Things settling down nicely---AHI 1.28

[SailingAway]

After day 4, things seem to be settling down nicely. 2 brief episodes of mouth breathing but everything else looks pretty good. Still using the large pillows on the Airfit P10. It's not as stable in my nose as the medium, but it isn't irritating my nose.

So all looks good. If anybody sees anything I don't please speak up.

I've been spending some time looking at the various waveforms and I'll be back with a few questions when I have the formed a little better in my brain. Trying to see the difference between a UA and a CA/OA event. As well as the variability in the flow waveform.

Thanks to all. Now the pretty pictures.

[Sleeprider]

Looks pretty good. I would turn off the ramp and start pressure at 6.0 minimum. You're struggling a bit for breath when you're first starting, and that is unnecessary. These are very very good results for starting out. I'm impressed, and you should be successful at this.

Edit to add, I have previously recommended a minimum pressure of 8, and I am sticking with that, but since no changes yet, I'd settle for 6. All this to say, I'm very much in agreement with Retired Guy's post that follows.

[retired_guy]

I agree with Sleeprider that you are doing very well. ..and I do think you will soon discover the Ramp feature is not that needed. However I would like to see your minimum pressure up just a little. I think your flow limit will go baby butt smooth when you do that, and the pressure graph will stabilize a bit more. So I would leave the Ramp on for awhile, but with a beginning Ramp pressure of 6, and I'd set the minimum pressure to 8.

[quiescence at last]

great job.

a UA is only a way of saying you had a long enough event, but the machine is not sure how to score it, as a OA or a CA.

most of the time, this occurs when there are large leaks. But, in your case, it did not occur at a large leak. no big deal, though, the machine just wasn't sure.

QAL

[surferdude2]

Another point would be to try and remember what position you were sleeping in versus the times when the pressure rose to the highest reading. You may find that you can improve your therapy more easily by changing sleep positions rather than machine settings. From what I see of your graphs, I think you are being awakened when the pressure tops out and it may well be due to you having rolled over onto your back. I think that is indicated by the clear air events and the OA you got. I would also suggest that you consider using the EPR feature and perhaps stop using the ramp.

[TheManseHen]

Sailing...
WOW. Go you! What a wonderful job you are doing!
The Hen

[TyroneShoes]

Looking good, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and you are only a few days in.

What I mean by that is that maybe overtinkering on sparse info might be not the way to go. If you do not stay at a particular pressure range for at least a couple weeks you really will have no good idea whether that is working properly or not. Marathon, not a sprint.

So if one were to accept that approach, and were it me (because I do indeed accept that approach), if the AHI does not go above at least 5 for at least two nights in a row, I would stick with what you have for now. It's a little like draw poker; you have good cards at the moment, so maybe don't draw new ones.

Still, helluva start. It took me a couple months to get below 5 regularly, but that was by NOT using this approach, and was by leaving things up to the doc, which I would do differently if I had it to do over again; I spent a month at wide open 5-20 (didn't know anything yet) and another at straight 8 (dr.'s orders) before narrowing to 8-14. IOW, I am doing better by taking charge of the therapy myself.

So your intentions are probably very good, but slow and steady wins the race.

[SailingAway]

Looks pretty good. I would turn off the ramp and start pressure at 6.0 minimum. You're struggling a bit for breath when you're first starting, and that is unnecessary. These are very very good results for starting out. I'm impressed, and you should be successful at this.

Sleeprider, How do you know this? Where or which graph are you seeing that shown? Flow limiting??

Last night for the first time, I felt I was struggling to breath for the first 20 minutes or so. I am bumping the start up to 6 tonight.

[SailingAway]

So I would leave the Ramp on for awhile, but with a beginning Ramp pressure of 6, and I'd set the minimum pressure to 8.

These are the changes I am making today.

BTW, I was just dragging my feet because several have said only tiny changes over weeks of time. As I mentioned above, last night was the first time I felt breathing was difficult for the first 20 minutes. I was planning to up the beginning ramp pressure up 2 as suggested.

Thanks for the help.

[player]

great job.

a UA is only a way of saying you had a long enough event, but the machine is not sure how to score it, as a OA or a CA.

most of the time, this occurs when there are large leaks. But, in your case, it did not occur at a large leak. no big deal, though, the machine just wasn't sure.

QAL

Would someone please explain these acronyms to me? UA, OA and CA.

Thanks