's not counter-productive. All those sudden changes in pressure can't possibly promote sound, restful sleep. If it was me I'd turn it off for a few nights and see how it goes.

[davidb01]

Hi Guys,

Yeah - thanks for that!

I have to say SenseAwake looks like a gimmick to me, and I wonder if it's not counter-productive. All those sudden changes in pressure can't possibly promote sound, restful sleep. If it was me I'd turn it off for a few nights and see how it goes.

Yeah - I'm thinking the same... I've actually seen a couple of nights where it's "sensed" I'm awake, dropped the pressure then I've and an Obstructive Apnea! As I mentioned, I'm getting a ResMed Airsense 10 to try next week so I'll see how I go on that.

On a side note, when I asked to change to the Airsense, my sleep clinic technician was almost taken aback asking "Why do you want that?" Told her what I'd seen in the data and the response was "Oh - you've been looking at the data have you?" like they're taken aback that I've actually been taking an interests in my personal data! But hey - what can I say - I'm in IT - it's my job to analyse/take an interest in data of this sort!

[palerider]

What I'm not sure about is the Sense Awake function on the Icon - not sure I like that. It seems to still make the machine pressure go all over the place.

normal sleep breathing and wake breathing flows look different.

resmed uses the same basic technique in their new auto ramp, not raising pressure till your breathing pattern indicates sleep.

[DeepBreathing]

resmed uses the same basic technique in their new auto ramp, not raising pressure till your breathing pattern indicates sleep.

True. But I think the difference (if I understand correctly) is that once the Resmed has determined you're asleep it doesn't start thinking you're awake again. I have never used the Icon, but I suspect the rapid pressure drops would be quite disturbing. It might be good for some people, just so long as you can turn it off if it bothers you.

[davidb01]

True. But I think the difference (if I understand correctly) is that once the Resmed has determined you're asleep it doesn't start thinking you're awake again. I have never used the Icon, but I suspect the rapid pressure drops would be quite disturbing. It might be good for some people, just so long as you can turn it off if it bothers you.
[/quote]

That's my understanding too - once remed has ramped up to max pressure it stays there all night. Icons' SensAwake sensed when you wake up during the night and drops the pressure then ramps up again when it senses you're asleep again. I've woken up a few times with the Icon wondering if it's even working cause I cant feel anything (it is - I open my mouth and the air rushes out! )

[trish6hundred]

Hi davidb01,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Much success to you with your CPAP therapy and hang in there for more responses to your post.

[palerider]

the point was that resmed is using the same waveform analysis technique, in the machine to make a calculated guess as to whether you're awake, or asleep, and do something with that information.

not that resmed is doing the same thing as F&P.

I see now that I misquoted in my comment earlier, what I was actually replying to was Greenwings comment: "I'm not clear about how the machine "senses" that you're awake."

and the answer is... sleep and wake breathing patterns typically are different.